RD

More than 50,000 rural families have become homeowners using their “sweat equity” as their down payment on an affordable USDA mortgage. What is “sweat equity?” These families have helped build their own homes and provided most of the construction labor with guidance from a qualified construction...

Recently, I visited southeastern Kentucky, where I joined Rural Development State Director Tom Fern on a whirlwind tour to parts of an eight-county region designated by President Obama as a rural Promise Zone and by Secretary Vilsack as part of USDA’s StrikeForce initiative covering 73 Kentucky...

The Sixth Street Elementary School in Silver City, New Mexico, has seen a lot of students over the years. But May 8 th 2014 was a very special day at the 130-year-old school. Why? Because 10-year-old Mireya Cisneros, a fourth grader, was honored for her winning illustration for New Mexico’s 2014...

In commemoration of USDA’s annual Homeownership Month, some industrious Ohio Rural Development team members and I recently spent a sunny day at a Habitat for Humanity building site, helping Marysville resident Michelle Amrine and her two children frame out a place to call their own. Financed through...

Last month, Secretary Vilsack announced a historic level of funding available for local and regional food: $78 million, including $48 million through USDA’s Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program and $30 million through the newly-expanded Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. The...

In rural areas, financing a home can be difficult. There often aren’t as many lenders serving rural locations as there are in more densely populated parts of the country. Also, some rural lenders may require a larger down payment or a higher interest rate to secure a loan. Fortunately, USDA Rural...

In 2011, Telisha Mack was ready to take the leap into homeownership. She put mortgage applications at three different banks, but was not approved because she didn’t have a huge down payment or a co-signer. She lost her chance to purchase two different homes she liked. As a single mother with three...

As we celebrate National Homeownership Month this June, I am reminded how USDA delivers positive outcomes ‘Every Day, Every Way’ through the comprehensive programs and services that touch the lives of every American. While many people think of USDA in terms of food, farms and forestry, nearly 3.4...

As we celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, those of us at USDA Rural Development would like to take a moment to remember the fallen. We also thank the veterans who served alongside them and who are helping keep their memories alive today. Leon Kauzlarich from rural Appanoose County, Iowa, is one...

In his Small Business Week Proclamation earlier this week, President Obama said, “Small businesses represent an idea at the heart of our Nation's promise -- that with ingenuity and hard work, anyone can build a better life.” Having started my own manufacturing company in rural Texas many years ago...