Posted by: Phillip Fraas
May 21, 2007
Topic: REPORTS ON FARM BILL STATUS--First Half of 2007

Late last Friday afternoon, the House Committee on Agriculture released its draft consensus proposal for the energy title of the 2007 farm bill. The proposal--the Committee's "preliminary discussion draft"-- is available online at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/legislation.html.

The Committee's proposal, which focuses on promoting the production of biobased energy much like the Administration's farm bill energy proposal, will extend many current programs authorized by the 2002 farm bill to 2112, and add a new one.

The proposal also would provide additional money for the programs, but put a condition on funding acknowledging the lack of funds it really has available for spending on the energy title. For the most part, the 2002 farm bill did not directly provide funding for the energy title, making the baseline for this farm bill's energy title effectively zero; and the just-completed congressional budget resolution requires the Agriculture Committee to stick to the 2002 farm bill baseline in drafting the new farm bill. Thus, in several instances, the proposal contains language providing that funding will be contingent on ways being found to reduce spending or raise revenue in other areas so as to offset, or make "budget neutral," the new spending.

The propsal will extend to 2112--

--the Federal procurement requirement emphasizing acquisition of biobased products;

the biorefinery and biofuel production development program (adding authority and contingent funding for $2 billion in loan guarantees);

--the biodiesel fuel education program;

--the renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements program (providing contingent funding for $500 million for the program);

--the program that provides payments to bioenergy producers to acquire agricultural and related feedstocks (providing $1.5 billion in contingent funding);

--the research, extension, and education programs on biobased energy technologies and products; and

--the Biomass Research and Development Act grant program. (providing $500 million in contingent funding). The Act was originally enacted in 2000, and the Committee's proposal effectively re-enacts it as part of the 2002 farm bill.

The new programs or provisions included in the proposal are--

--a forest bioenergy research program, with contingent funding of $15 million a year;

--establishment of an Energy Council within the Department of Agriculture to coordinate its energy policy and consult with other departments and agencies;

authority for feasibility studies of dedicated ethanol pipelines

Left open is a section entitled "Biomass Energy Transition Reserve."

The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy,and Research is scheduled to mark-up and vote on this proposal tomorrow.

News

Farm Bill Update--House Energy Title

News

Environment

Topics

Recent Updates

Archives

Web Resources