USDA Rural Development

1. USDA Rural Development United States Department of Agriculture

2. Topics • USDA Mission Areas • Rural Development Mission • Rural Development Programs • Strategic Economic & Community Development (SECD) • Cooperative Development • Local Foods

3. One USDA, Seven Mission Areas

4. Rural Development’s Mission Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America

5. Rural Development Agencies The agencies and programs work together and complement each other to build a thriving rural community.

6. Rural Utility Service (RUS) • Electric Programs • Telecommunications Programs • Water & Environmental Programs

7. Rural Housing Service (RHS) • Multi-Family Housing • Single-Family Housing • Community Facilities

8. Rural Business & Cooperative Service • Business Programs • Energy Programs • Cooperative Programs

9. Rural Development Type of Financial Assistance http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RD_ProgramMatrix.pdf

10. Section 6025 of 2014 Farm Bill Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD)

11. What is the Section 6025 Strategic Economic & Community Development (SECD)? New requirement under 2014 Farm Bill Sets aside up to 10% of USDA program funds under: Community Facilities Water and Environmental Programs Rural Business Development Grants Business & Industry Guaranteed Loans for prioritizing projects that support the implementation of a multi-jurisdictional plan.

12. Underlying Programs • Community Facilities - • Water and Environmental Programs • Rural Business Development Grants • Business & Industry Loans - businesses

13. How the Process Works (*Can be submitted concurrently with loan/grant application)

14. Why SECD? Rural Development wants to excel at helping communities use USDA programs strategically by: • Encouraging regional planning and collaboration with partners within regions. • Using regional assets to promote the region. • Leveraging resources and financing creatively.

15. The Regional Approach: A Proven Success

16. A Good Plan…

17. Assistance to Regions SECD embraces technical assistance and initiatives as a tool for Rural Communities: • Cooperative Development – a creative alternative for rural communities to provide services that meet its citizens needs. • Know Your Farmer/Know Your Food –provides technical assistance to communities that want to use local food systems to promote Community and Economic Development with a region.

18. Cooperative Development Co-ops are producer and user-owned businesses that are controlled by, and operate for the benefit of, their members. • Farmer Co-ops – market and process crops • Rural Utility Co-ops – electrical and telecommunication services • Financial Co-ops – credit and financial services • Other Co-ops – Food stores, daycare, health services

19. Cooperative Development • Rural Communities can consider Co-ops as a means to provide services to its citizen. • For technical assistance with Cooperative Development: Margaret Bau Cooperative Development Specialist Margaret.Bau@wdc.usda Direct Line 715-345-7671

20. Local and Regional Food Systems Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (KYF2): • Helps communities scale up local and regional food systems and strengthen their economies. • Offers assistance in funding and technical assistance for developing regional food systems

21. USDA’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Initiative Website: One-stop shop for financial and technical assistance resources from USDA to grow your local food enterprise www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer The Compass: How USDA resources are put to work in your community www.usda.gov/kyfcompass The Compass Map:See what’s funded in your community and learn how others are using USDA programs www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer

22. Know your Farmer/Know Your Food For technical assistance please contact: James Barham Agricultural Economic James.Barham@wdc.usda.gov 202-690-1411

23. Final Thoughts • Rural Development has programs and committed staff that can address a variety of community and regional challenges • SECD promotes and rewardsa regional approach when using RD programs. • RD Programs can be used to lift rural communities out of poverty when programs are used strategically. • Co-ops and Local Foods Systems can be used to promote community and economic efforts for rural communities.

24. Rural Development Offices http://www.rd.usda.gov/browse-state

25. Regional Community Economic Development Coordinators Midwest: Christine Sorensen Northeast: Angela Callie West: Tim O’Connell South: Gregory Dale

26. QUESTIONS

27. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. , Washington , D.C. 20250-9410 , or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

28. Who to Contact? Insert Your Team Contact Info http://srdc.msstate.edu/set/