link to page 1 
Updated February 27, 2019
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Energy Title
Congress periodically passes an omnibus farm bill to
Energy Title Funding
address agricultural and food programs. The most recent
Like previous bills, the 2018 farm bill authorizes funding
farm bill—the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L.
for Title IX programs. The five-year FY2019-FY2023 total
115-334; 2018 farm bill)—contains 12 titles, including Title
mandatory funding and the total discretionary funding
IX Energy. The 2018 farm bill is the fourth farm bill to
authorized to be appropriated are $375 million and $960
contain an energy title. At issue for Congress may be future
million, respectively (see Figure 1). The mandatory
discussion of annual funding and oversight of the energy
funding for the energy title comprises approximately 0.1%
programs as well as (1) the effect of related efforts provided
of the Congressional Budget Office’s 2018 farm bill total
under non-agriculture legislation (e.g., the Renewable Fuel
mandatory program estimate of $428 billion over the same
Standard), (2) market activity for conventional energy (e.g.,
five-year period.
the price of oil), and (3) legislative proposals to address
climate change. This In Focus summarizes the 2018 farm
Figure 1. Farm Bill Energy Title Funding, 2002-2018
bill energy title as background and context for coming
(in millions of dol ars)
discussions about these and other related topics.
2018 Farm Bill Energy Title
The 2018 farm bill energy title primarily focuses on support
for renewable energy—particularly agriculture-related
energy—as well as energy efficiency and bioproducts (e.g.,
cleaning supplies). The 2018 farm bill reauthorizes eight
energy programs and one initiative, and establishes one new
program—the Carbon Utilization and Biogas Education
Program. It repeals one program and one initiative—the
Repowering Assistance Program and the Rural Energy Self-
Sufficiency Initiative, respectively. The authorized
programs and initiative are:
Section 9002: Biobased Markets Program;
Source: CRS Report R43416, Energy Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bil
(P.L. 113-79): Status and Funding, P.L. 115-334, and P.L. 107-171.
Section 9003: Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and
Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program;
Notes: Mandatory funding for the 2002 farm bil covered a six-year
period, whereas the other farm bil s covered a five-year period.
Section 9005: Bioenergy Program for Advanced
Biofuels;
Mandatory funding for the energy title has varied in each
Section 9006: Biodiesel Fuel Education Program;
bill—with the largest amount, approximately $1 billion
over five years, provided in the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-
Section 9007: Rural Energy for America Program
246). Mandatory funding has declined in each farm bill
(REAP);
since. As enacted under the 2018 farm bill, five programs
Section 9008: Biomass Research and Development
qualify for mandatory funding, fewer than before. The
Initiative (BRDI);
Section 9003 and 9007 programs combined constitute close
Section 9009: Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP);
to 87% of the total mandatory funding in Title IX.
However, it is not clear if mandatory funding for the two
Section 9010: Biomass Crop Assistance Program
programs will be provided. Under the previous farm bill,
(BCAP);
Congress limited or rescinded funding for the Section 9003
Section 9013: Community Wood Energy and Wood
program. Congress did not alter mandatory funding levels
Innovation Program; and
for the Section 9007 program under the 2014 farm bill.
Section 9014: Carbon Utilization and Biogas Education
Program.
Under the 2018 farm bill, discretionary funding is
authorized for all but one of the energy title programs—the
Of these activities, six programs and one initiative were
Section 9009 program. For those programs that may receive
amended under the 2018 farm bill (Sections 9002, 9003,
both mandatory and discretionary funding, the discretionary
9005, 9007, 9008, 9010, and 9013), and two were generally
funding amount authorized is almost equivalent to or
unchanged (Sections 9006 and 9009). For more discussion
exceeds the mandatory funding amount. There is one
of the energy title programs, see CRS In Focus IF10288,
exception: total discretionary authorization for the Section
Overview of Bioenergy Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill, by
9007 program is 40% of the mandatory appropriations
Kelsi Bracmort.
provided for the program. Conversely, total discretionary
https://crsreports.congress.gov
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Energy Title
authorization for the Section 9003 program is five times as
agriculture, the environment, and economic development.
much as the mandatory funding provided for the program.
Potential issues for Congress are (1) whether to provide the
discretionary funding in upcoming annual appropriations
In practice, under the 2014 farm bill, actual appropriations
allotted for the energy title programs, (2) whether
of discretionary funding were lower than the amounts
agriculture-related energy will be a part of the anticipated
authorized to be appropriated. Only the Section 9007
legislative discussion about both climate change and the
program received discretionary funding under annual
U.S. energy portfolio, and (3) whether the energy title
appropriation bills.
programs are having an impact on other legislative efforts
(e.g., the RFS, tax extenders).
Agriculture-Related Energy
Agriculture-related energy is defined, for the purposes
There are a few points specific to the energy title programs
herein, as energy derived from agricultural or forestry
that Congress may consider when addressing the three
feedstocks (e.g., crops, woody biomass, food waste,
aforementioned issues. First, many of the energy title
manure). The energy produced from such resources may be
programs lack a budget baseline—a projection at a
in the form of liquid transportation fuels, electric power, or
particular point in time of what future federal spending on
heat. A common name for this type of energy is bioenergy
mandatory programs would be under current law. A
(e.g., biofuels, biopower). The most prevalent form of
baseline gives programs built-in future funding. Thus, the
bioenergy is ethanol—a liquid fuel commonly blended with
potential renewed authorization in 2024 of some of the
gasoline for use in motor vehicles.
energy title programs in the 2018 farm bill would be scored
as new mandatory spending and may require budgetary
There are opportunities and challenges associated with
offsets to pay for it in the possible next farm bill.
agriculture-related energy, or bioenergy, production.
Bioenergy is often viewed as renewable and as having
Second, in the past, there has been minimal discretionary
fewer detrimental environmental effects than conventional
funding provided for energy title programs. Going forward,
energy. Disagreement exists about the environmental effect
some may argue that Congress does not need to provide
of certain types of bioenergy (e.g., greenhouse gas emission
discretionary funding because many of the energy title
impacts of cornstarch ethanol, land-use changes, water
programs receive mandatory funding. Others may argue
quality impacts). Some view bioenergy as having the
that the programs cannot be fully effective if Congress does
potential to stimulate economic development in rural areas.
not appropriate the discretionary funding.
However, there are limitations—primarily infrastructure
and economic—to the production, distribution, and
Third, the relationship between other policy mechanisms
consumption of bioenergy.
(e.g., consumption mandates, tax incentives) and the energy
title programs remains an issue. The focus of the
Legislative Support for Agriculture-
agriculture-related energy discussion has centered on liquid
Related Energy
transportation fuels (i.e., cornstarch ethanol, cellulosic
Congress has supported agriculture-related energy for close
ethanol). Energy policy and tax policy have maintained this
to 40 years through energy, agriculture, and tax laws. One
focus with the RFS and certain tax credits (e.g., biodiesel
of Congress’s initial measures to support agriculture-related
tax incentive) and former ethanol tax credits. Congress may
energy was the Energy Security Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-294).
debate whether continued support for liquid transportation
This act established a biomass energy program, including
fuels is necessary via non-agriculture legislation.
an Office of Alcohol Fuels within the Department of
Energy, a municipal waste biomass energy program, and
Lastly, abundant supplies of domestic oil and natural gas,
several initiatives for forestry energy. Congress created an
along with relatively low prices, are a consideration when
energy title in the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171), which
discussing the energy title programs. The energy title
assisted farmers with purchasing renewable energy systems
programs were established and expanded when energy
and increasing energy efficiency. This legislation was
prices were higher and energy independence was more of a
followed by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58),
concern. Presently, it could be difficult for agriculture-
which established a renewable fuel standard (RFS) mandate
related energy to compete strictly on the basis of price with
that U.S. transportation fuel contain a minimum volume of
oil and natural gas. However, according to some
biofuel, and by the Energy Independence and Security Act
proponents, agriculture-related energy could have
of 2007 (P.L. 110-140), which expanded the mandate.
environmental benefits compared to fossil fuels offsetting
Congress then passed the 2008 farm bill—which renewed
potentially higher costs. Bioenergy could potentially
authorization for and expanded renewable energy programs
provide baseload power to the electric power market, and
established in the 2002 farm bill. Congress passed the 2014
could stimulate economic development in rural areas.
farm bill which extended most of the renewable energy
Kelsi Bracmort, Specialist in Natural Resources and
provisions of the 2008 farm bill. Most recently, Congress
Energy Policy
passed the 2018 farm bill.
IF10639
Legislative Issues
With the enacted 2018 farm bill, Congress may assess
agriculture-related energy in at least three domains—
https://crsreports.congress.gov
2018 Farm Bill Primer: Energy Title
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10639 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED