VENEMAN ANNOUNCES $6.3 MILLION IN RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS TO FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN 20 STATES

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2003 – Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced today $6.3 million in economic development grants in 20 states.

“The Bush Administration is committed to enhancing job opportunities in America’s rural economies,” said Veneman. “These grants will strengthen rural community cooperatives, which will facilitate the retention of jobs in rural areas.”

The cooperative development grant program is administered through USDA Rural Development. The grants were awarded on a competitive basis and are intended to foster rural cooperative development through projects that provide rural residents with education and technical assistance in areas of cooperative startup, marketing and managing, and other self-help tools.

Recipient states and the grant amounts are the following:

Alabama - $321,104 Arkansas - $325,253 California - $327,748
Colorado - $324,500 Iowa - $272,382 Illinois - $209,992
Indiana - $175,000 Kentucky - $314,575 Massachusetts - $324,811
Minnesota - $347,372 Missouri - $624,400 Mississippi - $324,240
Montana - $186,015 North Dakota - $325,000 Nebraska - $328,826
Ohio - $346,258 Texas - $294,260 Virginia - $349,800
Washington - $285,282 Wisconsin - $325,000


USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/

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