Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, promoted clean energy investments going to rural communities and highlighted his work to strengthen Illinois agriculture.
Sorensen joined U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Senior Advisor Cindy Axne and Rural Development State Director Betsy Dirksen Londrigan to highlight clean energy investments on local farms made possible through USDA grants. Sorensen hosted a roundtable to hear the concerns and challenges of farmers and highlight Sorensen’s work to support them in Congress.
Sorensen and the leaders visited the farm of Frank Hopkins, Jr., who is receiving funding to install solar panels so he can lower his operating costs. This funding comes from the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which awards funding to eligible entities to implement renewable energy projects and make energy efficiency improvements. This investment is expected to save Hopkins’ nearly $8,100 per year.
"My top priority for Illinois farmers is lowering fuel costs so we can build sustainable communities for future generations,” said Sorensen. “Clean energy investments allow our farmers to grow more crops, get goods to market faster, and put food on the table for their families. I am committed to making sure these investments get to the communities in Central and Northwestern Illinois that need them most.”
Sorensen also visited CHS, Inc. in Annawan, Illinois, to highlight how Illinois farmers can help lower gas prices, create good-paying jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil through the production of ethanol and biofuels. CHS, Inc. uses an advanced process to convert corn into high-quality ethanol. Illinois is one of the largest producers of corn in the country.
On the House Agriculture Committee, Sorensen is working in a bipartisan way to pass a Farm Bill that strengthens the agriculture industry and clean energy production in Central and Northwestern Illinois to create jobs and build sustainable communities.