Member of the Month

Iowa Agricultural Bio Fibers

Iowa Agricultural Bio Fibers’ (IABF) CEO John Schechinger has had this vision for rural Iowa for a long time.  That vision features farmers who benefit from both the crops they grow and the value that is added afterward.  It also sees the value of water quality, carbon storage, improved soil health and a new generation of farmers and rural residents. 

“We are just now beginning to understand the true value of a biomass economy, the overall benefits and profit potential,” Schechinger said. “Sustainable farming is about energy production. Whether this is for food for people, animals or pets, portable fuels, wind or solar… it’s all energy.”

Ten years ago, Schechinger had a plan to convert corn stover into biomass pellets for energy.  He had his eye on replacing natural gas but improvements in shale fracking technology made it impossible to compete.  Still, corn prices were increasing at that time so he fixed his sights on developing an animal feed that could be a supplied to livestock and other industries in the same pelletized form that his energy biomass had used.

In the eight years since, IABF has used its Shelby County facility to refine the process and test its product.  Using a growing base of cattle and horse ranchers who tested the company’s Fiber Factor feed, Schechinger and his investors saw that the inclusion of fiber in an animal’s diet was highly beneficial.  The animals’ digestive systems and overall health seemed better, thanks to the fiber and associated sugars.  

But as is the case with many start-ups, IABF was in research and development mode.  It had the small pilot plant outside Harlan to produce the feed, make adjustments, innovate when possible, and build a foundation.  Support from a local bank and the rural electric cooperative (accessing USDA Rural Development funding) allowed the company to envision a system where farmers were rewarded for growing grasses and storing it in a manner that protected the biomass from the elements.

Ranchers benefit from a product that enhances animal health.

And Schechinger emphasizes, the process is replicable.  “Wherever corn or grasses are grown, the biomass can be harvested and processed into pelletized feed.  It’s just a matter of resources.”

IABF is currently working with the US Small Business Administration to find financial institutions that can appreciate the Schechinger vision and understand the impact the company could have on rural communities.  Schechinger wants to build a brand-new plant that would allow multiple production lines and greatly expand capacity.  And that plant could be the template for other facilities in other locations.

John Schechinger is passionate about his business and about the future of American agriculture.  He believes that the simple act of adding fiber to the diets of cattle and horses (and goats, sheep and hogs) can have a cascading effect that benefits the farm economy, the environment and the long-term viability of rural America.

Please contact CEO John Schechinger at john@iabf.biz or visit www.iabf.biz for more information.