A Florida-based domestic fuel company is causing some citrus producers to consider switching to corn. US EnviroFuels of Tampa recently announced plans to build Florida’s very first ethanol plants, one at Port Manatee and a second at the Port of Tampa. Both plants are projected to be 40 million gallon per year facilities. According to the company website, they want to “help Florida reduce its heavy dependence on imported gasoline by building a Florida-based renewable fuel industry,” and to “enhance the Florida economy through utilization of a variety of local, Florida feedstocks, including sugar-based streams, citrus pulp waste, green tomato discards, beverage waste, and urban yard waste, thereby minimizing commodity risk exposure.” While corn production in that part of the country is virtually non-existent, except for sweet corn, it is a major citrus producing area. However, the Florida citrus industry is facing some potentially devestating problems right now with fears that citrus canker may be out of control in the state. Another disease, citrus greening, is also putting pressure on growers. Combine that with recent hurricanes and some growers are thinking about growing corn instead , according to an article today in the Bradenton Herald. That would be interesting. Florida is certainly capable of growing corn for ethanol, but things like citrus and vegetables are higher value crops.
Just a note about the company – I had to do some pretty serious searching to find the website, not sure why. Maybe they just don’t have it registered with the search engines yet. I also think the logo is kind of ….well, crude-looking I guess. Seems like they have not put much into that aspect of their business yet.