Washington, DC — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says Iowa may be a destination for USDA jobs being moved out of Washington, DC. The first round of announcements included North Carolina, Colorado, Utah, Missouri, and Indiana. Iowa was not in the list, but she says there are more announcements coming
Rollins says there are a lot of USDA employees in Iowa already. The USDA has “Service Centers” in Iowa’s 99 counties for the operations of the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and USDA Rural Development. Ames is home to the National Centers for Animal Health, a 523-acre campus with 93 buildings. About 90 percent of USDA employees work in offices around the country. About 46 hundred are currently based in Washington.
Rollins made her comments during a news conference at the Iowa State Fair, where she announced President Trump is nominating Glen Smith of Atlantic to serve as USDA Undersecretary of Rural Development.
Rollins also announced the USDA is making a $152 million investment in 19 rural development projects in Iowa.
The Guthrie County Hospital is getting a $37-million USDA loan to expand and renovate the facility. Four Rural Electric Co-ops are getting USDA loans for projects. USDA grants are going to 11 Iowa cities and two rural water systems to improve wastewater and drinking water utilities. And Halbur, a Carroll County town with about 230 residents, is getting a half-a-million-dollar loan from the USDA for street improvements. A detailed list of these grants and loans can be found on www.radioiowa.com.
KIWA Staff Photo
