Ernst Moves to Ensure Propane Access for Iowa Farmers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is partnering with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to lead a bipartisan effort that would bolster access to propane – an essential agricultural input – for farmers.

The Growing Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Needs to Deliver Rising Yields (GRAIN DRY) Act would allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Storage Facility Loan Program to be used for constructing and upgrading agricultural propane storage infrastructure.

“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,” said Senator Ernst. “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.”

“We greatly appreciate Senators Ernst and Klobuchar for introducing the GRAIN DRY Act and for championing legislation that strengthens farmers’ access to reliable and cost-effective propane storage,” said Stephen Kaminski, President and CEO of the National Propane Gas Association. “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.”

Read the full bill here.

Background:

As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, Ernst is an advocate for farmers who rely on propane to heat livestock facilities and maintain the quality of stored grain. She has pointed out that rising costs and supply chain issues have made consistent access to this critical input less reliable in recent years, elevating the importance of on-farm propane storage.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan program supports agriculture producers in building or upgrading commodity storage facilities, but propane doesn’t currently qualify, even though over 80% of grain dryers run on the energy source.

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