A new bill would allow USDA resources to be used for propane storage infrastructure
Senators from both sides of the aisle are working together to support farmers and their access to propane.
Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) are putting forward the Growing Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Needs to Deliver Rising Yields (GRAIN DRY) Act.
This bill would allow support recipients through the USDA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) Program to use that money towards constructing or upgrading agricultural propane storage infrastructure.
This program helps farmers build or upgrade permanent or portable storage facilities to support grain handling. But propane storage didn’t fit the parameters of the program.
More than 80 percent of grain dryers in the U.S. run on propane, and more than 60 percent of farmers use propane to heat barns, the Propane Education & Research Council says.
With this resource being an important part of a farm, it should be included in the FSFL, Sen. Ernst said.
“Propane is a critical input that producers depend on to complete essential daily farm operations like drying and storing grain, keeping livestock warm, and powering farm equipment,” she said in a statement. “My GRAIN DRY Act gives farmers access to tools for on-farm propane storage to provide greater certainty and flexibility during harvest and throughout the winter months.”
Members of the House of Representatives introduced the same bill in the House earlier this year.
Reps. Brad Finstad (Minn.-01) and Jim Costa (Calif.-21) tabled the bill in February.
“As farmers work toward a sustainable future, propane is an important component that powers a large segment of agricultural operations from milking parlors, irrigation engines to grain dryers,” Costa said in a statement. “This legislation provides economic opportunities for American farmers to increase their propane storage, cut fuel costs, and reduce supply chain disruptions in the future.”
The National Propane Gas Association is supportive of propane’s potential inclusion in the FSFL.
“Propane continues to be an essential energy source on America’s farms—from heating homes and livestock buildings to drying grain and crops after harvest. This important bill will empower farmers to invest in additional storage through low-interest loans, helping ensure they have the fuel they need when they need it most,” Stephen Kaminski, the organization’s president and CEO, said in a statement.