USDA Reminds Public of Deadline for Biomass Crop Assistance Program ProposalsWASHINGTON, May 3, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reminded farmers, ranchers and forest landowners that the deadline for submitting project area proposals for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) is May 27, 2011.
“We know that viable solutions to combat high gas prices can be found in rural America,” said Vilsack. “America’s farmers, ranchers, rural businesses and communities are already important partners in helping to build a more secure, sustainable energy supply. The Biomass Crop Assistance Program provides incentives to producers of the materials needed to fuel the new clean energy economy and provide rural jobs.”
BCAP, which was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, provides incentives to eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners for the establishment and production of biomass crops for heat, power, bio-based products and biofuels. BCAP project areas are specific geographical areas where producers may enroll land to grow eligible biomass crops. Enrolled program participants may be eligible to receive financial and technical assistance as well as annual payments to establish these crops.
Project areas are established based on proposals submitted to FSA by a group of producers or an entity that converts biomass to heat, power, a bio-based product or advanced biofuel. Those interested in submitting a proposal are encouraged to contact their FSA state office for details.
For more information on BCAP, visit the USDA Farm Service Agency’s website at www.fsa.usda.gov/bcap [1].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
USDA looks to convert up to 50,000 acres to biofuel crops
By Rita Jane Gabbett on 5/6/2011
USDA announced the first Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) Project Area to promote production of dedicated feedstocks for bioenergy.Under the program, created in the 2008 Farm Bill, this first project area includes 39 contiguous counties in Missouri and Kansas and provides for enrollment of up to 50,000 acres for establishing a dedicated energy crop of native grasses and herbaceous plants (forbs) for energy purposes.
Producers in the area would plant mixes of perennial native plants, such as switchgrass, to manufacture biomass pellet fuels and other biomass products to use for power and heat generation.
“Reducing our dependence on foreign oil and getting a handle on out of control gas prices will require investments in projects like we are announcing today,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a news release. “By encouraging production of feedstocks that can be converted into next-generation biofuels we are boosting the rural economy, creating jobs, contributing to America’s energy security and protecting our planet.”
The program provides an opportunity for teams of crop producers and bioenergy facilities to submit proposals to USDA to be selected as a BCAP project area. If selected, crop producers will be eligible for reimbursements of up to 75 percent of the cost of establishing a bioenergy perennial crop, and can receive up to five years of annual payments for grassy crops (annual or perennial), and up to 15 years of annual payments for woody crops (annual or perennial).
Facts about BCAP can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/bcap [1].
Biomass Crop Assistance Program Fact Sheet [2] (May 3, 2011)Biomass Crop Assistance Program for FSAThe Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest land who wish to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks. BCAP provides two categories of assistance:
- Matching payments may be available for the delivery of eligible material to qualified biomass conversion facilities by eligible material owners. Qualified biomass conversion facilities produce heat, power, biobased products, or advanced biofuels from biomass feedstocks.
- Establishment and annual payments may be available to certain producers who enter into contracts with the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to produce eligible biomass crops on contract acres within BCAP project areas.
The following materials provide background information and formal rules and regulations for BCAP:Unless noted all items will be in PDF file format.
Qualified Biomass Conversion Facilities and Materials List
- Qualified Biomass Conversion Facility (BCF) Listing (PDF [3], April 22, 2011, 49 KB)
- BCAP Materials List (PDF [4], Dec 21, 2010 71 KB)
Forms, Worksheets, and Instructions
- Biomass Crop Assistance Program Application and Agreement for Approval as a Qualified Biomass Crop Conversion Facility (DOC [5], December 14, 2010 121 KB)
- Biomass Conversion Facility Overview, Form BCAP-1 (PDF [6], Jan 3, 2011, 563 KB)
- Biomass Conversion Facility Overview, Instructions BCAP-1 (PDF [7], Feb 22, 2011, 68 KB)
- BCAP project area proposal submission, Form BCAP-20 (PDF [8], Dec 15, 2010, 431 KB)
- BCAP project area proposal submission, Instructions BCAP-20 (PDF [9], Dec 15, 2010, 42 KB)
- BCAP project area proposal estimates, Form BCAP-21 (PDF [10], Dec 15, 2010, 223 KB)
- BCAP project area proposal estimates, Instructions BCAP-21 (PDF [11], Dec 15, 2010, 34 KB)
- BCAP project area environmental screening worksheet, Form BCAP-22 (PDF [12], Dec 15, 2010, 305 KB)
- BCAP project area environmental screening worksheet, Instructions BCAP-22 (PDF [13], Dec 15, 2010, 39 KB)
- Certification regarding debarment, suspension, and other responsibility matters - primary covered transactions, form AD-1047 (DOC [14], Dec 15, 2010, 41 KB)
The following materials provide background information and formal rules and regulations for BCAP:
- Summary Report of BCAP CHST payments (PDF [15], 16 KB, October 20, 2010)
- Report of BCAP CHST payments by biomass type (PDF [16], October 20, 2010, 16 KB)
- Biomass Crop Assistance Program (Final Rule Provisions) [17] (PDF [18], October 21, 2010, 302 KB)
- Biomass Crop Assistance Program - Final Rule (PDF [20], Oct 27, 2010, 273.23 KB)
- Sec 1619 (PDF [21], Dec 15, 2010, 17 KB)
- Sample Purchase List (PDF [22], Dec 15, 2010, 10 KB)
