Citizens' BION Forum

Abstract:

New York State Assemblyman Darrel Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent) says Bion Technology's proposed ethanol plant and beef cow operation raises concerns that need to be examined, but it also offers opportunities for area farmers. "There are some legitimate concerns" about how the company's technology will work in handling the manure from 84,000 cows, and how much redundancy is built into the system in case of failures in the technology, he said.

Full Text:

New York State Assemblyman Darrel Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent) says Bion
Technology's proposed ethanol plant and beef cow operation raises concerns
that need to be examined, but it also offers opportunities for area farmers.

"There are some legitimate concerns" about how the company's technology will
work in handling the manure from 84,000 cows, and how much redundancy is
built into the system in case of failures in the technology, he said.

"These are real concerns," he says.

But Aubertine says the company's proposal to bring 84,000 cows to St.
Lawrence County will offer area farmers major new markets that can ofer them
new opportunities to sell what they raise.

Area farms would have an opportunity to go into the beef cattle raising
business, selling the young calves they raise to Bion to be part of the
84,000 herd.

Local farmers in St. Lawrence Jefferson, Franklin and Lewis counties would
also have opportunities to sell hay and feed to Bion to feed the 84,000-cow
herd.

While Aubertine says a lot of attention has been paid to Bion's plan to ship
corn from the Midwest to the Ogdensburg port to feed the cows that will be
located at six 200 to 300 acre farms, local farmers in the North Country
will also be able to sell to Bion feed grains and hay that will also be
necessary to feed the cows. Aubertine says the North Country has a lot of
vacant land that is no longer being used for crops that could be put back
into productive use, boosting incomes to struggling area farmers.

Aubertine says farmers across the North Country are excited about the idea
of having a local market where they will be able to sell what they raise.

Aubertine says the Ogdensburg port will benefit from the increased usage
because the corn will have to be unloaded at the port and transported to the
six farms.

"Once the infrastructuire is set up to bring in dairy feed at the port" of
Ogdensburg, local farmers may be able to work out a deal to buy some of the
corn shipped in from the midwest.

"This has the potential to benefit everyone," he said. "Bion is certainly an
opportunity worth exploring," he said.

Aubertine says many farmers in the county who have transitioned out of dairy
operations and into raising crops and beef cattle are "looking at this as a
way to sustain their operations."

"If there's a way to do that, there's a lot of interest among landowners,"
he said.

Aubertine says he hopes the public will keep an open mind as it hears more
about the project.

"I think the county is taking the right approach," he said, by appointing a
task force to work with Bion to insure that all issues surrounding the
project are considered.

Aubertine says the Bion operation will also provide new jobs for former
dairy workers who are looking for jobs with benefits.

Bion officials say the company will not be employing migrant workers.

Company officials say the company will be employing veterinary technicians,
truckers, and other skilled workers at the facilities.