Commentary: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released a report highlighting ways Rural Development’s investments in communities, businesses and residents created jobs, provided economic opportunities and improved rural infrastructure in 2015.
“USDA Rural Development is an effective partner for economic growth in rural America,” Vilsack said. “In 2015, Rural Development provided $30 billion in direct and guaranteed loans and grants for nearly 171,000 awards to rural individuals, families, business owners, agricultural producers and communities. These investments – in affordable housing and homeownership; critical community facilities, water, electric, telecommunications infrastructure; renewable energy production and efficiency; local and regional food systems; and small business creation and expansion – have spurred job creation and improved the quality of life for millions of rural Americans.”
USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner commented on the report saying, “In 2015 we obligated $184-million to help New Mexico grow and prosper.” Brunner added, “We’ve helped thousands of New Mexicans by creating jobs, making homeownership become a reality, delivering better water, sewer, electric and communication services to communities throughout the state.”
These accomplishments are found in USDA’s 2015 Progress Report which providesan overview of the funding that was spent in the various programs across the nation administered by USDA Rural Development.
Vilsack noted in the report that one of the keys to USDA’s success in rural areas is its partnerships with private lenders, non-profit organizations and community-based groups. USDA is partnering with rural telecommunications utilities, for example, to bring high-speed broadband to rural communities. In 2015, people who live in the Mescalero Apache Reservation saw the construction begin on a new $5.3 million dollar broadband communication system. The broadband program will allow the residents of the Mescalero Apache Tribe access to better education and economic opportunities through advanced telecommunications systems.
Across the nation USDA’s support for rural infrastructure provided water and wastewater, electric and communication services to hundreds of thousands of Americans. This effort saw Rural Development help nearly 150,000 families buy, refinance or repair their homes last year. Also, eleven thousand people live in affordable apartments as a result of USDA programs to build or provide subsidies for rental housing.
USDA Rural Development’s programs also provide for a wide range of community needs. More than 21 million rural residents benefitted from USDA support for essential community facilities in 2015. The agency invested $1.8 billion in services such as schools, hospitals, day care centers, first-responder vehicles and equipment and other needs.
For example here in New Mexico, USDA Rural Development provided a $55,000 Community Facilities grant to help Sierra Vista Hospital in Truth or Consequences to purchase a new four wheel drive ambulance. This piece equipment was needed to replace old outdate equipment that was always breaking down. Also, because of some of the areas the ambulance to go to, it has extended emergency care service to the most remote part of Sierra County.
USDA helped more than 12,500 rural businesses through $1.5 billion in loans, loan guarantees, and grants last year. Since the start of the Obama Administration in 2009, more than 103,000 rural businesses have received $11 billion in USDA investments to start or expand their operations.
The report also sums up Rural Development investments since 2009. Under President Obama, USDA Rural Development has helped more than 1 million rural residents buy homes; have funded nearly 7,000 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; have provided loans to 5,100 rural businesses; financed 180,000 miles of new and improved electric transmission and distribution lines; supported 254 broadband projects completed with funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, bringing high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents, 17,500 businesses and 1,900 community facilities; and partnered in many other efforts to improve the economic conditions and quality of life for rural Americans.
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities.