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Stimulating Minnesota’s Rurual Communities
For too many people, including Minnesotans, all U.S. Department of Agriculture expenditures get lumped together and referred to simply as "the farm program."
This is an injustice to farmers, who are accused of pocketing all USDA expenses; it is wrong for all food consumers—all of us—who want healthy and safe foods, and for all rural residents who are helped by USDA Rural Development programs that improve the economy and quality of life for all.
This point became obvious again this past week when Colleen Landkamer, Minnesota state director of USDA's Rural Development programs, released data on her agency's programs for the 2011 fiscal year.
Rural Development made $676 million in grants and loans available to rural Minnesota communities and businesses in the past year, she said. In rounded numbers, this included:
- $416 million for rural housing programs,
- $44 million in business assistance,
- $42 million for community facilities,
- $33 million for water and wastewater treatment improvements,
- $117 million in electric loans, and
- $22 million for expanding broadband services in rural areas.
These programs improve quality of life in rural areas and stimulate the local economy through economic development.
Landkamer's online column looking back at the past fiscal year cited several examples of how this played out. Among them, Community Memorial Hospital at Cloquet is expanding with Rural Development support, the Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative received a $20 million loan to expand high-speed Internet service to Park Rapids and Trout Lake communities, the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership received a housing preservation grant, and three Minnesota organizations received grants to assist development of rural cooperatives around the state.
No matter how you simplify government service and government programs, this 2011 federal assistance makes for a heckuva "farm" program.
Posted in Economic Development | Related Topics: Agriculture Rural Minnesota Rural Access
1 Comment
david Nass says:
December 1, 2011 at 5:37 pm
I hope none of that coop money is going to American Crystal Sugar that is engaging in anti-worker lockout activity. That’s not a strike, it’s a lockout and I think we should all boycott American Crystal Sugar products.