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Success Stories

A mother and three daughters pose around a dining room table. There are lace curtains and blue wall in the background and some dishes on the table in the foreground.

“This is Home” – A Family Finds Their Forever Home in Calais, Maine

One of the first rooms Heather Gagne and her daughters began redecorating in their new home is the dining room, shown in the top photo. They have been busy repainting and making other updates. Raising a family in coastal Machias, Maine may sound lovely, but for Heather Gagne recent years proved stressful. There were few housing options in their Downeast community, and Heather was glad to find a rental home to…
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Use the filters below to find additional stories about how our programs have helped rural communities across the nation.

Search Results: 59 Stories
USDA-RD-REAP-Superior-Metal-Framing-Systems

Building on Sturdy Foundations

Superior Metal Framing Systems, LLC, a family-owned small business of rural Williamson County, boasts over twenty-five years of experience in designing and fabricating steel building components. With a steadfast commitment to quality and a motto of “Building on Sturdy… [Read More]
REAP
Farmer cultivating produce

An Intensive Small Farm to Get Help from the Sun

Every morning around 6:30, Mathew Ladegaard opens the flow of water from his catchment pond to water his various crops. And each morning, he looks up and sees clouds in the distance and he hopes it’ll rain later in the day which will surely help his crops grow. Ladegaard’s… [Read More]
REAP
Senator Angus King stands at a podium bearing the seal of the City of Biddeford. Sean Tarpey stands to the right in the photo, holding an award signifying Saco Bay Marine's REAP grant. In the background are 2 electric boats and a larger boat in the far background.

From Black to Green: A Biddeford, Maine boat yard on the site of a former coal-burning energy plant turns to solar energy for the future

Saco Bay Marine LLC is a Maine company with deep roots. It is the corporate parent of Rumery’s Boat Yard, founded more than 60 years ago on the Saco River in Biddeford. Now owned by Sean Tarpey, the company offers boat storage,… [Read More]
BusinessClean EnergyEnergyInflation Reduction ActREAPRenewable Energy
State Director Julia Hnilicka smiles at local business owner Henry Krull as he bags up lettuce and explains hydroponic farming.

Green energy: photovoltaic array powers growth of Alaskan produce business

During a good year, Alaska’s outdoor growing season is three months for most lettuces and herbs, so providing greens for a community year-round is a feat in itself. Doing so sustainably is another challenge entirely! In 2018, innovator Henry Krull and his family decided to… [Read More]
BusinessEnergyLocal FoodsLocal ProduceREAPRenewable EnergyRural DevelopmentSmall BusinessSolar Energy
Printing press at Midstates Group in Aberdeen.

Doing more with less

If you’ve picked up a program at a major sporting event, subscribed to an agriculture magazine, or used a workbook while studying, chances are good that Midstates Group printed it right here in north central South Dakota. This business has clients that reach coast-to-coast and… [Read More]
BusinessGrantsREAP
Renewable Lubricants CEO Bill Garmier stands in front of barrels of Lubricant Products

REAP Adds Another Level of Sustainability to Bio-based Business

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Bill Garmier returned to Ohio with nothing but starting a family farm on his mind. For years, his family would plant and harvest corn and soybeans, but when the market began to change Garmier knew he needed to find an additional source of… [Read More]
BiobasedBiopreferredEnergyREAPRenewable EnergySolar Energy
PA Business Installs Solar Panel With REAP Funding

REAP Funding Helps Pennsylvania Business Go Solar

Three Rivers Farm helps bring fresh, locally grown produce to the marketplace in a sustainable way. Nathan Holmes is the owner and founder of the business and knew early on that he wanted to help local farmers while fueling economic development in his community. As a Pittsburgh… [Read More]
Economic DevelopmentElectricGrantsLocal ProduceREAPSolar EnergySustainable/Organic Foods
finnriver coowners photo by james curtis. Three people smiling in front of fermenting equipment and bottles.

Sustainability at the Core

For many, apples are a sweet addition to a balanced diet. For Eric Jorgensen, one of the founders of Finnriver Farm & Cidery, apples are a way of life. Jorgensen and his partners started their small organic fruit and vegetable farm in Chimacum, Washington, on the state’s… [Read More]
EnergyGrantsLocal ProduceMade in Rural AmericaREAPRural DevelopmentSmall BusinessSolar EnergySustainable/Organic FoodsValue Added
Smiling woman standing in a shop with honey and honey-themed products on shelves on the walls and on racks.

Entrepreneurs and RD: a Match Meant to Bee

Mark and Linda Graf have a crew of over 400,000 bees in over 100 hives working for them near Emerson, Nebraska. The Buzz, their store on Main Street, sells local honey and related products.   The Grafs are shining examples of entrepreneurship in rural America. Linda… [Read More]
EntrepreneurLocal FoodsMade in Rural AmericaREAPRenewable EnergySmall BusinessValue Added
Fulton Business Solar Panels

Going Solar in Fulton

Fulton is a small town in Missouri and the largest city in Callaway County, with a population of about 13,000 people. But for many rural towns, identifying and securing solar incentives can be a challenge. RD’s Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems… [Read More]
GrantsREAPRenewable EnergySolar Energy

Additional Success Stories