Fiber, Fuel & Food For the Future
Sponsored by the Kossuth County Conservation Board

Mission Statement: FFF is a forum allowing citizens and local experts to discuss their vision for Iowa's sustainable future. This forum will focus on fiber, fuel, and food, the basic resources for survival, and how our self-reliance in these areas can create the context for a healthy environment, strong economy, and increased national security.

Date:  Feb. 1, 2003
Location:  Iowa Lakes Community College
Hwy 169 just north of Algona
Time:  10 am-4pm
Cost:  Free
Please RSVP by Monday, January 27th
by calling KCCB @ 295-2138 or email [log in to unmask]

Speakers
Food
o Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Jan Libbey runs a CSA near Kanawha and is head of the Iowa Network for Community Agriculture (I.N.C.A.) which works to encourage locally grown foods. She will be speaking of her experiences in these endeavors and the future of local food systems in Iowa.
o Humane and sustainable small-scale hog operations
Vern Reding and Martin Kramer, two local family farmers, will speak of their experiences with Niman Ranch -- a company whose goal is to produce the highest quality pork while keeping the welfare of the livestock, the environment, and the family farm in mind.
o Organic Farming: the old way in the new millenium
Local farmer Arlyn Valvick will share his experiences as a conventional farmer who switched to organic farming for economic and environmental reasons. He is also on the board of the Leopold Center and an active member of Farm Bureau.
o Bison: America's original red meat
Steve Bode, a local bison producer and president of the Iowa Bison Association, will speak about the benefits of Bison as a viable alternative livestock for Iowa.

Fiber
o New markets for traditional and alternative crops
Linda Meschke of the Blue Earth River Basin Initiative shares her efforts to protect Minnesota's waterways and the emergence of efforts by Cargill/Dow to produce ecologically friendly packaging using local corn produced in an environmentally sound way.
o Replacing wood and petroleum products with corn stover and soy adhesives
Monlin Kuo, professor at Iowa State University, will discuss efforts to engineer value-added products from Iowa's crops and crop residue.
o Bio composites (TBA)

Fuel
o Ethanol: fuel and feed from corn
A representative from Midwest Grain Processors in Lakota will speak about the new ethanol plant and the process, benefits, and future of ethanol in Iowa.
o Soy Diesel: fuel and feed from soybeans
Don Irmen from West Central in Ralston will discuss the production, benefits, and future potential of soy biodiesel.
o The growth of Wind and Biomass as sources of renewable energy
John Bilsten from Algona Municipal Utilities shares his knowledge of wind power generation and the exciting future of renewable energy in Iowa, including wind and biomass (switchgrass).


General Schedule: 10AM-4PM
10-11 Introduction and presenter panel
During this introduction all the presenters will be seated on a panel and discuss briefly their area of expertise. This will give all participants an introduction to the topics covered in the forum.
11-12 Break out sessions 1A, 1B, & 1C *
12-1 Lunch will be provided. The meal will include locally grown foods    donated by Niman Ranch and One Step at a Time Gardens (CSA)
2. Break out sessions 2A, 2B, & 2C *
2-3 Break out sessions 3 A, 3B, & 3C *
4. Closing words and opportunity for action groups to gather

*one presenter from each of the three major topics will be speaking during each of the break out sessions.



Phone: (515) 295-2138 FAX: (515) 295-5479 e-mail: [log in to unmask]



Erin E. Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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