WASHINGTON, DC, October 17, 2007 (ENS) - The House of Representatives Tuesday passed a resolution setting a goal to expand renewable energy production in the United States.

The 25 by '25 resolution expresses the sense of the Congress that by the year 2025, at least 25 percent of total U.S. energy will come from renewable, domestically produced sources.

Currently, renewable energy sources provide about six percent of the United States’ total energy needs.

The resolution was first introduced in January by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat, and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican.

"The 25 by '25 Resolution is a statement of our national commitment to support the development of renewable energy sources," said Peterson. "I believe that we can not only meet but exceed the goal of 25 percent by 2025, but every journey starts with a first step, and this resolution is a very important first step to national energy independence."

"Increased development of renewable energy opens new markets for our nation’s producers, provides consumers with a safe, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and renewable source of energy, and decreases our nation’s dependency on foreign oil," said Goodlatte.

"Working to ensure that the benefits of expanded markets for agricultural products are available to the entire agriculture sector is a top priority for me and I believe in this sector’s ability to provide the market with reliable, sustainable renewable energy sources," Goodlatte said.

The resolution recognizes the important role of agriculture-based energy sources, including ethanol and biodiesel, in the growing renewable energy industry. It also reinforces the importance of maintaining a safe, abundant and affordable domestically produced supply of food, feed and fiber as the nation pursues energy independence.

"Renewable energy production is the driving economic force across rural America today and I am pleased that the House of Representatives recognized the importance of further growing fuels from the farm," said National Farmers Union President Tom Buis.

"America's producers have been providing a quality food supply for more than 200 years and are now helping reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil," he said.

The National Farmers Union is a member of the 25 x '25 coalition and an advocate of increasing the use and production of fuels from the farm.

The Senate and the House each have passed energy bills, and now Senate and House leaders are working to reconcile differences between the two bills.

The Senate bill would expand and accelerate the Renewable Fuels Standard and the House bill would establish a Renewable Electricity Standard which would mandate increasing amounts of electricity from renewable sources such as wind and biomass.

The National Farmers Union supports both measures.

"Passage of a strong energy bill that includes both a robust Renewable Fuels Standard and a national Renewable Electricity Standard will go a long way toward decreasing our dependence on foreign sources of energy and increasing economic opportunities in rural America," Buis said. "I am hopeful that Congress will pass such a bill and send it to the president yet this year."

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