Breakout Session II
Feedstock Production, Nutrient Recycling, and Soil and Water Quality Issues
Moderator: Steve Fales, Associate Director of the Bioeconomy Initiative
Rob Anex 
Rob Anex combines methods from a variety of disciplines including engineering, industrial ecology, operations research, political science and economics in the analysis of coupled human-environmental systems. In broad terms, his research involves gaining an understanding of how trends in policy, production, consumption, and technology translate into environmental quality changes; and how we can guide such trends toward a sustainable future.
A recent focus of Anex’s research has been on assessing systems for producing energy, fuels and products from biorenewable resources. Anex and his students have been working to improve Life Cycle Assessment methods to address the ways that biobased products couple the agricultural and industrial systems.
Rick Cruse
Rick Cruse is a professor in the Agronomy Department at Iowa State University. His research program involves field and laboratory research in: 1) Soil and Crop Management; 2) applied Soil Physics; and 3) Soil Fertility.Objectives include evaluating the effect of tillage and cropping systems on: 1) soil physical properties; 2) soil and water conservation; and 3) crop growth and yield.
Emily Heaton
Emily Heaton earned her B.S. in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, and is currently completing a Ph.D. comparing the performance and qualities of Miscanthus with switchgrass in Illinois. She is lead author to two research articles on the production and economics potential of Miscanthus in the USA.
Emily also assists on the family farm in Monticello, which currently includes the largest stands of Miscanthus in Illinois. Emily works with Steve Long in coordinating a special research initiative at the University of Illinois, which aims to establish Illinois as a center for the research and development of biomass crops.
Lloyd Ritter
Lloyd Ritter is the Democratic Senior Counsel on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. His responsibilities include advising Senator Harkin, the Committees ranking member, and other Committee Democrats on a broad range of energy and environment matters and drafting legislation.
Ritter was the lead staff person in crafting the 2002 farm bills landmark energy title as well as forestry title for then Chairman Harkin, and was involved in the rural development and conservation sections of the bill. He has since worked on an array of agriculture and energy related issues including farm bill implementation, and the drafting of key renewable energy provisions of the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
Prior to joining the Committee in 2001, Ritter worked with a number of non-profit organizations, trade associations, and sustainable businesses on energy and environment matters. He holds a J.D., with certificates in environmental and international law, and a B.A. in Political Science.