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A coalition of 34 organizations has petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service to exclude anaerobic digesters at industrial livestock operations from grants and loans under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

The petition highlights that funding for these digesters, which capture methane from manure, primarily benefits large industrial farms and diverts taxpayer dollars from more effective energy solutions. Over the past five years, new manure digesters received average loan guarantees of $18.7 million, nearly three times the amount for solar projects, while yielding significantly less energy per dollar.

Earthjustice has also filed a lawsuit challenging the USDA's withholding of public records concerning digester funding decisions. The petition argues that continued funding for digesters exacerbates environmental issues and undermines the program's goals of supporting small farmers and rural economies.