Spreading the word about the benefits of soy biodiesel has been one way the soybean checkoff supports the biodiesel industry. This communication can help increase soybean demand and prices. But the United Soybean Board (USB) can"t do it all alone. In 2009, the checkoff partnered with seven U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE)-affiliated Clean Cities Chapters to continue to grow demand for soy biodiesel.

The USDOE Clean Cities program is a government-industry partnership with chapters in more than 90 cities through the country. These chapters work in their local areas to reduce petroleum consumption through education and communication with major energy users.

USB farmer-leaders selected the seven chapters that participated in the checkoff"s program through a competitive application process. The partnership included media campaigns, seminars and communications materials all carrying information on the benefits of soy biodiesel by the USDOE Clean Cities chapters, who represent some of the most enthusiastic supporters of soy biodiesel.
The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, based in Birmingham, Ala., partnered with the Alabama Qualified State Soybean Board (QSSB) and used checkoff dollars to host educational seminars in three different areas of Alabama.

"This year we did three biodiesel workshops targeted to all potential stakeholders - schools, industry, fuel station owners, municipalities, fuel producers, fuel distributors, and farmers," says Mark Bentley, executive director of Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. "We feel these workshops are a very effective way to present information and answer questions. We hit our target audience."

Bentley adds that the coalition is a nonprofit organization, and without the help of the soybean checkoff they would not be able to conduct efforts to help improve soy biodiesel availability and use in Alabama. USB plans to offer a similar program in 2010.
"The communication and cooperation with USB staff has been outstanding," says Bentley of the support his organization has received.

By working with the Virginia Soybean Board, the Virginia Clean Cities chapter, based in Virginia Beach, Va., has held high-level biodiesel workshops and also hosted a webinar on biodiesel.

"The in-person workshops were among the best biodiesel workshops we"ve had," says Chelsea Jenkins, Virginia Clean Cities. "We"ve received a lot of feedback, and some fleet operators have told us they are now looking into biodiesel."

Jenkins explained that it is often financially challenging for the organization to hold educational events such as these without losing money.

"The checkoff funds were perfect because they allowed us to spend the time on the content and getting good speakers, versus looking for a sponsor," adds Jenkins. "With this reimbursement program we were able to focus on the educational aspect."

Soy biodiesel remains important to soybean checkoff farmer-leaders, as this industry does affect U.S. soybean farmers" bottom lines. A study conducted in 2009 using checkoff dollars shows that U.S. soybean farmers received an additional $2.5 billion in net returns over the past four years due to the biodiesel industry"s demand for soybean oil to produce soy biodiesel. This added up to 25 cents to the per-bushel price of soybeans. 

To view presentations and materials by Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, visit http://www.alabamacleanfuels.org/.

To view webinars and materials by Virginia Clean Cities, visit http://www.hrccc.org/biodiesel/biodieselworkshops.html.

• Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition (Birmingham): partnered with the Alabama QSSB to host biodiesel educational workshops for school districts, municipalities, fuel stations and the general public.
• Central Texas Clean Cities (Austin): partnered with the Texas QSSB to host an educational workshop about biodiesel aimed at fleet managers and the trucking industry.
• Clean Fuels Ohio (Columbus): partnered with the Ohio QSSB to conduct roundtable workshops aimed at fleet managers and also updated retail biodiesel station brochures and their biodiesel locator Web site. The updated page is viewable at: http://www.cleanfuelsohio.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=150&Itemid=133.
• Kansas City Regional Clean Cities: partnered with the Missouri and Kansas QSSBs to run a biodiesel promotional campaign with fuel stations and also held educational workshops aimed at fleet managers.
• Pittsburgh Regional Clean Cities: partnered with the Pennsylvania QSSB to start a promotional and educational campaign aimed at fleet operators and the general public about biodiesel to assist in promoting an incoming statewide B2 biodiesel blend requirement along with new biodiesel fueling stations.
• St. Louis Regional Clean Cities: partnered with Missouri and Kansas QSSBs and the Kansas City Regional Clean Cities group to host educational workshops on biodiesel aimed at educating U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff about soy biodiesel.
• Virginia Clean Cities (Virginia Beach, Maryland, District of Columbia and West Virginia) and East Tennessee Clean Fuel Coalition (Knoxville): partnered with the Maryland, Tennessee and Virginia QSSBs to hold two soy biodiesel educational seminars as well as a webinar, which was posted on their Web sites.
  

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