648 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
VII of subtitle B of title III of the Agricultural Ad-
justment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359aa et seq.) is 
the subject of a payment under this section, such 
sugar shall be considered marketed and shall count 
against a processor’s allocation of an allotment 
under such part, as applicable. 
‘‘(6) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall use the 
funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation, including the use of such sums 
as are necessary, to carry out this section.’’. 
SEC. 9014. BIOMASS INVENTORY REPORT. 
(a) INVENTORY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shall conduct an inventory of biomass resources 
on a county-by-county basis. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry of the Senate a report containing— 
(1) the results of the inventory conducted under 
subsection (a); and 
(2) an estimate of the amount of unused crop 
land in the United States that could be used for 
dedicated energy crops.
649 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
(c) BIOMASS RESOURCES DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘biomass resource’’ has the meaning given the 
term ‘‘eligible commodity’’ in section 9010(a)(3) of the 
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
U.S.C. 8108(a)(3)). 
SEC. 9015. FUTURE FARMSTEADS PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall establish a program to equip, in each of 5 regions 
of the country chosen to represent different farming prac-
tices, a farm house and its surrounding fields, facilities, 
and forested areas with technologies to— 
(1) improve farm energy production and energy 
use efficiencies; 
(2) provide working examples to farmers; and 
(3) serve as an education, demonstration, and 
research facility that will teach graduate students 
whose focus of research is related to either renew-
able energy or energy conservation technologies. 
(b) GOALS.—The goals of the program established 
under subsection (a) shall be to— 
(1) advance farm energy use efficiencies and 
the on-farm production of renewable energies, along 
with advanced communication and control tech-
nologies with the latest in energy capture and con-
version techniques, thereby enhancing rural energy
650 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
independence and creating new revenues for rural 
economies; 
(2) accelerate private sector and university re-
search into the efficient on-farm production of re-
newable fuels and help educate the farming industry, 
students, and the general public; and 
(3) accelerate energy independence, including 
the production and the conservation of renewable en-
ergies on farms. 
(c) COLLABORATION
PARTNERS.—The program 
under this section shall be carried out in partnership with 
regional land grant institutions, agricultural commodity 
commissions, biofuels companies, sensor and controls com-
panies, and internet technology companies. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section. 
SEC. 9016. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) energy demand in the United States is pro-
jected to increase by more than 30 percent over the 
next two decades; 
(2) increased production of renewable energy 
and growth of its infrastructure would assist the
651 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
United States in meeting the growing energy de-
mand; 
(3) continued, and even accelerated, develop-
ment of renewable energy inputs and technologies 
provide numerous benefits to the United States, in-
cluding improved national security and economic 
growth; 
(4) while it should be a priority of the Federal 
Government to continue to promote policies and in-
centives to stimulate growth and development of re-
newable energy infrastructure, it should be recog-
nized that the marketplace is also an important in-
strument to determine which renewable energy 
sources and technologies will provide the most effi-
cient and effective energy production; 
(5) renewable energy inputs and technology 
must be available in abundant quantities and provide 
energy at competitive prices in a reliable manner for 
the American consumer; and 
(6) it is in the interest of the United States to 
diversify its energy portfolio and increase the energy 
independence of the United States by further devel-
oping alternative forms of energy.
652 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
SEC. 9017. BIODIESEL FUEL EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
Section 9004(d) of the Farm Security and Rural In-
vestment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8104(d)) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(d) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to 
carry out this section $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 9018. BIOMASS ENERGY RESERVE. 
Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 9017. BIOMASS ENERGY RESERVE. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to es-
tablish a biomass energy reserve— 
‘‘(1) to encourage production of dedicated en-
ergy crops in a sustainable manner that protects the 
soil, air, water, and wildlife of the United States; 
and 
‘‘(2) to provide financial and technical assist-
ance to owners and operators of eligible cropland to 
produce dedicated energy crops and crop mixes of 
suitable quality and in sufficient quantities to sup-
port and induce development and expansion of the 
use of the crop for— 
‘‘(A) bioenergy;
653 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(B) power or heat generation to supple-
ment or replace nonbiobased energy sources; or 
‘‘(C) biobased products to supplement or 
replace non biobased products; 
‘‘(3) to establish biomass energy reserve project 
areas; and 
‘‘(4) to provide financial and technical assist-
ance to owners and operators for harvesting, storing, 
and transporting cellulosic material. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.— In this section: 
‘‘(1) BEGINNING FARMER OR RANCHER.—The 
term ‘beginning farmer or rancher’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 343(a) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1991(a)). 
‘‘(2) BER.—The term ‘BER’ means the bio-
mass energy reserve established under this section. 
‘‘(3) BER PROJECT
AREA.—The term ‘BER 
project area’ means an area that— 
‘‘(A) has eligible cropland that— 
‘‘(i) is owned or operated by eligible 
participants; and 
‘‘(ii) has specified boundaries that are 
submitted to the Secretary by eligible par-
654 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
ticipants and subsequently approved by the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(B) is physically located within a 50-mile 
radius of a bioenergy facility. 
‘‘(4) CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘conservation reserve program’ means the con-
servation reserve program established under sub-
chapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et 
seq.). 
‘‘(5) CONTRACT ACREAGE.—The term ‘contract 
acreage’ means eligible cropland that is covered by 
a BER contract entered into with the Secretary. 
‘‘(6) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT.—The term ‘eligible 
applicant’ means— 
‘‘(A) a collective group of owners and oper-
ators producing or proposing to produce eligible 
dedicated energy crops; 
‘‘(B) an energy or agricultural company or 
refinery; and 
‘‘(C) an Agricultural Innovation Center es-
tablished pursuant to section 6402 of the Farm 
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
(Public Law 107–171; 116 Stat. 426; 7 U.S.C. 
1621 note).
655 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(7) ELIGIBLE CROPLAND.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible 
cropland’ means land that the applicable county 
committee of the Farm Service Agency deter-
mines— 
‘‘(i) is currently being tilled for the 
production of a crop for harvest; or 
‘‘(ii) is not currently being tilled but 
has been tilled in a prior crop year and is 
suitable for production of an eligible dedi-
cated energy crop. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘eligible 
cropland’ does not include— 
‘‘(i) Federally-owned land; 
‘‘(ii) land enrolled in— 
‘‘(I) the conservation reserve pro-
gram; 
‘‘(II) the grassland reserve pro-
gram; or 
‘‘(III) the wetlands reserve pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(iii) land with greater than 50 per-
cent cover of native nonwoody vegetation 
or forest land, as of the date of enactment 
of this section.
656 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(8) ELIGIBLE DEDICATED ENERGY CROP.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible 
dedicated energy crop’ means any crop native to 
the United States, or another crop, as deter-
mined by the Secretary, grown specifically to 
provide raw materials for— 
‘‘(i) conversion to liquid transpor-
tation fuels or chemicals through bio-
chemical or thermochemical processes; or 
‘‘(ii) energy generation through com-
bustion, pyrolysis, gasification, cofiring, or 
other technologies, as determined by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘eligible 
dedicated energy crop’ does not include— 
‘‘(i) any crop that is eligible for pay-
ments under title I or a successor title; or 
‘‘(ii) any plant that is invasive or nox-
ious or has the potential to become 
invasive or noxious, as determined by the 
Secretary, in consultation with other ap-
propriate Federal or State departments 
and agencies. 
‘‘(9) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT.—The term ‘eligi-
ble participant’ means an owner or operator of con-
657 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
tract acreage that is physically located within a 
BER project area. 
‘‘(10) FEDERALLY-OWNED
LAND.—The term 
‘Federally-owned land’ means land owned by— 
‘‘(A) the Federal Government (including 
any department, instrumentality, bureau, or 
agency of the Federal Government); or 
‘‘(B) any corporation whose stock is wholly 
owned by the Federal Government. 
‘‘(11) FOREST LAND.—The term ‘forest land’ 
means an ecosystem that is at least 1 acre in size 
(including timberland and woodland) and that (as 
determined by the Secretary)— 
‘‘(A) is characterized by dense and exten-
sive tree cover; 
‘‘(B) contains, or once contained, at least 
10 percent tree crown cover; and 
‘‘(C) is not developed and planned for ex-
clusive nonforest resource use. 
‘‘(12) GRASSLAND
RESERVE
PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘grassland reserve program’ means the grass-
land reserve program established under subchapter 
C of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838n et seq.).
658 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(13) OPERATOR.—The term ‘operator’ means 
an individual, entity, or joint operation that is in 
control of the farming operations on a farm during 
the applicable crop year. 
‘‘(14) OWNER.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘owner’ 
means a person that has legal ownership of eli-
gible cropland. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘owner’ in-
cludes— 
‘‘(i) a person that is buying eligible 
cropland under a contract for deed; and 
‘‘(ii) a person that has a life estate in 
eligible cropland. 
‘‘(15) QUALIFIED
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘qualified organization’ means— 
‘‘(A) an Agricultural Innovation Center es-
tablished pursuant to section 6402 of the Farm 
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
(Public Law 107–171; 116 Stat. 426; 7 U.S.C. 
1621 note) with significant experience in the 
field of renewable energy, as determined by the 
Secretary; or 
‘‘(B) in a region not served by a center re-
ferred to in subparagraph (A)—
659 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(i) an entity with significant experi-
ence in the field of renewable energy that 
is geographically located in such region, as 
determined by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(ii) an accredited college or univer-
sity with experience providing technical as-
sistance in the field of renewable energy 
that is geographically located in such re-
gion, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(16) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means the Secretary of Agriculture. 
‘‘(17) SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMER OR 
RANCHER.—The term ‘socially disadvantaged farmer 
or rancher’ means a farmer or rancher who is a 
member of a socially disadvantaged group (as de-
fined in section 355(e) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2003(e))). 
‘‘(18) WETLANDS
RESERVE
PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘wetlands reserve program’ means the wetlands 
reserve program established under subchapter C of 
chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Se-
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3837 et seq.). 
‘‘(c) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
establish a biomass energy reserve in accordance with this
660 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
section. The Secretary shall ensure the purposes in sub-
section (a) are met by including in the reserve projects 
that include a variety of harvest and post-harvest prac-
tices, including stubble height, unharvested strips (includ-
ing strips for wildlife habitat), and varying harvest dates 
and a variety of monoculture and polyculture crop mixes, 
as appropriate, by project area. 
‘‘(d) PROPOSALS FOR BER PROJECT AREAS.— 
‘‘(1) SELECTION
OF
QUALIFIED
ORGANIZA-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
select not more than 10 qualified organizations 
to assist— 
‘‘(i) eligible applicants in submitting 
proposals under paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary in selecting BER 
project areas. 
‘‘(B) REGION.—The Secretary shall select 
not more than 1 qualified organization to assist 
eligible applicants and the Secretary in any par-
ticular region of the United States, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide each qualified organization selected under
661 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
paragraph (1) not more than $300,000 to carry 
out this paragraph. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION WITH QUALIFIED ORGANI-
ZATION.—An eligible applicant may consult with and 
submit to a qualified organization a written proposal 
that— 
‘‘(A) identifies the eligible cropland that 
will be a part of the proposed BER project 
area; and 
‘‘(B) indicates a strong likelihood that the 
proposed BER project area will generate a suf-
ficient quantity of biomass from eligible dedi-
cated energy crops and acres or other sources 
to supply an existing bioenergy facility. 
‘‘(3) MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS.—The written 
proposal for a proposed BER project area shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) a description of the eligible cropland 
of each eligible participant that will participate 
in the proposed BER project area, including— 
‘‘(i) the quantity of eligible cropland 
of each eligible participant; 
‘‘(ii) the physical location of the eligi-
ble cropland;
662 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(iii) the 1 or more eligible dedicated 
energy crops that will be produced on the 
eligible cropland; and 
‘‘(iv) the type of land use or crop that 
will be displaced by the eligible dedicated 
energy crop; 
‘‘(B)(i) the name, if available, and type, lo-
cation, and description of the bioenergy facility 
that will use the eligible dedicated energy crops 
to be produced in the proposed BER project 
area; and 
‘‘(ii) a letter of commitment from a bio-
energy facility that the facility will use the eligi-
ble dedicated energy crops intended to be pro-
duced in the proposed BER project area; 
‘‘(C) a general analysis of the anticipated 
local economic impact of the proposed BER 
project; and 
‘‘(D) any additional information needed to 
determine the eligibility for, and ranking of, the 
proposal, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) INDIVIDUAL OWNERS AND OPERATORS.—A 
project area proposal may not submit an individual 
proposal to participate in the BER.
663 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(5) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR BER PROJECT 
AREAS.—The Secretary shall establish a system for 
ranking BER project areas based on the following 
criteria: 
‘‘(A) The probability that the eligible dedi-
cated energy crops proposed to be produced in 
the proposed BER project area will be used for 
the purposes of the BER. 
‘‘(B) The inclusion of adequate potential 
feedstocks and suitable placement with respect 
to the bioenergy facility. 
‘‘(C) The potential for a positive economic 
impact in the proposed BER project area. 
‘‘(D) The availability of the ownership of 
the bioenergy facility in the proposed BER 
project area to producers and local investors. 
‘‘(E) The participation rate by beginning 
farmers or ranchers or socially disadvantaged 
farmers or ranchers. 
‘‘(F) The potential to improve soil con-
servation and water quality, and enhance wild-
life habitat, when compared to existing land 
uses.
664 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(G) The variety of agronomic conditions 
the proposed eligible dedicated energy crops will 
be grown within a project area. 
‘‘(H) The variety of harvest and post har-
vest 
practices, 
including 
stubble 
height, 
unharvested strips (including strips for wildlife 
habitat), and varying harvest dates. 
‘‘(I) The variety of monoculture and 
polyculture crop mixes, as appropriate, by 
project area. 
‘‘(6) SELECTION OF PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(A) RANKING; 
SUBMISSION
TO
SEC-
RETARY.—Each qualified organization selected 
by the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall 
rank proposals submitted to such qualified or-
ganization under paragraph (2) using the sys-
tem for ranking established by the Secretary 
under paragraph (6) and shall submit to the 
Secretary up to five of the highest ranked appli-
cations. 
‘‘(B) SECRETARY
SELECTION.—The Sec-
retary shall authorize not less than one pro-
posal submitted to the Secretary from each 
qualified organization under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(e) FOREST BIOMASS PLANNING GRANTS.—
665 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
forest biomass planning assistance grants to private 
landowners to develop forest stewardship plans that 
involve sustainable management of biomass from 
forest land of the private landowners that will pre-
serve diversity, soil, water, or wildlife values of the 
land, while ensuring a steady supply of biomass ma-
terial, through— 
‘‘(A) State forestry agencies, in consulta-
tion with State wildlife agencies; and 
‘‘(B) technical service provider arrange-
ments with third-parties. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The total amount of funds 
used to carry out this subsection shall not exceed 
$5,000,000. 
‘‘(f) DURATION OF CONTRACT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
for purposes of carrying out the BER, the Secretary 
shall enter into contracts of 5 years. 
‘‘(2) EARLY
TERMINATION.—The Secretary 
may terminate a contract early if the Secretary de-
termines that— 
‘‘(A) contract acreage will not be used to 
produce an eligible dedicated energy crop;
666 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(B) a material breach of the contract has 
occurred; 
‘‘(C) the owner or operator has died; or 
‘‘(D) continuation of the contract will 
cause undue economic hardship. 
‘‘(g) CONTRACT ACREAGE REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—On approval of a BER 
project area by the Secretary, each eligible partici-
pant in the BER project area shall enter into a con-
tract with the Secretary that is consistent with the 
BER. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
ELIGIBLE
PARTICIPANTS.— 
The Secretary may add eligible participants to a 
BER project area after approval of the BER project 
area. 
‘‘(3) CONSERVATION
PRACTICES.—To ensure 
the sustainability of farm operations and the protec-
tion of soil, air, water and wildlife, the Secretary 
shall include such terms and conditions in a contract 
entered into under paragraph (1) as the Secretary 
considers necessary. 
‘‘(4) PURPOSES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), to be eligible to participate 
in the BER, an eligible participant may use eli-
667 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
gible dedicated energy crops produced on con-
tract acreage only for the purposes described in 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(B) PERSONAL USE.—During the period 
before the commercial viability of a bioenergy 
facility, an eligible participant may use eligible 
dedicated energy crops produced by the eligible 
participant on contract acreage for personal 
use. 
‘‘(C) SEED PRODUCTION.—During the pe-
riod before the commercial viability of a bio-
energy facility, an eligible participant may har-
vest and sell seed produced on contract acreage. 
‘‘(5) REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible to partici-
pate in the BER, during the term of the BER con-
tract, an eligible participant shall comply with— 
‘‘(A) the highly erodible land conservation 
requirements of subtitle B of title XII of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3811 et 
seq.); and 
‘‘(B) the wetland conservation require-
ments of subtitle C of title XII of that Act (16 
U.S.C. 3821 et seq.). 
‘‘(h) ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE BIOMASS.—
668 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may allow 
on land that is enrolled in the conservation reserve 
program and located within the BER project area 
the harvesting of biomass— 
‘‘(A) in exchange for a reduction of an ap-
plicable annual payment in an amount to be de-
termined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(B) in accordance with an approved con-
servation reserve program plan, including mid- 
contract management and forestry maintenance 
activities; and 
‘‘(C) in a manner that ensures that bio-
mass harvest activities occur outside the official 
nesting and brood rearing season for those 
plans. 
‘‘(i) DUTIES OF SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) establish and administer the BER; 
‘‘(2) authorize establishment of BER project 
areas for the purposes of the BER described in sub-
section (a); 
‘‘(3) develop procedures— 
‘‘(A) to monitor the compliance of eligible 
participants that have land enrolled in the BER 
with the requirements of the BER;
669 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(B) to measure the performance of the 
BER; and 
‘‘(C) to demonstrate whether the long-term 
eligible dedicated energy crop production goals 
are being achieved. 
‘‘(4) enter into a written contract with each eli-
gible participant that elects to participate in the 
BER in a BER project area; 
‘‘(5) not enter into a contract under the BER 
with an individual owner or operator unless the land 
of the eligible participant is physically located in an 
approved BER project area; and 
‘‘(6) provide all payments under the contract 
directly to the eligible participant. 
‘‘(j) CONTRACTS.—A contract entered into between 
the Secretary and an eligible participant under the BER 
shall include, at a minimum, terms that cover— 
‘‘(1) requirements for the eligible participant in 
carrying out the contract, including requirements de-
scribed in subsections (f), (g), and (l); 
‘‘(2) termination provisions; 
‘‘(3) payment terms and amounts to be pro-
vided on an annual basis; 
‘‘(4) the sales or transfer of contract acreage; 
‘‘(5) the modification of the contract;
670 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(6) the maximum quantity of contract acreage 
and an estimated schedule for how much eligible 
cropland will be enrolled each contract year; and 
‘‘(7) any additional terms the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
‘‘(k) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
payments directly to eligible participants who enter 
into contracts described in subsection (j) in accord-
ance with such subsection. 
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
provide to an eligible participant who enters 
into a BER contract an establishment payment 
in an amount equal to the costs of establishing 
an eligible dedicated energy crop on the con-
tract acreage covered by the contract. 
‘‘(B) 
ELIGIBLE
ESTABLISHMENT
PAY-
MENTS.—The costs for which an eligible owner 
may receive an establishment payment under 
this paragraph include— 
‘‘(i) the cost of seeds and stock; and 
‘‘(ii) the cost of planting the crop. 
‘‘(3) RENTAL PAYMENTS.—
671 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
make annual rental payments to an eligible par-
ticipant who enters into a BER contract. 
‘‘(B) PERIOD.—An eligible participant 
shall receive rental payments for a period of not 
more than 5 years after entering into a BER 
contract with the Secretary on contract acreage. 
‘‘(C) REDUCTION.—The Secretary shall re-
duce rental payments under (A) by an amount 
determined to be appropriate by the Secretary, 
if an eligible dedicated energy crop is harvested 
in accordance with subsection (g)(4). 
‘‘(l) INFORMATION SHARING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Owners and operators of a 
farm entering into a contract with the Secretary 
under this section shall agree to make available to 
the Secretary, or to an institution of higher edu-
cation or other entity designated by the Secretary, 
such information as the Secretary considers to be 
appropriate to promote the production of bioenergy 
crops and the development of biorefinery technology; 
and 
‘‘(2) BEST PRACTICES DATABASE.—Subject to 
section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 
U.S.C. 2276), the Secretary shall make available to
672 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
the public in a database format the best practices in-
formation developed by the Secretary in providing 
bioenergy assistance under this section. 
‘‘(m) PAYMENTS
FOR COLLECTING, HARVESTING, 
STORING, AND TRANSPORTING BIOMASS PRODUCED ON 
BER CONTRACT ACREAGE, AGRICULTURAL WASTE BIO-
MASS, AND SUSTAINABLY-HARVESTED AGRICULTURAL 
AND FOREST RESIDUES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Secretary may provide matching payments at a 
rate of $1 for every $1 per ton provided by the bio-
energy facility, in an amount equal to not more than 
$45 per ton for a period of two years— 
‘‘(A) to eligible participants for biomass 
produced on BER contract acreage in exchange 
for a reduction of the annual payment issued 
under subsection (k)(3), as determined by the 
Secretary; 
‘‘(B) to any producer of agricultural waste 
biomass or sustainably-harvested agricultural 
and forest residues in the United States for the 
agricultural waste or residue; and 
‘‘(C) for residue collected as a result of the 
removal of noxious and invasive species, in ac-
673 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
cordance with methods approved by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(2) FOREST
LAND
OWNER
ELIGIBILITY.— 
Owners of forest land shall be eligible to receive pay-
ments under this subsection only if such owners are 
acting pursuant to a forest stewardship plan. 
‘‘(n) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out 
this section such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 9019. FOREST BIOMASS FOR ENERGY. 
Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.) is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 9018. FOREST BIOMASS FOR ENERGY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, 
through the Forest Service, shall conduct a competitive 
research and development program to encourage use of 
forest biomass for energy. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Entities eligible to com-
pete under this program include the Forest Service 
(through Research and Development), other Federal agen-
cies, State and local governments, federally recognized In-
dian tribes, land grant colleges and universities, and pri-
vate entities.
674 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY FOR PROJECT SELECTION.—The Sec-
retary shall give priority to projects that— 
‘‘(1) develop technology and techniques to use 
low value forest biomass, such as byproducts of for-
est health treatments and hazardous fuels reduction, 
for the production of energy; 
‘‘(2) develop processes that integrate production 
of energy from forest biomass into biorefineries or 
other existing manufacturing streams; 
‘‘(3) develop new transportation fuels from for-
est biomass; and 
‘‘(4) improve the growth and yield of trees in-
tended for renewable energy production. 
‘‘(d) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to 
carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2012.’’. 
SEC. 9019. COMMUNITY WOOD ENERGY PROGRAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.— Congress finds that— 
(1) the United States’ over-reliance on fossil 
fuel energy has placed undue strain on the nation by 
compromising our economy and national security; 
(2) the United States’ over-reliance on fossil 
fuel energy has also created new strains on our nat-
675 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
ural systems, including carbon emissions that con-
tribute to climate change; 
(3) transportation of energy, such as heating 
oil, adds to carbon emissions associated with meet-
ing our community energy needs and therefore fur-
ther feeds climate change; 
(4) it is in the national interest to conserve en-
ergy and support adoption of new local, sustainable, 
efficient, and carbon neutral energy sources, such as 
wood energy, for community energy needs; 
(5) communities can save as much as 50 per-
cent over natural gas, 80 percent over propane, 80 
percent over electric heat, and 50 percent over oil 
heat by switching to wood energy for heating schools 
and other public buildings; 
(6) in fast growing communities of all sizes 
across the United States, municipal and country- 
owned forest land is playing an essential role in 
meeting many public needs and could also be used 
to help support sustainable forestry and local wood 
energy applications; and 
(7) the rapidly expanding base of private forest 
land owners nationwide includes many individuals 
with no experience in forest stewardship who could 
be given technical assistance to provide locally
676 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
sourced wood supply through sustainable forest 
management for local wood energy applications. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to pro-
vide grants for community wood energy systems that are 
intended to— 
(1) meet community energy needs with reduced 
carbon intensity versus fossil fuel systems; 
(2) promote energy conservation and develop-
ment of new renewable energy sources; 
(3) aid local budgets by reducing municipal and 
county energy costs; 
(4) increase utilization of low value wood sup-
plies and waste, thereby strengthening the forest 
products economy for the benefit of forest workers 
and private forest land owners; and 
(5) increase awareness of energy conservation 
and consumption and the multiple-use values of for-
ests among community members, especially young 
people. 
(c) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Agriculture, 
acting through the Forest Service, shall establish a pro-
gram to be known as the Community Wood Energy Pro-
gram to provide grants to State and local governments to 
acquire community wood energy systems for public build-
ings and to implement a community wood energy plan.
677 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
(d) USE IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.—A State or local 
government receiving a grant under subsection (c) shall 
use a community wood energy system acquired in whole 
or in part with the use of grant funds for primary use 
in a public facility owned by such State or local govern-
ment. 
(e) LIMITATION.—A community wood energy system 
acquired with grant funds provided under subsection (c) 
shall not exceed an output of— 
(1) 50,000,000 BTU per hour for heating; and 
(2) 2 megawatts for electric power production. 
(f) COMMUNITY WOOD ENERGY PLAN.—Within 18 
months of receiving assistance under this section, commu-
nities shall utilize the technical assistance of the State for-
ester to create a community wood energy plan identifying 
how local forests can be accessed in a sustainable manner 
to help meet the wood supply needs of systems purchased 
under this section. 
(g) MATCHING FUNDS.—A State or local government 
receiving a grant under subsection (c) shall contribute an 
amount of non-Federal funds towards the acquisition of 
community wood energy systems that is at least equal to 
the amount of grant funds received by such State or local 
government.
678 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
(h) COMMUNITY
WOOD
ENERGY
SYSTEM
DE-
FINED.—The term ‘‘community wood energy system’’ in-
cludes single facility central heating, district heating, com-
bined heat and energy systems, and other related biomass 
energy systems that service schools, town halls, libraries, 
and other public buildings. 
(i) APPROPRIATION.— There are authorized to be ap-
propriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
this section. 
SEC. 9020. SUPPLEMENTING CORN AS AN ETHANOL FEED-
STOCK. 
(a) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a program to make 
grants of not to exceed $1,000,000 each to no more than 
20 universities for a 3-year program of demonstration of 
supplementing corn as an ethanol feedstock with sweet 
sorghum and switchgrass. 
(b) PROGRAM GOALS.—The goals of the program 
under this section shall be to— 
(1) enhance agronomic efficiency of the crop on 
marginal lands by— 
(A) developing best management practices 
for maintaining high yields while using less 
water and nitrogen than corn;
679 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
(B) identifying and selecting plants with a 
high sugar content; and 
(C) developing cold-tolerant sweet sorghum 
varieties to enable two crops to be grown per 
season; 
(2) enhance ethanol processing potential in the 
crop by— 
(A) developing a robust technology for cen-
tralized ethanol production facilities that pair 
high-performing sweet sorghum lines with dif-
ferent yeasts to produce the best process for 
converting sweet sorghum juice into ethanol; 
(B) conducting process and chemical anal-
yses of sweet sorghum sap fermentation; 
(C) introducing cellulosic hydrolyzing en-
zymes into sweet sorghum to promote biomass 
conversion; and 
(D) performing life-cycle analysis of sweet 
sorghum ethanol, including analysis of energy 
yield, efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction; 
(3) establish a production system optimized for 
the region of the university conducting the research; 
(4) improve sweet sorghum lines with higher 
sugar production and performance with minimal ag-
ricultural inputs;
680 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
(5) optimize sugar fermentation using selected 
yeast strains; 
(6) develop sweet sorghum lines with improved 
cold tolerance and cellulosic degradation; and 
(7) develop agricultural models for predicting 
agricultural performance and ethanol yield under 
various growing conditions. 
(c) AWARD CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall award 
grants under this section only to universities that— 
(1) have access to multiple lines of sweet sor-
ghum for research; and 
(2) are located in a State where sweet sorghum 
is anticipated to grow well on marginal lands. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for car-
rying out this section $20,000,000. 
TITLE X—HORTICULTURE AND 
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 
Subtitle A—Honey and Bees 
Sec. 10001. Annual report on response to honey bee colony collapse disorder. 
Subtitle B—Horticulture Provisions 
Sec. 10101. Tree assistance program. 
Sec. 10102. Specialty crop block grants. 
Sec. 10103. Additional section 32 funds for purchase of fruits, vegetables, and 
nuts to support domestic nutrition assistance programs. 
Sec. 10103A Additional section 32 funds to provide grants for the purchase 
and operation of urban gardens growing organic fruits and 
vegetables for the local population. 
Sec. 10104. Independent evaluation of Department of Agriculture commodity 
purchase process. 
Sec. 10105. Quality requirements for clementines.
681 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
Sec. 10106. Implementation of food safety programs under marketing orders. 
Sec. 10107. Inclusion of specialty crops in census of agriculture. 
Sec. 10108. Maturity requirements for Hass avocados. 
Sec. 10109. Mushroom promotion, research, and consumer information. 
Sec. 10110. Fresh produce education initiative. 
Subtitle C—Pest and Disease Management 
Sec. 10201. Pest and disease program. 
Sec. 10202. Multi-species fruit fly research and sterile fly production. 
Subtitle D—Organic Agriculture 
Sec. 10301. National organic certification cost-share program. 
Sec. 10302. Organic production and market data. 
Sec. 10303. Organic conversion, technical, and educational assistance. 
Subtitle E—Miscellaneous Provisions 
Sec. 10401. Grant program to improve movement of specialty crops. 
Sec. 10402. Authorization of appropriations for market news activities regard-
ing specialty crops. 
Sec. 10403. Farmer marketing program. 
Sec. 10404. National Clean Plant Network. 
Subtitle A—Honey and Bees 
SEC. 10001. ANNUAL REPORT ON RESPONSE TO HONEY BEE 
COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER. 
The Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Con-
gress an annual report describing the progress made by 
the Department of Agriculture in investigating the cause 
or causes of honey bee colony collapse and in finding ap-
propriate strategies to reduce colony loss. 
Subtitle B—Horticulture 
Provisions 
SEC. 10101. TREE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) INCLUSION OF NURSERY TREE GROWERS.— 
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 10201 of the Farm 
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
U.S.C. 8201) is amended—
682 
•HR 2419 EH1S 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and 
(4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) NURSERY
TREE
GROWER.—The term 
‘nursery tree grower’ means a person who produces 
nursery, ornamental, fruit, nut, or Christmas trees 
for commercial sale, as determined by the Sec-
retary.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Subtitle C of 
title X of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 is amended— 
(A) in section 10202 (7 U.S.C. 8202)— 
(i) in subsection (a), by inserting 
‘‘and nursery tree growers’’ after ‘‘eligible 
orchardists’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘or 
nursery tree grower’’ after ‘‘eligible or-
chardist’’; and 
(B) in section 10203 (7 U.S.C. 8203), by 
inserting ‘‘and nursery tree growers’’ after ‘‘eli-
gible orchardists’’. 
(b) 
ANNUAL
PAYMENT
LIMITATION.—Section 
10204(a) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act