The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board is heading to the Big Apple to learn about the advancements in biofuels. This includes biodiesel, renewable diesel, and the sustainable aviation fuel industry.
Clean Fuels Alliance America is hosting its annual Big Apple Tour Dec. 15-18 in New York City. Andy Bensend, WSMB District 1 director from Dallas, Wis., and WSMB Executive Director Adam Kask are on the guest list.
“This will be my first time taking part in the Big Apple Tour and my first time in New York City,” says Bensend, who also represents WSMB on the Soy Transportation Coalition. “One of my objectives is to learn more about the biofuels industry and its potential as it pertains to the shipping industry, such as locomotives, tugboats, etc.”
Educational sessions will show attendees how New York City and New Jersey use biofuel to reduce their carbon footprint. The tour also includes the National Oil Heat Research & Education Center.
“Heating oil is still a major heating source in the northeast and especially New York City, so they’ve been very supportive of Bioheat, which uses biodiesel, supports the soybean industry, and is better for your health and the environment,” explains Kask. “On top of that they’re using biodiesel in many of their city vehicles, including their fire, police, and sanitation departments.”
Bioheat is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional home heating fuel that consists of biodiesel. It’s a significant part of the market in the Northeast where other home heating options are either limited or expensive.
From a grower perspective, Bensend hopes the tour will provide some insight into how policy is shaping the biofuels and soybean economy.
“As a producer the more I can know and understand, the better,” says Bensend. “I’d like to be able to help direct the work of our organization and see if we can figure how we can work through these commodity prices and try to give us producers here in Wisconsin the opportunity to be as profitable as we can.”
