On National Ag Day 2019 we promised to introduce you to a few of the farmers in Minnesota who “grow” renewable fuels – namely the field corn and soybeans used to make biodiesel and fuel ethanol.
Today, let’s meet Jerry and Julie Demmer who farm in south central Minnesota near Clarks Grove in Freeborn County.
In the last few years, Jerry has been scaling back his farming in anticipation of retiring. Given his energy level and ever-sunny disposition, you are forgiven for thinking Jerry is a few decades younger than his true age. He claims this spring will mark the planting of his 47th crop.
After high school and a stint in the National Guard in the early 1970’s, Jerry started out farming with his first 160 acres. The Demmer operation today grows a few hundred acres of corn and soybeans and “crop shares” acreage of onions, carrots and potatoes with a vegetable farmer. As is common in modern farm family households, Julie has also maintained a career off the farm as a licensed practical nurse.
Hard Times For Many in the Past
Jerry lived through the 1980’s Farm Crisis, which left an indelible mark on how he has approached his career. “Would you believe a bank actually lent me money to make the down payment on my loan to buy land?” He reminisces of the irrational exuberance of the time.
For us non-farmers, conditions leading to that farm crisis can remind us of the late 2000’s real estate market collapse that cost millions of Americans their homes, trillions of dollars in lost equity and triggered the years-long Great Recession. As a young farmer who was struggling to stay afloat, Jerry experienced his parents having to sell off their equipment in 1984. The next year their home farm followed the same heart-wrenching fate.
Several years ago, during the latest period of high crop prices, many farmers took on large debt risk with rising land, equipment and input prices. This reminded Jerry of what happened prior to the 1980’s farm economy collapse. “You can caution younger farmers about over-extending during good times, but it’s something people must live through for themselves to fully understand.”
Proud to be in the Ethanol Industry
Today, 100 percent of the Demmer corn crop is delivered 20 miles east to the Poet Biorefining Glenville plant. At Glenville, it joins the 15 million bushels of field corn provided by local farmers and is transformed into 134,000 tons of high-value livestock feed and 42 million gallons of fuel ethanol each year.
Jerry and Julie fuel their vehicles on E15 and are proud of using a local product they “grow.” At fuel stations, Jerry is known for greeting strangers he spots not buying E15, or E85 if they’re driving a flex fuel vehicle. His smile and personality make for a perfect spokesperson – one with the experience and knowledge to help spread renewable fuels appreciation to first-time users.
“For me, getting into ethanol was a no-brainer.” Demmer adds. “It’s all about adding value to my farm and the crop grown by neighbors and me. It has provided us jobs as well as a better and consistent price.”