Cover photo for Biomass Crop Assistance Program

Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP)

Farm Service Agency

Closed Indefinitely


As far as we know, this program is closed indefinitely and not likely to reopen. If it does, we'll update this page!

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest land who wish to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks.



Eligibility

To be eligible, a producer must be enrolling eligible land located in a designated project area, which is also in compliance with the highly erodible and wetland compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended. There are no adjusted gross income eligibility requirements or payment limitations for BCAP contracts. The producer must also be establishing and/or producing eligible crops in accordance with a conservation plan, forest stewardship plan or equivalent plan.

Eligible land for BCAP project area contracts must be within an approved BCAP Project Area. In general, eligible land includes agricultural and non-industrial private forestland. However, within a specific project area there may be limitations on the type of land eligible. Ineligible land includes federal or state-owned land, land that is native sod, or land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), or Grassland Reserve program (GRP). Land enrolled in the Direct and Countercyclical Program (DCP), Conservation Security Program (CSP) or Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is not excluded from eligibility. Cropland base and yield history are preserved for land enrolled in a BCAP contract.

BCAP defines an eligible crop as a crop of renewable biomass as defined in section 9001 of the 2008 Farm Bill excluding the following:

  • Any crop that is eligible to receive payment under Title I, “Commodity Programs” of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 9Pub. L. 110-246) or an amendment made by that title; and

  • Any plant that CCC has determined to be either a noxious weed or an invasive species. With respect to noxious weeds and invasive species, a list of such plants will be available in the FSA county office.

Each project area will support a specific list of eligible crops.


Terms

Each project area will support a specific list of eligible crops. The Project Areas are listed here.


Application Instructions

Project area proposals are submitted by project sponsors on a voluntary basis to propose the project area designation of a defined geographic area. The project sponsor must prepare and submit all required documents, as specified in RFP Announcements. The project area may span multiple states. Request for Proposals will be announced when funds are available at www.grants.gov and on this BCAP web page.


Resources



Details

Financial Instrument

Cost Share, Easement, Grant


Updated March 18, 2024

Image Credit: Idaho National Laboratory

This information was gathered from public sources. Ambrook is not responsible for or able to affect the results of any financial programs listed, nor are they responsible for any incorrect information that is listed or is on the hyperlinked external sites. All information is subject to change.

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