What if the next big oil field wasn't in the Middle East or Venezuela -- but fields of sweet sorghum energy crops right here in Florida? Homeland Agricultural Fuels LLC is working to make this a reality through the use of homegrown sweet sorghum crops in the central Florida region to produce ethanol and other biofuels.

With the only currently operating ethanol facility in Florida, Homeland Agricultural Fuels (HAF) is expanding its facility in Bartow to a yearly ethanol production of 30 to 50 million gallons of ethanol per year.

To achieve this vision, HAF is seeking to form strategic partnerships with farmers in the central Florida Region through the creation of a "sorghum energy crop farming co-operative".

Key concepts of the Energy Crop Co-operative are as follows:

  • HAF will share with farmers our proprietary "best management
        practices" from two years of field trials in central Florida (e.g.,
        seed type, maximizing brix, irrigation management, potential
        crop diseases, etc.)
  • Individual farmers through the Co-operative would grow and
        provide sorghum feedstock exclusively to HAF.
  • HAF will pay farmers a price per green ton for their harvested
        sorghum, negotiated and agreed to by the Co-operative.
  • Individual farmers would also build equity ownership in HAF's
        ethanol facility by providing sorghum feedstock to HAF.

    The concept is a win/win relationship between individual farmers and HAF, where:

  • Farmers would achieve a "total return" from both selling their
        sorghum crop and an equity participation in the ethanol facility.
  • HAF would achieve a secure and sustainable feedstock source
        for its ethanol and other biofuels production.

    Another key aspect of this strategic partnering is its flexibility. For farmers who wish to rotate sorghum between other/existing crops (e.g., tomatoes, vegetables) this provides an excellent opportunity to create a supplemental "cash crop".

    If you would like to know more about this opportunity for farmers in central Florida, please fill out the Farming Information Form to HAF.

    • Homeland Ag Fuels: Submit Your Farm Info Sorghum Field Pictures

    Sorghum Information: Fact Sheets From NSP
    Grower's Magazine

    Equipment Partners: Vincent Screw Press
    John Deere

    Additional Links: Ethanol & Crop News
    Florida Drought Areas