South Cuyahoga News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, Congressman Max Miller (OH-07) introduced the bipartisan Farm to Fuselage Act (H.R. 5235) along with Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30). The bill would update the Farm Bill to expand the role of U.S. agriculture in building our nation’s fuel supply, which farmers in Northeast Ohio have strongly supported.

“Farm-to-fly” programs will play a critical role in ensuring America’s farmers have new, robust markets for their agricultural products through the foreseeable future,” said Rep. Miller. “This is good for our agriculture and rural economies, and it is good for American consumers, who are sure to benefit from more American energy production. I’m proud to co-lead this legislation, which will play an important role in achieving these goals.”

The legislation provides a critical opportunity for American agricultural producers to partner with the aviation sector to bolster rural economic development and the domestic energy supply.  H.R. 5235 would expand opportunities for biofuels made from feedstocks, including byproducts of crops, to contribute toward American-grown energy supplies for our nation’s aviation – benefiting U.S. agriculture and consumers.

The Farm to Fuselage Act aims to provide American farmers with the tools they need to produce viable feedstock to be used in advanced biofuel while allowing for a more diverse revenue stream and increasing the production of aviation fuel. The bill would boost the capacity to increase domestic energy security, support the agriculture sector, and foster the farm economy by accelerating the availability of commercially viable aviation biofuels in the United States.

Specifically, the bill would:

• Eliminate barriers to farmers in growing feedstock for aviation biofuel purposes,
• Direct USDA to report to Congress on any additional ways to break down barriers to farmers producing aviation feedstocks,
• Support U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research for aviation biofuels,
• Ensure bio-based USDA education programs include Farm to Fly, and
• Remove hurdles in USDA bio-energy programs for the production of aviation biofuels.

The text of the bill is available here.

Original source can be found here.