DAIRY ENERGY FORUM TO FOCUS ON CONSERVATION STRATEGIES

Program Will Also Feature Dairy Digester Systems

SACRAMENTO, May 7, 2001-An energy forum targeted at California’s dairy industry is scheduled for Friday, May 18th at the International Agri Center in Tulare.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is teaming up with the California Energy Commission, the University of California Extension Service, and representatives from industry to discuss the evolving energy crisis.

The agenda will include conservation strategies for the summer months, long-term strategies and an overview of the energy challenges facing agriculture.

In addition, there will be a discussion of dairy digester power systems, which rely on methane gas to generate energy. Governor Gray Davis recently signed SB 5x, which includes $10 million specifically for the financing of dairy digester systems.

The energy forum is scheduled to start at 9:30 AM and continue until 2:00 PM.

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FLEX YOUR POWER. To meet California’s energy challenge, CDFA urges businesses and consumers to conserve. For a list of simple ways that you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see www.cdfa.ca.gov or www.flexyourpower.ca.gov/rebates/