Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today 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. In Wisconsin, 18 projects were awarded nearly $3 million for energy related projects. 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.
“Since 2009, the Rural Energy for America Program has helped roughly 15,000 small businesses and farms save enough energy to power about 730,000 homes, replace over 34 million barrels of oil, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 5 million metric tons annually – the equivalent of removing 1.1 million cars from our roads,” 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. Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.
Today’s announcement includes projects in Wisconsin such as: installing solar systems, updating lighting with a light-emitting diode (LED) system, and replacing old, inefficient grain dryers to deliver energy and cost savings while preserving higher yields.
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.
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.
From 2009 to date, REAP has provided over $373 million in grants and almost $481 million in loan guarantees to help finance more than 11,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for agricultural producers and rural small business owners. Thanks to USDA investments in renewable energy projects of all sizes, rural Americans are saving more than 10.4 billion kWh – enough energy to power more than 959,000 American homes annually.
USDA Rural Development’s funding continues to have a dramatic impact on rural communities across Wisconsin. During the past year, USDA Rural Development invested nearly $577 million on essential public facilities, small and emerging businesses, water and sewer systems, and housing opportunities throughout rural Wisconsin. The agency’s investment helped create or retain more than 1,560 jobs; aided 3,000 families in buying their own homes; and assisted more than 80 communities in improving community facilities and upgrading local infrastructure. USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. For more information on USDA Rural Development programs visit USDA’s web site at www.rd.usda.gov/wi.