Agriculture Energy Coalition Congratulates and Thanks Congress on 2018 Farm Bill

The following statement was issued by the Agriculture Energy Coalition on the 2018 Farm Bill:

“The Agriculture Energy Coalition congratulates and thanks the four principal negotiators, members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, and House and Senate leadership on bringing the Farm Bill to completion. We greatly appreciate the continuation of the jobs producing, innovative energy title’s suite of programs. We are particularly pleased that the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), the Biorefinery Assistance program, the 'BioPreferred' program, and the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuel were reauthorized and provided with critically important mandatory funding. We are also thrilled renewable chemicals are now fully eligible to participate in the Biorefinery Assistance program along with other constructive changes the Coalition championed.

“We are disappointed that the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) and the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) were not properly funded. Those gaps need to be fixed in the next Congress to help mitigate catastrophic wildfires while creating new uses for renewable raw materials.

“Work also needs to continue to ensure REAP receives a much-needed Reserve Fund for underserved technologies like distributed wind and biogas. REAP is also over-subscribed 3 to 1, and given the program’s expansion, the Coalition believes more funding in the future is warranted.

“As Congress and the Administration works to provide funding and implement the Farm Bill’s energy title programs, we encourage them to remember the important role these programs play in bolstering the American agriculture economy.

“Additionally, these programs help companies develop clean, renewable energy which will enable our agricultural and rural communities to address the ever-growing threat of climate change.

“Again, we thank the agriculture leaders in Congress, and look forward to working with them and others to move these programs and policies forward."