U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it is hiring 40 Climate Change Fellows to help with the record numbers of applications from farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses seeking funding for clean energy projects under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The new positions are being funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis, a key pillar of Bidenomics and part of the Investing in America agenda.
The positions are part of the USDA Climate Change Fellows Program, which hires new staff with a range of skills to carry out USDA’s activities to address climate change and find solutions to agricultural challenges, enhance economic growth, and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, and producers. The program brings expertise and fresh perspectives to the federal workforce and expands the climate consciousness of state offices around the country. These historic investments in future agricultural leaders will help USDA attract the best and brightest to face the growing challenges of the agricultural economy.
The Inflation Reduction Act provided REAP with $2 billion of funding to meet growing demand from farmers and small business owners looking to expand their use of wind, solar, and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements that save business owners money and in some cases generate new revenue sources through net metering and power purchase agreements. So far, USDA has made $1.25 billion of that available and has seen a dramatic increase in grant applications under the program. The program is part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which made it a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Three of the new positions will report to USDA Rural Development’s national office. One fellow will need to be based in Indiana. To apply for a position in Indiana, visit this USA Jobs posting. The deadline to apply is Monday, January 8th, 2024.
Initial appointments may be for up to two years. Additional one-year extensions may be made up to four years. Most states will receive additional funds, announced at a later date, to provide REAP technical assistance in addition to these staffing positions.
