NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development

1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE  19904

Phone: (302) 857-3580 • Fax: (302) 857-3640 • TDD: (302) 857-3585 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov

USDA Supports Farm Bureau Transportation Study

Fair Hill, July 20, 2007 – The opening day of the Cecil County Fair was the perfect setting to announce federal funding that will support agricultural producers and small businesses in the area.  Congressman Wayne Gilchrest and USDA Rural Development State Director Marlene Elliott announced a $40,000 grant that will help pay for a feasibility study for a new transloading rail site to be located in either Cecil or Harford County.  The facility is expected to assist grain producers on the Eastern Shore and Central Maryland including portions of Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

            "This is about giving farmers options to help their bottom line so farming can continue to be viable in this region," said Congressman Gilchrest. "We applaud the Cecil Farm Bureau for putting together this grant application and we hope it's the first step in making this a reality for farmers."

The grant was presented to the Cecil County Farm Bureau who has been a leader of this initiative and has worked on the project in partnership with rail operators, grain dealers, farmers in Harford County and the governments of Cecil and Harford County.  The study will help determine if the project will be viable and if it should move forward.  If developed, it will be the only truck-to-rail transloading facility in the area that could bring competitive prices for the region’s soybeans. 

            “This is a return of the people’s money that we can all be proud of,” said Elliott.  “Finding alternative solutions to keep agriculture sustainable for this generation and for future generations will help preserve the heart of America.”

            Elliott added, “Our mission at USDA Rural Development is to help improve the quality of life and increase economic opportunity in rural America.  This project has all those characteristics.”  

USDA Rural Development is funding the project through their Rural Business Enterprise Grant program that is designed to create or retain jobs in rural areas.  It is estimated that the transloading facility could create up to 10 new jobs, but could retain jobs at hundreds of small businesses in the region that would benefit from the rail shipping option.

For farmers, the transloading facility provides a much shorter and less costly truck transport option.  Wayne Stafford, President of the Cecil County Farm Bureau said, “Thousands of tons of soybean meal come to the Delmarva area by rail annually to feed our poultry and livestock.  It only makes sense to put the infrastructure in place to move our soybeans to these processors.  This should create competitive prices which we lost with the closing of the Port of Baltimore.”

 USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities.  Last year, the agency returned over $185 million to rural Maryland.  They have over 40 programs that support agriculture, business opportunities, home ownership, home repair, rental housing, broadband technology, public safety, health care, education, social and cultural needs and energy related projects.  Additional information on rural programs is available by calling the Maryland and Delaware State Office at (302) 857-3580 or by visiting their website at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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