Farmers, ranchers and small businesses in rural areas of 22 states will benefit from projects designed to use energy more efficiently, as well as making sure renewable energy from rural America is a significant part of the mix. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the latest round of grants and loans being made available through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“REAP continues to help farmers and rural businesses reduce their energy consumption and by doing so, improve the bottom line of their operations,” [Acting Under Secretary for Rural Development Doug] O’Brien said. “This important Farm Bill program and others like it would not be available without a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill.”

A good portion of the REAP funds are going to make operations more efficient, including nearly $110,000 to increase the energy output from an anaerobic digester in Vermont, more than $66,000 for energy efficiency improvements for a Georgia poultry farm, and improvements to a California farm’s food refrigeration system, not to mention dozens of renewable energy projects that include more than $31,000 for some E85 and biodiesel blender dispensers in Iowa and almost $60,000 to purchase equipment to make biodiesel in Indiana.

You can see the entire list of projects here.