Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), the top Democrat leading the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, announced that three businesses in Unadilla and Lizella, Georgia, were awarded a total of $165,873 in grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The three awards will help these businesses save $34,567 a year.

“We are continuing to see investments in rural communities across the country made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. I supported that law which has allowed Congress to provide substantial funds for the Rural Energy for America Program,” said Congressman Bishop. “These REAP awards are a win-win-win for our communities. Small businesses receiving the REAP grants get help with the large, upfront costs of their energy efficiency projects which saves them money and increases their profits in the long term. REAP energy projects also expand local energy production, making communities more resilient and energy independent. Finally, when businesses use energy more efficiently it helps mitigate climate change.”

Donald Hays, owner of The Sod Source, Inc. in Unadilla, Georgia, described how he would use the REAP grant to make improvements to the company’s irrigation system. “We are replacing an older pivot on our farm that is in the city limits of Unadilla, Georgia. The older pivot is from the early 90’s and it was not efficient. It used a lot of power to run and was not cost effective,” said Hays. “With this Grant we are able to replace it with a new Reinke pivot system that is very efficient and runs off a mobile app so we can control what areas that need watering and speeding up and slowing down for areas that need more or less water.” 

“We have operated breeder houses for 9 years now. Over the past few years, our power bill has doubled,” said Russell Elliot, owner of JR Elliott Farms, a poultry farm in Lizella, Bibb County which also received a REAP grant. “We were researching ways to reduce power consumption and came across the solar panels and government grant. We look forward to making the transition.”

The third awardee, Todd L. Cross, operates a small family-owned farm specializing in row crops in Unadilla, Dooly County, Georgia. The family-owned business plans to use its grant to make energy efficient improvements by replacing a diesel irrigation pump motor with an electric one. 

REAP allows the federal government to work directly with business owners to support projects that make them more energy self-sufficient. Funds can be used to reduce irrigation costs and promote solar energy. The projects funded by today’s announcement will help replace 279,107 kilowatt-hours per year used from the local energy grid.

In February, Congressman Bishop announced over $800,000 in REAP grants awarded to businesses in Calhoun, Lee, and Thomas County. These funds will help them save $79,000 a year on energy costs.

In January, over $100,000 in REAP grants were awarded to poultry farmers in Crawford County, which helped save these businesses over $6,800 a year in energy costs.

USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program is currently accepting competitive applications, and the program’s application window is open from June 30, 2024 through September 30, 2024:  https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/energy-programs/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency-improvement-guaranteed-loans 

Questions about REAP? You can contact your State Rural Development Energy Coordinator here: https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/RBS_StateEnergyCoordinators.pdf