Thursday, Jul 28 2011 3:37PM
The USDA's Biomass Crop Assistance Program intends to help with the economic development for farmers and ranchers nationwide.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the creation of four new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) projects for six states.
The projects, which widen the availability of non-food crops for use in manufacturing liquid biofuels, will take place in California, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and Washington.
BCAP aids farmers with start-up costs for planting non-food energy crops which can be converted to heat, power, bio-based products and advanced biofuels. The program aims to reduce the country's reliance on foreign oil, improve domestic energy security, lessen pollution and advance rural economic development and job creation.
"The Obama Administration is committed to providing financial opportunities to rural communities, farmers and ranchers to produce biomass which will be converted to renewable fuels and increase America's energy independence," Vilsack stated. "The selection of these project areas is another step in the effort to assist the nation's advanced biofuel industry to produce energy in commercial quantities from sustainable rural resources."
Earlier this year, funding was announced for five other BCAP projects in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Ohio.