Posts Tagged ‘President Obama’
Monday, August 22nd, 2011
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced grants for more than 900 agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the country to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in their operations. Secretary Vilsack made the announcement as part of President Obama’s rural economic bus tour in the Midwest where he highlighted efforts underway to reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil, which will increase the economic competitiveness of rural America and promote job creation.
 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack “These investments enable our farmers, ranchers and rural small business owners to develop renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements that will save them thousands of dollars in energy costs each year,” Vilsack said. “This funding is an important part of the Obama Administration’s plan to conserve natural resources, create jobs and lead our country on the path to becoming more energy independent.”
The grants are being provided through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a 2008 Farm Bill initiative. REAP offers funds for farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. These federal funds leverage other funding sources for small businesses. In all, USDA announced more than $11.6 million in energy grants today.
According to Molly Lambert, USDA State Director for Rural Development, “The REAP program is helping many agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy consumption.” For example, Larry Moore of Loudon, NH, was selected to receive an $5,862 grant to make energy-efficiency improvements to his maple sugaring operations, included in these improvements is the installation of an in series 2000 gph reverse osmosis system which is designed to increase energy efficiency by removing water from the sap prior to boiling.
Main Street Properties of Warner, LLC, located in Warner, NH will use an $18,625 grant to install an 11.25kw photovoltaic system that will generate solar electricity for their real estate management business. The pole mounted solar system will offset 65 percent of the annual energy consumption.
Scenic Nursery & Landscaping, Inc will use their $16,500 grant to install a 10kw photovoltaic solar system to replace electricity, The installation of the solar system is expected to generate 14,296 kHw of electricity.As a result, this project will significantly reduce the applicants reliance on fossil fuel based electricity and help to retain 8 jobs.
Funding of each award is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant agreement. Grants can finance up to 25 percent of a project’s cost, not to exceed $500,000 for renewables, $250,000 for efficiency. For a complete listing of Rural Energy for America Program grant recipients announced today, please click here.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.
Tags: Larry Moore, Main Street Properties, Molly Lambert, President Obama, REAP, Rural Energy for America Program, Scenic Nursery & Landscaping, Tom Vilsack, USDA Rural Development
Posted in NH Business Matters | Comments Off on NH Awarded $41,000 for Solar and Energy Efficiency Projects
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has invited agricultural producers and rural small businesses to apply for loans and grants to implement renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
 In addition, the program also provides funding to complete feasibility studies for renewable energy generation systems and energy efficiency improvements. For information on how to apply for assistance, contact Steven Epstein in the Concord, New Hampshire office at 603-223-6041. The deadlines for submitting completed REAP applications are June 15 and June 30, depending on the type of project to be funded.
“Biomass, biofuels and other renewable energy sources present an enormous economic opportunity for rural America and the rest of the nation,” Vilsack said. “President Obama and I recognize that we need to win the future by implementing a long-term strategy to meet our country’s current and long-term energy needs. The funding I am announcing today will help make America’s farmers, ranchers and rural businesses more energy efficient.”
Since Rural Development’s renewable energy and energy efficiency programs were launched in 2003, they have played a key role in helping more than 6,000 businesses nationally create jobs and make energy efficiency improvements. Under REAP, local businesses receive assistance to deploy wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy as well as implement energy efficiency projects.
Locally, Wagner Forest Management of Lyme, New Hampshire took advantage of a REAP grant and loan guarantee combination to finance the installation of a solar electric generation system to offset 33% of their company’s office building electrical needs.
Tom Colgan, President of Wagner stated that, “I was very pleased to work with the USDA on our system financing needs. Now that the system is up and running we love it—particularly on the days when the sun is shining!” Christopher Bessette of Yankee Farm Credit in White River Junction provided the loan portion of the financing while USDA RD provided a grant and loan guarantee to Farm Credit.
USDA is providing funding for up to $61 million in guaranteed loans and $42 million in grants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Funds are available to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses develop renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements and conduct studies to determine the feasibility of renewable energy systems.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of nearly $149 billion in loans and loan guarantees. Visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov for additional information about the agency’s programs or to locate the USDA Rural Development office nearest you.
Tags: Christopher Bessette, President Obama, REAP, Steve Epstein, Tom Colgan, Tom Vilsack, USDA Rural Development, Wagner Forest Management, Yankee Farm Credit
Posted in NH Business Matters | Comments Off on Rural Energy for America Program Applications Invited
Friday, January 7th, 2011
Export-related loans to small businesses approved under the Jobs Act provisions have reached nearly $110 million as of Dec. 31, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced today.
 “The Jobs Act builds on the efforts already underway through the National Export Initiative by providing SBA with additional tools to help small businesses tap into the global market,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. “We know that to take that next step to begin exporting or expand into a new market a small business often needs both financial and counseling resources.
“The Jobs Act strengthened SBA’s ability to provide assistance in both those areas by enhancing our export loan programs and also making counseling and technical assistance more accessible. Already, we’re seeing these tools put to use by small businesses that are in a position to grow and create good-paying jobs in their communities.”
The Jobs Act, signed into law on Sept. 27, raised SBA 7(a) export-related loan limits to $5 million. SBA helps small business exporters through three different export loan programs: Export Express, Export Working Capital Loan and International Trade Loan. The Jobs Act greatly enhances the tools the SBA has to help small business exporters grow.
The Act:
· Helps provide sufficient capital for small businesses looking to start or expand their exporting efforts, the law increased the maximum size of 7(a) International Trade Loans and Export Working Capital Loans to $5 million, up from $2 million, both with 90 percent guaranties.
· Makes the agency’s Export Express loan, which offers a streamlined application process, permanent with a 90 percent guaranty for loans up to $350,000 and 75 percent for loans between $350,000 and $500,000.
· Provides $90 million in grants over three years beginning in mid-2011 for states to help small business owners start or grow their exporting efforts.
· Makes counseling and technical assistance more accessible by increasing the SBA’s staff and other resources available to small business.
For a list of current SBA export lenders, visit http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/internationaltrade/lenders/index.html
President Obama has called for doubling the nation’s exports to support creating two million jobs in the next five years. SBA has taken target steps to strengthen its partnership with other federal agencies involved in international trade, creating new tools to help small businesses both begin exporting and grow their exports, and making loans to exporters more accessible.
The National Export Initiative also called for the creation of a new Cabinet-level focus on exports, expanding export financing (which in part is fulfilled by the new SBA loan limits,) prioritizing government advocacy on behalf of U.S. exporters, and providing new resources to U.S. businesses seeking to export, among other things.
For more information on export services for small businesses or to find local counseling and technical assistance resources, please visit www.export.gov.
Tags: Jobs Act, Karen Mills, President Obama, U.S. Small Business Administration
Posted in NH Business Matters | Comments Off on SBA Puts More Capital, Assistance behind Small Business Exporting
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
In his recent trip to India, President Obama cited Hollis-based Skelley Medical as one of a small number of companies including GE and Boeing, as part of the New Export Initiative. The New Export Initiative will create over 50,000+ jobs here in the US from selling goods and services in India.
 Over the past year, Skelley Medical has dramatically increased its sales of certified pre‐owned medical equipment to India as a direct result of the trade mission it went on with the U.S. Department of Commerce this year.
“We are very gratified to be mentioned by President Obama in his speech. Improving patient care and reducing the cost of health care is a global challenge and our team is working hard to make a contribution,” company President Bill Skelley said. “The recent recession forced us to think differently and develop a successful business model of acquiring surplus equipment from U.S. hospitals and exporting the equipment worldwide, primarily to India.”.
In addition to providing surplus equipment, Skelley Medical also repairs equipment and recently opened a repair shop in Mumbai, India to service Indian based hospitals. With the tightening capital budgets in U.S. hospitals; Skelley has actually helped hospitals increase capital by buying their used equipment.
“As a small business, our success is imperative on building relationships with companies inside the United States and abroad to find new and cost effective solutions for our customers,” Skelley added.
Tags: Bill Skelley, New Export Initiative, President Obama, Skelley Medical, U.S. Department of Commerce
Posted in NH Business Matters | Comments Off on Skelley Medical Cited for Participation in New Export Initiative
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