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Sep 30, 2021, 13:08 PM

Event Summary
August 11-13, 2021

Tom Verry, Executive Director with the National Biodiesel Foundation and Colleen Klein, Executive Director with NY Corn and Soybean Growers Association hosted 15 members of the New York Fire Department’ Incident Management Team on a tour of Ralph Lott’s farm in Seneca Falls, New York. Ralph’s farm is located 265 miles northwest of New York City.

Since 1980, Ralph and his wife, Shirley, have farmed about 3,500 acres of soybeans, corn and a little wheat, with their sons. During the tour, they discussed how biodiesel, the fuel that many of  NYC's life-saving vehicles run on, has several feed stocks. One is soybeans.

NYC government is one of the nation’s largest users of biofuels. In the last eight years, the City has used over 330 million gallons of biodiesel in blends from 5% to 20%. NYC uses biodiesel for fleet and heating oil and has passed local laws requiring this implementation.

After the farm tour, the group participated in a watch party of the “Field of Dreams” baseball game. sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, the event was a chance to honor firefighters for the everyday sacrifices they make to keep communities safe. The goal was to bring people from different walks of life together for America’s Favorite Pastime.

In the spring of 2020, NBF and NY Corn and Soybean Growers Association raised over $63,000 to provide restaurant quality meals to NYC’s first responders dealing with the city’s COVID-19 impacts. NBF, New York Corn and Soybean Growers Association worked with the FDNY IMT – Logistics to distribute meals throughout FDNY, NYPD and other NYC first responders.