The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Innovation Center has introduced an interactive webpage designed to help identify best practices for building rural prosperity. The USDA rural development web page was introduced by Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett.
“Rural communities need forward-thinking strategies to build strong, resilient futures,” Hazlett said in a press release. “USDA’s Rural Development Innovation Center is focused on identifying unique opportunities; pioneering new, creative solutions to tough challenges, and making Rural Development’s programs easier to understand, use and access.”
USDA Rural Development Web Page
The webpage offers strategies that have proven effective for creating jobs, building infrastructure, strengthening partnerships and promoting economic growth across the country. A feature of the initiative enables visitors to submit comments. Those comments are reviewed and Rural Development Innovation Center personnel direct people to resources, services and expertise. The webpage points to the USDA Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant Program, Community Connect Grant Program and the Community Facilities Program.
The Rural Development Innovation Center aims to streamline, modernize and strengthen delivery of Rural Development Programs, a press release explains.
In April, 2017, President Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agricultural and Rural Prosperity. The goal is to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes aimed at promoting agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue presented the findings to the president. Findings included 31 recommendations to align federal, state, local and tribal governments to take better advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. The interactive web page was a product of this initiative.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to expand economic opportunities and generate jobs in rural areas. It supports infrastructure improvements, business development, housing and community services such as schools, public safety, health care and high speed Internet access in rural areas.