Farm Bill Energy Programs at Stake in Senate and House Mark Ups Next Week

On May 14 and 15, the Senate and House agriculture committees plan to mark up their respective bills to reauthorize the nation’s nutrition and agriculture programs for the next five years. Will mandatory funding for energy programs be renewed? How will bio-based chemicals, traditional forest products, and the use of potentially invasive or noxious biomass species be dealt with?

On May 9, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released a summary and draft of the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 . The bill is scheduled to be marked up in committee on Tuesday, May 14.

Earlier in the week, Senators Al Franken (D-MN), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and eight co-sponsors introduced the Rural Energy Investment Act (S. 860) , a bill that focuses specifically on renewing authorization and mandatory funding for many of the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bill energy programs. This bill likely will be brought forward as part of the Senate Farm Bill mark up.

Meanwhile, on the House side, Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK), Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, and Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN), Ranking Member, introduced their summary and draft of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 . The committee is scheduled to mark up the bill on Wednesday, May 15.

In April, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute joined with more than 100 national, regional and state organizations in a letter to House and Senate agriculture committee leaders, calling on the House and Senate to renew and provide mandatory funding for Farm Bill energy title programs.

Summary overview of the energy provisions of the three bills:
 

 

 

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Funding Provisions ($$ Millions over 5 years)

 

Senate

Franken/
Harken

House

         

Bio-based Markets Program

Mandatory

15

20

0

 

Discretionary

10

20

10

Biorefinery Assistance

Mandatory

216

375

0

 

Discretionary

50

375

375

Repowering Assistance

Mandatory

0

0

0

 

Discretionary

0

0

10

Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels

Mandatory

0

0

0

 

Discretionary

100

0

200

Biodiesel Fuel Education Program

Mandatory

5

5

0

 

Discretionary

5

5

10

Rural Energy for American Program

Mandatory

241

350

0

 

Discretionary

150

350

225

Biomass Research and Development Initiative

Mandatory

130

150

0

 

Discretionary

150

150

100

Rural Energy Self-Sufficiency Initiative

Mandatory

0

0

0

 

Discretionary

0

50

0

Biomass Crop Assistance Program

Mandatory

193

375

0

 

Discretionary

0

375

375

Forest Biomass for Energy

Mandatory

0

0

0

 

Discretionary

0

15

0

Community Wood Energy Program

Mandatory

0

10

0

 

Discretionary

25

0

10

         

Total Mandatory (over 5 years)

 

800

1,325

0

         

Other Key Provisions		Senate	Franken/ Harken	House
Expand to bio-based chemicals and products?		Yes	Yes	No
Include traditional wood products as bio-based products?		Yes	No	Yes
Prohibit potentially invasive or noxious biomass species?		Yes	No	?