Letter to the Hon. Pat Roberts and the Hon. Debbie Stabenow - Farm Bill Energy Programs Are Key to Reviving Lagging Farm Economy

Letter

Dear Senate Agriculture Committee Leaders:
We were pleased to see your statement reaffirming your commitment to producing a bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill. We are writing today to express support for the farm bill energy title programs.
The energy title s suite of innovative biomanufacturing, renewable electricity and energy efficiency programs have been integral to the farm bill and American agriculture for nearly two decades. These cost-effective programs support jobs and broad economic development across rural America, and are critically important for regions facing stiff economic headwinds due to declining farm income, low commodity prices, and an uncertain trade environment.
 
A well-crafted renewal of the energy title programs with requisite investments will be a catalyst for reviving depressed farm community economies. Sections 9003, 9005 and 9006 are only a few of the innovative programs that can speed the development of world-class biorefmeries to not only produce biogas and biofuels, but also a myriad of renewable chemicals and biobased products, all manufactured from the fruits of American agricultural productivity. Further, the Section 9003 loan program has been critically important to getting this new economic sector established, and is already paying dividends in terms of both jobs and technical innovation.
 
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) has allowed rural farmers, ranchers, and small businesses to cut energy costs; to date, approximately 15,000 projects have been awarded. The Biomass Research and Development initiative provides critical research to for the development of next generation bioproducts and their feedstocks, and the Biomass Crop Assistance Program helps farmers and foresters diversify into new markets, providing new revenue streams at a time when potential trade disruptions are casting a dark cloud over rural economies. The Biopreferred program has been replicated by States and foreign countries alike for its forward thinking approach to building new markets for biobased industrial products. These and other energy and sustainability programs are collectively a very small fraction of farm bill spending, but they leverage substantial economic returns--more than $5 billion since the energy title programs began.
 
As fellow members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, we feel strongly that the Committee must not forget the value energy title programs bring to rural economies. The title should be renewed and improved, with adequate resources to ensure the programs work as intended.
We stand ready to work with you to ensure continued success of these important programs in the days ahead, and for the comprehensive farm bill's timely re-authorization.