Marion Bio-Energy, based in Rockford, MI, was President Dan Blackledge's attempt to combine the farm he'd owned his whole life with business savvy. When Blackledge had a lunch meeting with MSU chemical engineer Dennis Miller, it all clicked. Miller was working with biofuels, but needed canola, and Blackledge felt as though he had the solution. Through grants and dedication, Blackledge was able to farm vast amounts of canola and Marion Bio-Energy was born. Canola is a key in renewable energy research, and considered perhaps the best oil for human consumption as well. Here's an inside look into the benefits, economically and socially, of canola and a farm that's making it happen.
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