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Ag BIO Act introduced in U.S. House

A bill in the U.S. House would help increase biofuel production and lower energy costs.

Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Iowa says the legislation increases funding for loans that support innovation in the biofuels industry. “The challenge with it is that this program has been chronically underutilized, primarily because we’ve made it so hard for farmers and innovators to get access to this type of cash.”

The Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation and Opportunity (Ag BIO) Act would adjust the USDA Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program by creating a grant within the program for the construction and expansion of new or existing biorefineries.  It would also expand the types of biofuels that are eligible for funding, including ultra-low carbon bioethanol and zero-carbon bioethanol.

Nunn tells Brownfield the Ag BIO Act would eliminate bureaucratic red tape that has limited access to funding resources. “It would ensure that the program has sufficient funding to meet an increase in demand on these challenges. It would provide $100 million annually over the course of five years.”

The bill was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Jerry Moran of Kansas and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.