St26.02

 

by

 

 Jim Moseley

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

Farm Bill Energy Title Stakeholders Meeting

Washington, DC

 

Tuesday, December 3, 2002

 

 

(As Prepared for Delivery)  

 

“Tom Dorr, thank you very much. 

 

“It’s a pleasure to be with you all and to welcome you to USDA.

 

“I want to recognize Tom Dorr and Keith Collins for their efforts in this area.  Tom’s been talking about this since he’s been here in the Department and Keith has been probing this area for several years.

 

“As you know, unless you have people interested in moving things forward, it doesn’t happen.  You have advocates at USDA.

 

“Renewable energy is also an issue that is very important to President Bush and a critical part of his National Energy Plan.   

 

“And just as important, this year’s farm bill was the first in history to include its own energy title, which represents a fundamental advancement in policy by connecting energy and agriculture. 

 

“As someone who has spent a lifetime in farming and agriculture, renewable fuels and bio-energy have come to represent some of the most exciting and dynamic issues for the future of American agriculture.

 

“In the past, we talked of great potential and future opportunities.  But today, we finally are at a point where that potential is being harvested and what were once academic concepts are now emerging, viable industries.  

 

“The President shares this vision and understands the promise of renewable energy:

 

“It’s all about:

 

·        Economic opportunity in rural America;

·        Economic opportunities that will redefine farming in some areas and garner higher returns to land;

·        Energy that is more environmentally friendly

·        Less reliance on foreign energy imports; and therefore

·        An enhanced ability to meet our country’s growing energy needs.

 

“But you all know those benefits.  You’re here today to help advance this concept from dreams and ideas into reality – to find new ways to take renewable energy from the drawing board to the power grid or gas pump. 

 

“We really are on the ground floor of an emerging industry. 

 

“Although billions have already been invested and renewable energy is thriving in examples throughout the country, we are still very much at the early stages. 

 

“And the work we do – the policies we develop as a result of our discussions here– will have a lasting impact on how well we move forward.

 

“For example, it will be important to find viable ways for producers to compete as energy producers.  It’s impractical to think that each producer can generate enough electricity or produce enough liquid fuel to be viable as a supplier.  But partnerships or cooperatives or some other innovative way needs to be developed so that the economic benefits of renewable energy reach the farm as well as the Fortune 500. 

 

“That’s why it is so important for us to think outside of the box.     

 

“At USDA, we have a solid and effective team working to do just that on energy issues, including Tom Dorr and Chief Economist Keith Collins.

 

“We’re also proud to have forged a good and close working relationship with our colleagues at the Department of Energy.  They’ve been great to work with.

 

“This really is a team effort mainly because the President is highly interested in the area and he’s one who doesn’t believe that turf battles are an excuse for slowing progress. 

 

“It’s a farmers story, but in the fall of the year as you’re harvesting corn, you hear them before you can see them.  And then they come into view.

 

“It’s as dependable as the sun coming up.

 

“It’s the flight of the Canadian geese heading south for a warmer winter  -- flying in their traditional “V” formation.

 

“Turns out that two engineers learned that each bird, by flapping its wings, creates an uplift for the bird that follows. 

 

“So together, the whole flock gains something like 70 percent greater flying range than if they were journeying alone.  Even better, when the lead bird gets tired from the out front resistance, it falls back and another one replaces it at the front. 

 

“That example from nature speaks volumes to us today. 

 

“We too, need to move forward in a similar formation to accomplish more, better and quicker on renewable energy.

 

“Government agencies, the private sector, producers, and those who depend on energy for their economic well-being – all have a role to play and a stake in the success of the work we are doing on renewables.

 

“So we thank you for your commitment and interest in this issue and hope you have a good discussion in exploring the opportunities and sharing your insight.

 

“Please share your thoughts and help, because simply stated: we need it.

 

“Thank you very much.”