V O L U M E 3 0
SEPTEMBER 2021
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
B Y WA LT E R S C H W E I T Z E R PRESIDENT
about 1 million acres of oilseeds to produce the feedstock needed by this conversion. Montana grew about 300,000 acres of oilseeds in 2020. Calumet’s transition to renewable feedstock will create an opportunity to expand our oilseed acres and have it processed right here in Montana.
crushed plants and animal tallow from rendering plants in the Midwest because there is nowhere in Montana to source industrial biofuel oil.
W h e n I l e f t C a l u m e t ’s announcement, my mind was whirling with the possibilities this transition could provide Montana farmers and the Great Falls community. Oilseed crops have proven to be an excellent rotation crop for farmers, but demand for Montana oilseed crops has been Fifty-plus people witnessed the sporadic. Hopefully, Calumet is event. Elected leaders from creating demand that farmers around the state were in the can plan for into the future. crowd. Calumet management Montana has limited capacity to shared that demand for renewable crush oilseeds, and this will need fuel by Canada and California to be expanded rapidly to take and the incentives in place by the advantage of the new demand. Federal government make this a real opportunity. It was clear I did some online research I was invited to the announcement that Calumet has been doing a and found out that renewable of the plans by Calumet refinery lot of work already to make this transition and expansion at US in Great Falls to convert half of transition happen by the spring refineries are expected to increase their crude run with renewable of 2022. To begin with, Calumet fivefold by 2024, with most feedstock. This could require plans to use soybean oil from projections showing demand
Fall Traveling Workshop Series: Montana Farmers Union is traveling to the Western and Southwestern part of the state with the workshop series Rebuilding Food Resiliency. This event is free, open to the public, with a meal provided at each location. Please RSVP at montanafarmersunion.com. Program Agenda: • Overview of the President’s Promoting Competition in the American Economy Executive Order including specifics on directives including Right to Repair, Packers and Stockyards Act, defining “Product of the USA” labels, healthcare, technology, and more. Presented by Walter Schweitzer, President of Montana Farmers Union • Building Resiliency through on Farm Food Safety Planning and Practices; presented by Jan Tusick, Center Director for Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center • Overview of the Growth Through Agriculture Program; Presented by the Montana Department of Agriculture • Funding for small producers through the American Rescue Plan; Presented by USDA Rural Development • Presentation on the Montana Premium Processing Co-op, and how to get involved; Presented by Matt Rains, Montana Farmers Union
DATE TIME 9/21 9/21 9/22 9/22 10/5 10/5 10/6 10/6
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11:30 am-1:30 6-8 pm 11:30-1:30 6-8 pm 11:30-1:30 6-8 pm 11:30- 1:30 6-8 pm
CITY
Corvallis Missoula Ronan Whitefish Livingston Bozeman Townsend Butte
outpacing supplies.There are refineries in California that are producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). They are supplying jet fuel for LA and Bay area airports. I stumbled across transcripts of a Calumet investor call discussing the transition to biofuel feedstock. A couple of things jumped out in this call. First, there was a lot of discussion about Montana and Alberta having millions of untapped acres in their backyard that could be transitioned to oilseeds to meet their demands. Secondly, Montana farm fields are some of the closest fields to the new demand for renewable fuel in Canada and California. I am intrigued by this new opportunity for farmers and will keep you updated as I find out more.
VENUE
Corvallis Research Station Double Tree Ronan Community Center Rocky Mountain Lodge Best Western Pioneer Lodge Comfort Inn The Mint Bar & Cafe Copper King Hotel
