{
  "id": 14062683,
  "title": "Trump Curbs Farmers’ Access to Funding for Energy Projects",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/trump-curbs-farmers-access-to-funding-for-energy-projects",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-12T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Trump-Curbs-Farmers-Access-to-Funding-for-Energy-Projects.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Trump Administration is limiting access to a federal rural energy program for farmers, further hindering renewable energy initiatives. A key modification to the Department of Agriculture's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) eliminates upfront funding, which analysts say will make energy efficiency projects and cheaper energy inaccessible for many farmers. The USDA's new rules, announced in late September and taking effect on October 16, aim to eliminate taxpayer funding for unreliable energy sources, safeguard farmland from oversized solar installations, and minimize imported components from adversaries. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, stated that many applicants have previously favored unreliable energy sources and failed to meet their goals. The changes seek to deter solar photovoltaic and wind energy systems on farmland and require projects to be fully operational, demonstrating actual energy output, cost savings, and performance before applying for funding. Previously, REAP could cover up to 50% of energy project costs, and farmers could apply prior to construction. The program has disbursed nearly $4.8 billion across the country from 2012 to 2025, making it the USDA's second-largest business program. Over two-thirds of REAP's grants have gone to districts represented by Republicans, primarily in the Midwest, where most projects are situated. For the current year, no REAP funding has been disbursed as USDA has paused applications pending the rule review. The new requirement for operational projects with proven energy savings before application would render energy-saving projects unreachable for many farmers, according to analysts. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and environmental organizations have filed a lawsuit against USDA, challenging the rule that effectively excludes solar energy from the REAP.",
  "summary": "The Trump Administration is restricting access to a federal rural energy program for farmers in another move against renewable energy. But the major change to the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) that eliminates upfront funding would make energy efficiency projects and cheaper energy for farmers inaccessible to many of them, analysts say. The USDA’s new rules,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}