WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance the ability of the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Products Assistance program to support the development of biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased products. The Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation and Opportunity Act will update the underlying loan guarantee program and restore a grant program to support public-private partnership investment in pilot and demonstration-scale facility development.

“Developing America’s biomanufacturing capabilities is good for our farmers and good for our economy,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation will strengthen the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Products Assistance program and will continue to create jobs and solidify America as a leading manufacturer of these products.”

“Investing in biofuels will provide new markets for our farmers while helping the U.S. to become more energy independent,” said Moran. “Developing innovative biofuels will provide new and better sources of energy to drive our economy forward.”

“PBPC is grateful to Senators Klobuchar and Moran for introducing the Agricultural Biorefinery Improvement Act. For the U.S. to realize its potential in taking biobased products from idea to market, we need more research and development facilities to allow for viable scale-up opportunities. Promotion of the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program – which provides loan guarantees and grants for the development and advancement of a variety of biobased products – is a critical step in the right direction,” said Plant Based Products Council Acting Executive Director Jamaica Gayle.

“The corn refining industry applauds Senators Klobuchar and Moran for their leadership in introducing legislation that will advance the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. This program is vital to U.S. competitiveness in the ag bioeconomy and this legislation will provide much needed support to American innovators and entrepreneurs. Growing the ag bioeconomy will stimulate economic growth in rural America, create new manufacturing and STEM jobs, and improve circularity in the bioeconomy,” said Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode. 

“ABC is delighted to hear that Senators Klobuchar and Moran are making strides to improve the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. Our abundant agricultural feedstocks and highly advanced supply chains make the U.S. the natural home of a strong, vibrant biomanufacturing sector. We can lead the world in advanced bioproducts if we leverage our strengths and invest in our rural communities. This legislation will improve the scalability of American bioproducts and speed up bringing new innovations to market,” said Ag Bioeconomy Coalition Robin Bowen 

“The Ag Energy Coalition applauds Senators Klobuchar and Moran for proposing bipartisan legislation to modernize the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Manufacturing Assistance Program as part of the upcoming farm bill.  Biorefineries are the lifeblood of rural America in terms of driving manufacturing innovations, building new agriculture markets, and creating jobs and economic opportunity. Revitalizing this program will help build and expand facilities to produce everything from SAF to biobased products and renewable chemicals. That is an essential investment in the nation's energy and bioeconomy transformation and in a rural economic renaissance," said Ag Energy Coalition Lloyd Ritter.

Specifically, the biorefinery grant program would include:

  • Cost-share grants to eligible entities for up to 50% of the cost of pilot scale facility construction. 
  • $100 million over five years in mandatory funding, as well as a discretionary component.

Klobuchar has been a long time supporter of biofuels and biomanufacturing. 

In July, Klobuchar and Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act to strengthen the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) BioPreferred program. 

In June, Klobuchar with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ernst introduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accuracy Act, to solidify the future of American-grown sustainable aviation fuels.

In March, Klobuchar and Fischer reintroduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023 which would enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent.

In November 2022, at a Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing, Klobuchar highlighted the importance of biofuels and showed support for the BioPreferred Program. 

In February 2022, Klobuchar and Stabenow led a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture to invest in biobased products.

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