During an appearance in the Twin Cities, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is funding $230 million in rural infrastructure projects throughout Minnesota, including the development of a new meat processing plant in Waubun.
“USDA invests in rural America because we know strong communities are rooted in their people,” Secretary Vilsack said. “Powering people with modern infrastructure creates good-paying jobs and supports opportunities for people to build brighter futures. The investments we’re announcing today demonstrate the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring that people who live and work in rural areas have every opportunity to succeed – and that they can find those opportunities right at home.”
The $230 million is part of USDA’s $808 million investments in helping rural cooperatives and utilities build and improve electric infrastructure and increase electric grid reliability and security, connecting hundreds of thousands of people in rural areas. This funding will also help provide clean drinking water and sanitary wastewater systems in rural areas for years to come.
“All investments made to support the security of our food supply chain and ensure our rural communities have safe, modern infrastructure are essential for growing the prosperity in rural Minnesota,” said Colleen Landkamer, Minnesota state director of USDA Rural Development. “USDA remains committed to these priorities through our partnerships with innovators in these fields, without which these investments wouldn’t be possible.”
Bob Worth, president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, attended Sec. Vilsack’s appearance at the Good Acre food hub in Falcon Heights.
“It was a fun time, andd I was happy to be in attendance and sit next to (National Resources Conservation Service State Director) Troy Daniell,” Worth said. “I also had a chance to visit with elected officials and share our message.”
Numerous state and federal issues were in attendance, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who referenced her visit to Worth’s farm earlier in August during her speech.
The announcement will benefit nearly 480,000 people in 36 states and two U.S. territories while building and strengthening rural infrastructure, and creating good-paying jobs.
The funding announced today advances President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to grow the American economy from the middle-out and bottom up – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $500 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good-paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
