What will RIM-CE cost?
The Agency responsible for the program – the Board of Water and Soil Resources — has requested $46 million for jumpstarting this program to get energy crops in the ground while improving conservation on the land. This sum represents about 13,000 acres of marginal land that could be put towards this new market development. This is in comparison to the 40,000 acres that is estimated to come out of CRP lands in Minnesota this year to produce corn, soybeans or wheat. Introducing a new “production” crop takes a significant investment to compare varieties, monitor results, and modify farming practices. $46 million and 13,000 acres can leverage significant private dollars, spur rural economic development, and jumpstart the next generation bioenergy economy in a way that helps the state meet its wildlife habitat and water quality goals. In the long term, this successful demonstration will enable all farmers with access to green energy markets to learn from experience how to select, grow, and
