On October 26, 2011, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is funding anaerobic digester projects in eight states to encourage renewable energy production, reduce energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and farm-based pollution. Funding was provided through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). For more information on the award winners, please visit the press release on USDA's website at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2011/10/0461.xml. 11.03.2011