Potential grass growers gather

STRATTON—In the spring of 2010, AbitibiBowater Inc. would like to have freshly-baled switch grass and reed canary grass to try out in its new biomass boiler in Fort Frances.
“In a perfect world, they would like it in the spring,” local ag rep Gary Sliworsky told potential growers at an open house last Wednesday (March 5) in Stratton
“That’s when most of their wet stuff is coming in,” he noted.
But the two dozen potential growers on hand were skeptical about the plan to swath the grass in the fall and leave it in the windrow all winter, before baling it in the spring.
They feared poor spring conditions might make it impossible to get the crop off.
“It might be different in the west, where they don’t get as much snow and it blows off,” said Stratton farmer Ken Haw. “You’ve got to take it when you can in this country.”
Still, the group seemed generally interested in getting involved in the grass trials.
AbitibiBowater has partnered with the Rainy River Soil and Crop Improvement Association, the Emo research station, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Rainy River Future Development Corp. to conduct on-farm field trials growing switch grass and reed canary grass to supply its biomass boiler.
Participating growers must have 20 acres, which has been worked up last fall, and they must fertilize with phosphorous according to the recommendations of a current soil test analysis.
They will be compensated for lost production, as well as the grass seed and 46-0-0 nitrogen fertilizer at 46 pounds/acre in the second and third years.
Compensation to the 10 producers will total $43,200 over the three years of the trials. AbitibiBowater will kick in 50 percent while the other half will be funded through the RRFDC.
AbitibiBowater also will purchase the forage in the second and third years at $58 per tonne—delivered to the roadside and loaded on a flatbed trailer.
Sliworsky conceded the company expected area growers would have concerns about spring baling and that it was willing to do whatever would work for the growers.
Spring baling has been shown to yield the best quality.
“AbitibiBowater just wants to know: Can you guys grow it? What are the yields? And how well does it burn?” Sliworsky explained.
“With this trial, they are hoping to get enough for a three- or four-day burn,” he added.
The MoE will be monitoring emissions.
Pinewood farmer John Vandenbrand wondered if it was important to get the crop in early, to which Sliworsky replied, “Hopefully by mid-May.”
The Emo research station has been collecting data on reed canary grass and switch grass for six years. Research manager Kim Jo Bliss was on hand for last Wednesday’s forum and answered several questions about growing and harvesting.
Bliss was pleased with the interest shown at the meeting.
“I hope that it goes well because I do think there is potential,” she remarked. “We have to start somewhere and the compensation that is being offered is quite generous.”
“[The RRFDC] is interested because we see benefit to producers,” said local ag co-ordinator Jeannette Cawston, who hosted the evening on behalf of the RRFDC.
“I didn’t realize until this meeting, in talking to Dryden farmer Peter Brunner, that other mills in the region have not been looking at this,” Cawston added. “It is very forward-thinking of AbitibiBowater to be looking down the road to when they will need additional fuel sources.”
Interested growers should contact Sliworsky by this Friday (March 14).
“We need 10 names,” said Sliworsky, “If we have too many, we will be pulling names out of a hat.”
(Fort Frances Times)