Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Hires Netaka White as Biofuels Director

Montpelier -- The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) announced today that it has hired Netaka White as its new Biofuels Director. White was formerly the co-founder and Executive Director of the Vermont Biofuels Association (VBA), which recently merged with Renewable Energy Vermont.
"We are very pleased that Netaka has joined the VSJF staff," said the Funds Executive Director, Ellen Kahler. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the biofuels arena as well as program management to the Jobs Fund." Kahler went on to say that "had it not been for the efforts of Netaka White and the Board of the VBA, there would not be a growing biofuels industry in Vermont today. He has provided important technical assistance, education and outreach to help Vermonters learn about the use of biofuels and has taken the lead on many important market development projects in this arena, with an emphasis on sustainable production for local use."
Established in 1995 by the Vermont Legislature, the VSJF builds markets and new business opportunities within Vermonts natural resource industries and the green economy through our strategically targeted grant making and technical assistance.
"I feel really ready to take on this new assignment," said Netaka White. A significant part of his work with the VBA involved initiating and participating in energy and agriculture policy and economic development discussions at the state and local level. Some of these include the Governor's Commission on Climate Change, Vermont Council on Rural Development's Energy Council, Vermont Sustainable Agriculture Council and Vermont's 25x25 steering committee.
White will be responsible for implementing the VSJF biofuels agenda which includes the promotion and development of a range of feedstocks, including oilseed crops and algae for biodiesel and perennial grasses for biofuel pellets, that can help Vermont meet a portion of its energy needs
"Large scale biofuels have been getting a lot of bad publicity lately," said White. "However, what we are doing here in Vermont is very different. We're working with farmers, agriculture researchers, and entrepreneurs to create new on-farm energy generation that is sustainable and affordable. This is all about local production for local use. Were not promoting fuel production at the expense of food production, nor are we promoting industrial or commodity scale biofuels development from corn or sugar crops." He went on to say that "we're working with farmers to help grow enough oilseed crops, for instance, so that they can replace the diesel that runs just about everything on the farm, with homegrown biodiesel. And when you press oilseeds, you also get a high protein livestock feed that our diaries absolutely depend on. We think our strategy will ultimately help to preserve and enhance Vermont agriculture by making our farms more secure in terms of energy and feed costs, especially in this new era of record high crude oil and grain prices."
White has a long history with the VSJF, having been a recipient of numerous grants made to the Vermont Biofuels Association and having been a collaborator on a number of projects. He will primarily be responsible for managing several large grants obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy through the support of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and from the High Meadows Fund.
Prior to starting the VBA in 2003, Mr. White started and ran several small businesses, both wholesale and retail, and served as Director of Marketing for Vermont Family Forests, a nonprofit forest conservation group based in Bristol.