The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is awarding nearly $1.5 million in grants and loan guarantees that will help 26 rural small businesses and agricultural producers reduce energy usage and costs in their operations. USDA Rural Development Wisconsin State Director, Stan Gruszynski, announced funding for these projects will be used for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems.
Wisconsin projects include:
|
Recipient |
Location |
Amount |
Project Description |
|
Robert Bernardoni |
Darlington, WI |
$28,416 |
Roof mounted solar PV system |
|
Braun Building Center, Inc. |
Manitowoc, WI |
$5,000 |
Energy efficient lighting |
|
Central Waters Brewing Company Inc. |
Amherst, WI |
$59,500 |
Solar PV system |
|
Dan Val Farms, LLC |
Independence, WI |
$11,191 |
Energy efficient grain dryer |
|
Darlington Community School District Solar Education Project, LLC. |
Darlington, WI |
$61,000 |
Roof mounted solar PV system at Darlington Elementary |
|
Didion Milling, Inc. |
Cambria, WI |
$86,008 |
Finisher evaporator to upgrade the ethanol process |
|
Digman Grain Farms, LLC |
Platteville, WI |
$40,950 |
Energy efficient grain dryer |
|
Michael Dorwin |
Emerald, WI |
$45,950 |
Energy efficient grain dryer |
|
Eau Claire Energy Cooperative |
Fall Creek, WI |
$7,541 |
Energy efficient lighting |
|
EIS Implement, Inc. |
Two Rivers, WI |
$1,932 |
Energy efficient lighting |
|
Evanoff’s Inc. |
Sheboygan Falls, WI |
$1,547 |
Energy efficient lighting |
|
Flash Grain, LLC |
Thorp, WI |
$50,000 |
Energy efficient grain dryer |
|
Flying Tractor Farm LLC |
Sturgeon Bay, WI |
$14,348 |
Roof mounted solar PV system |
|
William Freise |
Melrose, WI |
$38,337 |
Energy efficient grain dryer |
|
Helbach Farms, LLC |
Amherst, WI |
$63,241 |
Energy efficient grain dryer replacement |
|
Infinity Retail Services, LLC |
Turtle Lake, WI |
$45,996 |
Ground mounted solar array |
|
Konkel May Farm, LLC |
Arcadia, WI |
$7,300 |
Energy efficient ventilation and heating equipment. |
|
Nercon ENG & MFG, Inc. |
Oconto, WI |
$18,414 |
Solar PV system |
|
Pravechek Farm Supplies |
Luxemburg, WI |
$28,350 |
Energy efficient grain dryer |
|
Morten Reser |
Readstown, WI |
$28,012 |
Energy efficient grain dryer replacement |
|
Rio Creek Feed Mill, Inc. |
Algoma, WI |
$93,648 |
Energy efficient grain dryer replacement |
|
Runde Chevrolet, Inc. |
Platteville, WI |
$27,720 |
Roof mount solar electric system |
|
S&R Egg Farm, Inc. |
Whitewater, WI |
$211,000 |
Energy efficient lighting and a manure handling/drying system |
|
Snow Timber Pellets, LLC |
Hurley, WI |
$500,000 |
Pellet mill |
|
Snug Haven Farm, LLC |
Belleville, WI |
$5,677 |
Roof mount solar electric system |
|
Weber Family Stations, LLC |
Kiel, WI |
$9,592 |
Energy efficient lighting |
The funding for these Wisconsin projects is part of a nationwide announcement of $102 million in loan guarantees and $71 million in grants for 1,114 projects financed through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.
Since the start of the Obama Administration, REAP has helped finance 10,753 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that have reduced energy costs for rural businesses nationwide. During this period, USDA has provided almost $360 million in grants and $430 million in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small business owners. When operational, these projects will generate/save an estimated 8.4 million megawatt hours – enough to power more than 760,000 homes for a year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s the equivalent of removing more than 1 million cars from the road.
Congress created the REAP program in the 2002 Farm Bill. Because of the success of the program, Congress reauthorized it in the 2014 Farm Bill with guaranteed funding of at least $50 million annually for the duration of the five-year bill. The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past seven years while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers.
Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.
In addition to the grants announced today, USDA is reminding eligible recipients that the department is accepting applications for future REAP funding. For application deadlines and details on how to apply, contact a USDA state energy coordinator, or see page 60349 of the October 6 Federal Register.
USDA Rural Development’s funding continues to have a dramatic impact on rural communities across Wisconsin. Since 2010, USDA Rural Development has invested more than $3.5 billion on essential public facilities, small and emerging businesses, water and sewer systems, and housing opportunities in rural Wisconsin communities.
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. As the lead federal agency for rural development needs, USDA Rural Development can help rural communities and regions grow and prosper by offering a variety of financial and technical assistance programs that encourage the development of strong community and economic development strategies.
During this past year, USDA Rural Development’s $571 million investment in Wisconsin helped create or retain nearly 1,380 jobs, aided 3,600 families in buying their own homes and assisted more than 50 communities as they made improvements to their facilities, services and infrastructure
Further information on USDA Rural Development is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting the web site at www.rd.usda.gov/wi.