March 22, 2011
BY Erin Krueger
The USDA is once again accepting applications for the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels. The program, established in the 2008 Farm Bill, provides production-based payments for eligible advanced biofuel producers. Biofuels eligible for payment under the program include those derived from cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, sugar and starch not derived from corn, crop residues, vegetative waste, animal waste, food waste, yard wastes, vegetable oil, animal fat, biogas, and other sources of renewable or cellulosic biomass.
Earlier this year, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that more than 120 advanced biofuel producers in 33 states had been awarded payments under the program.
Funding for 2012 is slated to increase. According to the USDA’s 2012 budget proposal, the mandatory funding level for the program in 2012 is $105 million. The respective funding levels for 2010 and 2011 were set at $55 million and $85 million.
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According to the USDA, applications for the next round of payments under the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels are due by May 10. Application materials can be obtained by contacting a Rural Development energy coordinator. A full description of the application process and a state-by-state listing of Rural Development energy coordinators has been published in the Federal Register.
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