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p3<5889sy>|q9s9gs|q+~q|s9x|q>gxϟ9<ϙ?3>gϞ|3s9>g>gyϟ"~όsy>g3:>g?<ϙ?0>g9 0s8?>g>gyϟ"~@sx>`02f>`? ϙ?0>g9 0y>O?'<>g>gyϟ&~@sx>`0O>p? ϙ?3>gϓ3y>O'?>g>gyϟǁ ~sy>g3O> ß?O >ϙ?3>ǵ?3y>O'?>g>gyϟ~|sy>g3_>ϟ?O&>yϘ9>sx?9>O'9>g>s|qϟς??<|yǞys|>s9|gx?&?Ϝ898>p8"?<>g>pϜxp~s>p8?px?&?ϟ yy>>x?<>"?>g>|'Ϝ|>x?s>|>?sx?~ߐdžߏǂ?σ{??σ>=<??ρ x8ς'ρ>Oρ>Oρ񟞁ς'ρ>Oρ>Oρ?~?ρς-'σO>OO>O!?<x y<ρ27N>o>o<`yLJ?8p >|q89?ρ2?s8x9yy|9?sg993ρ? 33~ρyy?sg983ρ? ə3&0~s  ?8xyǎx|?3?~8q3-τO8!9s<pg? ????@*J:\DRAFTS\NRLOGO.WPGJ:\DRAFTS\NRLOGO.WPGhd\,3BV4d\,(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular(3$ !  'dxd( $ Figure  1  VZY I&mage <=8C HKKKK !  _,j\6&"`z1% `E,,%y%y,,%j (#(#        (#(#  ReleaseNo.0099.00XeXXX#XXXXe#  SteveThompson(202)720-2446sathomps@rdmail.rural.usda.gov   USDAANNOUNCESMORETHAN$900,000INGRANTSTODEVELOPRURALECONOMY   _WASHINGTON,&&'_'___&Friday,&March_Ԁ24,2000AgricultureSecretaryDanGlickmantodayannounced$936,712ingrantstohelpspurthedevelopmentofnewbusinessesandcreatejobsinruralareasofsevenstates. XXXX  ThisispartofourcontinuingefforttoensurethatallAmericansenjoyourcurrentrecord  prosperity,saidGlickman. Toooften,someruralareasdontsharefullyinthefruitsofaboomingeconomy.Thesegrantswillhelpthesecommunitiesdeveloptheireconomicpotential.#XXX X#    UndertheRuralBusinessEnterpriseGrant(RBEG)program,USDAsRuralBusiness-CooperativeServicehelpspublicentities,nonprofitcorporationsandcooperatives,andfederallyrecognizedIndiantribalgroupsfinancethedevelopmentofsmallandemergingprivatebusinessesinruralareas.̀  StatesreceivinggrantstodayincludeGeorgia,Maine,SouthDakota,Utah,Vermont,WestVirginiaandWisconsin.  Thelargestgrantof$500,000wasawardedtotheGeorgeD.AikenResourceConservationandDevelopmentCouncilofVermonttodevelopastatewideagri-tourisminitiative.Theprogramwillfocusonsupportingagriculturalenterprisesbydevelopingnewagri-tourismmarkets.  A$75,000grantwasawardedtotheWisconsinFarmersUniontoestablishacheese-marketingprogram.Thegrantwillenabletheorganizationtohireamarketingspecialist_and_ԀafinancialcontrolofficerfortheWisconsinFarmersUnionSpecialtyCheeseCo.,acooperativefarmers'enterprisethatseekstoexpanditsmarketforhigh-valuespecialtyandgourmetcheeses.̀0  USDARuralDevelopmentalsoawarded$97,712totheTattnallCountyDevelopmentl*@),(#(# ЀAuthorityinGeorgiatopurchaseprocessingandstorageequipmentforalocalvegetablegrower'scooperative,theCoastalGeorgiaSmallFarmersCooperativeInc.,aco-opofminorityfarmers.  Acompletelistofrecipientsfollows:   ###  #"more 0/3 Є2"#; #   RuralBusinessEnterpriseGrantProgram   FirstRound,FiscalYear2000     State ` Applicant   h      p   0  Amount  (# (# Georgia ` TattnallCountyDevelopmentAuthority    $97,712  Maine ` EastGrandSnowmobileClub   p     $15,000  S.DakotaNortheastSouthDakotaEconomicCorporation0    $99,000 p (#(# Utah ` UteIndianTribeofUintahandOurary    $50,000  `  Vermont ` GeorgeD.AikenRC&DCouncil    $500,000 | P  WisconsinWisconsinFarmersUnion p     $75,000 l @  W.VirginiaGreenbrierValleyEconomicDevelopmentCorp.    $100,000 \ 0     `     h      p   Total:  $936,712  L     `     h      p % %_$$% %$$%  %$#$_