President Obama today (May 7, 2009) proposed to more than double total planned funding for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) next year, FY2010, to $128.1 million.

President Obama’s detailed budget proposal for all government programs today includes an additional $68.1 million in “discretionary” funding for REAP. The 2008 Farm Bill also allocated $60 million in “mandatory” funding for REAP next year.

President Obama’s historic proposal builds upon funding for other energy programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by targeting REAP funding which supports a broad range of clean energy technologies for agriculture and rural America. His proposal confirms the Administration’s position that a well-funded REAP helps restore our economy.

In March 2009, for example, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, referring in part to REAP, told Congress that “part of our economic recovery is to focus on clean energy and green jobs, agriculture needs to be a part of that. It needs to be a huge part of the solution.”  REAP is part of that solution.

Among other programs in the Energy Title, the President also proposed to increase funding for building biorefineries to produce advanced biofuels.

We will provide additional budget details at FarmEnergy.org.