Record number of organizations back passage of Farm Bill

The Agriculture Energy Coalition (AgEC), along with 25×25 and the Environmental Law & Policy Center, led a group of more than 100 ­organizations in sending a letter today urging Congressional ­con­ferees to adopt the Senate Farm Bill’s Energy Title funding. If approved, this bill would provide $900 million in mandatory funding for agriculture energy programs. Signatories include such organizations as National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the National Farmers Union, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), American Biogas Council, Biomass Power Association and others.

The Agriculture Energy Coalition (AgEC) and co-signers wrote that a strong, well-funded energy title is not only vital to the development and commercialization of ­renewable energy, bioproducts, renewable ­chemicals and energy efficiency, but also crucial to maintain a robust and sustainable agriculture sector across the United States.

The letter said, “Many tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs are being created or saved in rural areas by our nation’s expanding clean energy economy.”