Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests - February 7, 2014 | Newsletter

A weekly look at sustainable bioenergy, farm, and forest policy issues

February 7, 2014

Highlights of the Farm Bill's Energy Title

On February 4, the Senate voted 68-32 to agree to the conference report on the Agriculture Act of 2014 (H.R. 2642), clearing the 5-year, $956 billion Farm Bill for signature by the President today. The compromise bill provides $881 million for Title IX (Energy Title) in mandatory funding over its five years to the key bioenergy provisions, as outlined below.

Farm-to-Fleet Initiative Gets off the Ground

On January 30, the USDA held its first ever industry day on the newly established Farm to Fleet initiative, which seeks to provide price support from Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to allow the Department of Defense to purchase biofuels at the same cost as traditional bulk fuel purchases. With an expected solicitation this spring, Farm to Fleet hopes to provide 336 million gallons per year of fuel to the military by 2020.

Launch of Climate Hubs to Help Farmers Adapt to Climate Change

On February 5, USDA Secretary Vilsack announced the creation of seven Climate Hubs and three Subsidiary Hubs at Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and U.S. Forest Service stations throughout the United States. The newly formed regional network follows a similar model to the ARS Regional Biomass Research Centers set up in 2010. USDA will provide outreach and information to agricultural producers, regional climate risk and vulnerability assessments, climate forecast data, and public education resources.

Joint Landscape Restoration Partnership Launched

On February 6, USDA and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced $30 million in FY14 funding will be directed to projects across key watersheds in the United States, with $16.5 million from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, $8.7 million from the USFS earmarked for National Forest System land, and $5.2 million from USFS designated for technical assistance to private landowners to enable this new partnership to help manage wildfire threats, protect water resources and water quality, and preserve forest and grassland ecosystems for at-risk species.

Please distribute Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests to your colleagues. Reproduction of this newsletter is permitted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here.

Do you like receiving this newsletter? If so, please consider taking 2 minutes to tell us why SBFF is useful to you! Your review of EESI's services on GreatNonprofits will help us keep bringing you more of what you like. EESI has been named a “Top-Rated Nonprofit” three years in a row, and with your help we want to make it four! Click here to Review EESI.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus dedicated to finding innovative environmental and energy solutions. EESI’s work, including this free newsletter, is made possible by financial support from people like you. Please help us continue to make it available by making a secure, online donation today or mailing a check to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute at 1112 16th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. You can also learn more about why you should give to EESI for clean energy. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Williams by email at swilliams [at] eesi.org or by phone at 202-662-1887. Thank you for your support!