USDA Rural Development and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service (NCCES) at NC State University announced today that two regions in the state have been selected as a Stronger Economies Together Phase 5 (SET) region. Kerr-Tar Regional Economic Development (KTRED), consisting of Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren counties, and NC Foothills Strategic Economic Planning Group (NC-FSEPG), consisting of Cleveland, McDowell, Polk and Rutherford counties, will now benefit from a focused initiative to explore regional economic advantages. The SET initiative will enable KTRED and NC-FSEPG to formulate an economic blueprint for each of their multi-county regions that strategically builds on the current and emerging economic strengths of the region. KTRED and NC-FSEPG are joining 21 other regions across thirteen states participating in SET during 2015.
Launched in 2010 by USDA Rural Development, the nation’s four Regional Rural Development Centers, Purdue Center for Regional Development and their land-grant university partners, SET now exists in more than 70 regions in 31 states. SET is intended to help strengthen the capacity of communities/counties in rural America to work together in developing and implementing an economic development blueprint for the multi-county region, one that strategically builds on the current and/or emerging comparative economic advantages of that region.
For more information on the SET initiative in North Carolina, contact Brian Queen at 919-873-2072 (email: brian.queen@nc.usda.gov) or Becky Bowen at 919-628-4317 (email: blbowen@ncsu.edu). To view information about SET nationwide, visit http://srdc.msstate.edu/set/.
USDA Rural Development has 6 Area Offices and 14 sub-area/local offices across the state serving North Carolinians living in rural areas and communities. Area Office locations are in Asheville, Shelby, Lumberton, Asheboro, Henderson and Kinston. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting the USDA Rural Development web site at www.rd.usda.gov/nc.
The NCCES is based at North Carolina’s two land grant institutions, NC State University and NC A&T State University, in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. NCCES gives residents easy access to the resources and expertise of NC State University and NC A&T State University. Through educational programs, publications, and events, Cooperative Extension field faculty deliver unbiased, research-based information to North Carolinians. See http://ces.ncsu.edu/ for more information.
President Obama's historic investments in rural America have made our rural communities stronger. Under his 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.