USDA to Invest $770 Million in Rural Areas to Expand Market Opportunities

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday a $770 million investment to create new and better market opportunities for rural areas in 36 states and in Puerto Rico. The funds will go to both businesses and individuals living in socially vulnerable communities and will help a diverse rural America keep resources and wealth at home through job training, business expansion and technical assistance.

The funds will allow companies to hire more workers, reach more customers and allow economic opportunities for businesses and people who have typically lacked access to critical resources and financing. One such example of the funds in action includes the city of Cozad, Nebraska which will use $300,000 to update a pharmacy, enhancing rural health for the city’s 4,000 citizens. These efforts are based on the concept that the health of America’s rural economy is an indicator of health for the country.

Read more on the USDA investment here.