RETURNED TO MISSOURI RURAL RESIDENTS
THROUGH USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
In a February 3, 2002, ceremony, USDA Rural Development presented a $438,600,000 check representing financial assistance during Fiscal Year 2002. The assistance, which the Agency provided to rural Missourians, was through a variety of loan and grant programs to thousands of individuals, families, businesses and communities in Missouri.Greg Branum, State Director for USDA Rural Development in Missouri, said “USDA Rural Development is extremely pleased to help rural Missouri with the $438 million in financial assistance. These funds were used to provide quality housing, good jobs, clean drinking water and waste disposal systems plus reliable modern essential community facilities and services. These accomplishments were in support of our overall vision statement --- Partners in helping the people of rural America develop sustainable communities.”
United States Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond along with United States Representatives Jo Ann Emerson and Kenny Hulshof participated in the ceremony recognizing the Agency’s record setting return of tax dollars to rural Missouri.
Senator Bond said, "It is very heart-warming to see tax dollars returned to Missouri and put to use in worthwhile projects to help so many people. I am very pleased my investment of time and energy to appropriate funds to USDA Rural Development is a good investment for Missouri." 
U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson, said, "The funds made available through these USDA programs are truly an investment in the future of rural America -- its infrastructure, its economic development, its job creation opportunities for the future, and its people. In return for that investment we will have a more prosperous rural America. I am pleased that working with others in Congress and with our local stakeholders, we have been able to return these tax dollars to our communities and make these projects a reality." 
U.S. Representative Hulshof, said, "I'd like to congratulate and thank Missouri's USDA staff for their hard work and dedication. USDA Rural Development has played a vital role in helping address the needs of our rural communities."In the Rural Housing Service (RHS) program a grand total of $126.5 Million of financial service was provided in Missouri. Of this amount, $75.6 million of loan guarantees was provided through partnerships with private sector lenders. The guaranteed housing program assisted 1,112 individuals or families. Another $22.6 million was provided to 356 deserving individuals or families with the direct housing program. An additional $2.4 million helped 477 senior citizens or disabled individuals with essential repairs to remove a health hazard, including repairing roofs, heating, electrical and plumbing systems, water and waste disposal systems, insulation and other steps to make their homes safe. Affordable rental units benefited rural residents in 5 communities where $1.1 million was loaned for apartment complexes. It is estimated that over 4,500 jobs were saved or created to provide housing in rural Missouri. Another $12.9 million of rental assistance was provided to 8,800 very low income families living in federally financed rental projects. Eighty-eight families benefited with $237,360 of repairs through a Housing Preservation Grant.
A significant accomplishment in the housing program was the completion of eight new homes through the Self-Help housing program. Eight individuals and/or families participated, and through countless hours of hard work combined an approximate $80,300 loan with their own "sweat equity" to build a home and realize the American Dream of homeownership.
Through the Community Facilities Program, almost $11.7 Million in funds were provided to 61 communities for projects including 18 fire departments (buildings and equipment), 9 advance warning systems, 2 senior centers, 2 health departments, ambulance building, daycare, nursing home, thrift store, community center, school district and a library.
In the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) program a grand total of $23.8 Million was delivered to rural Missouri. Of this amount, over $17.2 million in funds were loaned or guaranteed to assist 11 businesses across the state. Funds were used to finance retail businesses (miscellaneous retail shops, grain elevator cooperative); service businesses (mobile home park and a meat processing facility); factory/ manufacturing businesses (hardwood flooring, fertilizer manufacturing, pet food products, highway safety equipment business and an electric line manufacturing business), and a residential care facility. As a result of these loans there were 446 jobs created or saved in Missouri rural areas.
Several cities, communities, counties and organizations were recipients of almost $3.7 Million through other Rural Development loan and grant programs. This included 18 Rural Business Enterprise Grants totaling $1,258,977, 8 Rural Business Opportunity Grants totaling $703,600, 4 Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants totaling $1.55 Million and a Rural Cooperative Development Grant in the amount of $173,385. Missouri was also very fortunate to receive 13 Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development grants totaling $2,817,804 to fund a variety of projects across the state. All of these programs allowed rural Missourians to benefit with assistance in planning, feasibility studies, training, conducting surveys, and essential infrastructure in support of economic and community development activities in rural areas. A Rural Community Development Initiative Grant for $102,011 was also awarded to assist an area of the state with economic development initiatives.
In the Rural Utilities Services (RUS) program, a grand total of $297.7 Million of assistance was provided to communities, including water and waste, plus electrical and telephone distribution. In the water and waste area, $34.5 million was made available through 24 loans and 25 grants which assisted over 6,824 families with adequate drinking water in 23 communities and 4,962 families with new or improved waste disposal systems in 26 communities. These USDA funds were leveraged with $17 million of other federal, state, and local funds to accomplish these results. In addition, the state received three Solid Waste Management Grants for $204,000 to provide technical assistance to communities evaluating landfill conditions and to determine threats to water resources.
In the Telephone program area, a Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant in the amount of $464,492 was made to an educational consortium to provide improved communication and education opportunities to rural residents. Loans are available through the telephone program to connect subscribers, provide improvements in the transmission and switching facilities, provide fiber optic cables and expand telecommunication systems to provide better service to rural Missouri residents.
In the Electrical program area, 17 insured and guaranteed loans for $245.5 million assisted 15 communities and thousands of existing rural residents. The funds were utilized to assist two borrowers with generation and transmission of electricity and 13 borrowers to distribute electricity to end users/customers. It is estimated 156,000 rural residential consumers benefited from the electrical program.
Branum added, "I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Missouri Rural Development staff and to the many partners that assisted with these accomplishments. We look forward to helping more individuals, families, businesses and communities with their needs in the year ahead."
Anyone seeking more information about USDA Rural Development or any of the programs, may visit the Missouri USDA Rural Development Web Site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/mo/ or by contacting any of the Missouri USDA Rural Development offices.