Illinois
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And that's the way it is at Channel Earth

Channel Earth, which now beams its way to 2.8 million 18-inch satellite dishes around the country, appears to be a big hit. More than half of those are rural customers, with nearly 350,000 on farms, according to Channel Earth figures.

Farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson, the longtime farm director at WGN-AM in Chicago, helped create the channel at the urging of a cooperative.

Broadcasts began March 28 in studios in downtown Chicago on DIRECTV Channel 283, focusing on agricultural news and weather, market reports from the Chicago Board of Trade, interview shows and call-in programs.

Channel Earth grew out of a marketing deal between the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) and DIRECTV. The NRTC, a non-profit service cooperative, sells direct satellite equipment and markets DIRECTV programming through its member rural electric and rural telephone cooperatives nationwide. In exchange, DIRECTV, which delivers programming to consumers via the DSS mini-dish satellite system, provided a channel for farm programming. NRTC members were instrumental in delivering DIRECTV service to rural residents about three years ago.

Samuelson, a farm broadcaster for 45 years, provides an authoritative voice so trusted he has been called the "Walter Cronkite of agricultural broadcasting."

For at least the first year, Channel Earth's programming can be seen only on DIRECTV, but growth is planned. Cable TV companies and other countries have expressed interest.

AIEC legislation sails through General Assembly

Legislation drafted by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives revising the state's non-for-profit act awaits Gov. Jim Edgar's signature.

The law brings many electric cooperatives' procedures for nominating and electing board members into conformity.

Rep. Donald Moffitt, R-Golson, Sen. Vince Demuzio, D-Carlinville, Sen. John Maitland, R-Bloomington, and Rep. David Phelps, D-Eldorado, were the sponsors. The bill received unanimous approval in both chambers.

Get a clue

Tap the resources of 16 land-grant universities with "Put Knowledge to Work," a CD-ROM featuring more than 3,500 extension publications.

"Put Knowledge to Work" is marketed and distributed by IDEA (Information Development for Extension Audiences) part of the Cooperative Extension System to develop and market educational products nationwide. IDEA works with customers to produce and/or market products through the United States.

The CD-ROM is produced by Colorado State University Cooperative Extension and is available for $28.95. Call IDEA at (515) 294-8802, or e-mail them at idea@iastate.edu.

This is progress

The Farm Progress Show, the largest outdoor show in the nation with up to 200,000 patrons, is coming to the Sangamon County farm property of Menard Electric Cooperative member Wayne Heissinger—but not until 2000.

Heissinger's land east of Cantrall is one of two sites picked to host the show in late September. Land rented by Heissinger and an adjoining host farm rented by Kent Weatherby, nearly 1,300 acres, will be turned into a small city when major farm companies and exhibitors move in. Officials estimate a minimum of $19 million will pour into the Central Illinois economy and that the show will draw worldwide visitors.

The show is sponsored by Farm Progress Companies, one of the nation's largest agricultural communications companies and publisher of 27 different farm magazines. The show is rotated each year between Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. This year's show will be held near Seneca in LaSalle County.

Caution

Members may have recieved a questionaire purporting to be a "survey" in the mail recently that appears to be from an organization calling itself Rural American Consumers and representing itself as a "National Association of Rural Cooperative" members.

The return envelope reveals the questionaire is to be returned to the Reserve National Insurance company, which is not affiliated in any way with an Illinois electric cooperative, the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association or the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives. Many recipients may not have noticed a disclaimer printed on the survey.

JULY 1997 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 5

Worth repeating:

... A recent issue of the Kiplinger agricultural trend-watching newsletter observed that while many co-ops are merging and growing larger, they will develop more member relations problems because they have less common interest and fewer shared objectives. The editors predict more equity and fairness issues will spring up in the bigs. However, the newsletter claims, small co-ops will survive because, well, they're local...

... A spring edition of the EPRI Journal, published by the Electric Power Research Institute, notes that deregulation provides an opportunity for utilities to pay closer attention to what customers want. Survival means catering to niche markets rather than marketing to the masses. And one option customers want, the magazine reports, is environmentally friendly technology for which they often are willing to pay more. The article notes that 13 utilities had "green" pricing programs in place at the first of the year, another five were planning to offer green rates this year, and another 15 were considering it. The article cites data from more than 700 polls between 1973 and 1996 indicating the public craves efficient and renewable energy. One consultant saw green pricing as a good place for utilities to test the waters of competition....

. . . Consumer-owned power systems are more reliable than investor-owned ones, a study conducted by Resource Management International Inc. for the American Public Power Association and reported in a spring edition of the Tennesee Valley Authority's TVPPA News. From 1991-1994, municipal and cooperative utility systems experienced 77.5 minutes of outage per customer per year, while IOUs experienced 163.2 minutes of outage per customer per year.

Oh, Soy!

Illinois farmers now may use a new fuel originating from their own farms. In June, the Geneseo and Assumption Farmland Industries Cooperatives began offering SoyGold, a lubricating additive in premium diesel fuel made from domestic soy oil.

"We have a unique opportunity to use a product that comes from our fields and one where we invested checkoff dollars to help promote and market," said Phil Corzine, a farmer in Assumption and a Soybean Board Checkoff director.

Illinois soybean farmers, through the Illinois Soybean Checkoff, have supported development of new markets for soybean oil-based biodiesel. Biodiesel has been tested and used in urban mass transit bus systems, on 100 Illinois farms, and in marine fleets as a means to reduce exhaust emissions. The lubrication properties of biodiesel helps reduce engine wear, manufacturers say.

The low-blend biodiesel additive is being introduced in nine locations in Illinois, Nebraska, and South Dakota. SoyGold is produced by Ag Processing Inc. in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

Around the co-ops:

. . . Sixty-one representatives of Illinois electric cooperatives participated in the 1997 NRECA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., May 4-7, joining counterparts from across the nation. Illinois co-op delegates met with members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, including Sen. Dick Durbin, and Representatives Phil Crane, Lane Evans, Tom Ewing, Jesse Jackson Jr., Ray LaHood, Donald Manzullo, Glenn Poshard, and John Shimkus. Deregulation of the electric utility industry was the primary issue of concern to co-op members. They told lawmakers competition was best implemented at the state level...

... Several organizations, including Adams Electrical Co-Operative, Camp Point, and Adams Telephone Co-Operative, Golden, sponsor the Western Illinois Leadership Academy. The academy helps participants build leadership skills, network and get the knowledge they need to assist in economic revitalization in the region. Others involved are the Rural Adams Development Corp., the Great River Economic Development Foundation, Adams County Farm Bureau, and the University of Illinois Cooperative extension Service. . .

. . . Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, Paxton, earlier this year joined seven other cooperatives in a meeting to discuss the future role of cooperatives in farming and ag-related businesses. The East Central Illinois Cooperative Association began in 1993 to promote awareness of cooperatives and their business philosophy, as well as explore ways of working together to benefit their members...

. . . McDonough Telephone Cooperative has donated Internet access to the Colchester High School. . .

... Edgar Electric Cooperative Association of Paris was awarded a $400,000 start-up grant to establish a low-interest revolving loan fund. Bud Walls, assistant manager of the co-op, said the grant was made through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. The first zero-interest loan will go to the new Clark Edgar Rural Water District, which will in turn loan money to Heartland Pork Corp. The money will pay to build a new water main to serve the Bell Ridge and Pleasant Hill farms and bring water district service to about 51 residential users in the Grandview and Dudley area who currently rely on wells. The water district will be repaid by Heartland Pork and the money will be available for other economic development activities in the co-op's service area. The cooperative chipped in another $80,000, and additional funding was kicked in by the Farmers Home Administration and through a CDAP grant to Grandview Township.

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING JULY 1997