Convert Methane from Cattle Manure into Energy

In Greeley, Colorado they are trying to stay ahead of the game and received a $82000 grant from the government energy office to convert the methane produced by cattle into usable energy. There are a couple upsides to this idea one in the long run it could be better for the economy because it will be a never ending source of energy well never ending as long as there are cattle. Also it is better for the environment, methane helps hold heat in the atmosphere which leads to holes in the ozone layer. However methane is not as big of a problem as cars so don't be blaming the cattle for the hole in the ozone that is mostly our doing. In the long run this conversion could also have some beneficial monetary effects. The downside however this can have a domino effect on the agriculture economy. The cost of manure will go up which raises prices for fertilizer for farmers which raises prices for feed for cattle. In today's economy even though it is getting better little by little I do not believe our economy is stable enough to out weigh the cost of this kind of conversion right now. Also the switch can lead to a large loss in jobs from gas, and propane, companies and the new jobs created will probably be less than the amount lost. This is a great idea and Weld county is the best model to practice the effects because almost all economic factors will be involved; however, I think that this project should be saved for a later day or until there is a buffer available to compensate for any losses the agriculture business may endure.