Senator Baldwin Brings Home Over $1.2 Million to Help Wisconsin Farmers and Rural Businesses Cut Energy Costs

WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced Wisconsin farmers and rural small business owners will receive more than $1.2 million in grants to make energy efficiency improvements, cut energy costs, and strengthen the resiliency of their operations.

“Wisconsin farmers and small businesses power our rural communities, creating jobs and economic opportunity for families across the Badger State,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to help these Made in Wisconsin businesses cut energy costs, combat climate change, and increase the efficiency of their operations.”

The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) – which received a $2 billion boost through the Baldwin-backed Inflation Reduction Act. Through the REAP program, USDA provides grants and loans to help agriculture producers and rural small business owners expand their use of wind, solar, and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements.

Since 2018, REAP has invested over $9.2 million into Wisconsin farms and rural businesses. Last year, Senator Baldwin announced more than 50 farms benefitting from REAP grants. In March, Senator Baldwin announced that over 20 additional farms would be receiving direct support from REAP grants. Thanks to investments under the Baldwin-backed Inflation Reduction Act, more farmers and more acres are enrolled in voluntary conservation practices than at any single point in history.

Nearly 20 farms and businesses in Wisconsin were awarded REAP grants last month, including:

Poeschel Hidden Valley in Durand: $97,350 to help Poeschel Hidden Valley LLC, an agricultural producer, purchase and install a more energy-efficient grain dryer. The new system is expected to save the company $5,422 per year in electrical costs.

Peter Hanson in Bloomer: $339,701 to help farmer Peter Hanson install an energy efficient grain dryer. This project is expected to save the farm $13,000 in electrical costs per year and save 196,222 kilowatt hours (kWh) (48 percent of the farm's energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 18 homes.

Northwoods Dentistry in Phillips: $28,101 to help Northwoods Dentistry install a solar electric array. This project is expected to save the business more than $5,000 per year in electrical costs and replace 35,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) (87 percent of the business' energy use) per year, which is enough to power three homes.

Wisconsin Truss in Cornell: $132,770 to help Wisconsin Truss Inc. install a solar electric array. This project is expected to save $14,328 per year. It will replace 179,556 kilowatt-hours (kWh) (100 percent of the business's energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 16 homes.

Scotch Prairie Farms in Galesville: $58,342 to help Scotch Prairie Farms Inc., a corn farming operation, install a 40 kilowatt (kW) roof mount solar array. This project is expected to save $5,378 in electrical costs per year. It will replace 65,275 kilowatt hours (kWh) (132 percent of the company's energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power six homes.

A full list of REAP award recipients can be found here.

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