COSA Roundtable 2007: Biofuels in a Community Context: Integrating Economic, Social and Environmental Aspects of Production

An Event at the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings: https://www.acsmeetings.org/.

Committee on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (COSA)

What is the definition of “Sustainable Biofuels Production”? How do we measure sustainability? The goal of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Committee on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (COSA) Annual Roundtable event, on Monday, November 5th at 6 pm in the Marriott, Blaine Kern (CD) is to answer these questions and more! The event, entitled Biofuels in a Community Context: Integrating Economic, Social and Environmental Aspects, will identify the many aspects of soil conservation, policy, and the local economy that biofuels production can impact.

Roundtable panelists, Rob Mitchell, Research Agronomist; Jason Hill, Research Economist; Susan Andrews, Ecologist; Kelly King, Biofuels Entrepreneur; and Julie Sibbing, Conservation Policy Expert will present their perspectives on these aspects and suggest sustainability criteria to assess sustainable biofuel production. Please join us at the COSA Annual Roundtable on Monday evening for this exciting event!

Event Agenda:

• 6:00 Cash bar and Networking Reception
• 6:30 Introductory Remarks on the Opportunities for Localized Biofuel Production and Panelists
• 6:45 Panelist Presentation of the many Aspects of Biofuel Production
• 8:00 Panel Discussion and Development of Sustainability Criteria
• 8:30 Adjourn

More about the Panelists:

Rob Mitchell, Agronomist
Soil and Crop Management Systems to Sustain Agricultural Production and Environmental Quality in the Northern Great Plains
Improved Plants and Production Practices for Grasslands and Biomass Crops in the Mid-Continental Usa
Switchgrass for Biomass: Farm Scale Production Practices Affect Feedstock Costs and Quantities in the Northern Great Plains

Jason Hill, Economist
Corn Can't Solve Our Problem
Senate Ag. Committee Testimony on the Northern Plains Priorities for the Farm Bill
Carbon-Negative Biofuels from Low-Input High-Diversity Grassland Biomass

Susan Andrews, Ecologist
Soil Quality Assessment Framework
White Paper: Crop Residue for Biomass Energy Production
Webcast: Responsible Harvest of Crop Residue for Biomass Energy Production

Kelly King, Biofuels Entrepreneur
Pacific Biodiesel
Revolution Green a documentary.
Why Biodiesel?

Julie Sibbing, Conservation Policy
Bio-energy Policy and Wildlife
Senate Ag. Committee Testimony on Conservation Title of 2007 Farm Bill
Innovation for the Next Generation of Biofuels

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A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
American Society of Agronomy
Crop Science Society of America
Soil Science Society of America
American Society of Agronomy - Division 8 Integrated Agricultural Systems,
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
USDA National Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education,
USDA Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

COSA Committee Minutes 10/10/07

Called to order at 9:04am Pacific

Participants: Kim Leval, Julie Dawson, Michelle, Kelly King, Julie Sibbing, Diana Jerkins, Jane Sooby, Pat Carr, Caron Gala, Jason Hill, Susan Andrews

1. Introductions and welcome

2. Interim Chair – Michelle will help as interim Chair until the end of the year; RE: Recruitment of new Chair – Michelle/Caron will send out the duties of the Chair so folks who might be interested will know what is expected.

3. Membership from Sustainable Agriculture Community – Kim is talking with the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC)and Center for Rural Affairs about joining COSA; also OFRF is considering joining

Kim outlined the interest in becoming a division
Pat outlined some of the changes in consideration of divisions for example forming an organic division
Div. meeting for A8 on Wed. at 11am - room 210 at the Convention Center
Michelle will announce the A8 meeting with S3 via email; Pat will send announcement to Michelle
COSA business meeting 9am on Monday, Marriott, Magnolia Room 208

4. Roundtable – Jerry Glover not able to come. Jason Hill will be speaking to perennials and biomass. Speakers went over their topics. Topics to be covered: switchgrass, perennials and diversity, effects of residue removal and carbon sequestration, sustainable biofuels production and impact on rural communities and local economies, wildlife implications, policy implications.

-Panelists will develop a short paragraph (1/2 page) to describe what they will be speaking to; please send to cgala@agronomy.org
-Funding and logistics: With Jerry not coming and not being replaced we will have a total of $2,500 in expenses for speaker travel and $800 left over to use for whatever the Committee decides. Julie Sibbing needs assistance with on-line registration and housing. We went over the logistics and how to register and how to get housing. Kim recommended http://www.hotwire.com/ for hotel rooms at the last minute.
-Structure of the roundtable – we will have panelists speak for 15 minutes each and then there will be questions and a discussion; panelists should send a short paragraph - motion passed to make this schedule change. Caron will send out a new agenda to the panelists and the COSA committee. Caron will send out the full list of questions in case we need them to jump start discussion with larger group.

****panelists signed off

5. $800 to allocate: We will use that money to pay for food and a no-host bar. We will not have powerpoint capability available but handouts are fine.

6. Expenses – Panelists need to turn in their expenses and form right after the annual meeting and the forms – Caron Gala is the contact for this.

7. Caron will ask OFRF if they will contribute to COSA for food for the reception

8. Kim will send her files to Caron for archives

9. Michelle and Julie will work out the facilitation of the meeting over email

10. Michelle will handle the agenda for the COSA business meeting over email.
Agenda items:
-Elect new leadership
-Nominations
-annual report
-funding
-becoming a division

Call closed at 10:34am Pacific.

Notes submitted by Kim Leval

Oct 1st Conference call notes

Dear COSA –

On our last conference call, Oct 1st we discussed the funding situation for our November Roundtable. The following recommendations were made and action items planned:

1. Caron will step in as Presiding Officer for the Roundtable in place of Kim
2. Julie Dawson will do the intro and welcome
3. Kim will seek a Chair to be her replacement (in process)
4. We recommend that we not cover the registration costs for our panelists; but only travel
5. We recommend that we not provide food for the reception unless we raise more money


Please respond if you are not in agreement with the recommendations #4 and #5 no later than Monday, Oct 8th by noon Pacific (3pm Eastern).

If everyone is okay with #4 and #5 I will send a message out to our panelists after noon on Monday, Oct. 8th letting them know that they will need to cover their own registration.

Also, Traci Bruckner at the Center for Rural Affairs is stepping in to help as I transition to my new job. She will be the contact at the Center should you need to reach someone there. Thank you all! Kim


NOTE: I am taking a new position with Rural Development Initiatives, Inc. based in Eugene, Oregon. My last day with the Center is October 16, 2007. After that time you can leave a voicemail at 541-683-5066 for personal business. For matters related to the Center for Rural Affairs please contact Traci Bruckner at 402-687-2103 extension 1016
Kim Leval, Senior Policy Analyst
Rural Policy Program
Center for Rural Affairs
My Home mailing address:
PO Box 10836
Eugene, OR 97440
Ph: (541) 687-1490 (this number will be disconnected soon)
Fax: (541)686-1380 (soon to be disconnected)
Email: kimleval@qwest.net (new personal email: tiakim1@yahoo.com)
CLICK HERE to join the National Rural Action Network
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