The 2007 Farm Bill: Policy Recommendations for Integrated Renewable Energy Production

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) argues that the 2007 Farm Bill should transition agriculture policy to treat renewable energy as a core component. The report identifies a gap between the authorization of programs in the 2002 Farm Bill and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the actual appropriations provided. It recommends expanded funding for biomass research, the creation of a national biomass assessment, and incentives for small-scale, farmer-owned biorefineries to ensure rural economic benefits. Additionally, it proposes enhancing federal procurement of biobased products and implementing a Renewable Portfolio Standard of 25 percent by 2025.

• There is a significant disconnect between the authorization of renewable energy programs and their actual funding; several programs in the 2002 Farm Bill and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 have never received funding or have faced consistent budget cuts.
• The report recommends a comprehensive national biomass assessment conducted on a state or regional basis to identify potential crop residues, new energy crops, and waste streams, accounting for local soil, climate, and precipitation.
• To prevent the concentration of the bioenergy industry by large corporations, the report emphasizes the need for incentives for small businesses and farmer-owned facilities, noting that farmer-owned ethanol plants provide 56 percent more to the local community than absentee-owned corporate plants.
• The report proposes expanding the Federal Procurement of Biobased Products Program by increasing funding from $1 million to $3 million per year for FY08-12 and allowing the designation of 'intermediate materials' to stimulate market replacement of petrochemicals.
• Beyond the Farm Bill, the report advocates for a national Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring 25 percent renewable energy by 2025 and the creation of a thermal power credit to support technologies like anaerobic digestion and geothermal energy.
• The report suggests using the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Conservation Security Program (CSP) to incentivize the transition to cellulosic energy crops through pilot projects and sustainable agriculture mandates.

APA

Wong, J. L., & Werner, C. (2007). The 2007 Farm Bill: Policy Recommendations for Integrated Renewable Energy Production. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_farm_bill_recommendations_051107.pdf

Chicago

Wong, Jetta L., and Carol Werner. The 2007 Farm Bill: Policy Recommendations for Integrated Renewable Energy Production. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2007. https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_farm_bill_recommendations_051107.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wong |first1=Jetta L. |last2=Werner |first2=Carol |title=The 2007 Farm Bill: Policy Recommendations for Integrated Renewable Energy Production |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=11 May 2007 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_farm_bill_recommendations_051107.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wong20072007, author = {Wong, Jetta L. and Werner, Carol}, title = {{The 2007 Farm Bill: Policy Recommendations for Integrated Renewable Energy Production}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2007}, month = may, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_farm_bill_recommendations_051107.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }