FEATURE: USDA
SUPPORTS ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS FOR BOZEMAN, MONTANA BUSINESS
INTRO: A Bozeman, Montana company is benefitting from
U.S. Department of Agriculture investments in efficient energy. The USDA’s
Patrick O’Leary has more. (1:50)
BOZEMAN, MONTANA IS A PRIME SPOT FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION -
AND A LOGICAL LOCATION FOR A COMPANY THAT CATERS TO ANGLERS.
Robert Gibson, Simms Fishing Products: Simms
Fishing Products, corporate headquarters, we’re very proud to be in the center
of fly fishing. We have many employees that fish, some even fish at lunch -
they go right to the Gallatin River which is about a half-mile from here, and
test out our products.
SIMMS PRODUCTS INCLUDE FISHING WADERS AND OTHER FLY
FISHING GEAR.
Gibson: What we make here is Gore-Tex fishing waders
- a wide range of models and styles for men and women and kids. And we’re the
last wader company to make waders in the U.S.
WHEN DESIGNING THE NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR THESE HOME-GROWN
PRODUCTS, SIMMS LOOKED TO THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S RURAL
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR HELP. WITH USDA SUPPORT, THEY WERE ABLE TO EQUIP THEIR
FACTORY WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT FEATURES.
Gibson: With
some of the funding they helped provide we were able to do solar panels to
generate electricity, we have a solar hot water system, we re-did all the
lighting in the building to do energy-efficient lighting. And frankly on some
of these items we wouldn’t have done them without the USDA.
THE U-S-D-A INVESTMENTS HELP TO MAINTAIN AN IMPORTANT
EMPLOYER IN THIS AREA BY KEEPING THEIR OPERATING COSTS DOWN.
Gibson: Reducing energy costs definitely helps our
bottom line, but we are really focused on helping the environment. And, you
know, fishing - you need to be in a great outdoor spot and if we can help the environment
and reduce our carbon footprint, we're very interested in that.
U-S-D-A RURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERS LOANS, GRANTS AND OTHER
PROGRAMS TO HELP GROW JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN AMERICA’S SMALLER COMMUNITIES.
Gibson: The USDA office in Bozeman was fantastic.
We're very proud to work with them, we feel like they’re a partner, and I would
encourage anyone interested in an energy project to contact them.
FOR THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, I’M PAT O’LEARY.
