USDA biomass program could double farmers’ income

Farmers who provide biomass material to energy conversion facilities could double their income through a new program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program provides financial assistance to producers or entities that deliver eligible material to designated biomass conversion facilities for use as heat, power, bio-based products or biofuels.

Assistance will be for the collection, harvesting, storage and transportation costs associated with the delivery of materials, according to the agency.

Producers or entities will be eligible for as much as a dollar-for-dollar match up to $45 per dry ton for the value of the biomass that is delivered to a designated biomass conversion facility.

For example, if the conversion facility pays a producer $30 per dry ton for the biomass, the producer would be eligible for a program payment of $30 per dry ton for the associated costs.

Producers will be eligible for up to two years’ worth of payments.

The agency said the program is expected to benefit producers, the biomass industry, the general public and the environment through generation of clean and sustainable biomass energy.

For details on implementation of the program, go online.