Next week the House Committee on Agriculture will consider HCR 424. This House Concurrent Resolution states that by January 1, 2025 at least 25 percent of domestic energy needs should be generated from domestic renewable resources while continuing to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed, and fiber.

HCR 424, dubbed 25 x ’25, is co-sponsored by Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (Virginia) and Collin Peterson (Minnesota) and is intended to increase domestic energy production, thus reducing our dependence on imported fuel. General Motors, Food, and Daimler Chrysler have signed a joint letter to Members of Congress urging them to co-sponsor the Congressional resolution.

Specifically the text of the resolution is as follows:

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that it is the goal of the United States that, not later than January 1, 2025, the agricultural, forestry, and working land of the United States should provide from renewable resources not less than 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States and continue to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed, and fiber.

Whereas the United States has a quantity of renewable energy resources that is sufficient to supply a significant portion of the energy needs of the United States;

Whereas the agricultural, forestry, and working land of the United States can help ensure a sustainable domestic energy system;

Whereas accelerated development and use of renewable energy technologies provide numerous benefits to the United States, including improved national security, improved balance of payments, healthier rural economies, improved environmental quality, and abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for all citizens of the United States;

Whereas the production of transportation fuels from renewable energy would help the United States meet rapidly growing domestic and global energy demands, reduce the dependence of the United States on energy imported from volatile regions of the world that are politically unstable, stabilize the cost and availability of energy, and safeguard the economy and security of the United States;

Whereas increased energy production from domestic renewable resources would attract substantial new investments in energy infrastructure, create economic growth, develop new jobs for the citizens of the United States, and increase the income for farm, ranch, and forestry jobs in the rural regions of the United States;

Whereas increased use of renewable energy is practical and can be cost effective with the implementation of supportive policies and proper incentives to stimulate markets and infrastructure; and

Whereas public policies aimed at enhancing renewable energy production and accelerating technological improvements will further reduce energy costs over time and increase market demand: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that it is the goal of the United States that, not later than January 1, 2025, the agricultural, forestry, and working land of the United States should provide from renewable resources not less than 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States and continue to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed, and fiber.

Grange Policy

National Grange policy on domestic energy production in the 2006 Blueprint for Rural America states:

Achieve Energy Securities for Rural America

Imported energy and high-energy prices threaten the rural economy. In 2005, energy related costs forced some farmers to abandon crops in their fields. Forty percent of the nation’s fertilizer production capacity is shut down due to high natural gas prices and may never return. Renewable energy from our nation’s farms is underutilized. Proven reserves of domestic energy cannot be developed because of unscientific environmental prejudices while environmentally marginal “global warming” policies increase energy costs on agriculture and society without benefit. Commodity futures markets for natural gas that were partially deregulated in the year 2000 are attracting Wall Street speculators who can make huge profits by attempting to influence the market price of natural gas by using techniques that would not be allowed in the agriculture commodities markets. Voluntary and effective energy conservation programs for rural areas, such as telecommuting, car/van pooling and affordable inter-community bus service, are under funded. Rural consumers, especially those served by rural electric cooperatives and public power utilities, must benefit from electricity restructuring, pricing and reliability programs along with other consumers.

Action Plan

1. Promote biodiesel, ethanol, biomass and wind energies derived from America’s family farms. Support tax and other incentives to increase use of “blended” renewable/conventional fuels.
2. Develop energy resources on public lands in an environmentally sound manner, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore Gulf of Mexico. Prohibit further releases from the National Strategic Petroleum Reserve except in times of national emergency or natural disaster.
3. Advocate for reasonable energy prices for family farmers and rural consumers. Support effective energy conservation in rural areas such as telecommuting, public transportation and car/van pools instead of “global warming” schemes that increase energy costs.
4. Support reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trading Act that will return market oversight authority over commodity futures trading in the natural gas market and other energy markets to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
5. Support electricity industry restructuring/reliability proposals that preserve the special relationship that regional power suppliers, rural electric cooperatives and rural public utilities have with their customers. Preserve “cost-based” electricity pricing where this system has benefited rural customers.

Action Needed

Please e-mail your U. S. Representative and urge them to co-sponsor and support HCR 424 before the end of this session of Congress. Please feel free to cut and aste the following sample letter. If you do not know your Senators e-mail addresses please click here to find them.

Sample E-mail:

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Director Leroy Watson by e-mail: lwatson@nationalgrange.org by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 114.

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