Soybean Checkoff Affiliation to Highlight Soy Biodiesel

In addition to sponsoring six events in the National NTPA Championship Pulling Series, the checkoff will also supply NTPA with soy biodiesel to power pulling sleds at these events and fuel official NTPA transport vehicles throughout the pulling season, reports Ag Professional.

"This new opportunity with NTPA really helps soy biodiesel take center stage," says Russ Carpenter, USB Communications Committee vice chair and a soybean farmer from Trumansburg, N.Y. "With special signage on the sleds and vehicles, tractor-pull attendees, as well as anyone passing by an NTPA vehicle on the road, will have a chance to see soy biodiesel in action."

Last year, Carpenter saw firsthand the interest by NTPA event attendees in soy biodiesel and other soy-based bioproducts. By continuing the theme of its "Do something nice for your engine" campaign, the checkoff will again educate diesel-users on soy biodiesel through its NTPA sponsorship with an on-site informational booth, track signage, public address announcements, news and advertisements in NTPA's THE PULLER and information during NTPA's Championship Pulling Series on RFD TV.

Soy biodiesel blends continue running smoothly in engines across the United States with B20 as the most common blend (80 percent petroleum diesel with 20 percent soy biodiesel). Soy biodiesel's engine performance benefits include increased lubricity, which allows for less maintenance and longer engine life. This fuel also demonstrates horsepower, torque and haulage rates similar to petroleum diesel.

A new study by the University of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has shown that soy biodiesel has an energy balance of 3.5 to 1, even higher than the previously thought balance of 3.2 to 1. So, for every unit of fossil energy needed to produce the fuel over its life cycle, the return is 3.5 units of energy. Soybean oil served as a feedstock for an estimated 80 percent of biodiesel produced in 2007, so this study even takes into account the energy required to manufacture farm machinery used to produce soybeans.

View the Ag Professional story by clicking here.

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