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September 30, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced the selection of 171 applications from 42 states to receive over $14.6 million in USDA Rural Development Value Added Producer Grant assistance.
Full Story / Recipients List (PDF)
September 30, 2005 -- Agriculture Deputy Secretary Conner announced that $9 million in broadband community connect grants will be awarded to 19 communities in 14 states and Puerto Rico. The funds will connect essential community facilities in rural areas where no broadband services currently exist.
Full Story / Recipients List
September 27, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced the selection of twelve 1890s Land Grant Universities to receive nearly $1.2 million in funding to support technology and business development assistance in rural communities.
Full Story / Recipients List
September 22, 2005 -- Agriculture Deputy Secretary Conner announced over $1.7 million in funding for a wide range of projects for Oklahoma. Among the awards was a grant of nearly $500,000 to the Oklahoma-based National Rural Water Association and a loan and grant totaling over $660,000 for a new water system in Ellis County.
Full Story
September 22, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns said USDA has deployed personnel and resources to help federal, state and local authorities prepare for Hurricane Rita. As with Hurricane Katrina, Rural Development is preparing a complete inventory of USDA-financed facilities in the area most likely to be impacted.
Full Story
September 20, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced an electric utility loan of nearly $240 million to Buckeye Power Cooperative, Inc., for installation of environmental control equipment.
Full Story
September 20, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced the appointment of Del Tinsley as Wyoming State Director for Rural Development.
Full Story
September 19, 2005 -- Agriculture Deputy Secretary Conner announced $9 million in Rural Development Community Facilities funding for construction of a covered equestrian arena for St. Andrews Presbyterian College.
Full Story
September 19, 2005 -- Agriculture Deputy Secretary Conner announced over $53 million in loans and grants for construction of new buildings, building repairs and purchases, equipment purchases for first responders and disaster recovery projects in North Carolina stemming from the 2004 hurricane season.
Full Story / Recipients List
Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photos to enlarge) meets with emergency personnel and community leaders (left) before conducting an aerial assessment (right) of the damage to communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Under Secretary Tom Dorr discusses recovery efforts with members of the Louisiana Rural Water Association.
Sept. 17, 2005: Constitution Day / Employee Training Materials
September 16, 2005 -- Deputy Under Secretary Al Johnson (click photo to enlarge) visited the Jackson, Mississippi, Trade Mart building -- the main center where evacuees can get benefits and assistance. During his visit, Mr. Johnson worked at Rural Development's table and helped a family get placed in a vacant multi-family unit.
Katrina Resources
September 16, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) visited Arcadia, Florida, to announce the award of a $20 million loan for improvements to the DeSoto Memorial Hospital. Rural Development's Community Facilities program finances the development of essential facilities -- like hospitals -- in rural areas.
September 16, 2005 -- Audit Guidance Now Available
The Rural Development Audit Program is available for independent public accountants to help them audit recipients of Rural Development grants, loans and loan guarantees.
Rural Development Audit Program
September 14, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced the selection of 150 applicants to receive almost $21 million in USDA Rural Development grant assistance for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in 32 States.
Full Story / Recipients List (PDF)
September 13, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced the appointment of Allan Johnson as Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development.
Full Story
September 13, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced nearly $7.3 million in development grants to cooperative development centers in 22 States. The funds will be used to increase economic opportunities in rural areas by assisting farmers and rural businesses in developing cooperative ventures.
Full Story / Recipients List
September 13, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) addressed the National Rural Developers, an association of economic development specialists with rural cooperatives who work -- often in close cooperation with Rural Development programs -- to spur business development and increase jobs in rural areas.
September 9, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced that 257 Economic Impact Initiative funding requests from 32 states and U.S. territories have been selected to receive over $17 million to assist with community development projects.
Full Story / Recipients List (PDF)
September 7, 2005 -- Rural Development Under Secretary Tom Dorr announced 111 Rural Development loans and grants totaling nearly $27 million to promote homeownership opportunities and support the creation and expansion of rural businesses and jobs in rural communities in 42 States and Puerto Rico.
Full Story / Recipients List
September 7, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (right, click photo to enlarge) hosted the 2007 Farm Bill Forum in Huron, South Dakota. Pictured is Mr. Dorr with South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Larry Gabriel. Listening sessions are being held across the country and feedback from participants will be considered as new Farm Bill policy is developed.
More on the 2007 Farm Bill Forums
September 5, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) visited Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to speak with Red Cross officials and representatives of the Missouri Baptist Convention about the ongoing partnership with Rural Development, which provides shelter to survivors left homeless by Hurricane Katrina.
Full Story / Katrina Resources
Photo of Mr. Dorr courtesy of the Southeast Missourian newspaper.
September 5, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns issued two directives to further meet the food and housing needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.
Full Story / Katrina Resources
September 5, 2005 -- Rural Development Under Secretary Thomas Dorr visited Cape Girardeau, Mo. to speak with Red Cross officials and representatives of the Missouri Baptist Convention about an ongoing partnership with USDA Rural Development, which provides shelter to survivors left homeless by Hurricane Katrina.
Full Story / Katrina Resources
September 2, 2005 -- Rural Development Under Secretary Thomas Dorr said the agency is moving quickly and decisively to assist those affected by Hurricane Katrina. An assessment of Rural Development housing has identified nearly 800 vacant housing units near the hurricane-affected area.
Full Story / Katrina Resources
September 2, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced that USDA has deployed personnel and resources to assist the efforts by federal, state and local authorities in response to Hurricane Katrina. Rural Development has identified nearly 800 single family homes and apartments to accommodate displaced residents.
Full Story / Katrina Resources
September 2, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced more than $28 million in loan guarantees to create and expand business opportunities in nine states. The guarantees are provided through Rural Development's Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program.
Full Story / Recipients List
August 31, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns announced more than $52 million in funds to finance construction of a new hospital and electrical distribution lines, provide water service, and help develop a homebuyer assistance program for rural Kentucky residents.
Full Story
August 26, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Johanns presented a $7.1 million check to representatives of five Southern New Mexico Colonias communities to be used to provide for water and wastewater system improvements.
Full Story / Recipients List
August 25, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) recently toured the newly remodeled water treatment plant in Leon, Iowa. Mr. Dorr was in Iowa to present an $875,000 loan, that helped finance the rehabilitation project, to the Southern Iowa Rural Water Association.
August 25, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced approximately $22 million in Rural Development loans and grants to 16 rural businesses, cooperatives, non-profit organizations and municipalities in Alabama.
Full Story
August 25, 2005 -- Rural Development Section 538 Guarantee Rural Rental Housing Program funds restored Seneca Coventry House, a historic building in Tiffin, Ohio. The property, now an apartment complex for senior citizens, formerly was the Daughters of America's National Home. The Section 538 program provides loan guarantees to construct and renovate affordable rural housing for low and moderate income families.
Full Story
August 24, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) participates in a ribbon cutting at a Self-Help Housing project in Wisconsin. This ribbon cutting marks the completion of the ninth and final home built in the Poplar Subdivision in Elkhorn, Wisc., all of which were built through Southeastern Wisc. Housing Corporation and financed through Rural Development.
Pictured, L to R: Hope Devougous, Representative for U.S. Senator Russell Feingold; Dave Decker, Representative for Congressman Paul Ryan; Art Gonzales, SEWHC Director; Frank Frassetto, Rural Development Wisconsin State Director; Mr. Meyers, the homeowner’s step-father; Angela Meyers, new homeowner; Under Secretary Dorr, and; Tracy Slavin, current self-help program participant.
August 22, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) at the National Rural Development Partnership Summer/Fall Leadership Conference. The purpose of the conference was for local, State and Federal rural stakeholders to meet and discuss proposals for future policies and programs.
Mr. Dorr's Remarks (PDF)
August 18, 2005 -- Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner announced the approval of $34.6 million in Rural Development funds to support rural telecommunication technologies in targeted rural areas in the states of Alabama, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire and Virginia.
Full Story
August 5, 2005 -- Rural Development announced the availability of approximately $6
million in Rural Community Development Initiative grant funds.
Federal Register Notice
August 3, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced additional listening sessions in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Wyoming that will be part of the nationwide 2007 Farm Bill listening tour. Rural Development Under Secretary Tom Dorr will host rural development forums, with dates and times to be announced in the near future.
Full Story
August 1, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the appointment of Gary Groves as Pennsylvania State Director for USDA Rural Development.
Full Story
August 4, 2005 -- Under Secretary Tom Dorr (click photo to enlarge) was a keynote speaker at the Second Annual USDA Partners Meeting held on August 4th in Washington, DC.
Rural Cooperatives
Magazine
Jul./Aug.
PDF files require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
July 27, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns (right, click photo to enlarge) swears in Under Secretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr in his office at the Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC. Looking on is Mr. Dorr's wife Ann.
Statement by Agriculture Secretary Johanns Regarding the Confirmation of Tom Dorr as Rural Development Under Secretary
July 15, 2005 -- Rural Development announced that an estimated $200 million in guaranteed loan funds is now available for investments in renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements by agriculture producers and rural small businesses.
Full Story / Federal Register Notice
July 6, 2005 -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the appointments of Roy Smith as the Rural Development Arkansas State Director, and Tee Miller as the Rural Development South Carolina State Director.
* PDF files require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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