Agriculture Businesses in South Dakota Receive $144,000 to Be More Energy Efficient

HURON, S.D. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding $144,000 to farmers, ranchers and small business owners in South Dakota to help them be more energy efficient.

The funding for the 14 projects in South Dakota was announced alongside a total of $7.6 million for 544 projects nationwide.

Many groups in South Dakota will use the grants to replace their lighting systems with energy efficient LED lights, like KC Dairies in Elkton. The dairy is receiving more than $10,500 to replace the lights in its dairy barn, which is expected to reduce energy consumption by 78 percent.

Funding is also going to companies like Kan-Meyer, Incorporated a Sturgis-based business that will use more than $19,500 to replace lighting and coolers in its Grocery Mart store and reduce consumption by over 78 percent.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.