Contact: Cassidy Walter
515-252-6249

JOHNSTON, IOWA – Today Quad County Corn Processors announced it has begun the process to establish a Monarch Fueling Station at its plant near Galva.

The monarch habitat will span roughly one acre. Today the land is used as a small corn field, but the plant will begin converting it to habitat after harvest with a mid-November seeding.

“We see the Monarch Fueling Station project as a new way to show how rural Iowa is leading the way in producing our nation’s food and fuel while protecting our natural environment,” said Alan Bennett, board member at Quad County Corn Processors. “Biofuel and agricultural production can coexist with important pollinators and native plants, and this project shows how that is possible.”

Kevin Reynolds, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s (IRFA) habitat establishment coordinator, helped employees at Quad County Corn Processors determine the location and size of the habitat.

“Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel plants are demonstrating tremendous leadership by taking the necessary time and effort to establish monarch habitat.” Reynolds said. “For Iowa’s voluntary efforts to make a lasting impact we need habitat planted across rural Iowa and that is exactly what these biofuels plants are stepping up to accomplish.”

The Monarch Fueling Station Project was established by IRFA in partnership with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium in December 2017. It is a program to help Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel plants establish monarch habitat on plant grounds. To learn more about the IRFA Monarch Fueling Station Project, contact IRFA at info@IowaRFA.org or 515-252-6249.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The designated area for Quad County Corn Processors’ Monarch Fueling Station is outlined in red.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Reynolds and Allan Bennett stand on the field that will become Quad County Corn Processors’ Monarch Fueling Station.

 

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry and works to foster its growth. Iowa is the nation’s leader in renewable fuels production with 43 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 4.5 billion gallons annually – including 34 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity – and 11 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 400 million gallons annually. For more information, visit the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website at: www.IowaRFA.org.

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