Record Number of Companies, Trade Groups Urge Congressional Leaders to Reauthorize and Fund Farm Bill Energy Title Programs

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More than 200 companies and trade associations today wrote House and
Senate Agriculture Committee leaders, urging them “to reauthorize and
maintain stable mandatory funding for energy title programs in the next
farm bill reauthorization.”

The letter,
organized by the Agriculture Energy Coalition, states, “For more
than 15 years, the farm bill energy title programs have greatly assisted
rural America in developing clean, renewable energy, biobased products,
and making energy efficiency investments. Federal leadership has paid
off. Rural economic development, jobs, manufacturing, and environmental
quality have all seen quantifiable and substantial gains.”

“Energy title programs account for less than one tenth of 1 percent of
farm bill spending and yet provide outsized benefits. For example more
than 17,000 projects and counting have been cost-shared across the
United States — in every state — with more than $5 billion leveraged
since inception. Public/private investments through farm energy and
bioeconomy programs are generating innovation and growth opportunities
at a time rural America sorely needs it,” the letter continues.

Lloyd Ritter, director of the Agriculture Energy Coalition, adds, “The
farm bill energy title programs build infrastructure, attract private
investment and spur innovation in rural America. These programs have a
successful record in building new markets for U.S. agriculture; they
remain vital, given recent declines in crop prices. We look forward to
working with Congress to reauthorize these programs with strong
mandatory funding in the upcoming Farm Bill.”

A copy of the letter is available at http://www.agenergycoalition.org/news/Farm-Bill-Energy-Title-Support-Letter-2018-03.pdf.

Contacts

Agriculture Energy Coalition
Lloyd Ritter, 202-215-5512