Energy programs intact in Farm Bill

June 22, 2012 – The 2012 Farm Bill has passed the Senate and moved on to
the House with the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Rural Energy for
America Program and Biorefinery Assistance Program all slated for
continuation.

According to an article in Biomass Power & Thermal, there is still a danger that the energy programs could be removed by the House. USDA-FSA Chief of Staff Todd Atkinson says that all will not have been lost, as the programs have helped many producers in the bioenergy/biofuel industries.

“The information that is being
generated has been indispensable,” he said. “It has brought down the
start-up costs for sterile miscanthus, it has educated people on
planting patterns, standards and best practices, and it has moved us
from the theoretical stage to the actual application, and that’s good.”

He continues that these types of programs are important for moving forward and that long-term solutions to oil and gas need to be considered.

For more information, please see the entire article at Biomass Power & Thermal.