MONROE - Two members of the Wisconsin State Senate, one Democrat and one Republican, are walking the walk of bipartisanship - together.
Senators Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) and Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) are calling their effort a "Common Ground Tour," a series of days in which they learn about the concerns and needs of residents in each other's senate district.
"The real reason" for the tours, Schultz said, "is jobs and about growing our economy."
On their latest tour Monday, Schultz and Cullen held meetings in communities in Green, Lafayette and Grant counties. The Badger State Ethanol plant in Monroe was the final stop on the tour.
While Badger State Ethanol leaders would like to see the government in Washington, D.C. quit moving mandate and subsidy levels, they asked Shultz and Cullen to help them "get the message out" about ethanol's benefits to the economy.
Its contribution to the economy "is not a choice of feeding people or making fuel," Schultz said. "And it's keeping the money at home."
Schultz noted the entire processing at Badger State Ethanol creates "products worth more than the price of corn."
"Anytime we can add value to it, we're winners," he added.
Badger State Ethanol does more than produce ethanol, which is somewhat of an untold story, according to Gary Kramer, president and CEO of the company.
The process of making ethanol uses the starch in the corn grain, leaving behind the protein and oils.
The company captures these by-products to produce distillers dried grains for animal feed; a lower fat, corn protein feed; and corn oil. Carbon dioxide is also captured for use in the food industry. The additional products come out the same supply of local corn purchased for processing ethanol.
"Starch will not feed a hungry world," Kramer said, "but protein will. We do no harm to the protein."
The corn oil can be used as a bio-diesel fuel or in poultry feed, and the condensed supply of a high protein feed for cattle reduces shipment costs for farmers in the nation and across the sea.
"That helps the balance of trade for the country, which imports a lot, but sends very little out," Kramer added.
Yeast used in the ethanol process increases dramatically, and also becomes a source of food for poultry, swine or aquatic culture, he added.
Badger State employs about 50 people. Kurt Koller, a plant chemist at the company, and Erik Huschitt, vice-president of operations and commodities manager, said they came back to the community because of the job openings here for them.
Cullen said stability was a word they had heard a lot in the Common Ground tours.
Huschitt said it is one of the main things the ethanol industry needs. The shifting support in government plans and programs makes it "very hard to plan investments in our industry," he said.
Farmers and the ethanol industry make plans based on the demand for corn, Kramer said.
"Of the 12 to 13 billion bushels of corn produced (nationwide), 5 billion goes to making ethanol," he said. "You can't make drastic changes without making an impact on the market reaction, even the fear of messing with a mandate."
Kramer said he doesn't like mandates or subsidies. He favors the development of blender pumps for flex-fuel vehicles and producing a variety of levels of ethanol fuels to give customers a choice at the pump themselves.
"There's a perception that mileage goes down (when using ethanol fuels), he said, "but 25 to 30 percent ethanol per gallon is a sweet spot, a nearly perfect burn on gasoline. Drag-on mileage goes away at that point and actually goes up."
Schultz and Cullen brought a joint message on the Common Ground Tour: Good government happens when residents debate an issue hard but with respect for each other, continue to listen and keep an open mind, and then find common ground to move forward. The tour, they said, has broadened their understanding of what Wisconsin families really need and produced a personal benefit too. By getting to know each other better, they've become even better friends.
Cullen and Schultz each served as the Senate Majority Leader during a period when their respective party controlled the senate. They said real progress only happened when compromise was reached among the widely differing views of their own party members. They see the same lesson applies to the full legislature.
Redrawn district lines place southeastern townships of Green County in Cullen's Senate District 15 and western townships in Schultz's Senate District 17. Representation changes in November 2012.
"But we're here now," Schultz said.
Senators Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) and Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) are calling their effort a "Common Ground Tour," a series of days in which they learn about the concerns and needs of residents in each other's senate district.
"The real reason" for the tours, Schultz said, "is jobs and about growing our economy."
On their latest tour Monday, Schultz and Cullen held meetings in communities in Green, Lafayette and Grant counties. The Badger State Ethanol plant in Monroe was the final stop on the tour.
While Badger State Ethanol leaders would like to see the government in Washington, D.C. quit moving mandate and subsidy levels, they asked Shultz and Cullen to help them "get the message out" about ethanol's benefits to the economy.
Its contribution to the economy "is not a choice of feeding people or making fuel," Schultz said. "And it's keeping the money at home."
Schultz noted the entire processing at Badger State Ethanol creates "products worth more than the price of corn."
"Anytime we can add value to it, we're winners," he added.
Badger State Ethanol does more than produce ethanol, which is somewhat of an untold story, according to Gary Kramer, president and CEO of the company.
The process of making ethanol uses the starch in the corn grain, leaving behind the protein and oils.
The company captures these by-products to produce distillers dried grains for animal feed; a lower fat, corn protein feed; and corn oil. Carbon dioxide is also captured for use in the food industry. The additional products come out the same supply of local corn purchased for processing ethanol.
"Starch will not feed a hungry world," Kramer said, "but protein will. We do no harm to the protein."
The corn oil can be used as a bio-diesel fuel or in poultry feed, and the condensed supply of a high protein feed for cattle reduces shipment costs for farmers in the nation and across the sea.
"That helps the balance of trade for the country, which imports a lot, but sends very little out," Kramer added.
Yeast used in the ethanol process increases dramatically, and also becomes a source of food for poultry, swine or aquatic culture, he added.
Badger State employs about 50 people. Kurt Koller, a plant chemist at the company, and Erik Huschitt, vice-president of operations and commodities manager, said they came back to the community because of the job openings here for them.
Cullen said stability was a word they had heard a lot in the Common Ground tours.
Huschitt said it is one of the main things the ethanol industry needs. The shifting support in government plans and programs makes it "very hard to plan investments in our industry," he said.
Farmers and the ethanol industry make plans based on the demand for corn, Kramer said.
"Of the 12 to 13 billion bushels of corn produced (nationwide), 5 billion goes to making ethanol," he said. "You can't make drastic changes without making an impact on the market reaction, even the fear of messing with a mandate."
Kramer said he doesn't like mandates or subsidies. He favors the development of blender pumps for flex-fuel vehicles and producing a variety of levels of ethanol fuels to give customers a choice at the pump themselves.
"There's a perception that mileage goes down (when using ethanol fuels), he said, "but 25 to 30 percent ethanol per gallon is a sweet spot, a nearly perfect burn on gasoline. Drag-on mileage goes away at that point and actually goes up."
Schultz and Cullen brought a joint message on the Common Ground Tour: Good government happens when residents debate an issue hard but with respect for each other, continue to listen and keep an open mind, and then find common ground to move forward. The tour, they said, has broadened their understanding of what Wisconsin families really need and produced a personal benefit too. By getting to know each other better, they've become even better friends.
Cullen and Schultz each served as the Senate Majority Leader during a period when their respective party controlled the senate. They said real progress only happened when compromise was reached among the widely differing views of their own party members. They see the same lesson applies to the full legislature.
Redrawn district lines place southeastern townships of Green County in Cullen's Senate District 15 and western townships in Schultz's Senate District 17. Representation changes in November 2012.
"But we're here now," Schultz said.