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Building North Dakota
State Director Jasper Schneider
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New Year and priorities:
2013 is already off to a fast start and with the new year brings the need for renewed vision and priorities for the future. The Bismarck Tribune recently did a story highlighting some of these priorities along with the Forum complementing the work done at USDA based on our annual Progress Report.
The second term of the administration became official this week in addition to the news that Secretary Vilsack will continue to lead the Department. Secretary Vilsack recently laid out his vision and priorities for Agriculture and Rural areas including:
- passage of a five-year Farm Bill that provides an adequate safety net for our producers, embraces conservation and encourages moretrade. This will ensure that the U.S. maintains the safest, most reliable food supply in the world.
- importance of rural: very simply, rural areas such as North Dakota produce a lot of what this country consumes and energy that we all use.
- growth of the biobased economy: through research and investments allow for the creation of new agricultural products that provide a renewed opportunity for the next generation of the rural economy.
- expansion of rural infrastructure including: broadband access, utilities and business expansion to support our rural economies of agriculture, energy production and manufacturing.
- promote local and regional food systems: a growing market for smaller producers and market demand for locally produced foods.
These priorities and many others will continued to be worked on by the talented people at USDA and with our many partners. It is an exciting time to be involved with rural development and to be a North Dakotan. I look forward to the challenges ahead and the work left to do.
- Jasper Schneider |
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FORUM EDITORIAL:
A federal 'stimulus' that works Jan. 7, 2013 - Despite what some North Dakotans crow about the state paying its own way because of newfound oil-soaked prosperity, the role of federal dollars in the state's economy cannot be minimized. One of the obvious examples is the work in recent years of USDA Rural Development. Read editorial.
Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper's Editorial Board.
BISMARCK TRIBUNE l by Jessica Holdman: Housing, water and health care becoming Rural Development priorities
Dec. 28, 2013 - In 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development invested more than $621 million in North Dakota. "With growth comes huge demand," said Schneider. Read article. |
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JAMESTOWN
Precision Agriculture Summit
 Jasper Schneider spoke at the Precision Agriculture Summit held in Jamestown on January 21st and 22nd. The summit included a number of experts and presenters on topics including the state of precision agriculture, upcoming trends, technological applications, and opportunities for successful implementation.
The Red River Valley Research Corridor Precision Agriculture Summit was co-organized by the Red River Valley Research Corridor, North Dakota Farmers Union, and Lake Region State College's Dakota Precision Ag Center and NDSU's Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. | |
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LINTON
Water infastructure
The City of Linton will receive a $1,109,000 loan and a $891,000 grant through USDA Rural Development to renovate and make improvements to the city's water infrastructure. Constructed in the late 1930's, Linton's water system is in need of updates due to deteriorating water mains and costly maintenance issues. By replacing existing cast iron piping with PVC, the city will reduce water losses and eliminate potential health concerns. | |
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PROGRAM UPDATES
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Historically Low Interest Rates: The Community Program area is witnessing historically low interests rates. Below you will find the new rates, which are good through March 31st, 2013. The community programs are able to provide direct and guarantee loans and/or grants for many community-based projects. Rural communities interested in financing are encouraged to contact mark.wax@nd.usda.gov.
Multi-Family Housing NOFA: The Notice of Funds Availiability (NOFA) for the Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR) was published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2012. Pre-applications in response to this NOFA will be accepted until February 28, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A copy of the NOFA and an electronic, fillable MPR pre-application form can be accessed at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/HMF_MPR.html.
The purpose of the MPR program is to ensure that properties funded by the Multi-Family Housing Section 515 program will have sufficient resources to preserve safe and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Lake, multi-family housing director, in our Bismarck office at (701) 530-2049.
Business & Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee: The purpose of the B & I program is to improve, develop, or finance business and industry to improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities. Loans may be used for acquisitions, purchase of equipment machinery, start−up costs and working capital. Interest rates are negotaited between lender and borrower. Rural Development may gauarantee loans up to $10 million. Applications are being accepted now. For more information, click here or contact dennis.rodin@nd.usda.gov. |
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users). |
Copyright © 2011 USDA Rural Development. All Rights Reserved.
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