New Resource to Navigate the Economics of Biorenewable Feedstocks

As the global demand for bio-based products proves to shift upward, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Ag Decision Maker has released a new resource to help Iowa producers evaluate their role in this developing  market. The publication, “The Cost of Producing Herbaceous Feedstocks for Biomass and Biorenewable Products,” along with its accompanying digital decision tool, serves a detailed economic foundation for the production and delivery of biomass. The article also highlights the environmental perk of these crops. Namely, strategically placing prairie plantings on consistently low-yielding areas of a field can drastically reduce erosion and nutrient transport while supplying wildlife habitat. The tool helps farmers see the financial side of converting sub par land into a productive source of biomass.