University of Illinois Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research: farm bill

Biofuels Digest
Isabel Lane
July 26, 2012

In New York, the Wall Street Journal published a story on the USDA’s expectations regarding the impact of this year’s drought. The USDA has estimated that food prices, including poultry, milk, and beef, will rise between 3 and 4 percent next year, followed by a 4 to 5% jump in 2013. The article also discussed the hold-up over the Farm Bill in the House, which could bring relief to drought-stricken farmers; House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) indicated that a separate and more immediate drought relief may be in development.

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Friday, July 20, 2012

Ag Energy Coalition urges House Ag Committee to support bio-based jobs through Farm Bill Energy programs.

Biobased Digest
Tom Saidak
July 17, 2012

In Washington, the Agriculture Energy Coalition has urged Members of the House Committee on Agriculture to ensure that energy title programs receive sufficient, mandatory funding as they mark up the next Farm Bill. Lloyd Ritter, co-director AgEC stated:

“Farm Bill energy programs have helped the renewable energy industry create thousands of jobs across the country in rural communities where they are very much needed. They have also helped farmers put more than 160,000 acres of underutilized farmland across 12 states back into production. And they have helped hundreds of new American businesses generate 100,000 jobs producing home-grown biobased products. These effective programs are a vital part of the overall Farm Bill. The Coalition thanks Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) for offering an amendment to the committee’s mark that would ensure strong, mandatory funding”.

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Monday, July 9, 2012

Rural energy programs cut under House panel's version of farm bill

The Hill
By Zack Colman - 07/05/12 05:38 PM ET

Five rural energy programs will end while others will be slimmed down if a draft version of the 2012 farm bill released Thursday becomes law.

The cuts, made by leaders of the House Agriculture Committee, will total about $500 million, according to the draft legislation, which "streamlines current programs, enhances program integrity, and repeals five programs that have outlived their usefulness."

The five energy programs on the chopping block are the Repowering Assistance Program, Biofuels Infrastructure Study, Renewable Fertilizer Study, Rural Energy Self-Sufficiency Initiative and the Forest Biomass for Energy Program.

There's no guarantee these programs will cease to exist. The legislation must be passed by the House. And the Senate has its own version of the farm bill, which would have to be reconciled with the lower chamber's.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Reps. request continued Energy Title funding in House Farm Bill

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill
June 19, 2012

The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture is not expected to begin marking up its version of the 2012 Farm Bill until July, but some members of the House have already begun expressing their support for retaining Energy Title funding. In a letter sent to committee leaders on June 12, a bipartisan group of 12 representatives requested specifically that funding should be reauthorized for the Rural Energy for America Program, the Biomass Crop Assistance Program and the Biorefinery Assistance Program, noting that those three programs have already supported projects in every state and are playing a role in advancing agriculture-based energy.

“These programs often provide the means for entrepreneurs to launch new rural small businesses producing biofuels, wind power, solar, geothermal or many other technologies,” the representatives said in the letter. “The public sector investment leverages greater private sector investment, creating jobs based in America’s private sector.” The representatives added that overcoming the nation’s energy challenges will require “long-term and consistent commitment” and urged Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson to provide that reassurance by renewing core Energy Title programs.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Senate passes Farm Bill with energy programs intact

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill
June 21, 2012

The U.S. Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill in a 64-35 vote on June 21 after considering more than 70 amendments and completing the floor debate in a timely fashion not often experienced in Congress as of late. The bill offers a reason for biofuel stakeholders to celebrate, at least temporarily, as the Senate agreed to retain energy title programs and provide mandatory funding for those programs for the next five years as passed earlier this year in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s version of the bill.

Agriculture Energy Coalition released a statement applauding the Senate for reauthorizing energy title programs, which include the Renewable Energy for America Program, the Biorefinery Assistance Program and the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, and said their continued funding will continue to expand rural economies and create jobs. “These programs have been successful in supporting the growth of new renewable industries, creating markets for U.S. agriculture and saving energy,” the group said in its statement. “We urge members of the House, which is currently considering energy legislation, to quickly take up and pass the Farm Bill and its energy title.”

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Farm Bill passes Senate, energy title programs intact

Biomass Power & Thermal
By Anna Simet
June 21, 2012

The Senate has finished voting on 73 amendments proposed for the $500 billion 2012 Farm Bill and subsequently passed it on to the House, leaving the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Rural Energy for America Program and Biorefinery Assistance Program slated for continuation.

Amendment 2226 was proposed by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and would have eliminated all Farm Bill energy title funding. It was voted down in a June 20 vote of 36-63.

Among multiple programs under the energy title, REAP has been reauthorized at $20 million per year, with mandatory funding of $48.2 million for each of fiscal years 2013-2017. A cap of $500,000 has been put on grants, and no money is available for feasibility studies. Leftover funds from the Repowering Assistance Program, which has been repealed, will be transferred to REAP.

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