2002 Farm Bill

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Major Issues

2002 Farm Bill

Highlights of the 2002 Farm Bill

for Vermont

Summaries prepared by the Office of Senator Patrick Leahy

National Dairy Program

VT Delegation Summary (5/2/02)

Program Details

Non-Dairy Commodities (corn, soybeans, etc.)

Specialty Crops

Organics

Conservation

Nutrition

Rural Development

Forestry

Research

Energy

Disaster Assistance

Energy

Over 25,000 Vermonters are employed in agriculture and forestry -- keeping energy costs low protects jobs and moves Vermont towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future

NEW! Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements: The bill provides $23,000,000 annually in each of fiscal years 2003-2007, to carry out a loan, loan guarantee and grant program to assist individual farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses in purchasing renewable energy systems and making energy efficiency improvements.

NEW! Energy Audit Assistance: The bill authorizes the Secretary to operate a grant program to assist entities in conducting energy audits that provide farmers and ranchers with recommendations on how to improve energy efficiency.

NEW! Biorefinery Development Grants: The bill authorizes the Secretary to assist in the development of new and emerging technologies for the use of biomass, including lignocellulosic biomass (wood). The program will be a cost-share with the amount of a grant for a project not to exceed 30 percent of the cost of the project.

NEW! Biomass Research and Development Grants This provision of the bill reauthorizes the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 through fiscal year 2007 and provides $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and $14,000,000 annually for each of fiscal years 2003-2007.

NEW! Loans and Loan Guarantees for Renewable Energy: The bill expands the Secretary=s existing authority to make loans and loan guarantees for the purpose of reducing reliance on nonrenewable energy resources by specifically encouraging the development and construction of wind energy systems and anaerobic digesters.