Today, May 15, 2009, 30 members of the US House of Representatives called for full finding for the clean energy programs in the Farm Bill. Led by Representatives Tim Walz (D-MN) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) a bipartisan group sent a letter to the Leadership of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee seeking full funding for the programs in the 2008 Farm Bill Energy Title.

These new programs can help the nation develop new, modern, low carbon energy sources along with improving energy efficiency. Indeed, these programs demonstrate how agriculture can adapt and prosper within a low carbon economy.

The letter as submitted may be downloaded here (PDF format). The letter text and signatories can also be found below.

Letter Requesting Full Funding of Farm Bill Energy Title

May 15, 2009

The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
Chair
House Appropriations Committee,
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
2362-A Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Jack Kingston
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
1016 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Kingston:

To help maintain the Farm Bill Energy Title’s successful clean energy development and job creation progress throughout America, we urge you to sustain the Title’s mandatory funding in Fiscal Year 2010 and to fund the Title’s authorized appropriations. With these investments, the Energy Title will continue to accelerate production of clean fuels and power and increase energy efficiency, while generating billions of dollars in new economic activity and boosting on-farm income and rural business income.

The Energy Title includes a number of successful programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program, which is helping producers and rural businesses in every state in the country produce clean energy, cut costs, and reduce oil imports and helping rural economic development. Another program, the Biomass Research and Development Act, is funding the new research needed to expand farm-based clean energy development.

New programs in the 2008 Farm Bill include, for example, the Biorefinery Assistance program, which provides critical financing for our nation’s first generation of commercial-scale advanced biorefineries; it reduces investor risk and provides well-paying construction and operation jobs in rural communities. The new Biomass Crop Assistance Program will support farmers and foresters who want to initiate production of biomass feedstock crops for advanced biofuels. And to stimulate demand for clean energy crops and help existing biofuel plants cut emissions, the Repowering Assistance program funds the conversion of those plants’ heating and power fuel supply to biomass.

While recognizing that the Subcommittee faces budgetary restraints, we believe that funding for these and other valuable programs in the Energy Title should receive priority consideration within a fiscally responsible appropriations bill. With strong bipartisan national interest in agriculture-based energy solutions, we urge you to sustain the Title’s mandatory funding in Fiscal Year 2010 and to fund the Title’s authorized appropriations

Sincerely,

Signatories for Full Funding of Farm Bill Energy Title

Walz, Timothy J., D-MN
Fortenberry, Jeff , R-NE

Abercrombie, Neil, D-HI
Baldwin, Tammy, D-WI
Bartlett, Roscoe G. , D-MD
Boswell, Leonard L., D-IA
Braley, Bruce L., D-IA
Christensen, Donna M. , D-VI
Delahunt, William D., D-MA
Foster, Bill, D-IL
Halvorson, Deborah L., D-IL
Hare, Phil, D-IL
Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie, D-SD
Hodes, Paul W., D-NH
Inslee, Jay, D-WA
Kind, Ron, D-WI
King, Steve , D-IA
Larsen, Rick, D-WA
Loebsack, David, D-IA
Michaud, Michael H., D-ME
Moore, Dennis, D-KS
Moran, Jerry , D-KS
Oberstar, James L., D-MN
Peterson, Collin C., D-MN
Pomeroy, Earl, D-ND
Schock, Aaron , D-IL
Skelton, Ike, D-MO
Teague, Harry, D-NM
Terry, Lee , D-NE
Welch, Peter, D-VT