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1 1 (February 27, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govyan0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 208 FInrmin tBl I er: Ene 1 itl 2018 Farm Bill Primer: Energy Title Congress periodically passes an omnibus farm bill to address agricultural and food programs. The most recent farm bill-the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334; 2018 farm bill)-contains 12 titles, including Title IX Energy. The 2018 farm bill is the fourth farm bill to contain an energy title. At issue for Congress may be future discussion of annual funding and oversight of the energy programs as well as (1) the effect of related efforts provided under non-agriculture legislation (e.g., the Renewable Fuel Standard), (2) market activity for conventional energy (e.g., the price of oil), and (3) legislative proposals to address climate change. This In Focus summarizes the 2018 farm bill energy title as background and context for coming 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: *0 *0 Section 9002: Biobased Markets Program; Section 9003: Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program; * Section 9005: Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels; * Section 9006: Biodiesel Fuel Education Program; * Section 9007: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP); * Section 9008: Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI); * Section 9009: Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP); * Section 9010: Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP); * Section 9013: Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program; and * Section 9014: Carbon Utilization and Biogas Education Program. Of these activities, six programs and one initiative were amended under the 2018 farm bill (Sections 9002, 9003, 9005, 9007, 9008, 9010, and 9013), and two were generally unchanged (Sections 9006 and 9009). For more discussion of the energy title programs, see CRS In Focus IF10288, Overview of Bioenergy Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill, by Kelsi Bracmort. Updated February 27, 2019 Energy Title Funding Like previous bills, the 2018 farm bill authorizes funding for Title IX programs. The five-year FY2019-FY2023 total mandatory funding and the total discretionary funding authorized to be appropriated are $375 million and $960 million, respectively (see Figure 1). The mandatory funding for the energy title comprises approximately 0.1% of the Congressional Budget Office's 2018 farm bill total mandatory program estimate of $428 billion over the same five-year period. Figure I. Farm Bill Energy (in millions of dollars) Title Funding, 2002-2018 1200 200 0 2002 Farm B 2008 F B 2014 Frm 6 2018 Farm B n Mandatory N Discreoary rniions of dollars) (milIionsof dollars) Source: CRS Report R43416, Energy Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79): Status and Funding, P.L. 115-334, and P.L. 107-171. Notes: Mandatory funding for the 2002 farm bill covered a six-year period, whereas the other farm bills covered a five-year period. Mandatory funding for the energy title has varied in each bill-with the largest amount, approximately $1 billion over five years, provided in the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110- 246). Mandatory funding has declined in each farm bill since. As enacted under the 2018 farm bill, five programs qualify for mandatory funding, fewer than before. The Section 9003 and 9007 programs combined constitute close to 87% of the total mandatory funding in Title IX. However, it is not clear if mandatory funding for the two programs will be provided. Under the previous farm bill, Congress limited or rescinded funding for the Section 9003 program. Congress did not alter mandatory funding levels for the Section 9007 program under the 2014 farm bill. Under the 2018 farm bill, discretionary funding is authorized for all but one of the energy title programs-the Section 9009 program. For those programs that may receive both mandatory and discretionary funding, the discretionary funding amount authorized is almost equivalent to or exceeds the mandatory funding amount. There is one exception: total discretionary authorization for the Section 9007 program is 40% of the mandatory appropriations provided for the program. Conversely, total discretionary https://crsreports.congress.gos

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