USDA Rural Development California

California's rural areas offer some of the most picturesque scenery in the world with an array of geography found no where else. The USDA Rural Development Photo Gallery offers images depicting the considerable work to transform rural economies, and some of the key people working to make positive change for rural California.

State Director Ben Higgins

Chuck Clendenin, Business-Cooperative Program Director

Bob Anderson, Single Family Housing Program Director

Janice Waddell, Community Program Director

Stephen Nnodim, Multi-Family Housing Program Director

As part of Co-Op Month celebrations, USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins presented a $300,000 Value-Added Producer Grant check to Sunsweet Growers, Inc. President and CEO Arthur Driscoll. The grant funds will be used to assist the Yuba City-based cooperative in marketing a new plum juice product, "PlumSmart Light."

(8/15/07)
USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins presented Jefferson Economic Development Institute (JEDI) with a $45,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) check at their headquarters in Mount Shasta. The grant will help in funding JEDI's Small Business, Big Impact Program aimed at supporting rural entrepreneurs through training and technical assistance.

(7/26/07)
USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins presented an $88,000 RBEG to Central Coast Resource Conservation and Development (CCRC&D) Council President Chuck Pritchard during Cattlemen & Farmers Day at the California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles. The grant will assist in creating a new cooperative business that will market and distribute locally grown produce and meat products, as well as complete a mobile harvesting unit for area livestock producers.

(7/25/07)
Orange Cove Mayor Victor Lopez accepted a $76,000 RBEG from USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins outside one of Orange Cove's newest businesses, Central Valley Biofuels. The city will use the funds to upgrade facades and provide technical and financial assistance to small and emerging businesses in Orange Cove.

(7/25/07)
USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins presented California Citrus Mutual (CCM) with a $61,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) at their monthly meeting. The organization will use the funds to expand their weather service program into Kern County and repair/replace aging equipment.

(7/2/07)
USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins and Congressman Dan Lungren presented officials with the Calaveras Healthy Impact Product Solutions (CHIPS) Project a $96,500 Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) check at the West Point Community Hall. The project will turn small diameter wood into wood chips and mulch, which in turn will provide area jobs while reducing excess forest fuels.

Pictured above L-R: State Director Ben Higgins, CHIPS Project Chairman Steve Wilensky and Congressman Dan Lungren. Higgins and Lungren congratulated the community for their efforts to reduce fuels and create jobs in West Point.

Right: Lungren and Higgins present a $96,500 RBEG check to CHIPS Project organizers and volunteers.

(6/4/07)
State Director Higgins presented Siskiyou County Economic Development Council with a $32,500 check for upgrades to the community kitchen and technical assistance.

Pictured L-R: Debra Wilmot-Avery, Director of Pacific West Foodworks; Kevin DeMers, Rural Development Manager Yreka Office; Ben Higgins, State Director; Tonya Dowse, Executive Director Siskiyou County Economic Development Council; Steve Drageset, President Board of Directors, Siskiyou County Economic Development Council.

Yolo Mutual Housing Association (YMHA), the new Center for Cooperatives in California received a check for close to $225,000 at one of their project locations in Knights Landing. The center works with cooperatives on various projects throughout the state, including providing technical assistance and support to Knights Landing Cooperative Children’s Center.

Pictured L-R: YMHA Board President, Lucas Srerichs; USDA RD Cooperative Specialist, Karen Firestein; YMHA Executive Director, Kim Coontz; USDA RD State Director, Ben Higgins; USDA RD Business and Cooperative Program Director, Chuck Clendenin.

Children attending the Knights Landing Children's Center Cooperative take some time to play on the equipment.

Single Family Housing Programs

(1/16/08)
USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins and Orange Cove Mayor Victor Lopez presented Mrs. Virginia McCleary with the keys to her new home at an event held outside the home. To help reduce expenses, the City of Orange Cove waived all permit fees and provided both fencing and landscaping, and Fidelity Title waived all their fees. McCleary has been a resident of Orange Cove for 45 years.

Mrs. McCleary outside her beautiful new home. Her original home was damaged during a fire and had to be torn down and rebuilt.

L-R: Mayor Victor Lopez, Mrs. Virginia McCleary, State Director Ben Higgins. Lopez and Higgins presented Mrs. McCleary with the keys to her home.

(9/18/07)
USDA Rural Development joined the City of Brawley and 12 families to celebrate the completion of 12 self-help homes. In addition to the families receiving their official certificates of completion from State Director Ben Higgins, officials from the City of Brawley and USDA Rural Development cut a ribbon outside one of the homes.

Higgins congratulates one of the new homeowners outside the homes in Brawley and presents him with his certificate of completion.

L-R: John Benson, Mayor Pro-Tem; Ben Higgins, State Director; Don Campbell, Mayor; Jo Sheilds, Councilmember; Toni Carrillo, Councilmember; Francisco Soto, Housing Manager; Oscar Rodriquez, City Manager.

USDA Rural Development completed National Homeownership Month celebrations in the Tehama County city of Red Bluff with a wall-raising. The 14-home subdivision is being developed by Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP).

State Director Ben Higgins and CHIP staff helped family members raise a wall at the "South Jackson Street" Subdivision in Red Bluff.

One of the 14 homes in the subdivision under construction.

USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Deputy Administrator, David Villano and State Director Ben Higgins celebrated National Homeownership Month with Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) by congratulating 39 families who recently completed construction on their homes in the Riverside County city of Mecca.

Single Family Housing Deputy Administrator, David Villano, flew out from Washington, D.C. to join Rural Development and CVHC in congratulating 39 families on completing their homes through the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program.

CVHC Executive Director, John Mealy thanked USDA Rural Development for their investment in the Self-Help Housing Program, and introduced State Director Ben Higgins.

Family members, USDA Rural Development staff and CVHC staff all gathered outside one of the recently completed homes to cut a ribbon marking the grand opening on the "Sierra Vista" subdivision.

Entertainment was provided by the CVHC balletfolklorico students pictured above, as well as the CVHC Mariachi students.

USDA Rural Development staff celebrated National Homeownership Month with Mercy Housing in the Yuba County city of Linda. Staff volunteered to spend a day working with the families of the 31-home subdivision helping with landscaping, building fence and electrical wiring.

USDA Rural Development celebrated National Homeownership Month with Burbank Housing in the Sonoma County city of Windsor. The homes are all two story, the only self-help homes of its kind in California. The 17-home "Los Amigos" subdivision is currently one month ahead of schedule.

State Director Ben Higgins congratulated Tom Kuhn and Burbank Housing on their successful training for Self-Help Housing construction managers on 2 story homes.

State Director Ben Higgins presented the families with certificates for dishwashers courtesy of Burbank Housing. The families received the dishwashers for beating their construction deadlines.

USDA Rural Development kicked off National Homeownership Month in the Fresno County city of Biola. State Director Higgins helped out families raise a wall at the 23 home subdivision. The subdivision is being developed with assistance from Self-Help Enterprises.

State Director Ben Higgins and several family members gather for a picture before the wall-raising at the Self-Help Enterprises subdivision in Biola.

State Director Ben Higgins congratulates the families on their commitment to participating in the self-help housing program.

Participants and State Director Higgins all gather to help raise one of the long walls left in the subdivision.

One of the self-help housing participants hard at work on one of the 23 homes currently under construction in the Biola subdivision.

Community Programs
(4/22/08)
USDA Rural Development celebrated Earth Day 2008 on April 22 in the City of San Joaquin. State Director Ben Higgins announced a total of $6.1 million in loans and grants for improvements to the city's wastewater system. Additional activities included e-waste recycling, paper shredding and recycling, and recognizing winners of an Earth Day poster and essay contest from San Joaquin Elementary School.

Pictured L-R: Higgins; Gary Horn, City Engineer, Chris Rosander, Congressman Costa's office; Amarpreet Dhaliwal, Mayor of San Joaquin

Victor Garcia, a fourth grader at San Joaquin Elementary read aloud his first place essay on what he would do to help the environment in San Joaquin

Community members old and young came to drop off their electronic waste at the Earth Day event. The e-waste recycling was sponsored by Mid Valley Disposal.

State Director Higgins stands amid piles of old computer parts and televisions all waiting to be recycled.

(9/18/07)
USDA Rural Development provided $4.4 million to the City of Holtville to assist with the construction of a new water storage tank as well as line two ponds. At an event held at the future site of the water tank, State Director Ben Higgins presented the city with a check commemorating the investment.

Pictured L-R: Laura Fischer, City Manager; Dave Hartwell, USDA Rural Development; Colleen Ludwig, Mayor; Ben Higgins, State Director; Daniel Cardona, USDA Rural Development El Centro office.

State Director Higgins joined city officials in turning over the first shovels of dirt at the future site of a new 2.5 million gallon water storage tank.

(5/31/07)
USDA Rural Development announced an investment of over $10 million to the City of Firebaugh for some urgent repairs and upgrades to the city's water and wastewater systems. State Director Ben Higgins and Congressman Jim Costa congratulated the city on their leadership and commitment to their citizens. The announcement was followed by a check presentation to Firebaugh Mayor, Craig Knight and City Manager, Jose Antonio Ramirez.

Congressman Jim Costa speaks to a crowd of 100, congratulating the city on their accomplishment of obtaining millions of dollars to repair their water and sewar systems. Listening are (L-R) Mayor Craig Knight; State Director Ben Higgins; City Manager Jose Antonio Ramirez.

State Director Ben Higgins presents a check for $10.1 million to the City of Firebaugh

Pictured L-R: Craig Knight, Mayor of Firebaugh; Janice Waddell, Community Programs Director, USDA RD; Jose Guardado, Rural Development Manager, Merced Office; Ben Higgins, State Director; Javier Marquez, Mayor Pro Tem; Congressman Jim Costa; Mike Starinsky, Engineer; Jose Antonio Ramirez, Firebaugh City Manager.

A Fresno area mariachi band welcomed guests to the luncheon hosted by the City of Firebaugh.

(4/23/07)
USDA Rural Development celebrated Earth Day 2007 on April 23 in the community of Esparto today by announcing Esparto Community Services District (CSD) as the recipient of a combined total of $5.1 million in loans for water and wastewater improvements. USDA Rural Development funded 61 new rural water and wastewater community systems in 29 states totaling nearly $180 million.

Pictured left to right: Esparto CSD Chairman, Larry Kieny; USDA Rural Development State Director, Ben Higgins; USDA Rural Development Business Administrator, Jack Gleason; Esparto CSD General Manager, Ron Loudon.

Business Administrator Jack Gleason came out from Washington, D.C. to join the Earth Day celebration in Esparto.

Local middle school students lent a hand planting trees near the entrance to the Esparto Community Services District.

State Director Ben Higgins enjoys an Earth Day inspired refreshment at the conclusion of the check presentation.

(3/15/07)
USDA Rural Development provided a $100,000 RCDI grant check to California Coaltion for Rural Housing (CCRH) at Big Valley Rancheria in Lake County on March 15. With the funds, CCRH will provide training and technical support to assist tribes in acquiring and developing land for housing projects and related infrastructure, rehabilitating and building housing, and operating housing assistance programs. Tribes being assisted include Big Valley Rancheria, Lakeport; Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Lakeport; Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Rancheria, Upper Lake; Robinson Rancheria, Nice; Elem Indian Colony, Clearlake

California Coalition for Rural Housing Executive Director, Rob Wiener accepts a $100,000 RCDI grant check from State Director, Ben Higgins.

Representatives from Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Robinson Rancheria, Big Valley Rancheria, Elem Indian Colony and Upper Lake Habematolel Band of Pomo Indians join Higgins and Wiener.

(2/21/07)
USDA Rural Development provided $2.7 million in loans to the California FFA association for the construction on their new headquarters. The six acre facility features offices, classrooms, a boardroom and living quarters for state FFA officers. The new center will be home to more than 64,000 members that make up California's FFA organization. The grand opening celebration and dedication ceremony of the first phase was held in Galt on February 21.

USDA Rural Development provided $2.7 million in loans for the construction of the new California FFA Center. Pictured above, State Director Ben Higgins commends the organization for their efforts.

Secretary of California Dept. of Food and Ag, A.G. Kawamura, remarks on the historic event marked with the new home for California's FFA members.

California State FFA officers receive the keys to their new headquarters from Kimmel Construction.

Hundreds of FFA members from throughout the state were present to witness the opening of their new headquarters.

USDA Rural Development California hosted an informational event for first responder agencies throughout the state at the Parlier Fire Station. Guests listened to speakers discuss challenges faced by rural first responder agencies and how to utilize USDA Rural Development programs. Ceremonial checks were presented to four communities, and equipment purchased with USDA Rural Development funds was on display.

Pictured L-R: Chief Steenport, Huron Police Department; USDA RD State Director, Ben Higgins; Huron City Manager, Alan Bengyel.

First responders and community officials from throughout the central valley attending the event to learn about funding opportunities from USDA Rural Development

USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins attended the Grand Opening celebrations for the Benito Street Farm Labor Center in Soledad. The original units were demolished in late 2006 and replaced with 73 new farm worker housing units. USDA Rural Development supported the project with a $4.2 million loan.

The old housing consisted of 3 bedroom units constructed in the 1960's. With funding in place from USDA Rural Development and several other sources, the units were demolished in late 2006.

The new 73-unit farm labor center features townhome-style units ranging in size from 1-5 bedrooms.

State Director Ben Higgins was among the speakers at the Grand Opening celebration held November 20. Higgins commended the housing authorities, city and other partners for their hard work and dedication to provide decent affordable housing to area farm laborers.

Representatives from the City of Soledad, County of Monterey, Congressman Farr's Office, USDA Rural Development, and the Housing Authorities of Monterey County and City of Soledad joined to officially cut the ribbon on the Benito Street Farm Labor Center.

(9/18/07)
USDA Rural Development State Director made two stops in Calexico at two different multi-family housing projects. Higgins congratulated Highland Property Development on their renovation of the 100-unit complex "Villa del Este" before joining city officials and others at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

State Director Higgins joined representatives from the City of Calexico and Highland Property Development to commemorate the rehabilitation of Villa del Este.

Just down the road in Calexico, USDA Rural Development invested $5 million in Villa Dorada, an 80-unit Farm Labor Housing complex built by Chelsea Investment Corporation.

The new Villa Dorada Farm Labor Housing complex features a community center with computers, a kitchen and lounge/television area.

Pictured L-R: Judy Twilley, USDA Rural Development Manager in Moreno Valley; Ben Higgins, USDA Rural Development State Director; Jim Schmid, CEO and President of Chelsea Investment Corporation.

(8/14/07)
The 180 unit Farm Labor Housing apartment complex in Yuba City managed by Consolidated Area Housing Authority of Sutter County received a much needed face lift that includes both interior and exterior remodeling. The units have been upgraded with energy efficient appliances and windows as well as new roofs, siding and gutters. USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins was on hand at a ribbon cutting unveiling the first of the newly remodeled units.

State Director Ben Higgins and Sutter County Housing Authority Executive Director Edward Baker tour one of the newly remodeled units featuring energy efficient appliances.

Consolidated Area Housing Authority of Sutter County board members; Yuba City Mayor John Miller; Congressman Wally Herger; State Director Ben Higgins and Housing Authority Executive Director Edward Baker cut a ribbon outside of a newly remodeled six-unit building.

(3/23/07)
State Director Ben Higgins was on hand at the grand opening/ribbon cuttings of two multi-family housing projects in Tulare County on March 23. USDA Rural Development invested $1 million in Section 515 funds for the Washington Plaza Apartments in Earlimart and $1.8 million in Section 514 funds for the Sand Creek Apartments in Orosi, along with rental assistance. Both projects were completed by Self-Help Enterprises.

State Director Ben Higgins thanked Self-Help Enterprises for their dedication and commitment to the housing needs of rural Tulare County. He congratulated all the partners for a job well done.

Washington Plaza Apartments in Earlimart consists of 44 units and a community center with a kitchen, computer lab and playground area shown here.

Sand Creek Apartments in Orosi features 60 units, 30 of which are dedicated to Farm Labor housing. USDA Rural Development invested $1.8 million in the construction as well as rental assistance to all 30 farm labor housing units.

Pictured L-R: Peter Carey, President, Self-Help Enterprises; Fred Smith, MFH Specialist, Visalia office; Ben Higgins, State Director; Carol Ernst, MFH Specialist, Visalia office; Mike Carnes, RDM, Visalia office.

Miscellaneous

(2/8/08)
USDA Rural Development State Director Ben Higgins released the agency's 2007 Annual Report today which details the full array of the $405 million in assistance USDA Rural Development delivered in California in the prior fiscal year.

(9/18/07)
USDA Rural Development has invested over $87 million in Imperial County since the start of the Bush Administration. State Director Ben Higgins presented the Imperial County Board of Supervisors with a ceremonial check representing the investment. At the meeting Higgins also presented checks to five other recent grant recipients totaling $1.4 million.

(2/1/07)
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns made a stop at the Stanislaus County Ag Center in Modesto to outline the Bush Administration's 2007 Farm Bill proposal on Thursday morning. Johanns set out on a three-day tour throughout the nation that included stops in Mississippi, Iowa, Tennessee and Modesto to discuss highlights from the bill. "These proposals represent a reform-minded and fiscally responsible approach to making farm policy more equitable, predictable and protected from challenge," said Johanns.

Johanns explains the proposals resulted from input provided at the many Farm Bill Forums held in 2005.

Following the presentation, Johanns took time to answer questions from media representatives.

News editors: If you would like an image that is not featured in the gallery, contact us to handle your photo request by calling (530) 792-5801 or via e-mail to Sarah Pursley.