@@Contact: Darin Leach, Public Information Coordinator

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

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

USDA Rural Development Awards Rural Business Enterprise Grants

Totaling $473,400 to Six Iowa Organizations

DES MOINES, Iowa – June 23, 2011 – Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, today announced six organizations in Iowa are receiving a total of $473,400 in Rural Business Enterprise Grants from USDA Rural Development.

“Improving economic opportunities for rural Americans continues to be a top area of emphasis at USDA Rural Development,” Menner said. “We are pleased to be assisting these projects that will help rural communities build stronger local economies, many through improve local foods opportunities. One of USDA’s strength is working with organizations that are best positioned to help address an area’s economic needs.”

The funds announced today are being provided through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant program. Under the program, USDA Rural Development helps finance and facilitate the development of small and emerging private business enterprises. Grant funds are awarded to intermediaries to support revolving loan funds or provide technical assistance.

Projects receiving funds include:

Winneshiek County Agricultural Extension District

$90,000

Funds will be used to hire an agricultural economic development coordinator to help expand market opportunities for local foods in northeast Iowa.

New Hartford Economic Development (New Hartford, Iowa)

$99,000

Funds will be used to create a revolving loan fund to assist small and emerging businesses in New Hartford, Iowa.

City of Manchester

$58,497

Funds will be used to fund a coordinator who will provide technical assistance to small businesses in and around Manchester, Iowa.

-More-

Rural Development Awards $473,400 to Six Organizations in Iowa … page 2

Lee County Economic Development Group, Inc.

$74,450

Funds will assist the Great River Region Entrepreneurial Technical Assistance (GRRETA) Project by providing technical assistance to local food and food supply chain-related businesses and complementary enterprise networks located in southeast Iowa.

Colfax Main Street, Inc. (Colfax, Iowa)

$99,000

Funds will be used to provide low-interest loans to public and non-profit organizations to relend for business and community development. The primary goal will be job creation and retention, particularly for the unemployed or under-employed workers of Jasper County.

City of Ogden

$52,453

Funds will be used to provide technical assistance to support the development of a local foods aggregation network that will serve the needs of multiple youth camps.

Contact USDA Rural Development

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state serving the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural areas and communities. 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.

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

Further information on this and other programs offered by USDA Rural Development is available by calling (515) 284-4663, by visiting www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia or at any local area office.

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