U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Oklahoma State Director Kenneth Corn announced last week that USDA will accept applications starting on April 1 for $1 billion in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses invest in renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. USDA is making the $1 billion in grants available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), with funding from President Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis.