2008 Farm Bill Passes / Energy Title Summary

The Farm Bill Conference Committee has finished their work resolving the differences between the House and Senate Farm Bills. We provide a summary of the Energy title programs.

Farm Bill would enhance rural America

Americans overwhelmingly agree that achieving more energy independence is necessary for our nation's safety, security and health. Clean wind power and biofuels development is the best strategy to get there. The Farm Bill's innovative clean-energy programs are a success story: good for farmers and ranchers, good for rural economic development and good for the environment.

By ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner.

Carolina dairies see fast payback from solar water systems

Solar energy provides long-term relief from escalating fossil fuel prices. Solar hot water is an economic way to use solar energy. Dairies, especially, have high hot water needs and can benefit. Section 9006 can help dairies build energy independence with solar! This article is by a former ELPC employee and solar expert, Gabriela Martin.

Rising energy costs hit farmers, ranchers hard

"The costs for fuel and other energy-related expenses are offsetting good grain and cattle prices for farmers and ranchers, particularly those who live long distances from nearby towns, according to Boyd Waara, vice president of First National Bank of Philip, and John Johnson, president of First Western Bank in Sturgis.

Waara said the high grain prices may be temporarily masking higher fuel costs. The full pain of the high fuel costs likely will be felt later when grain prices drop, he said."

Tips to save diesel fuel

As fuel costs continue to rise, farmers hitting the fields with seeding equipment like air drills can realize significant cost savings through fuel efficiency, said Tyler Lane, Montana State University Extension agent in Toole County.

Ag Chairs Get Farm Bill Help

It took a meeting with house speaker Nancy Pelosi to jump start the stalled farm bill effort. But despite a deal to raise new money for the bill, many issues remain unsettled.

Pelosi and senate democratic leader Harry Reid directed their sides to get the farm bill done, arranging an infusion of some 10-billion in new money that the tax writing chairs will come up with.