BIO commends the leaders and members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on their persistence and dedication toward passing a new farm bill this year. The farm bill is vital policy that benefits all Americans, including nutrition programs, conservation incentives and support for agricultural production needed to ensure food security and renewable energy supply chains. The farm bill also includes important provisions to advance innovation and grow the nation’s bioeconomy.
BIO-supported provisions to ensure the farm bill is innovation-centric include the following:
- Funding for the Biobased Markets Program, which directs federal agencies to increase purchases of biobased and renewable products.
- Updates to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes to enable measurement and growth of biobased procurement.
- Biorefinery incentives to help build and retrofit facilities to produce the advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals and other biobased products our economy needs.
- Support for biostimulants by including the Plant Biostimulant Act (H.R. 1472) to streamline regulation of these safe, biological substances to make plants more resilient and productive.
- Support for Plant Incorporated Protectants (PIPs) with language directing the Environmental Protection Agency to reissue PIPs regulations and eliminate unnecessary and non-science-based barriers to bringing these innovations to market.
- Streamlined regulation of biotechnology, with a science-based process that allows for timely approvals of innovations in plant, animal and microbial biotech.
- Increased investment in agricultural research programs to fuel ongoing innovation in agriculture and environmental technology.
The bioeconomy plows nearly a trillion dollars annually, and growing, into the U.S. economy, which benefits all Americans.
“Congress has an unprecedented opportunity with this farm bill to enable continued biotech breakthroughs to ensure we can meet the world’s environmental challenges and food demands,” said Beth Ellikidis, BIO’s vice president for agriculture and environment. “We urge Congress to continue bipartisan efforts to pass the farm bill and make the most of this opportunity.”