Investments in clean energy are being promoted by Congressman Eric Sorensen of the House Agriculture Committee. With Senior USDA Advisor Cindy Axne and Rural Development State Director Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, they highlighted the benefits of USDA grants to local farms. A roundtable discussion was also hosted, giving farmers the platform to express their concerns and challenges. Frank Hopkins Jr., a farmer who received funding for solar panel installation, is expected to save almost $8,100 annually. The funding falls under the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), aimed at implementing renewable energy projects and boosting energy efficiency.
Sorensen also traveled to CHS in Annawan to highlight how Illinois farmers can help lower gas prices, create good-paying jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil through the production of ethanol and biofuels. CHS, Inc. uses an advanced process to convert corn into high-quality ethanol. Illinois is one of the largest producers of corn in the country.
