Experts Push for Farm Change

“Our current industrial model of agriculture is only possible because of cheap fossil fuels,” said Francis Thicke, a candidate for Iowa secretary of Agriculture. “We’re nearing the end of our cheap fossil-fuel era.”

Laura Krouse, the owner of Abbe Hills Farm, said even her small, non-industrial farming operation is affected by oil prices. “We’re totally dependent on petroleum,” she said.

Thicke said he would like to see development of new technology for “farm-scale” energy production. Possible avenues of sustainability are farmer-owned mid-size wind turbines and technology allowing for on-site production of biofuels.

“I would like to see us transition our biofuels production toward fueling agriculture,” he said. “Most of the biofuels produced are not for fueling agriculture.” READ MORE