The Agriculture Department said Friday it would make $746.5 million in funding available for farms and small businesses to invest in clean energy through the Rural Energy for America and Empowering Rural America programs, including in the electoral swing states of Pennsylvania and Michigan.
The USDA will make $600 million available for REAP to help agricultural producers and rural businesses improve energy efficiency with renewable energy. The funds will be provided in three rounds until 2027 and $60 million of the money will go to underutilized renewable energy technology.
“Farmers, rural business owners and electric cooperatives are the backbone of our economy, and we are partnering with them to expand their operations while creating jobs and lowering energy costs,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press release.
