U.S. farm agency to spend $600 million on rural clean energy projects

Dec 15 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday it will invest nearly $600 million in clean energy projects for farms and rural communities in its effort to cut the nation’s emissions while increasing energy security, adding that more money for such projects would be distributed soon.The Biden administration has said funding clean energy projects in rural communities is key to increasing the nation’s supply of renewable energy and for not leaving such areas behind as the United States tries to transition to a greener economy.”People in rural America are on the front lines of climate change, and our communities deserve investments that will strengthen our country’s resilience,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.USDA will distribute $285 million in grants and loans through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for 844 projects in 46…

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