Missourians first to receive federal biomass money

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Some Missouri farmers are the first to receive money under a new U.S. Agriculture Department program for biomass facilities.

The federal program lets agricultural producers who sell materials to biomass conversion facilities receive federal payments equal to the amount received from the facility.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Missouri-based Show Me Energy Cooperative was the first facility to qualify under the new federal Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

The company has more than 500 biomass producers supplying materials such as switchgrass, straw, sawdust and wood chips. The plant produces fuel pellets from the agricultural waste products that are used to heat houses and livestock facilities.