Harry Rymer of Old Fort is one of 17 area farmers accepted into the University of Tennessee switchgrass farmer incentive program. In total, 725 acres located in seven different East Tennessee counties were enrolled in the program, including Rymer’s 58-59 acres in Polk and Bradley counties.

In addition to helping to find out whether switchgrass can be used to produce biofuel, Rymer sees the program as a way to gain time. “Once you get it planted, you don’t have to do a whole lot,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that’s all there is to it. After the plant is established, it reseeds before it is cut and the field keeps getting thicker.

Rymer said he thought this crop would give him more time for his poultry operation. He also likes the idea of planting a field once and then just waiting for it to continue growing in future years.

 This year has been hard because most of his acreage is on rented land that had to be cleared. The seven-acre field on his own farm that had been used for corn was easy, but the others have taken more time. He said the soil scientists at UT selected the sites that could be used, adding his various fields fall into nearly all the different types of sites chosen. The site on his farm, he said, is the only one that had been fertilized previously with chicken manure.

The experts at UT provided the seed and the knowledge of when to fertilize and spray, Rymer said. They will be available throughout the growing season, inspecting and giving advice and analysis. “It’s like having a county agent at your disposal the whole time.”

He said farmers participating in the three-year program will be paid $450/acre yearly whether the crops come in or not. The goal at this point is to find out what works. In the future, farmers will be paid by the ton. If the program takes off as hoped, Rymer said, he hoped to be able to get more acreage so he can justify getting a square baler.

Rymer said he first heard about switchgrass two years ago at a Farm Bureau conference and thought it was a crazy idea, but once the program came together he decided it could be good money as well as a way to get some time. Corn or soybeans will do better in a good year, he said, but you can’t always count on a good year. During last year’s drought, most farmers suffered but switchgrass did well.

The big expense comes in the first year, which meant dealing with this year’s high fuel costs, but future costs will be limited to light fertilizing and weed control, which is especially important in the first year. As the crop gets thicker, weed control will be less of a problem.

“I feel like I could be a part of something big. If they get the refinery going and it works, this may be the start of a cheaper fuel,” Rymer said. He said the program could also be good for farmers, as switchgrass can grow on marginal land. He planted some on a hillside and is interested to see how it does.

The switchgrass, along with wood chips and other plant material, will be used as feedstock in the state’s first demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery. The biorefinery, which will be built as part of the University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, will be about one-tenth the expected size of a commercial biorefinery, producing around 5 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol annually.

“We are very excited by the interest and eagerness to participate that we’ve seen from Tennessee farmers,” said Dr. Kelly Tiller, director of External Operations for the Initiative. “We look forward to working closely with them over the next few years as we continue to establish switchgrass as an ideal energy crop for the state.”

In addition to the national security and environmental benefits that are associated with renewable domestic energy production, UT anticipates that the Biofuels Initiative will also benefit farmers and rural communities. “Switchgrass is a hardy, drought resistant plant that can grow in a variety of soils,” said Tiller. “Our expectation is that it will open up new markets for farmers since it can grow on land that may be unsuitable for other crops.”

Cellulosic ethanol made from plants like switchgrass has been championed by the state as a viable, renewable and sustainable fuel source. Using switchgrass as a source for production of second generation biofuels holds several advantages over traditional first generation corn ethanol, since it is not a food or feed crop, is a native perennial grass that requires little use of fertilizers or other agri-chemicals, has conservation benefits for the land, and is not very management intensive once it is established.

In addition to the 725 acres of switchgrass that will be planted this spring, UT expects to enroll more acreage into the farmer incentive program for planting in spring 2009 and 2010. Farmers who are interested in participating in future incentive programs are encouraged to contact their local Extension agent or visit the Office of Bioenergy Programs Web site at www.UTbioenergy.org.