II 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 828 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 8, 2007 Mr. Baucus (for himself, Mr. Harkin, and Mr. Tester) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make cost-share payments for on-farm energy production under the environmental quality incentives program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the On-farm Energy Production Act of 2007.

2.

Environmental quality incentives program

(a)

Purposes

Section 1240 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa) is amended— (1)in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (2)in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (3)by adding at the end the following: (6)assisting producers in accordance with section 1240J in producing on-farm energy. . (b)

Limitation on payments

Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is amended by inserting (or $50,000 in the case of a contract entered into under section 1240J) after under this chapter. (c)

On-farm energy production

Chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

1240J.

On-farm energy production

(a)

In general

In carrying out the program under this chapter, the Secretary shall promote on-farm energy production by providing cost-share payments to producers that produce energy on the farms of the producers, including— (1)solar energy; (2)wind energy; and (3)renewable fuel (as that term is defined in section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)). (b)

Eligibility

In determining whether to provide cost-share payments to producers under this section, the Secretary shall consider— (1)the amount of on-farm energy produced by the producers as compared to the amount of assistance provided to the producers; (2)whether the producers are actively engaged in farming; and (3)the degree to which the on-farm energy produced by the producers assists the producers in attaining energy self-sufficiency.

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