Oilseeds

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Oilseeds

Growing Sunflowers for Biodiesel

Follow John Williamson from planting to harvest

Growing Soybeans for Biodiesel

Follow Mark Mordasky from planting to harvest

Growing Canola for Biodiesel

Follow Roger Rainville from planting to harvest

Oil Crop Pest Pressures

A colorful and engaging look at pests that effect oilseeds

Oil & Meal Extraction

A brief but detailed look at cleaning and pressing oilseed crops

Growing Oilseeds For Fuel

Oilseed crops, like sunflowers, soybeans, and canola when grown in rotation with other crops are a sustainable means of producing a clean, renewable fuel to power Vermont’s agricultural sector, while generating livestock feed and food-grade oil as well. In this way, more money is put back in the farmers’ pocket, and they’ve become more self-sufficient with new means to moderate the impacts of peak oil and climate change.

The resources to the right and images below cover general oilseed production and use. Use the drop-down menu above for information specific to growing sunflowers, soybeans, and canola and making biodiesel. The downloadable Oilseed Cost and Profit Calculator is an important resource for modeling the economics of growing oilseeds for biodiesel.

Publications
Helpful Links

Economics

Chris Callahan, Oilseed Cost and Profit Calculator. (A downloadable modeling tool)

Chris Callahan and Netaka White, Vermont On-Farm Oilseed Enterprises: Production Capacity and Break-even Economics. July 2013.

Emily Stebbins, The Market Potential of Farm-Scale Oilseed Crop Products in Vermont.February 2008. (See also the Executive Summary)

Kenneth Mulder, Ph.D., Galen Wilkerson, Emily J. Stebbins Homegrown Fuel: Economic Feasibility of Commercial-Scale Biodiesel Production in Vermont.. September 2007

General Information

Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Oilseed Crop to Biodiesel Flowchart.

Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School. On-Farm Biodiesel Production in Vermont: Legal and Regulatory Overview. 2015.

Eric Garza, Energy Return on Invested of Biodiesel in Vermont.April 2011.

Growing Oilseeds

Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension, Oilseed Crop to Biodiesel Flowchart. 2013.

Seed Storage

Oilseed Fact Sheet: Cleaning and Storage, University of Vermont Extension

Feasibility Analysis: Solar Seed Dryer and Storage Bin at State Line Farm, N. Bennington, VT. October 2008

A Feasibility Analysis of a Mobile Unit for Processing Oilseed Crops and Producing Biodiesel in Vermont.December 2008

General Information

Oilseeds Program, University of Vermont Extension, Northwest Crops & Soils Team

Farm Fresh Fuels Project, University of Vermont / Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Oil Seed Crops, BioEnergy Washington

Economics

Oilseed Cost and Profit Calculator (A downloadable modeling tool)

Conferences and Events

Oilseed Producers Workshop Proceedings, University of Vermont

Sunflower Seminars and Workshops, National Sunflower Association

Canola Field

Canola field in full bloom, Borderview Farm, Alburgh Vermont, 2011. Photo credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Seed Cleaner

John Williamson, clipper seed cleaner, State Line Biofuels, Shaftsbury, Vermont, 2009. Photo credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Sunflower Meal

Sunflower meal, Taby oil press, State Line Biofuels, Shaftsbury, Vermont, 2009. Photo credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Soybean Meal

Soybean meal, Taby oil press, State Line Biofuels, Shaftsbury, Vermont, 2012. Photo credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil from Taby press, flowing to first settling barrel, State Line Biofuels, Shaftsbury, Vermont, 2009. Photo credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Oils, Seeds, and Biodiesel

Various oils, seeds and biodiesel, Borderview Farm, Alburgh, Vermont, 2012. Photo credit: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Thank you to the office of US Senator Patrick Leahy for administering the US Department of Energy congressional appropriation to financially support the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative.