Hello Again,
Today we are going to talk about the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). The program is not available in all counties but is does affect some of you. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) recently announced that producers have until Sept. 25 to sign up for the BCAP in northeast Ohio, and parts of Pennsylvania.
All acreage in Ashtabula County and parts of Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties in Ohio and parts of Crawford, Erie and Mercer in Pennsylvania is designated to grow giant miscanthus under the BCAP program. BCAP provides financial incentives to eligible landowners or operators to establish and produce a biomass crop of Miscanthus Giganteus. This is a sterile hybrid warm season grass that is cultivated by planting rhizomes and then harvested and then converted into bio-based products.
Contract enrollment
Once enrolled, the contract will last for five years. Cost-share is paid on up to 50 percent of actual cost, not to exceed $356 per acre for rhizomes and $144 per acre for establishment of the crop. Annual payments for five years are paid based on the soil rental rate in the field(s) being offered. There will be a payment reduction based on the final conversion of the product.
Aloterra Energy, LLC is the sponsor of this project. Their phone number is 440-594-5896. This is a great starting place if you are interested in having miscanthus on your farm.
Additional information can be found at www.aloterraenergy.com/ Producers interested in participating in BCAP should contact their local FSA office for additional information or to set up an appointment to make an application. Information about BCAP can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/BCAP
That’s all for now,
FSA Andy
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