A group of farmers gather near Bothwell to get details of a proposal to buy corn stalks and wheat straw. November 10, 2016. (Photo by Simon Crouch) A group of farmers gather near Bothwell to get details of a proposal to buy corn stalks and wheat straw. November 10, 2016. (Photo by Simon Crouch)
Chatham

Cellulosic Sugar Co-op Looking For Members

Farmers who are looking to make some extra cash off of their corn and wheat crops are expected to head to the Dresden Czech Hall Tuesday night to learn more about an emerging cooperative in the region.

The Cellulosic Sugar Producers Cooperative is hoping to attract members who will be able to provide corn stalks and wheat straw for Comet Biorefining in Sarnia, which will turn the biomass into high quality sugar.

The co-op's business development manager Jay Cunningham says they'll have a number of speakers on hand to provide interested farmers with more information.

"These meetings are to round out the information that we gathered from the demonstrations," says Cunningham. "It's really to pull it all together and launch the membership drive."

The co-op held demonstrations across the region in November -- including one in Bothwell.

Cunningham realizes that was a little bit early for some farmers, but says they still got a good turnout.

"In some cases, farmers weren't completely done their harvest, but we wanted to do it in a fairly timely manner, so we regret anyone who missed it, but that's when we had to do it," says Cunningham.

He's expecting a good mix of farmers to show up tonight.

"Some farmers will be looking for that extra little bit of information, maybe something visual because we will have a powerpoint presentation," says Cunningham. "That and a mix of people who weren't able to make it out to the other events -- or even some people who this is their first contact with us."

In order to join the co-op, farmers will need to pay a one-time fee of $200 per acre, which also buys them a share in the processing plant.

Members will be asked to agree to contract a minimum 100 acres to the co-op (a mix of corn stover and wheat straw) and can expect to receive about $62 per acre. That means farmers who join the co-op should start seeing a profit in year four of their involvement.

The processing plant is expected to be operational in 2018, so it needs to purchase the agricultural bi-products from next year's crop.

Tonight's meeting at the Dresden Czech Hall runs from 7pm-9pm.

The co-op is also holding three additional meetings across southwestern Ontario.

There is one at the Wyoming Legion from 2pm-4pm on Tuesday, December 13, a second meeting is taking place at the Strathroy Gemini Sportsplex from 2pm-4pm on Thursday, December 15, and the final meeting is set for 7pm-9pm at the Warwick Fire Hall also on December 15.

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