DES MOINES, Dec. 16, 2020 – The Trump Administration, along with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Iowa Grant Menke, today highlighted the department’s investments in Iowa in 2020 that are building prosperity and strengthening the state’s rural businesses and communities.
“Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA invested over $697 million in rural communities throughout Iowa in 2020,” Menke said. “The investments made by USDA Rural Development are supporting Iowa’s rural communities as the agency bolsters economic opportunities and enhances the overall well-being for rural Iowans.”
Below is a summary of USDA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Iowa accomplishments:
Connecting Rural America to High-Speed Broadband
- Invested $35.8 million to support rural broadband expansion through the ReConnect Pilot Program and the Telecom Infrastructure Program. These investments are connecting 6,165 rural households, farms, and businesses to high-speed internet.
Improving Rural Infrastructure
- Invested $124.9 million to expand access to safe drinking water and improve wastewater management systems. These investments will improve the reliability of the local water supply for 118,198 rural Iowans.
- Invested $43.6 million to upgrade or build electric infrastructure, improving the efficiency and reliability of operations for 15,435 rural electric customers.
Bolstering Rural Economic Development
- Invested $9.3 million through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to increase the availability of renewable fuels derived from U.S. agricultural products. These investments will help increase biofuels sales in Iowa by a projected 45 million gallons annually.
- Invested $33.3 million to assist rural businesses through the Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee Program. Included in this total was $10.3 million in CARES Act funding.
- Invested a record $16.8 million through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program in partnership with local utility organizations, supporting 25 projects to grow and retain jobs for small businesses in rural communities.
Improving Rural Quality of Life
- Invested $287.2 million in direct and guaranteed loans through the Single Family Housing Programs to help 2,418 low- and moderate-income families buy homes throughout Iowa.
- Invested $92.7 million in loans and grants through the Community Facilities Programs that funded the construction or modernization of 42 essential community facilities such as rural hospitals, educational institutions and public safety facilities. These investments will benefit 233,689 rural residents across Iowa.
- Invested $1.6 million through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. These investments will benefit 27,000 rural Iowa residents, making it easier for them to access healthcare and educational opportunities without having to travel long distances.
Enhancing Customer Service
- Cut red tape to increase private investment in rural America by making it easier for lenders to access four flagship loan programs under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative.
- Took immediate actions to assist rural residents, businesses and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, USDA launched a Federal Rural Resource Guide, provided loan forbearances, halted evictions, and made additional funding available under existing programs. For more information, visit our COVID-19 response page.
- Streamlined regulations to ease customer access to CARES Act programs, infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community facilities and high-speed internet access in rural areas.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs 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 areas.
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million residents living in rural Iowa. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with local offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia, call (515) 284-4663, or follow us on Twitter @RD_Iowa.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.