Ask, and you shall receive.

 

That might be oversimplifying the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Technical Assistance Grant (TAG), but it was an effective strategy for Montgomery turkey farmer Bryan Fuhs.

 

“I thought, ‘Well, it’s worth looking into,’” Fuhs said. “I needed to do (energy-efficiency updates) anyway, so if the program’s something I can take advantage of, might as well try it.

 

“I didn’t really think we’d get approved, but here we are.”

 

Located in Daviess-Martin County REMC territory, Fuhs qualified based on being located in an area identified by the USDA as a “Distressed or Disadvantaged Community,” which meant there was no dollar limit on the request. Outside of such communities, the total project cost must be less than $40,000.

 

His turkey farm now has new LED lights in the brooder barn and the two grow-out barns with a dimmer system to help optimize energy usage. All the wiring is now in conduit for the length of the barn while upgraded control panels with six sensors in each barn to monitor temperatures. The ventilation system is also automated to switch as necessary when it gets too cool or too warm.

 

An upgraded breaker box is in the control room of Bryan Fuhs’ turkey barn in Montgomery.

The biggest remaining piece of Fuhs’ upgrades is the brooder barn, where he’ll eventually add solid sidewall and insulation in the attic to improve energy efficiency.

 

Fuhs began the project in June after submitting his application by the March 30 deadline. Working with Hoosier Energy Manager of Member Solutions Blake Kleaving and GDS Associates Project Manager Bethany Reinholtz, the fifth-generation farmer found the process surprisingly painless.

 

Subsidized by a USDA grant awarded to Hoosier Energy, in partnership with GDS Associates, assistance is provided to small business and ag producers to determine eligibility for qualifying REAP projects at no cost to the applicant. Although not based on utility providers, Hoosier Energy is focusing application efforts in member-system territories.

 

“Agriculture and small businesses are essential to our economy here in southern Indiana and by providing technical assistance at no expense to ag producers, like Bryan Fuhs, we are furthering our adding to our efforts as local community-focused cooperatives,” Kleaving said. “If someone owns a farm or small business and is searching for ways to improve energy efficiency, we would be excited to assist through this REAP TAG program.”

 

“It was actually a fairly quick turnaround,” Fuhs said. “The longest part was on me because I didn’t get the paperwork in on time for the first go-round, but after I submitted it, the grant was approved within a month.”

 

That’s because Indiana is ahead of many other states in processing such applications.

 

“It was exciting to see Bryan get funded so quickly,” Reinholtz said. “Other states are six to nine months behind, but Indiana is one of the fastest at getting things turned around. I don’t know how the state turns it around within a month, and everyone else is poking along.”

 

That made the application process the hardest part, but that’s what Reinholtz is for.

 

“For REAP TAG, we’re assisting them throughout the process – getting the energy audit or feasibility study done, verifying the energy savings if they’ve already got it done, then helping them with online registration and doing the full grant application package,” she said. “It’s a matter of knowing all the information they have to provide because these require historical financial documentation and a pro forma – we can’t just make that up for them.

 

“Bryan was easy to work with. He’d call if he had questions and keep chugging through.”

 

The lighting in Bryan Fuhs’ turkey barns had all been upgraded from standard light bulbs to LED in order to improve efficiency.

In the end, Fuhs’ total project cost was $120,000 with a grant award of $60,000. The estimated energy savings on the project was 8,000 kilowatt hours and 5,500 therms since he’s on natural gas.

 

“One year post-installation, we’ll do an energy savings verification for the USDA,” Reinholtz said. “He’ll send us information on his historical energy use, and we’ll make sure the current energy use has decreased.”

 

Fuhs, whose family has raised turkeys since 1987, and has been running the turkey farm himself since 2015, is confident the results will be worthwhile.

 

“I haven’t had the updates long enough to see a change just yet, but I’m sure it will be there,” he said. “I would think even more so this winter.”

 

Initially, REAP TAG applicants were able to receive up to 50% of the project’s cost in grant money. Potential projects include lighting, geothermal, grain dryers and, in Fuhs’ case, poultry barn upgrades such as heaters, insulation or lighting. The number decreases to 20% after September 30.

 

Even so, Fuhs encourages others to give the program a try.

 

“I think people don’t realize what the benefits are,” he said. “I was a little scared at first, but I knew I needed to do it, so if I could get some assistance, that would be all the better. I strongly recommend anybody who wants to try and apply.”

 

To learn more, contact Kleaving at bkleaving@hepn.com.

 

After all, there’s a good chance that if you ask, you shall receive.