Three Farming Brothers Building Biodiesel Plant

On initial glance, the Hornbeck brothers may look like your typical farming family. However, once you get to know the three, you can tell they have a vision many other farmers don't.

Jeff is oldest Hornbeck brother and is in charge of the family's farm. Troy's the middle child and runs the family seed business. The youngest, Jon, has the most responsibility. He handles the finances for everything the family of Dewitt farmers does.

Now, the three are working together on a new project: a bio-diesel plant.

Jon says, ?We wanted another market for soybeans."

The goal is really that simple.

"That's the whole goal is to give that farmer that extra money," explains Troy.

Like many farming families, the Hornbecks have seen energy prices to fuel their equipment go up and prices for their crops go down.

"The high energy cost that everyone knows about has driven probably 10 to 20 percent of our farmers out of business and those are good managers. Those aren't people who have done a poor job, those are excellent farmers,? says Troy.

Ask any soy farmer in the state and they'd probably tell you the same.

"Prices are low, commodity prices are low. Fuel prices are high, a lot of irrigation expense. Just not working out very well at all," says farmer Jason Berry.

While walking though a field of soybeans, reporter Jerod Clark asks Berry, ?Tell me, if you have this bio-fuel facility, what do you think that would do for you as a farmer?"

Berry answers, ?It should increase the price of soybeans, which is good. It should lower the price of diesel."

When fully completed, the Arkansas Soy Energy Group hopes to sell pure bio-diesel to farmers to use in their equipment. The Hornbecks say it's a better lubricant than traditional diesel.

"It's going to cost us less down the road in repairs," Jeff explains.

Jeff has a vision that the success of turning soy into fuel will eventually let farmers set their own price for crops instead of being forced to sell at a certain price. If it works like the brothers hope, it will have a big impact on their county.

"When we get our plant up to full capacity, then we'll be looking at about 80,000 acres, which will be about half of the soybeans grown here in Arkansas County," explains Troy.

There is no doubt a risk in taking a piece of farmland and building a soy-diesel plant.

Jon says, ?I think it's just important that we get together and promote and educate the public. I think by and large the public doesn't know the benefit of burning soy-diesel."

The National Biodiesel Board says soy-based fuel is safe for use in all diesel trucks and cars. In addition, the organization says it's better for the environment by given out less toxic emissions.

While those may be good selling points, the Hornbecks never let people forget using a bio-fuel helps the farmer. "It has to be the opportunity to help the community, help our farmers in this area to be able to grow homegrown energy and to make our farmers more profitable and keep some of them in business," says Troy.

Jeff says, ?You have to give something back to the community, you can't just keep taking out. I think it will be something to be proud of."

Providing crops for fuel instead of food is no doubt a change for farmers. Nevertheless, these three brothers have the determination to make it work not just for their community, but also for themselves. Jon says, ?We all know that there's one common theme among us that we have businesses we're in; and we're all in it together and if one fails we all fail."

After all, they're not just businessmen, but farmers too.

For more information about bio-diesel including which stations in Arkansas sell it, click on the links below the pictures.