IARN — Today it was announced by U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice that the USDA will lead a new program from the Biden Administration aimed at helping rural communities access resources and funding, create employment opportunities, build and maintain infrastructure, and support economic stability.
If you are excited about what this could mean for Iowa, pump your brakes. We aren’t even on the list now, or in the immediate future.
The Biden Administration is keeping up its “Building a Better America Rural Infrastructure Tour.” This was kicked off with last week’s Menlo, IA visit. Today, the Ag Secretary and Ambassador Rice were in Clarksdale, MS to announce the new partnership program with USDA and rural America. The pilot program is launching in the communities and tribal areas of five states: Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Arizona. There will be a second round of states that will be added in the coming few months. Those will be in Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and tribal areas in Alaska.
Yes, you saw that correctly. Puerto Rico is going to be getting rural community assistance before all midwestern states, except for Wisconsin. Before we get into to that, let’s look at what the program aims to do.
Senior Administration Official Stefanie Feldman says this is Biden Administration living up to the promise made on the campaign trail in rural America. That it is going to help these small communities upgrade the services needed by its citizens. These programs will help rural communities have help in accessing the resources they need.
For more on this story, visit the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
