Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding for 821 projects across the nation that will help rural small businesses and agricultural producers reduce energy usage and costs in their operations. The funding is available through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and will be used to make energy efficiency improvements and install renewable energy systems.
Congress created the REAP program in the 2002 Farm Bill. Because of the program's success, Congress reauthorized it in the 2014 Farm Bill with guaranteed funding of at least $50 million annually for the duration of the five-year Farm Bill.
Fifteen South Dakota-based businesses received a total of $156,999 as part of the announcement.
"Since 2009, the Rural Energy for America Program has helped roughly 15,000 small businesses and agricultural producers save enough energy to power about 730,000 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than five million metric tons annually," Vilsack said. "These investments in clean energy are good for the environment, are good for each business's bottom line and they support the broader rural economy by encouraging the production of renewable energy sources."
USDA is providing $43.2 million in loan guarantees and $11.6 million in grants through REAP for projects in every state, as well as in the Virgin Islands, the Western Pacific and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.
Detailed below by county are the energy projects selected from South Dakota:
Brookings
Maynards Food Center of Westbrook, Inc. in Elkton has been selected to receive a $16,924 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Butte
Black Hills Laundry & Dry Cleaning, LLC in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, and Sturgis has been selected to receive a $1,913 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the building.
Integrity Meats, LLC in Belle Fourche has been selected to receive a $13,783 grant to make energy efficient improvements to the lighting system.
Charles Mix
Geddes Grocery Center, LLC in Geddes has been selected to receive a $19,763 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Clay
Jones Food Center of Vermillion, Ltd. in Vermillion has been selected to receive a $20,000 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Corson
Moser Trucking Inc., dba Moser Market, in McLaughlin has been selected to receive a $15,675 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Custer
Daniel C. Martin, dba Pop’s Grocery Shoppe, in Martin has been selected to receive a $3,658 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the building.
Faulk
Brentwood Hutterian Brethren, Inc. in Faulkton has been selected to receive a $10,740 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Lake
Rustic Acres Hutterian Brethren, Inc. in Madison has been selected to receive a $3,905 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Lawrence
TDG Communications, Inc. in Deadwood has been selected to receive a $1,689 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Meade
Pit Stop, LLC in Summerset has been selected to receive a $4,660 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
TFH, Inc. in Summerset has been selected to receive a $19,999 grant to purchase and install a solar renewable energy system.
Pennington
Krull Foods of HC Inc. in Hill City has been selected to receive an $18,054 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Spink
Heidi Appel, dba The County Seat Furniture & Décor, of Redfield, has been selected to receive a $3,959 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
Turner
Jones Food Center of Viborg, Ltd. in Viborg has been selected to receive a $2,277 grant to make energy efficiency improvements to the lighting system.
REAP is generating positive results. Verhulst Enterprises, Inc., dba Versatile Carpets and Interior in Spearfish, SD used a $3,235 REAP grant to upgrade lighting to LED and add insulation to exterior walls of this small retail business. To date, the overall savings for this project is 35%. The savings will allow the owners to invest in other areas of the business.
From 2009 to date, REAP has helped finance more than 11,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that have reduced energy costs for roughly 15,000 rural businesses. During this period, USDA has provided more than $373 million in grants and almost $481 million in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small business owners. When operational, these projects will generate or save almost 9 million megawatt hours – enough to power more than 730,000 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more 5 million metric tons in carbon dioxide each year. That is the equivalent of removing more than 1.1 million cars from our roads.
The Rural Energy for America Program also helps businesses create jobs, helps farmers and rural businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and helps the country move closer to energy independence.
To learn more about the REAP program in South Dakota, contact Rural Energy Coordinator Jolene Pravecek at the USDA Rural Development Office in Yankton at (605) 655-2662, Ext. 4 or by email at jolene.pravecek@sd.usda.gov.