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For Immediate Release – February 19, 2004Contact – Harold Alford (785) 271-2701 |
USDA Rural Development Conducts US-36 Listening Tour
Marysville, KS – USDA Rural Development State Director Chuck Banks today announced the completion of another in a series of rural development listening tour stops. Today’s tour visits included meetings in Seneca, Washington and Marysville.
To assist USDA Rural Development in Kansas to evaluate the effectiveness of Agency programs, listening tour stops have been held across the State over the past two years. Topics of discussion have included rural communities’ needs ranging from affordable housing, access to business development capital, and value-added agriculture opportunities.
“The numerous economic development and homeownership financing programs offered by USDA Rural Development provides critical resources to Kansas that can assist in meeting the challenges facing many of the State’s rural citizens. USDA Rural Development is committed to serving Kansas”, commented State Director Banks.
During the Agency’s visit to Seneca, USDA Rural Development officials also participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Holthaus Electric Motor Service; with the assistance of Nemaha Electric Cooperative and Bluestem Electric Cooperative this business utilized funding from the Agency’s ‘Rural Economic Development Loan Program’. During the Agency’s Washington stop, Ethanol Grain Producer’s, Inc. was recognized for their successful application through the Agency’s Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant Program; the farmer-producer group is slated to receive funding to update a feasibility study and business plan for a proposed ethanol plant.
USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs that
support increasing
economic opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for rural Americans.
As a venture capital entity, USDA Rural Development provides equity and
technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business
development, and critical community and technology infrastructure in rural America.
For additional information regarding USDA Rural Development programs,
individuals may call the Agency’s state headquarters at 785-271-2702 or log
onto the state’s Rural Development website at: www.rurdev.usda.gov/ks
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