FEATURES
Co-ops can play role for members seeking
trade adjustment assistance
By Alan Borst
Compensating co-op directors
USDA study reveals wide range of pay plans
By Bruce Reynolds
Ocean Spray rejects Pepsi Offer
Special Section > Co-ops and Biofuels
Fueling a rural revival
Ethanol co-op supports farmer
income while providing lift to
community
By Dan Campbell
MFA Oil committed to development
and marketing of renewable fuels
By Diane Searcy
Great Expectations
Ethanol is hot, but what is the longterm
outlook for biofuel?
By Stephen Thompson
Buying biodiesel ‘off the rack’
CHS investing in new injection technology
to streamline biodiesel blending
process
By Steve Richter
Balancing act
Risk-hedging strategy big part of Iowa
co-op's success
By Dan Campbell
The right thing
GROWMARK's Kelley says time is
right for renewable fuels to gain larger
share of market
By Ann Hastings
Community investments
help launch plant
By Stephen Thompson
Hard lessons
Tri-State Ethanol struggling to overcome
difficult start
By Stephen Thompson
Lost Horizon
Membership “horizon”problem
preceded demise of MCP
By Anthony Crooks
USDA grants support
home-grown fuels
DEPARTMENTS
COMMENTARY
VALUE-ADDED CORNER: AMAZING GRAINS!
NEWSLINE
NEW CO-OP PUBLICATIONS
On the Cover:
Ethanol fuel pumps aren’t really popping up in Midwest cornfields, but it almost
seems like it. Seventy-five ethanol plants are now in operation, and as many as
100 more biofuel plants are at some stage of planning or construction. Why the
vintage fuel pump? “It symbolizes the combination of old-fashioned work values
of rural America with the advancing technology of biofuels,” says assistant editor/
graphic artist Stephen Thompson. And those old pumps had class! A special
biofuels section begins on page 10.
Ann Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture
Gilbert Gonzales, Acting Under Secretary, USDA Rural Development
Peter Thomas, Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Pandor Hadjy, Acting Deputy Administrator, USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Dan Campbell, Editor
Vision Integrated Marketing/KOTA, Design
Have a cooperative-related question?
Call (202) 720-6483, or
Fax (202) 720-4641, Information Director
RURAL COOPERATIVES (1088-8845) is published bimonthly by Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop 0705, Washington, DC. 20250-0705 The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of public business required by law of the Department. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC. and additional mailing offices. Copies may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 20402, at $23 per year. Postmaster: send address change to: Rural Cooperatives, USDA/RBS, Stop 3255, Wash., DC 20250-3255.
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