Ag energy getting too little in economic stimulus package, Harkin says

Agriculture Online
Dan Looker
Successful Farming magazine Business Editor

1/29/2009, 3:25 PM CST

An $888 billion economic stimulus bill moving through the Senate has more than $40 billion in increased spending for Department of Energy projects but only about $250 million for USDA programs to promote biofuels and rural energy conservation, something that doesn't please Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the agriculture committee.

Many of the Department of Energy's projects sound green -- improving energy efficiency in schools and hospitals, for example.

But the $40 billion also includes nearly $5 billion for fossil energy, research and demonstrations projects, which Harkin said is to develop clean coal technology, which involves trying to capture the carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants.

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