Alabama forage producers can mark Feb. 5 on the calendar and make plans to attend a virtual listening session for miscanthus and switchgrass production via Zoom at 5 p.m. Central Time.

Alabama Cooperative Extension System Forage Specialist Leanne Dillard said this is for any producers who have an interest in growing switchgrass and miscanthus for the bioproduct industry.

“Biostocks have been used as a renewable fuel source for decades, but the industry has focused mainly on corn,” Dillard said. “This project seeks to use crops and land areas not suitable for growing food for the population as a renewable fiber product that can be used in a variety of industries. The foundation of the growing bioproduct industry is the growers that produce the fiber crops.”

As part of a National Science Foundation grant titled Greening the Southeast, producers will have an opportunity to learn more about the bioproduct industry from Dillard and her counterpart from Tennessee State University, Jason de Koff.

Listening Session Topics

Dillard said topics will include the following:

• Barriers to growing these feedstock crops.
• Contracting with industry partners.
• Question and answer sessions with Extension specialists.

While this particular session is scheduled for Alabama producers, Dillard said there are also dates scheduled for Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina producers.

“If you are a farmer that is interested in diversifying your farm income, this session will allow you to ask questions about this emerging industry and help us to better understand the challenges you face in producing switchgrass and miscanthus,” Dillard said.

Registration Information

Interested producers can visit www.aces.edu/go/3851 to register. If Feb. 5 is not an ideal time, an additional session has been scheduled for Feb. 15. For more information on registration for the Feb. 15 session, contact Dillard or Koff via email at dillasa@auburn.edu and jdekoff@tnstate.edu, respectively.