USDA curbs REAP upfront funding, limiting farmer access to efficiency and renewables

The Trump Administration has revised USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) rules, eliminating upfront funding for energy projects, effective October 16. Analysts say this will make efficiency upgrades and cheaper energy inaccessible to many farmers, aligning with the administration's broader push against renewable energy. The change signals a policy shift that could slow rural clean-energy adoption and increase energy costs for agricultural producers.