U.S. Ag Secretary Ed Schafer has announced that USDA is awarding nearly seven-million dollars in loans and grants to 27 individuals and businesses in seven states. The funds - provided under Rural Development’s Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program - will support a variety of energy production and energy saving efforts. Schafer says the Bush administration is committed to providing more energy from within the nation’s borders. He says these loans and grants will help accomplish that goal.

One project - as an example - will provide for the construction of an anaerobic digester on a dairy farm. The gas produced from the digester will power a 250 kilowatt generator onsite - and produce more than 2.5-million kilowatt hours a year.

The Rural Development mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural Americans. Since 2001 - more than 90-billion dollars has been invested and more than 1.7-million jobs have been created or saved.