Welcome
The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center is an electronic, national resource for producers interested in value-added agriculture. Browse commodities and products, investigate market and industry trends, study business creation and operation, read research results and locate value-added resources.
Energy Audits
 |
| Infrared photo showing heat loss |
AgMRC Resources
Energy Audits for Farms and Ranches, Commodities and Products - This webpage is a collection of publications about energy audits, of online tools to assess current energy usage and to estimate energy savings, and of state and federal funding for energy audits. The webpage concludes with six case studies detailing how these operations implemented energy-saving measures.
Energy Calculators, Renewable Energy - This list of informational sources links to 13 different assessment toolkits, calculators and estimators.
Farm Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy - This webpage promotes the use of energy efficiency in the areas of fuel, motors, irrigation, farm buildings and greenhouses.
Federal Energy Programs, Markets and Industries - This webpage links to nine energy program websites associated with the federal government.
Other Resources
All About Farm Energy Audits, ATTRA, NCAT, YouTube - In this video, Mike Morris of NCAT discusses his work on farm energy audits and the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
Dairy Farm Energy Management Handbook, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection - While written for dairy farmers, this handbook provides an excellent overview about better ways to manage energy on any farm. It covers a wide range of subjects, including farm energy audits, wiring safety and maintenance checklists.
Energy Audits: Helping Farmers Save Money and Energy, USDA Energy Blog, 2011 - Read about an energy audit conducted on a family farm in Massachusetts. The owners requested the audit to help them find ways to conserve heat and better insulate their greenhouse, where they grow vegetables.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program FY 2012 On-Farm Energy Initiative, NRCS, USDA - This Initiative enables producers to identify ways to conserve energy on their farm with an Agricultural Energy Management Plan, or on-farm energy audit, and provides financial and technical assistance to help them implement various measures and practices recommended in an on-farm energy audit. Includes application deadlines and eligibility requirements.
Farmstead Energy Audit, North Dakota State University Extension Service, 2008 - This comprehensive publication suggests ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy expenses for farm shops, lighting, livestock buildings, tractors and field operations, grain dryers and livestock waterers.
Tracking the energy use on your farm, Farm Energy, Iowa State University Extension, 2009 - This publication explains how to use an energy log, an easy and inexpensive method for producers to track their energy use; study costs; and compare use and costs from month to month.
rev 1/12 DH.
Quick Links
View USDA's Value Added Producer Grant website to access the latest information about this grant program.
Need answers to ag-related questions? Use this USDA tool to locate and contact a land-grant university Cooperative Extension specialist in your state.
Funding
NEW! On-Farm Energy Initiative, EQIP, NRCS, USDA, FY 2012 - This Initiative enables producers to identify ways to conserve energy on their farm with an on-farm energy audit, and provides financial and technical assistance to help them implement various practices recommended in the energy audit. Includes application deadlines and eligibility requirements. The first application cutoff for 2012 is Fri., Feb. 3.
NEW! Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Rural Development, USDA, FY 2012 - REAP provides grants for conducting energy audits, renewable energy development assistance and renewable energy feasibility studies. It also provides loans to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and to make energy efficiency improvements. The first deadline, for energy audits and for renewable energy development assistance, is Fri., Feb. 21. For more information, see the REAP NOFA.
grants.com - This website provides information on over 1,000 federal grant programs and access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards, including the Value-Added Producer Grant program.
Guide to USDA Funding for Local and Regional Food Systems, National Sustainable Ag Coalition, 2010 - This guide describes 14 USDA grant and loan programs, such as the Value-Added Producer Grants, that support the development of local and regional food systems. Users are provided with application guidelines, matching requirements and contact information as well as a brief case study for each program.
Find us on Facebook.
