U.S. Department of Agriculture

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Bioenergy > United States > United States government > Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Information about biofuels and bioenergy and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
• US Forest Service (USFS)
  • USFS is a participant in the Woody Biomass Utilization Group (Woody BUG)

News

• USDA Rule Change May Lead To Crops on Conserved Land, 11 July 2008 by the Washington Post: "Under pressure from farmers, livestock producers and soaring food prices, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is weighing a policy change that could lead to the plowing of millions of acres of land that had been set aside for conservation."
  • The "ethanol boom, widespread flooding and high prices for feed crops have changed the equation. Livestock producers have been howling about the high price of animal feed."
  • "CRP lands are also the subject of a legal dispute playing out in federal court in Seattle. This week, a federal judge there sided with the National Wildlife Federation and issued a temporary restraining order against the USDA to stop an earlier initiative that allowed limited grazing and haying on CRP lands."[1]

• Food Report Criticizes Biofuel Policies, 30 May 2008 by the New York Times: U.S. "Agriculture Secretary Edward T. Schafer is preparing to walk into a buzzsaw of criticism over American biofuels policy when he meets with world leaders to discuss the global food crisis next week."
  • Schafer "said an analysis by the Agriculture Department had determined that biofuel production was responsible for only 2 to 3 percent of the increase in global food prices, while biofuels had reduced consumption of crude oil by a million barrels a day."
  • "Just hours before his comments, a major report was released in Paris that urged countries to reconsider biofuels policies in the wake of soaring food prices."[2]

• Farm Bill Establishes New Biomass Crop Assistance Program, 23 May 2008 press release by 25 x '25: "A program to encourage farmers to establish and grow biomass crops in areas around biomass facilities has been included in the recently adopted [U.S.] 2008 Farm Bill. The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) would help producers willing to switch part or all of their acreage to dedicated energy crops."
  • "Agricultural producers in BCAP project areas may contract with USDA to receive biomass crop establishment payments" plus other payments to support crop harvesting, storage, and transport...."Producers are also prohibited from planting noxious or invasive plants as part of the program."
  • The bill "also sets up through the U.S. Forest Service a competitive research and development program to encourage use of forest biomass for energy....The bill encourages USDA to work closely with the Pine Genome Initiative (PGI), which proponents say would promote healthy forests and the development of new biofuels technology."[3]

• USDA Announces Notice of Funding Availability for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Loans and Grants, 21 March 2007 USDA Press Release. "Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced today the availability of $176.5 million in loan guarantees and $11.4 million in grants to support investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements by agricultural producers and small businesses."

Events

• 19-21 June 2008, Washington, D.C., USA: Bioenergy Awareness Days. Public education event to promote awareness of bioenergy and related topics. Organized by the USDA. (Themes: bioenergy)

• 31 July 2008, Washington, D.C.: REE Seminar: Biofuels Polices, Oil Prices, and Commodity Markets: How Are They Linked?. Organized by USDA. (Themes: biofuels, food prices, policy)

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