Over a dozen Wisconsin farmers and small rural business owners will receive more than $24 million in funding. The money will make energy efficiency improvements, cut costs, and strengthen the resiliency of their operations.
“Investing in these energy upgrades is a win-win for our Made in Wisconsin businesses who are saving money and increasing the resiliency of their operations,” says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program or REAP. It received a $2 billion boost through the Inflation Reduction Act. The REAP program provides grants and loans to help rural businesses expand clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements.
In 2023, Senator Baldwin announced more than 50 farms benefitting from REAP grants.
This announcement is in addition to over 50 businesses that received REAP funding earlier this year totaling over $5 million.
See The REAP Projects
Spring Lake Farms Inc. in Marquette County – $84,002 grant to help Spring Lake Farms Inc., an ag producer in Neshkoro, Wisconsin, purchase and install a more energy-efficient grain dryer. This project will save the producer $15,086 per year.
Tinedale Project LLC in Brown County – $22,638,000 loan to develop and operate a dairy manure anaerobic digester. The digester will capture 128,787MM British Thermal Units of bio-methane. The methane will convert to renewable natural gas on site and then move through a local utility natural gas pipeline. The project will create three jobs.
Fairway To Heaven LLC in Calumet County – $91,553 grant to help Fairway to Heaven LLC in Sherwood, Wisconsin, install a small solar electric array. This project will save $3,105 per year.
Knutson Family Farms Inc. in Pierce County – $203,096 grant to help Knutson Family Farms Inc. install a more energy efficient grain dryer. The farming operation is based in Beldenville, Wisconsin and this project will save $22,670 per year. It will save 499,631 kilowatt hours (kWh) (69 percent of the farm’s energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 46 homes.
Macdonald & Owen Veneer and Lumber Co. in Polk County – $747,432 grant to help MacDonald & Owen Veneer and Lumber Co. Inc. install a solar electric array. This rural small business operates in Luck, Wisconsin, and the project will save $113,355 per year. It will replace 1,352,565 kilowatt hours (kWh) (100 percent of the business’s energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 124 homes.
See the full list: https://www.rd.usda.gov/media/file/download/usda-rd-reap-round7-chart-11142024.pdf
