MINNEAPOLIS — A number of southern Minnesota farms and agricultural businesses were among 654 USDA Rural Development Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable and Energy Efficiency Program awardees announced Oct. 18.

Southern Minnesota projects that received funding include a $120,721 project at Boerboom Ag Resources, LCC, near Marshall and Vesta. The project includes purchase and installation of small hog farm energy efficient heat mats, saving $35,154 per year and enough electricity to power 38 homes.

Boerboom Ag Resources company partner Laurie Boerboom said the heat mats will be used on two farms near Marshall and Vesta.

“They need to be used year around for piglets (new born pigs) for the first few weeks for sure,” Boerboom said.

“We’re in the process of putting them in now. The grants pay for about half the project that includes hiring an electrician,” she said.

Boerboom Ag raises pigs from farrowing to market, working with several dozen area farmers to contract grow pigs.

Other funding includes:

• $474,727 to purchase and install a thin juice heater for the Renville Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Co-op facility. Annual savings are $1,588,528. The project is expected to save the business $1,588,528 in annual electrical costs, will replace 87,724,211 kWh, enough electricity to power 8,085 homes.

• A $223,352 energy efficient grain dryer at the Josh Johnson farm near Montevideo would save the business $8,910 in annual electrical costs, and replace 142,200 kWh, enough energy to power 13 homes.

• A $127,347 project would enable Porter farmer Randy Hauschild to purchase and install an energy efficient handling system. The project is expected to save the business $2,158 in annual electrical costs and replace 15,752 kWh a year.

• A $487,860 project would be used to purchase and install an energy efficient grain dryer on the George Goblish farm near Vesta. The project is expected to save the business $12,048 in annual electrical costs and replace 99.406 kWh, enough electricity to power six homes.

• A $230,500 energy efficient farm grain dryer for Brandts Farms near St. James would save $53,830 a year. Annual energy savings are 1,004,059 kWh, enough to power 93 homes.

• A $437,771 energy efficient grain dryer would save the Michael Redman farm near Lamberton $2,810 in annual power costs. Annual energy savings of 48,793 KWh is enough to power four homes.

• A $159,817 farm grain dryer would save the Kurt Blomgren farm near Butterfield $1,800 a year, and save 44,796 kWh, enough to power 4 homes.

• An $87,909 project for Cougar Run Inc. near Truman for energy efficient heat mats a hog farm farrowing grates would save $22,028 in annual electrical costs and replace 275,337 kWh per year, enough to power 25 homes.

• A $67,075 50k kW solar array for Kaduce Properties LLC, St. Peter, a commercial property business who rents to other small businesses, would save $5,526 in annual electrical costs and will replace 65,402 kWh, enough electricity to power six homes.