Wisconsin Soybean News

Wisconsin Soydiesel Bus Powers Through Mississippi

MADISON, Wis. – February 16, 2006 – Wisconsin’s new soydiesel bus is on the road this week, powering volunteer workers and their supplies as they help rebuild a rural area of Mississippi damaged by hurricane Katrina.

The WI-Bio bus was donated by Wisconsin Soybean Association Director, Joe Bragger of Independence, Wis., and fueled with soydiesel provided by Wisconsin Soybean Producers through the state checkoff program. It motored to Ocean Springs, Miss. – a community of 18,000 residents, centrally located between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. – carrying 15 volunteers from St. John Lutheran Church, Alma.

From Wisconsin’s below freezing temperatures, to Mississippi’s stifling heat, the WI-Bio bus is performing perfectly.

“The bus continues to be very valuable toting supplies and people around the area,” relates volunteer Carl Duley, Buffalo County UW Extension Agricultural Agent. “We found out that we can get four sheets of 4-by-8 plywood in the front door. You need to hold the door closed by hand, but it works!”

The group is spending the week patching roofs and pitching in where they can to help rebuild the lives and livelihoods of people most impacted by last year’s devastating storm. They are scheduled to return to Wisconsin this weekend.

Wisconsin soybean producer Bragger bought the bus – a 1985 International school bus – in 2003 intending to use it around the farm, but never did. His county agent remembered it when his church began planning this trip and asked to use it. Bragger, in turn, approached the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board about running it with bio-diesel. Several local businesses also pitched in, donating needed repairs, spare parts and painting services for the bus.

Biodiesel is one of hundreds of new uses for soy products develop in recent years through research paid for by soybean grower checkoff funds. In many instances these products are replacing imported petroleum-based products with a renewable product that is not only more environmentally suitable, but also has a higher quality and lower overall costs.

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) administers the soybean grower checkoff statewide. Established in 1983, the WSMB is dedicated to maximizing profitability of Wisconsin soybean producers via research, education and outreach initiatives. Working together with the national United Soybean Board, WSMB directs state soybean funds to statewide, national and international projects as part of the Soybean Promotion and Research Checkoff program.

Additional information on Wisconsin’s Soybean Checkoff is available online at http://www.wisoybean.org or by calling the Soybean Program office in Madison at 608-274-7522.

A web log on the WI-Bio bus trip is being provided by Buffalo County Agricultural Agent Carl Duley, UW Extension, a member of the mission, and posted online at www.wisoybean.org