02/14/05 Seattle Biodiesel gearing up production

02/14/05 Seattle Biodiesel gearing up production

Washington Ag February 14, 2005 Seattle entrepreneur John Plaza is preparing to start the first commercial scale production of biodiesel in Washington at his company, Seattle Biodiesel. Plaza: "We will be producing about 100-thousand gallons a month by March to try and satisfy the demand that takes place in the Seattle area through the ferry system and King County." Plaza, who spoke at an oilseed forum in Spokane last week, is having to purchase canola oil from the Midwest, but he'd prefer to get oil crushed from locally produced canola and mustard. Currently there is not even an oil crusher in Washington, but John Graff of American Premix Technologies, and also a co-manager of Columbia Oilseeds, told that Spokane forum there may be soon. Graff: "Right now in Columbia Oilseeds we are out trying to look for contracts for seed for this spring and fall and hope to have the crusher on line this spring yet and the other crushers on line later on this year." Columbia Oilseeds had similar plans last year. Chris Laney, a Sprague area producer summed up what farmers are going to need to grow the feedstock for crushers who in turn can supply a biodiesel industry. Laney: "If we can get a consistent price, say a 14-cent floor, that will be there year after year, I think growers' interest will return." I'm Bob Hoff. .
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