**This briefing will be held twice on the same day **

Tuesday, July 19, 2011
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
1302 Longworth House Office Building

Tuesday, July 19, 2011
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
188 Russell Senate Office Building

The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) and Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to a briefing on the energy title of the farm bill, with a special focus on the Rural Energy for America Program.

Big decisions loom in the next Farm Bill, including for key farm energy programs. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) incentivizes a broad range of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies for all agricultural sectors across the country. As a result, thousands of rural producers and businesses are slashing energy costs with energy efficiency and renewable energy. They also are earning new income from renewable energy and creating new jobs, income, and wealth across rural America. This briefing will provide an overview of the Farm Bill Energy Title, as well as specific examples of dairy and poultry producers, rural electric cooperatives, and other rural producers and small businesses from across the country that have benefitted from the REAP program.

Speakers will include:

• Bill Midcap, Farmer and Rural Development Specialist, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Colorado
• Bruce Knight, Dairy Advisor, Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC, and former Chief, Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
• Bennie Hutchins, Principal, Ag Energy Resources, Mississippi
• Andy Olsen, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Wisconsin

This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required.