Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) recently included a provision in the farm bill that would make research and development of the crop pennycress one of the USDA Risk Management Agency’s top priorities.
Pennycress, a non-food member of the mustard family, can be converted into biodiesel fuel or renewable jet fuel.
Schock’s provision would make the development of a crop insurance program for pennycress a top priority of the RMA. The amendment was included in the farm bill that was approved by the House of Representatives last week.
“The passage of the farm bill is a win for farmers across the nation, preserving and strengthening the vital farm safety net,” Schock said. “The inclusion of my pennycress amendment is an additional victory for Illinois farmers, energy producers and ultimately the economy. Pennycress is a versatile crop that can be grown during the winter months and converted into biofuel, increasing farmers’ crop yields and reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil. Any time farmers plant a crop, especially a new one, they take an enormous risk. Making pennycress a priority at RMA paves the way for eventual crop insurance so that farmers have an important safety net to diversify their crop portfolio.”
Schock has worked for the commercialization of pennycress since 2009 when he secured a commitment from the National Biodiesel Board to help expand pennycress cultivation in central Illinois.