In addition, the Obama budget provides $15 million for the Forest Biomass for Energy Program and $5 million for the Community Wood Energy Program, as authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. The Community Wood Energy Program provides grants for rural communities to install wood energy systems in community facilities. The Forest Biomass for Energy Program provides for research on use of low-value forest biomass. Neither of these programs has received any funding since their inception in the 2008 Farm Bill.

In addition, the President’s budget calls for a small increase to the Biorefinery Assistance grant and loan guarantee program, adding $17 million.

Learn more about Farm Bill energy programs here.

If the President’s budget holds through the appropriations process, more agricultural producers, rural small businesses and communities across the country will be able to cut costs with energy efficiency and develop new revenue with renewable energy. That means more clean energy projects, a better environment, and a stronger federal commitment to make the program work.

REAP continues to be extremely successful, with over 3,000 project awards in nearly every state. Even with the President’s proposal, farmer and rural business demand for REAP financing continues to outpace available funding.

Next steps: The House and Senate Ag Appropriations Committees must each recommend funding levels for REAP and other Energy Title programs. Stay tuned for updates!

The President’s action is a victory for the Environmental Law and Policy Center and other groups supporting farm clean energy development throughout the country. REAP has grown from $0 to $23 million to nearly $100 million next year. It is now hitting stride with demonstrable economic, environmental and carbon-reduction benefits.

REAP and other energy programs in the Farm Bill help farmers and rural businesses invest in locally-owned energy projects and spurs rural economic development, while helping America tackle global warming challenges.

Our 2010 Farm Bill Clean Energy appropriations chart summarizes the current funding for all Energy Title programs and compares funding to 2009 levels.

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

A key victory: This legislation added $5 million to the REAP program through a discretionary appropriation, increasing total REAP funding for 2009 to $60 million: $55 million in mandatory plus $5 million in discretionary funding. The bill neither added nor cut funding from any other Farm Bill Energy Title program.

For a complete summary of how Farm Bill Energy Title programs fared in 2009, and an update on the status of 2010 funding, please visit our Appropriations page.