@@Contact: Darin Leach, Public Information Coordinator

Phone: (515) 284-4747 (office); (515) 669-5691 (cell)

E-mail: Darin.Leach@ia.usda.gov

USDA Rural Development Hosting Nine Rural-Issues Listening

Posts in Iowa during April

Local Community and Economic Leaders Encouraged to Participate in Conversations

DES MOINES, Iowa – April 4, 2011 – Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, will be visiting nine communities in April to continue his ongoing conversations with rural Iowans.

USDA Rural Development is helping organize rural listening posts in Algona, Emmetsburg, Marshalltown, Toledo, Dyersville, Elkader, Fayette, Newton and Montezuma during the month.

State Director Menner will be listening to local community and economic development leaders, as well as the general public, discuss issues and opportunities they encounter in their ongoing efforts to keep rural Iowa vibrant and prosperous.

The meetings are open to the public.

For more information about these listening sessions please call (515) 284-4663.

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USDA Rural Development Hosting Listening Posts in April … page 2

Additional meetings are being planned around the state for May. USDA Rural Development kicked off the sessions in March with meetings in Iowa and Cedar Counties.

In the last 10 years, 66 of our state’s 99 counties have seen a population decline. While rural communities and areas are home to 1.7 million Iowans, more than half of Iowa’s nearly 950 cities now have fewer than 500 residents.

USDA Rural Development currently administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility loan and grant programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

During the past year the agency helped a record number of Iowans receive funding for economic development projects and quality of life improvements. The agency’s investment in Iowa helped create or retain more than 2,200 jobs, aided 2,500 families in buying their own homes and assisted more than 250 communities as they made improvements to their facilities, services and infrastructure.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a State Office in Des Moines, along with Area Offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.

Further information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting the agency’s web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia or by calling (515) 284-4663.

USDA Rural Development is an equal opportunity lender with a variety of grant and direct and guaranteed loan programs for single and multi-family housing, community facilities, water and sewer development and business and industry programs.

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