By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LEXINGTON, Ky. — As tobacco acres have gone away, many Kentucky farmers are seeking alternative crops to help keep them in business.

The idea of growing new energy sources could be one answer to the dilemma. A pilot project conducted by the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture in conjunction with East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) and 20 northeastern Kentucky growers is showing hope: Using switchgrass as additive to coal.

The native grass is ideal for many reasons. Dr. Ray Smith, a UK forage extension specialist, said the success of this project should encourage farmers to try it on a larger scale.

“I think the greatest success of the project has been in providing practical advice to farmers on growing an alternative cash crop, and seeing them be successful,” he said. “These 20 farmers and their neighbors who have followed the project will be much more willing to try growing biomass crops on a large scale after seeing the success of the project and gaining the knowledge of how to grow and harvest switchgrass.”

The plant grew well for producers even in the midst of a drought. In fact, growers have faced two droughts during the pilot period.

“The 20 switchgrass stands grew well this year. Since switchgrass is a warm season grass (grows best when temperature are in the 90s) and is very efficient with water, the heat and dry weather had very little effect on production,” he said. “Many of our farmers were amazed at the continued growth even when their pastures and hayfields had turned brown. Yields for the mature stands ranged from 4-6 tons per acre. We also know that with improved harvest techniques and new varieties that are coming on the market on-farm yields will steadily increase.”

Another advantage to switchgrass is it will grow in areas that traditionally have not been conducive to other row crops.

“Although switchgrass will grow on a range of soils and terrain, one of it’s greatest attributes is being able to grow on poor soils; those with low fertility, low pH, droughty, slope, flood prone, etc,” said Smith. “Switchgrass yield does decline on poorer soils but the yield drop from good soils to poor soil may only be 30 percent whereas the yield drop with many row crops may be 50 percent, 75 percent or total stand failure.”

Smith added that another tremendous benefit is that switchgrass is a long lived perennial grass. Once it’s established the farmer will not need to worry about replanting for many years.

Not only does the plant serve as a biomass, it can also be used as food for livestock, noted Smith. “Switchgrass was one of the original native prairie grasses in North America. Not only is it well adapted to the range of soil and climatic conditions from Mexico to Canada, it was a major food source for millions of bison, deer, elk and other wildlife that ranged these grasslands. Therefore, it is also a good food source for livestock,” he said.

Research projects conducted by a couple of Smith’s graduate students are exploring the feed value of switchgrass finding growth by up to two pounds per day from the plant as a forage crop for growing steers and stands grown for biomass supported higher small mammal populations.

“We see one of the greatest attributes of switchgrass is it’s potential for multiple use,” said Smith. “A farmer may plant switchgrass with cost-share assistance from NRCS (National Research Conservation Services) or Fish and Wildlife because of its wildlife habitat and soil conservation benefits. Then he/she could grow the crop for several years for biomass and sell to a local utility. If the size of his/her cattle herd increased or the biomass price fell significantly the crop could be cut for hay or grazed.”

But before farmers forget everything else and plant the entire north 40 in switchgrass, there are some things to consider, especially if they are growing it as a biomass. Economics and government regulations on current energy sources, aka coal, will play an important role as to whether or not the crop could ever become the new tobacco.

“We are confident that switchgrass and other biomass crops can become a major biomass crop for farmers in the future. The pace at which this happens all depends on the market; in short, what is the demand from end users and how much are they willing to pay,” said Smith. “For most power companies, this all depends on the price for coal and natural gas and whether their state or the federal government requires the use of renewable fuels in electricity generation.”

Smith pointed out that some states now have mandates that five to 10 percent of electricity has to be generated from renewable sources such as biomass, water, wind, solar, etc.

Right now in Kentucky, it is cheaper for companies to buy and burn coal than switchgrass and the state has no renewable fuel requirement he said. “Kentucky companies have been very upfront with us that their use of biomass crops will greatly increase if they are bound by a state or federal mandate. Without a mandate it is hard for them to justify major use of a fuel source that is more expensive than their current one. This could change if coal prices increase or if carbon credits become a reality.”

A new project is in the works that is being funded through the Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.
The project will plant 750 acres of switchgrass in Northeastern Kentucky, and while that is still not large scale planting, Smith said this venture allows production to move up the scale.

“The farmers will grow 20-40 acres of switchgrass each and we will all get a closer look at the potential for major commercial production in Kentucky when hundreds of thousands of acres will be grown,” he said.