U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand was in western Ohio today to celebrate a recent $23,750 Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) grant to Richmond, Indiana-based Harvest Land Cooperative.
“The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program supports American farmers and boosts rural economic development by expanding ethanol and biodiesel sales,” said Brand. “The investment we’re recognizing today is among $22 million awarded in the program nationwide, expected to increase ethanol demand by nearly 150 million gallons annually.
“Moreover, both Harvest Land and CountryMark are member-owned cooperatives, and, as October is National Cooperative Month, it's fitting to highlight the dynamic partnership between USDA Rural Development and the co-ops that serve our rural communities. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
The Greenville award will be used to offset the cost of replacing two dispensers at a CountryMark Cooperative-supported fueling station in Darke County, and is expected to increase the amount of ethanol sold by an estimated 238,954 gallons annually.
Two additional HBIIP grants were awarded in Ohio and Indiana:
- Columbus, Ohio-based Benchmark Biodiesel will use its $38,000 grant to replace two dispensers at its fuel terminal west of the city. The project is expected to increase the amount of ethanol sold by 740,204 gallons annually.
- Crawford, Indiana-based Ceres Solutions Cooperative will use its $55,562 grant to replace four dispensers at one fueling station. The project is expected to increase the amount of ethanol sold by 256,554 gallons annually.
In addition to Ohio and Indiana, 12 other states received HBIIP grants: California, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Utah, and Wisconsin.
The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program helps transportation fueling and biodiesel distribution facilities convert to higher ethanol and biodiesel blends by sharing the costs related to the installation of fuel pumps, related equipment and infrastructure.
Eligible applicants include vehicle fueling facilities such as local fueling stations, convenience stores, hypermarket fueling stations, fleet facilities, fuel terminal operations, midstream partners and distribution facilities. Higher biofuel blends contain greater than 10 percent ethanol or five percent biodiesel by volume.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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