USDA Rural Development Awards Funding to 77 Nebraska Recipients to Assist With Energy Needs

Seventy-seven Nebraska applicants have been selected to receive $1,557,923 in loans and grants. Funds will be used to install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements that will promote energy conservation. “Through these projects, energy consumption will be reduced, thereby making more dollars available to be kept within rural Nebraska there by assisting the state’s rural economy,” said Nebraska State Director Maxine Moul, USDA Rural Development. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack noted that funding announcements for rural water projects are another reminder of the importance of USDA programs for rural America. A comprehensive new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill would further expand the rural economy. He said that's just one reason why Congress must get a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill done as soon as possible. The funding was made available through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). This program provides opportunities for farmers and rural small business owners to install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements, as well explore the feasibility of implementing renewable energy projects. Additional information on the Rural Energy for America Program may be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/NEBusinessPrograms_Rural_Energy_for_America_Program.htm Detailed below by county are the energy projects selected from the National Office Reserve allocation of funding. Funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant and loan agreements. Antelope: Schultz, Frederick- Clearwater-$4,333 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion Rader, Lynn- Royal- $7,275 grant-Diesel engine to electric motor conversion, well re-bowl and pump replacement Hoffman & Sons, Inc- Brunswick-$32,689 grant-Five diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions and two existing well upgrades Box Butte: Wohlers, Arden-Scottsbluff-$4,378 grant- Solar water pumping installation JT Burke, Inc-Alliance- $3,657 grant-Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion with associated underground wiring Buffalo: Foster’s Family Foods, Inc-Elm Creek- $18,500 grant-Cooler replacement Trampe, Marlene-Kearney-$4,099 grant- Replace two existing mechanical windmills with solar powered submersible pumps BSJ Farms Inc-Elm Creek-$33,897 grant-Gravity irrigation to sub-surface drip irrigation conversion Schmitz, Craig-Riverdale-$49,134 grant- Replace grain dryer Flory, Duane-Gibbon-$24,027 grant-Gravity irrigation to pivot conversion, abandon and replace well, and electric motor upgrade Luther, Patrick-Elm Creek-$41,675 grant and $83,350 loan- Replace grain dryer Zwiener, Wayne-Pleasanton- $27,621 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, well rebowl, natural gas engine upgrade and associated underground piping Chase: Polly, Karl-Wauneta-$10,000 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion, two sprinkler package upgrades, renozzling and associated underground Polly, Kip & Kay- Wauneta-$8,104 grant-Two diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions and sprinkler package upgrades Clay: Sorsen’s Corner Market-Edgar-$14,900 grant-Replace 6 door, 8 door, 5 door, and 10 door refrigeration units with more efficient refrigeration units Barclay, Tom-Lincoln-$21,367 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion and diesel engine to electric motor conversion Custer: Smith, Ronald-Broken Bow-$10,488 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, new sprinkler package and associated underground wiring Popp, Beryl L.-Broken Bow-$26,171 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, rebuild pump and associated underground piping Ostrand, Neil-Mason City-$37,145 grant- Traveling gun to pivot and sub-surface drip irrigation conversions and associated wiring Dawson: Nichols, Kenneth-Cozad-$29,359 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, propane to electric motor conversion, well re-bowl, and associated underground pipe and wiring Snider, Paul-Lexington-$22,421 grant- Gravity to sub-surface drip irrigation conversion, well re-bowl and archeological study in conjunction with environmental review Pony Express Chevrolet, Inc.-Gothenburg- $49,700 grant-Direct use geothermal system installation Pony Express Chevrolet, Inc-Gothenburg-$49,923 grant- Replace lighting and add roof and wall insulation to existing car dealership building Furnas: Schoen, Bradley-Oxford-$10,661 grant-Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion and associated underground pipe and wiring Oxford Supermarket-Oxford-$16,158 grant- Replace freezers and meat case in grocery store Garden: Oshkosh Superette-Oshkosh- $20,000 grant- Compressor upgrade Gosper: Gardner Land and Cattle Co- Edison-$12,311 grant- Diesel and propane engines to electric motor conversions, well re-bowl, plus associated underground wiring and panels Hall: Andrew Woitaszewski, Inc-Wood River- $26,648 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, diesel engine to electric motor conversion and electric motor upgrade Jones, Gerald-Doniphan-$33,122 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, well re-bowl and electric motor upgrade Jerry and Linda Woitaszewski’s Corp-Wood River- $41,364 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, abandon and replace inefficient well, electric motor upgrade, and associated underground pipe and wiring Koepp, Robert- Grand Island-$45,848 grant- Gravity to sub-surface drip irrigation system conversion Hamilton: Quick, Craig-Hordville-$16,995 grant- Gated pipe to center pivot irrigation conversion and propane engine to electric motor conversion Harlan: J&M Flodine Farms, LLC-Omaha-$16,437 grant- Gravity to sub-surface drip irrigation system conversion Hayes: Obrien, Jack-Wallace-$16,383 grant- Three diesel engine to electric motor conversions and well re-bowl Howard, Jimmie-Hayes-$12,897 grant- Diesel engine to electric motor conversion, well re-bowl, nozzle upgrade, and associated underground wiring Obrien, Michael-Wallace-$9,518 grant- Diesel engine to electric motor conversion with well re-bowl Sullivan, Michael-Wallace-$20,000 grant- Diesel engine to electric motor conversion with well re-bowl and submersible pump Scott’s Grocery, LLC-Hayes Center-$14,510 grant-Upgrade refrigeration and heating/cooling systems in grocery store Holt: Marcellus, Carroll-Stuart-$8,288 grant-Replace two inefficient irrigation wells with a new well Hobbs, William-Ewing-$14,531 grant-Three diesel irrigation engines to electric motor conversions Howard: Koperski, Mark-Farwell-$29,561 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation upgrade, propane to electric submersible, and associated underground pipe and wiring Kearney: Schwenka, Dean-Heartwell-$4,036 grant-Diesel engine to electric motor conversion and associated underground wiring Keith: Dyck, Eldon-Paxton-$7,577 grant- Diesel engine to electric motor conversion, nozzle and regulator upgrades, and well re-bowl Speck, Mark-Keystone-$6,176 grant- Two diesel to electric motor conversions RMS Farms, LLC-Ogallala-$20,000 grant- Three diesel irrigation engines to electric motor conversions and well re-bowl McBride, Sheila-Brule-$10,529 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion, well re-bowl and irrigation pump replacement Lincoln: Nicholas, Dennis-Hershey-$8,434 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion Lunkwitz, Gerald-Gothenburg- $16,764 grant- Irrigation pivot upgrade Robinson, Randy-North Platte- $6,101 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion with associated underground wiring Clough, Rodney-Wallace-$17,280 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion, variable frequency drive and well re-bowl Sukraw Farms Inc- Gothenburg-$12,854 grant-Irrigation corner arm pivot upgrade and installation of variable frequency drive on electric motor Knoll, Marvin- North Platte- $35,779 grant- Six diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions with associated underground wiring Logan: Frey Farms-Stapleton-$4,517 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion Madison: O’Brien & Sons- Tilden- $14,341 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion McPherson: Schultis, Ryan-Tryon-$8,825 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion, sprinkler package and nozzle upgrade and well updates Perkins: Burge Farms Partnership-Grant- $6,512 grant- Two diesel irrigation engines to electric motor conversions Hendricks, Cecil-Grant- $10,999 grant- Energy efficiency improvements including renozzling two irrigation pivots and two well re-bowls Peaster, Garold-Madrid-$10,712 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion and associated well upgrades Lee, Leon- Grant-$11,363 grant- Two diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions Meyer, Ryal-Brule- $15,669 grant- Two diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions and variable frequency drive Friesen, Yolanda- Madrid- $10,151 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion, variable frequency drive and well upgrades Phelps: Johnson, Stanley- Holdrege-$16,342 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion F. Allen & Dwight Schneider Farms- Funk-$25,645 grant- Gravity to pivot irrigation conversion, diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion, well re-bowl and associated underground pipe and wiring Pierce: Krienke, Ted-Pierce- $4,174 grant- Diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversion Anderson, Troy-Pierce- $11,188 grant- Two diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions Platte: T&K Five Star Cattle Company, Inc- Lindsay- $17,507 grant- Installation of a 25 Kw solar panel system to power a center pivot irrigation system Red Willow: Boner, Jason-McCook- $20,000 grant- Five diesel irrigation engine to electric motor conversions Rock: Bullet, Inc.-Newport-$9,783 grant- Diesel engine to electric motor conversion Scotts Bluff: Gering Valley Plumbing and Heating Inc.-Gering- $18,629 grant- Energy efficiency improvements including lighting, insulation and HVAC upgrades Sherman: Arnold, Gerald-Litchfield- $15,320 grant- Replace volume gun irrigation with a pivot and associated underground wiring and piping Slocum, Gerald- Litchfield-$18,066 grant- Convert gravity and traveling gun irrigation systems to pivots and associated underground wiring Stevenson, James-Ravenna-$19,999 grant- Grain dryer energy efficiency conversion Siegel, John-Litchfield-$11,593 grant- Gravity and towline irrigation to pivot conversions and diesel engine upgrade Obermiller, Timothy-Loup City-$3,158 grant- Diesel engine to electric motor conversion and associated underground wiring Sioux: Perkins, Karen- Scottsbluff- $13,000 grant- Installation of 10 Kw wind turbine Thayer: Hebron Central Market, Inc.-Hebron- $45,456 grant- Replace fourteen existing refrigeration/freezer units with more efficient freezer units Olson, Roger-Firth- $39,999 grant- Pivot irrigation to sub-surface drip irrigation system conversion For additional information on the USDA Rural Development Rural Energy for America Program, contact Deb Yocum, debra.yocum@ne.usda.gov; (402) 437-5554. Visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/ne/. President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.