Farm Bureau

[Anonymous-0]

After church today I went out to the fairgrounds for a look at farm equipment (not much there) and Bio-Diesel education. The bio diesel was what I want to learn more about. Disappoitment. Just a guy handing out brocures and hyping it. Nothing explaining long term effects etc. but the lititure. Wondering about my GM and the tractor. Mn requires minimum 2% now, and the old 4010 is starting to smoke, lititure says it reduces pollution. Answers out there?
Oh it was put on by the Farm Bureau and they are looing for new members, Never belonged and not real sure so info on them is appreciated too. Thanks, Bob

 

[rrlund]

Just my own personal experience,there is a station next town over sells B5 and B20. I fill my 85 Ford with B20 when ever I'm over there with it. Starts a little harder,but runs the same as petroleum diesel. My brother is in the excavating business. He's gone to B20 in everything,on and off road. Just had to change filters at first because of all the gunk that it loostened up in the tank. As for what I'm running in the tractors,it's petroleum diesel with soyshield which makes it about .5% soy for lubricity. Just haven't seen the downside to B20 yet except the slightly harder cold weather starting.

 

[kyhayman]

Farm Bureau, the largest advocate fof agriculture. Its not just a single commodoty interest group, though I belong to them to for the things I raise (NCBA and AFGC). While a lot of people associate Farm Bureau with its insurance business the insurance is actually a member service of the the federation. At the national level they have lobbiest and advocacy people in Washington looking out for our interests. At the state level, I am sure it varies state to state but every year I hear legislators here talk about how they are THE lobbying group in the state capitol. Policy is developed at the county level and voted up, rather than dictated nationally. I've been active for 17 years, and been on the county board of directors here for the last 9.

As to biodiesel. My supplier only has B10 and B20. You cant even get straight petroleum diesel any more from him. He sells B10 in the winter and B20 in the summer. I havent seen a downside. Local rock quarry was in all kinds of air quality trouble. They switched to the B20 blend and got back into compliance with only a fuel change and have gone from running 4 hrs a day to 16. Compaired to the new 'dry' diesel, I'd a lot rather have it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

FB is the biggest load of crap farmers ever bought in to .They own Nationwide insurance . Everyone that has Nationwide or FB insurance is a member .
They tell the legislators how many " farmer " members they have .
In Ohio they push for anything that helps factory farms and hurts family farms .

 

[barnrat]

Nothing wrong with bio-diesel in those old tractors, just have an extra set of fuel filters on hand. As for Farm Bureau, some people think the world of Farm Bureau. As a small dairy farmer in Western NY all I see that they are about is getting more hard earned tax payer dollars dumped on "poor" farmers and getting more illegal aliens working on the ever expanding large dairies and other farms. I can't see what good they are doing for rural America. I'll bet they were pushing soy based bio-diesel, what a joke. They will never learn.

 

[Krumholz]

Google " biodiesel" and you will come up with all the information you always wanted to know about it. What is really neat is there are so many ways to make it. There is a grass that can be grown that makes the best of all. You can even make it from old hay, and cut weeds . There are lots of DIY plans and instructions. I used it some 12 years ago in my old Mercedes and it smelled like french fries. Back then I bought it in 5 gallon pails and paid (get this) $3.50 a gallon. Car had almost 300,000 on when I sold it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Farm Bureau is a bunch of nnalert in bed with "BIG BUSINESS" I wouldn't give them a dime. They have done more than anyone to eliminate the small farmer. Farmers Union is still working for the little guy. By the way I am burning 50% soy in my farm machinery with no problems so far.

 

[Anonymous-0]

And don't forget their investments in the large hog farms, against the little fellow.

 

[Larry NE IL]

I also have been a member of the

farm Bureau for almost 30 years and feel the same as KHayman. The policy is formed by individual county's then moved up to the state level.
Illinois is basically a corn/bean state and that is their focus most of the time, only because it's what the majority of the members in the State want.

 

[Eric SEI]

Nationwide is a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE. You can go to any broker and buy their stock. They are not owned by Farm Bureau.

 

[Broomstacker]

I joined Farm Bureau in 1960. Have had house and car insurance with them ever since. I have no complaints, but have only been involved in Illinois and Florida.

 

[paul]

Biodiesel - it helps replace the sulfur lubricity we are losing in our fuels, so real benifit to have at least 2% added. Farmers - many here in MN - say up to 20% works out real well, have been doing it on their own for years.

FB - every state is set up a bit different - more or less independent from each other. So, only replies from MN folks are really going to apply to your situation. The FB in Ill or WY or etc. is a different thing, different policies, dofferent rates.

Insurance here in MN is no big bargin. Their policies tend to favor large & mid level farming; but compared to no representation at all, at least they do favor ag & lobby for it in this ever-crowded landscape of town folk.

How's that for middle of the road?

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

a friend of mine uses bio-diesel in his tractors in warmer weather when weather turns cold he switches to a winter blend. he likes the bio diesel a lot.
he dairy and grain farms and he said if i don't use what i produce why should i expect someone else to?