Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Richard Petcher

Regional Extension Agent

Agronomic Crops

November 4, 2008

“ON THE FARM”

This year’s harvest of corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans has been one of the best for most of our growers in Southwest Alabama.

SUGARCANE MAY RETURN

On Friday,  September  26, 2008 Eric Hall after successfully planting nearly 100 acres of nursery stock seed cane became the largest sugar cane producer in Alabama. 

The project began when Governor Bob Riley and a contingency from Alabama visited Brazil this last spring.  Brazil produces 17 million acres of sugarcane, most of which is used for fuel, this making their country completely energy independent.    The hope is that with the help of Alabama farmers producing cane that we could help in our country’s energy crisis. Amyris, a California company specializing in biotechnology is leading the project. They have partnered in the project with the Hudson/Alpha Institute, a biotech start-up company out of Huntsville, with CanaVialis Biotechnologies in Brazil, which is the world’s leading sugarcane company, and with Auburn University.  Ultimately this project hopes to produce jet fuel for our Air Force on a very large scale.    Until such time as that plant can be designed and constructed and Alabama sugarcane production reaches a level sufficient to supply such a plant, the group plans to begin construction of a smaller, pilot size plant in the near future, also to produce jet fuel.  Plans are also underway to produce industrial chemicals and even pharmaceutical products from sugarcane on a much smaller scale.  The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) has helped to underwrite the cost of this project with a $250,000 grant. 

On October 21, just three and a half weeks after the cane was planted, Governor Bob Riley met with local farmers and government, industry, and banking interests from the area in the field near Atmore.  Nearly one hundred people including media were on the site to commemorate sugarcane’s new beginning in Alabama. 

After meeting with the Governor, a group of local farmers and industry representatives met with John Melo, CEO, and Rahul Shendrue, project manager, of Amyris.  Representing Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System were Dr. Paul Mask, Dr. Bob Goodman, Buck Farrior and Richard Petcher.   An informative presentation was made regarding the profitable production of sugarcane in Alabama, and the meeting resulted in important discussions for further plans in the ramp up of this industry, which will continue over the winter. 

Atmore, Alabama was selected as the initial pilot site, because its soil types and climate are very conducive to sugarcane production.  However, it was also chosen because of grower’s commitment and dedication to the success of this project.  Sugarcane can be produced throughout Alabama.  However, from Montgomery North the chances of the soil freezing and the sugarcane having to be replanted each year make that area not a good choice.  The closer to the coast the more consistent are our rainfalls that also are needed to successfully produce this crop.  Therefore the counties where cane will most likely be produced are these lower counties.  The counties being considered are Baldwin, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Mobile. 

Dr. Sizuo Matsuoka with Canavialis is the world’s leading sugarcane plant breeder.  He along with Rodrigo Mendes leading Agronomist with Canavialis have made several trips to Hall’s farm and will continue to monitor the production process.  Of course, the U.S. will not be able to produce the quantity of cane produced in the tropics where sugarcane grows twelve months out of the year.  However, they are impressed with our soils, climate and expertise of our growers and believe Alabama can produce cane on a level equal to or greater than Louisiana, Florida and Texas.  Our present advantage is that we do not have the diseases or insects that attack sugarcane.  Florida, Texas and Louisiana together produce around 900 thousand acres of sugar cane annually. 

Hall planted four of the leading cane varieties currently being grown in Louisiana.  Seed cane for the project was handled by Jeff Flynn with KleenTek, in Louisiana.  The optimum time for planting cane here is from August 15 to September 15.  The cane was planted with the help of Eric Hall and his Father Hilbert, Jason Weber and a few other friends.  Jeff Edwards provided an experienced planting crew from South Florida. 

Field preparation for cane is not difficult.  Beds on six-foot rows were made, and then a 24 inch furrow was pulled in the top of the bed for hand dropping the cane.  The hand labor was a little more difficult.  The ten man crew planted about 20 acres per day.  A pre-plant fertilizer and soil insecticide were applied.  The cane was then covered with 3 inches of soil and packed. 

Once it is planted, actually raising sugarcane is not too complicated.  It is a very consistent crop and very forgiving.  Crop failure would be rare along the coast where we typically receive consistent rains.  It is much more drought tolerant than corn.  The major time, work and expense factor is in the planting and then in the harvest.  Seed cane typically runs around $500 per acre.  Once the crop is planted you can expect three to four years of harvest before yields go so low that you need to replant.  Harvest is also difficult because of the volume per acre produced.  Our cane should produce between 25 and 30 tons per acre.  That requires a harvester and then a lot of time and trucking, on average about one truck load per acre.  Prospective growers will need to be close to the plant due to transportation costs.  Inputs on sugar cane are similar to corn.  Their requirement for Nitrogen is only around 100 lbs. per acre.  We will conduct fertility studies for our soil types.  Weed control is similar to corn, except for additional winter weed control.     

What is in this for our growers?  Eric Hall and growers in the area with the help of Scientists with USDA Sugarcane Research in Houma, La, also industry friends in Brazil and Florida we will learn all that we can on raising sugarcane.  It is a very consistent crop to grow, that could bring consistent profits.  At present there is no contract to sell the jet fuel, and there is no plant presently built.  The steps now being taken are to learn as much as possible about growing this crop on our soils and in our climate.  The Alabama method though gleaning everything from other areas will be fine tuned for our area. 

At present we are not recommending that any farmer go into sugarcane production until there are clear profits for the grower.  However, we are highly recommending that interested growers learn as much as possible from this 100 acre demonstration.  Raising sugarcane may indeed be a potential crop in the near future. 

Sweet Sorghum is also a crop that will possibly be raised for jet fuel.  The purpose for growing sweet sorghum is to extend the operation days of the biofuel plant.  This crop will be planted in April and May and will be harvested before the cane is harvested in late October.   Research and demonstration plots both on farms and AU Research Stations will be planted this next spring. 

Up until the early 1970 several thousand acres of sugarcane for syrup were grown in South Alabama.  However, over the last thirty years sugarcane production in this state almost died out.  A tribute should be made to the many small growers who kept the knowledge and varieties of sugar cane still alive in our State.    The list of these growers is too long to list.  However, I would like to acknowledge the Girbys - Mr. Marshall III and his son Marshall IV, who until just recently were our largest sugarcane growers in Alabama.  They on their farm near Bay Minette have continued the heritage of sugarcane up until the present.  

Email address: rpetcher@aces.edu

Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

~Back~