May sound fishy but that's what it's about.

Bell Aquaculture in East Central Indiana has made the announcement for a major expansion plan. The Jay County based business has plans for a 30 million dollar expansion which includes a feed mill in Albany that is the first of its kind to locally produce feed to service the aquaculture industry on a mass scale using local, Indiana ingredients. Norman McCowan, President and CEO of Bell Aquaculture, told Inside Indiana Business the opportunity is right to bring more seafood consumption to a local level.

“When we look at the seafood consumption across North America, we consume over $12 billion worth of seafood and we only raise about $1.5 billion of that. We import 91 percent of our seafood. So we see that there’s this large gap where this industry can continue to have growth.”

McCowan says Indiana is a prime spot to thrive in this expansion.

“With the corporate tax structure and with the natural resources and the laws that we have in Indiana, we believe this state is right for aquaculture and we see this spurring a billion dollar industry within the state.”

McCowan is hopeful that his project is an inspiration to others with an entrepreneurial spirit in the aquaculture industry.

“You know when you look at the 2014 Pence economic plan, he talks about how Indiana is ranked the 37^th state in entrepreneurial activity. I think that what we see in aquaculture is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to launch out into this fastest growing sector of agriculture and really see a lot of job creations for this state in the next couple of years.

The first phase of the project, a new feed mill in Delaware County, is expected to be operational in April. The next, larger phase is set to begin in January. The company is set for a zoning board hearing on Thursday that would allow for industrial operations on what is currently agricultural property.

The mill is expected to generate up to 25 new jobs over the next 36 months, while reducing the need for local aquaculture industry to source feed from remote locations, thereby completing a cycle of sustainable aquaculture for local supply and demand.

When asked how the mill would affect local soybean farmers, ISA President Dave Lowe commented, “The opportunity for aquaculture is immense. We have needed this mill in Indiana to have the ability to source feed locally for quite some time. There are thousands of tons of ingredients for feed within a very short distance of Bell. It is time that the general population, counties and state benefit from the tax base and revenue stream that this mill will provide.”

Engine safety with Ethanol

Specialists in the areas of auto, motorcycle and small engines presented their experience with ethanol fuels in the real world during the National Ethanol Conference.

The panel was moderated by radio host and automotive expert Bobby Likis of Bobby Likis Car Clinic in Pensacola. “In 43 years, more than 200,000 cars have rolled through the doors of my automotive service shop,” said Likis. “Not one of my customers has lost or damaged an engine due to ethanol.” 

The panel featured Dr. Andrew Randolph, Technical Director with Earnhardt Childress Racing Engines, Brian West, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Deputy Director Fuels, Engines and Emissions Research, and Bryan O’Neill, Auto Service Consultant and Vice President of the Iron Order International Motorcycle Club, Pensacola Chapter 

O’Neill related that his own ride, a 2012 Victory Cross Country that “runs like a scalded dog,” has run on only E10 “from day one.” Regarding the use of E15, O’Neill made it clear that the bikers he knows are well aware that it is illegal to use that in their rides and they are capable of reading labels at the pump. “We’re bikers and I admit we’ve been known to do some dumb things, but we’re not stupid,” he said. “We know what to pump. It’s that simple.”

O’Neill is the star of a Bobby Likis Car Clinic/RFA video on motorcycles and ethanol.

Putnam Co FB Annual Meeting

Putnam County Farm Bureau held it's annual meeting today 2-21-14.  Ted McKinney, new Director of the Indiana Department of Ag was our guest speaker discussing many items of interest to those in attendance.  Ted will also be speaking at this year's Ag Day on March 15.  Elections were conducted with Steve Cash being reelected President, Patti Cash, Secretary.  New to the board will be Heather Poynter as Promotion & Education Leader (Woman Leader), and Adam Dobson.  The group also approved 9 policy recommendations presented by Della Eastep, comm. chair.