WASHINGTON, July 25, 2012 - As part of the Obama Administration's all-of-the-above strategy to enhance U.S. energy security, reduce America's reliance on imported oil and leverage our domestic energy supply, while also supporting rural economies, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy today announced a $6 million investment in two Iowa projects that will drive more efficient biofuels production and feedstock improvements.

"If we want to develop affordable alternatives for oil and gasoline that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we need investments like these projects to spur innovation in bioenergy," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "By producing energy more efficiently and sustainably, we can create rural jobs, boost rural economies and help U.S. farmers, ranchers and foresters prosper."

"As part of President Obama's all-of-the-above strategy to deploy every available source of American energy, we continue to strive for more efficient, cost-competitive technologies to produce U.S. energy," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "The investments announced today are helping to accelerate innovation across America's growing biofuels industry, which will help to reduce our dependence on imported oil and support job creation across rural America."

New Biomass Research and Development Initiative Investments

Through the joint Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), USDA and the Energy Department are working to develop economically and environmentally sustainable sources of renewable biomass and increase the availability of renewable fuels and biobased products. The five projects announced today will help to diversify the nation's energy portfolio and replace the need for gasoline and diesel in vehicles.

The cost-shared projects include :

• Quad County Corn Cooperative ($4.25 million - Galva, Iowa). This project will retrofit an existing corn starch ethanol plant to add value to its byproducts, which will be marketed to the non-ruminant feed markets and to the biodiesel industry. This project enables creation of diverse product streams from this facility, opening new markets for the cooperative and contributing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's goals for cellulosic ethanol production and use.

Additional information on the Biomass Development and Research Initiative is available HERE.

Leveraging Genomics for More Efficient, Cost-Effective Bioenergy

Today, the Energy Department and USDA are also announcing $10 million for eight research projects aimed at applying biomass genomics to improve promising biofuel feedstocks and drive more efficient, cost-effective energy production. These projects will use genetic mapping to advance sustainable biofuels production by analyzing and seeking to maximize genetic traits like feedstock durability, how tolerant feedstocks are to various environmental stresses, and the potential for feedstocks to be used in energy production.

A full list of the projects selected today is available HERE. The projects selected today include :

• Iowa State University ($1.4 million - Ames, Iowa). Research will explore the genetic architecture of sorghum biomass yield component traits identified using field-based analysis of the feedstock's physical and genetic traits.

Since 2006, the Plant Feedstocks Genomics for Bioenergy research program has invested nearly $70 million helping to identify key genes affecting biomass yield and quality in feedstocks and to accelerate breeding efforts to improve bioenergy-relevant traits.

More information is available HERE.

The Energy Department also released today a new video, Biofuels 101, highlighting how technological advances are increasing biofuel efficiency and reducing production costs.

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Initiates process that would require vote if majority of House members sign on to so-called "discharge petition"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today announced an effort that could effectively force the House of Representatives to vote on the 2012 Farm Bill before House members leave Washington for the August Recess.

If Congress fails to act by September 30th, the Farm Bill will expire and revert to the outdated 1949 version of the law.  Congressional inaction on the Farm Bill is contributing to a sense of anxiety among Iowa's farmers and agriculture producers, compounded by worsening drought conditions that are threatening crops across the state.  Already, much of the disaster assistance funding in the 2008 Farm Bill has expired, leaving many farmers without a safety net this year.

House leaders have blocked the chamber from voting on the Farm Bill prior to a month-long August recess.  Braley's bill would force leadership to take up the Farm Bill, ensuring a vote that would give farmers much-needed economic certainty and security.

"Republicans and Democrats don't agree on much these days, but I believe they can come together to get the Farm Bill passed," said Braley.  "Passing the Farm Bill now makes real Iowa common sense for farmers, consumers, and Iowa's economy.  House leaders should not delay this vote any longer, and I'm taking action today to force a vote on this important issue.  Iowans are depending on the Farm Bill for their future and cannot wait another five weeks to know the path forward."

House rules provide that a bill must receive an up or down vote if more than 218 members sign a document known as a 'discharge petition.'  Braley's has taken the first steps to initiate the discharge petition process, creating a path forward that would circumvent House leaders' hold on the Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill is critically important for Iowa farmers and Iowa's economy, and would bolster the safety net for those struggling from this summer's drought. The hot weather and lack of rain have left farmers vulnerable to weak crops and struggling livestock.

Last week, Braley authored a letter, co-signed by the entire Iowa delegation, encouraging the House leaders to take up the Farm Bill.  On Friday, Braley toured the farm of Gary and Vicki Owens near Palo to see firsthand what Iowa farmers are facing in this summer's drought.

A version of the Farm Bill has already passed through the Senate, and a committee in the House endorsed a version of the Farm Bill that was supported by both Democrats and Republicans.

MOLINE - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will visit the Quad Cities on Wednesday and Thursday to chair meetings of the Mississippi River Coordinating Council and the Governor's Rural Affairs Council.

Before the river council meeting Wednesday afternoon, Simon will discuss the state's response to recent drought conditions, the status of Governor Quinn's request for a nearly statewide disaster declaration that includes Rock Island County, and the impact the drought is having on navigation along the Mississippi River. To date, 26 counties have been declared federal disaster areas due to drought and Quinn has requested 76 more be added to the list.

At the rural affairs council meeting Thursday morning, Simon will release the findings of her rural listening posts, which collected quality of life data from Illinois residents in six rural communities earlier this year (Carbondale, Freeport, Gibson City, Mattoon, Peoria and Quincy).

More than half of participants in the rural listening posts predicted their quality of life will improve in the next five years and cited job creation, education funding and affordable healthcare as top priorities.

EVENT: Mississippi River Coordinating Council meeting

DATE: Wednesday, July 25

TIME: 1:15 p.m. media availability, 1:30 meeting start

LOCATION: WIU Quad Cities Riverfront Campus, Rock Island County Board of Supervisors Room, 3300 River Drive, Moline

EVENT: Governor's Rural Affairs Council meeting

DATE: Thursday, July 26

TIME: 9:45 a.m. media availability, 10 a.m. meeting start

LOCATION: WIU Quad Cities Riverfront Campus, Rock Island County Board of Supervisors Room, 3300 River Drive, Moline

Crop and Livestock disaster relief programs expired in Fall of 2011 !!!

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today led the entire Iowa delegation in introducing legislation to extend agriculture disaster programs that were created in the last farm bill through 2012.  The Loebsack authored Agriculture Disaster Assistance Act will help farmers and livestock producers with drought losses beyond insurance until a new farm bill is signed into law.  Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) has introduced similar legislation in the Senate.

"I have seen firsthand the damage this drought has already caused to crops and livestock.  With no end in sight to the current conditions, we must move quickly to ensure farmers and producers in Iowa and across the country who are struggling have access to a safety net.

"I am pleased the rest of the Iowa delegation joined me in introducing this legislation and hope they join me in calling on House leadership to quickly bring up and pass it.  Until a new farm bill is passed and signed into law our farmers and producers need to know that they are not in this alone and that 2012 won't be the year that sinks their farm."

Specifically, the Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act will extend the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Disaster Forage Program (LFP), Tree Assistance Program (TAP), and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) temporarily through 2012.