Breakout Session V
POET "Project Liberty": Plans for First Generation Cellulose Processing
Doug Berven
Doug Berven graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Prior to joining POET in March 2003, Berven held various roles in banking, real estate development and medical consulting. Berven served as Director of Business Development with POET for over four years and recently accepted a new role as Director of Corporate Affairs for POET. In this position, Berven serves on several POET Boards and is actively engaged in the development of new business ventures, licensing opportunities, and corporate relations for POET domestically and internationally.
Darrin Ihnen
Darrin Ihnen lives northeast of Hurley, South Dakota in Turner County where he and his father grow corn and soybeans. Darrin also has a stockcow and hog finishing operation. Darrin is a past president of the SDCGA board of directors and has served on the SDCGA board since 1999. In addition, Darrin was elected to the South Dakota Corn Utilization (SDCUC) board in 2007.
Darrin started farming in high school with an FFA project and continued to farm with his dad as the years progressed. Darrin also attended South Dakota State University, studying Ag Business. According to Darrin, he chose the farming profession because, "when you grow up in a farming family, it gets in your blood and I have continued to enjoy it. It is also a great place to raise a family."
In addition to serving in the SDCGA and SDCUC, Darrin is board chairman of Poet Biorefining of Chancellor, a 40 million gallon ethanol plant which expanding to 100 million gallons. Darrin is also on the board of directors for the NCGA Corn Board.
According to Darrin, corn producers today face many challenges, but the most important issue is, "trying to add value to our corn whether it be by processing it into ethanol or feeding it to livestock--any process which corn growers can move up the processing chain thereby capturing more profit."
Darrin and his wife Becky have four children: Kelsey, Kayla, Kilee and Jacob. In Darrin's spare time he enjoys hunting, fishing, playing basketball, and riding motorcycles.
Craig and Debbie Kassel
Craig and Debbie Kassel operate a grain and livestock enterprise near Emmetsburg Iowa. Craig has over 25 years experience farming and currently runs a 90% corn rotation on their 3500 acres of farm land. Debbie a graduate of the University Of Illinois College Of Agriculture, worked with DuPont Ag Products before retiring to help on the farm and raise their children. Craig and Debbie serve on the advisory board for “Project Liberty” examining the biorefinery process at Poet in Emmetsburg that evaluates corn cobs as a commercial feedstock for cellulosic ethanol. The Kassel’s provide a unique insight as day-to-day farmers on how the cellulosic process may affect their farming operation, including equipment needs, transportation cost, storage, labor concerns and added profitability just to name a few. However, as stockholders in Poet biorefining ethanol plants, they also look at the profitability aspect of cellulose processing. Craig and Debbie also keep in mind the next generation of farmers as their family includes four children ages 3, 5, 8, and 10.