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Farmer sees advancements in technology, biodiesel after returning to the farm
An Illinois farmer has seen advancements in technology and biodiesel first-hand after being away from the farm for several years.
Scott Gaffner grew up on a grain and dairy farm in Greenville. High operating costs and low commodity prices led him to look for different opportunities. He served as an Illinois State Police Officer for nearly 30 years before returning to the farm.
“I had my farm back in the late 80s but I really wasn’t engaged as when I just retired two years ago and came back to the farming operation,” he says. “And so, it has really for me been an eye-opening experience to come back and see all the advancements that we now enjoy as farmers.”
He says he’s taken advantage of opportunities like biodiesel that help increase commodity price of soybeans.
“We use biodiesel all year long- we use it in our farm machinery and construction machinery,” he says. “We are just early encouraged by the positive impact it has on the lack of a carbon footprint.”
Brownfield interviewed Gaffner, a director for the Illinois Soybean Alliance, at the 2020 National Biodiesel Board Conference and Expo.
I’d love to see these kinds of interview opportunities at other events, ones that are sponsored by those concerned about climate change that don’t hav much connection to the people who are making the stuff that can help us reduce our carbon footprints right away without waiting for EVs to be available, affordable, powered by renewables and using fair trade batteries.