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Boat access grants announced

More than $1 million in grants to help nine local governments build or improve boat and canoe access to Illinois rivers, streams and lakes have been announced.

The grants are to provide improvements and new boat access or improvements in communities on the Mississippi, Ohio, Des Plaines and Sugar rivers; the south branch of the Chicago River; the Cal-Sag Channel in Cook County and Lake Sule in Ogle County. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are administered by the Department of Natural Resources.

Funds for the program come from fees boaters pay on motor fuel and registrations for boats and canoes. The program has funded more than $28 million worth of projects at 354 sites throughout Illinois during the last 29 years, according to the DNR.

Grant applications for next year may be submitted to the DNR through September 1. More information may be obtained by writing the DNR, Division of Grant Administration, 524 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62701-1787 or calling (217) 782-7481, or (217) 782-9175 for TDD users.

Directory lists community development Investments
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The Federal Reserve Board has published its annual updated directory of community development investments by banking organizations. The expanded directory includes a section featuring community development investments by state member banks. Previous editions included only bank holding company investments.

The directory includes descriptive profiles of more than 150 community development corporations and investments made by bank holding companies and state member banks. These profiles include the amount of initial capital invested by an institution, a description of the community development projects or activities undertaken or planned, and contacts who can provide additional information.

In issuing the directory, the board emphasized that bank holding companies or state member banks considering community development investments should consult with the community affairs staffs at their district Federal Reserve Bank. More information and a copy of the directory may be obtained by calling the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, consumer and community affairs division, (312) 322-8232.

AUGUST 1997 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 5

Checkoff funds 'green' crayons

Crayons made of soybean oil now are available from retailers including WalMart, Sam's, Target and Kmart.

Dixon Ticonderoga Corporation has launched Dixon's Prang Fun Pro Soybean Crayons. What sets these coloring tools apart from the standard petroleum-based paraffin wax crayon is that they are made of 85 percent soybean oil.

The idea for a soybean oil-based crayon was hatched in a new-uses competition sponsored by Purdue University School of Agriculture and the Indiana Soybean Development Council. The new-uses competition began in 1993 and the soybean crayon was the first winner.

Pat Dumoulin, a Hampshire, Illinois, soybean producer and Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board member said that for a moderate checkoff investment, the dividends are significant.

"The new use competition took a moderate investment of $5,000 in research and turned it into a consumer product," Dumoulin said. "Soybean producers now have another niche market for soybeans and those niche markets, we find, can start adding up to significant uses of soybeans."

Rick Joyce of Dixon Ticonderoga said the completely natural, non-toxic oil base provides a better crayon with more vibrant colors and smother texture. Look for them also at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the Farm Progress Show in Seneca.

Corn-to-butanol process patented

A patent for a new production process to make butanol from corn, rather than petroleum, and do it more efficiently is being sought by the University of Illinois and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB).

Butanol is a chemical used in the plastic industry, as a food-grade extractant in the food and flavor industry, and as a solvent for paints and brake fluids. A corn-based butanol is expected to be especially attractive in food use applications.

The new production technique uses fermentation methods and a mutant strain of bacteria called C. Beijernickii to convert corn to butanol at twice the previous capacity, and delivering a more concentrated product. A lot of costly energy is currently used to remove water from the butanol, and the new process reduces the energy recovery cost by 60 percent, said Philip Shane, market development director for the marketing board.

The research that lead to the development of the process was funded by money from the 1/4 cent-per-bushel state corn checkoff program. "If the 10 billion pounds of butanol currently on the market were made from corn, this would result in a new market for 136 million bushels of corn," said marketing board chairman Gene Youngquist of Cameron.

The patent is the first of its kind filed under a patent-royalty agreement between the marketing board and the U of I, although a similar agreement exists between the board and Southern Illinois University. If the board-funded research results in a patentable, commercially viable process or product, it would share proceeds with the university.

"If it turns out to be a money-maker, funds will be rolled back into new research ventures," said Youngquist.

Stewardship Farm tour set

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance's Stewardship Farm, owned and managed by Alien Williams near Cerro Gordo, will be the site of the third annual Stewardship Farm Tour on Aug. 2.

The Stewardship Farm is a working farm dedicated to developing agricultural systems that: respond to consumer needs; foster better stewardship of the soil, water and other natural resources; and strengthen the economic health of farmers and rural communities.

A guided tour of the 240-acre grain farm will feature a three-way comparison of conventional, sustainable and organic farming methods. Soil and water quality will be discussed along a tractor-pulled hay ride, and the farm's 10-acre restored prairie is a highlight. Lunch will feature organic and locally grown foods.

For more information, call the Illinois Stewardship Alliance at (312) 641-5575 or (217) 498-9707.

Help available for event planners

The University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service has published guidelines for establishing, organizing and conducting festivals or special events.

The articles are contained in the Proceedings of the 1997 Festival and Special Event Managers Workshop held earlier this year in Quincy.

The book consists of papers presented at the workshop by experts in the field. Topics covered include starting a new special event, volunteer resources, building community relationships, building a marketing plan, and matching grant guidelines.

The cost of the book is $15. To order, call the extension service at (309) 836-2084.

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING AUGUST 1997