Energy Department terminates loan for Grain Belt Express

Department of Energy 180x720.jpg

The Department of Energy has scrapped a nearly $5 billion loan program for the Grain Belt Express, a nearly 600-mile-long electric line for wind & solar projects out of the Midwest.

The Department says it was a project “rushed out the door” in the final days of the Biden Administration. It also says the conditions necessary to issue the $4.9 billion loan are unlikely to be met, and it is not critical for the federal government to play a role in the project.

The Grain Belt Express was intended to connect wind and solar facilities across Kansas and Missouri. Senator Josh Hawley previously said the 600-mile project would put farmers in danger of losing land.

Related Stories
The Washington Tree Fruit Association says this is not surprising and notes the USDA has offered a lifeline to growers while they transition away from the cannery market.
October 29 – November 1, 2025
Large animal veterinarian Dr. Rosalyn Biggs with Oklahoma State University warns producers may not be prepared for the real threat of New World Screwworm.