MOUNT LAUREL, NJ -- When most Americans hear the term USDA, they probably think of food safety inspections and farming. To be fair, they’re not wrong – the USDA has historically led the nation’s efforts to serve citizens in those areas. But when you start to peel back the layers of the 29 agencies and more than 100,000 employees that make up the department, you’ll find there’s one agency solely dedicated to serving those hard-to-reach rural areas that are sometimes forgotten: Rural Development.
Two years ago, President Biden appointed me to serve as the USDA Rural Development State Director for New Jersey. Rural Development’s mission is to improve the economy and quality of life in rural America, and as I reflect on these past two years, I do so with immense pride and sense of accomplishment in carrying out that mission in my home state.
As a team, we’ve been dedicated to serving the heart of our state—the small towns and rural communities that form the backbone of our nation. Over the past three years under the Biden administration, we've proudly funded 1,826 projects and injected vitality to rural areas around New Jersey with investments totaling $509.3 million.
These investments are in the people of rural New Jersey – the farmers, business owners, home buyers and the small towns they call home.
Through strategic grant and loan programs, we've been catalysts for economic growth, job creation, and community empowerment. The impact of our work resonates across various sectors, transforming the landscape of rural New Jersey. From revitalizing farms to enhancing public facilities and infrastructure improvements, we've sown the seeds for sustainable progress.
Small businesses, farmers and producers have flourished under the support of our Business Programs. Our investment in business development has fostered entrepreneurship, injecting vitality into local markets.
Take for example Moonshot Farms in East Windsor, where a Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant allowed the farm to heat their operations using clean geothermal technology instead of outdated, inefficient, and expensive propane. The new system is much more efficient, where one unit of electric energy used by the geothermal heat pump produces at least four units of heat -- a realization of 400 percent efficiency. The upgrade will continually put money back in the farmers’ pockets, saving over $5,000 on their energy costs annually.
If we’re not helping a farmer or rural small business save money on their energy bills, we’re helping a food producer expand their business -- such as the $250,000 grant we provided for processing and marketing the sale of Simply Sheep Yogurt in a glass jar.
Who knew sheep yogurt was a thing? The owners of Valley Shepherd in Long Valley in Morris County did. Our investment will lead to two new jobs created on the production line and one new sales job.
Speaking of creating jobs, last year we provided $30,000 in grant funds to support the Salem City Small Business Incubator program, which incorporated 12 classes taught by Rutgers University staff for technical training to start and operate a micro-business.
Addressing the housing needs of our communities is also a priority. Through our programs, we've not only helped build homes, but also built futures — providing affordable housing options that build generational wealth and ground families in their communities. Habitat for Humanity notes that residential stability as result of homeownership improves life satisfaction, increases civic participation, and improves educational outcomes for children, along with better physical and mental health. We agree!
In New Jersey, more than 1,500 rural residents became homeowners or had their home repairs funded through our Housing Programs, totaling roughly $301 million in aid since President Biden took office.
Our Single-Family Housing Direct Home Loans program provides a path to homeownership for low- and very-low-income families living in rural areas. The program does not require a down payment and offers a low interest rate.
Through our Home Repair program, we provide loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes or grants to very-low-income seniors to remove health and safety hazards.
We’ve also stepped in to provide $257,000 in Housing Preservation Grants to local Habitats and rural communities to support critical housing upgrades such as replacing septic systems, repairing roofs, or installing walk-in showers for very-low-income seniors.
Our commitment extends to community facilities, encompassing schools, public safety, and even healthcare. We understand these elements are the bedrock of thriving communities, and our Community Facilities Programs reflect this understanding.
Near the top of the state in Phillipsburg, we funded Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership, or NORWESCAP, with a grant of $1,050,000 for the purchase of a food storage warehouse and significant renovations that allow the nonprofit to become a permanent distribution hub to serve more than 27,000 food insecure residents of Northwest New Jersey.
In Dover, New Jersey, we assisted Zufall Health Center by providing grants totaling $999,500 to increase the staffing capacity of clinical and dispensing pharmacists for vaccines and other medications. The personnel expansion allowed the center to adequately handle current and future patient waves more efficiently and provides increased healthcare and safety access to residents in remote areas.
Making our way south, small rural communities like Bound Brook, Frenchtown, Ocean Gate, Mount Holly, Dorothy, Woodbine and others received grant and loan funding to purchase police and fire vehicles and other essential equipment.
In the state’s most rural county, Salem County, a $1 million grant assisted with the purchasing of medical equipment for the Salem Medical Center. The project included an EKG machine, BiPAP machines, ventilators and defibrillators, and will help the health center better meet the long-term health care needs of more than 500,000 greater community residents.
Many of these same communities can also qualify for our Water & Environmental Programs where we invest in clean water and sewer infrastructure. The Borough of Sussex down to the City of Cape May have collectively received nearly $32 million since 2021 to finance treatment plant upgrades, sewer service expansions, water main replacements and equipment to filter water to remove dangerous forever chemicals.
As you can see, our success is not measured solely in dollars and cents but in the successes of people with newfound economic opportunities, the dream of homeownership, and communities thriving. Each project we fund represents a step toward a more resilient, vibrant rural New Jersey.
I am honored to serve as the appointed leader of Rural Development in New Jersey and am proud of our efforts and collaboration that underscore the importance of our mission and the trust placed in our ability to make a meaningful impact.
Along with a dedicated team of civil servants, many with decades of public service, and the support of our many partners, we embrace new challenges, explore innovative solutions, and will continue our journey of service to the residents of rural New Jersey.
For more information on our more than 70 programs, visit our state website, and don’t forget to follow us on social media or you can call us at 856-787-7700 using that old technology – a phone.
Jane Asselta is a native of Vineland, NJ, growing up a few miles from the family’s produce farm when “farm to table” was a way of life. She’s the first woman to hold the state director position in the state, where she leads a team of over 20 specialists delivering a comprehensive suite of investment programs and services to help residents, businesses and communities in the rural parts of New Jersey.