Campaign Increases Biodiesel Use

What happens when there's a concerted effort to increase biodiesel use through a communications effort aimed at the very people growing the soybeans used for making most of this fuel? Usage goes up, of course. Such is the result of a United Soybean Board (USB) campaign conducted by Osborn & Barr Communications, which aimed at farmers and ranchers and, ultimately, produced some very interesting results.

 

According to USB, about 54 million gallons of pure biodiesel - the equivalent of 38.5 million bushels of soybeans - would be used if all U.S. ranchers and farmers were persuaded to use B2, a blend of two percent biodiesel and 98 percent petroleum-based diesel. That's a lofty goal worthy of a sustained effort over time. What this initial campaign did accomplish was a notable increase in the percentage of farmers using soy biodiesel, with usage rates increasing from 23 percent up to 36 percent, and an even greater jump to 50 percent or more in soybean producing states like Nebraska and Minnesota. During this time, soy biodiesel retailers, distributors, and suppliers also rose from 475 to over 1500, helping the process along.