Patrick Administration Announces Four Energy Grants to Agricultural Businesses

BOSTON: The Patrick Administration announced four grants to help farmers across the Commonwealth maintain energy efficient buildings, improve heating systems and build systems that generate energy from manure and organic waste. Awarded by the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), grants totaling $125,000 will fund projects at farms in Bernardston, Sheffield and Westport, as well as a Boston-based organization’s project to support renewable energy systems at five dairy farms in Colrain, Granville, Hadley, Rutland and South Deerfield. To view the full article, click here.

A Refreshing Idea for Barnyard Odor
Methane digester may reenergize dairies, if only farmers can afford them

When Deerfield farmer Peter Melnik heard about a machine that would make energy from cow manure, he was immediately intrigued. Not only would using it make his dairy farm more environmentally friendly, the technology could bring in extra cash by converting methane, an odorous and potent greenhouse gas, into electricity that could be sold to the regional power grid. But the crash of wholesale milk prices, to about half of what they were a year ago, may put this green innovation out of the reach of many independent New England farmers. To view the full article, click here.