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USDA Helps Rural Businesses Create Jobs and Increase Economic Opportunities in Virginia

Name
Eric Peters
City
Richmond
Release Date

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today awarded 387 grants to help support the start-up or expansion of rural small businesses in the U.S. Nine of the grants, totaling $557,000, went to Virginia.

“These grants will strengthen the economic fabric of our rural small towns and communities by providing capital to small and emerging businesses,” Vilsack said today during a visit to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

USDA is awarding the grants through the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program. Recipients may use the funds to provide technical assistance, training and job-creation activities.

Dabney S. Lancaster Community College received $154,949 to aid its certificate in sustainable agriculture and Associate of Applied Science in forest management technology programs. The programs stress best practices in growing food safely and efficiently and support forestry and forest-related industries that are vital to the economy of Virginia.

Another RBDG recipient is the Town of Glasgow, which received $77,777 to construct a 36 ft. by 50 ft. pole building on 10th Street that will house a Farmer’s Market.

“The grants announced today illustrate the partnership between USDA Rural Development and the Virginians we serve,” said Basil Gooden, Ph.D., Virginia state director, USDA Rural Development. “In working together to improve the quality of life and economy in rural Virginia through projects like establishing community spaces and supporting higher education, we strengthen the commonwealth for the future.”

Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement.

In fiscal year 2014, USDA Rural Development in Virginia contributed more than $35 million in grants, loans and guaranteed loans via its rural business programs. In total, via community facility and utilities programs, rural housing programs and rural business programs, the agency contributed more than $850 million in fiscal year 2014.

USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant Program is one of several that support rural economic development. Since the start of the Obama administration, USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service has helped 85,000 rural businesses.

President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities.