Expired Farm Bill Programs and Farmers

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Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without mandatory funding. This is the ninth post in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s 10-week “What’s at Stake?” series that highlights expired farm bill programs and what that means for farmers and communities throughout the country.

– What’s at Stake?: Energy Savings and Renewable Energy for Producers and Rural Businesses
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides guaranteed loans and matching grants to farmers, ranchers and rural businesses to increase energy efficiency or produce energy from renewable energy sources.  In addition, REAP provides grants to organizations, companies, educational institutions, and others to assist with energy audits.  Read more…

– Is a Deal Possible and What Would A Good Deal Look Like?
Last week we tried to briefly summarize the options remaining for Congress on the farm bill.  Since then, there have been some new signs of progress on getting a full five-year bill finished this month, though also signs of continuing confusion and uncertainty.  Read more…