Legislation authored by Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, the National Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals Act, became law with the recent signing of a $15 billion farm aid and crop insurance package. The Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 includes $49 million annually for five years to support research and development of bio-based products, chemicals and fuels.

In addition, the farm aid package includes $14 million for an ethanol pilot plant to be located at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and $15 million to fund competitive grants available for producers to develop business plans and strategies with the intent of enabling greater participate in value-added markets such as ethanol.