US Department of Agriculture

USDA Highlights 2023 Successes in Serving Farmers, Families and Communities

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is marking the end of 2023 by highlighting on-the-ground projects and partnerships that are building economic prosperity for farmers, families, and communities nationwide.

USDA Funds 36 Projects Aimed at Connecting Families to WIC through Partnership with FRAC as part of Investing in America Agenda

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through a cooperative agreement with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), has awarded $16 million in subgrants funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to 36 projects aimed at testing innovative outreach strategies to increase participation and equity in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC.

Biden-Harris Administration Invests $40 Million to Bring High-Speed Internet to People in Rural New Mexico

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Department is investing $40 million to provide high-speed internet access for people living and working in rural areas in New Mexico. The three projects being announced today in New Mexico are:

USDA Invests Nearly $10 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Tennessee

The Trump Administration announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing nearly $10 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Tennessee. This investment is part of both the $100 million Congress allocated to the ReConnect Program through the CARES Act and the $550 million available in the second round of ReConnect Program Funding.

USDA Invests $9 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Virginia

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $9 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Virginia. In rural Virginia, Scott County Telephone Cooperative will use a $9 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network to connect 7,496 people, 416 farms, 97 businesses, a fire station, a town hall and two educational facilities to high-speed broadband internet in Scott County.

USDA Invests More Than $29 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Oklahoma

The Trump Administration announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $29 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Oklahoma.

USDA Invests More Than $13 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Maryland

The Trump Administration announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $13 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Maryland. This investment is part of the $100 million in grant funding made available for the ReConnect Pilot Program through the CARES Act.

USDA Invests More Than $3 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural North Carolina

The Trump Administration announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $3 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in North Carolina. This investment is part of the $100 million in grant funding made available for the ReConnect Pilot Program through the CARES Act.

USDA Invests More Than $16 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Mississippi

The Trump Administration announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $16 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Mississippi. This investment is part of the $100 million in grant funding made available for the ReConnect Pilot Program through the CARES Act.

Trump Administration Invests More Than $12.5 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Georgia

The Trump Administration announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $12.5 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Georgia. This investment is part of the $100 million in grant funding made available for the ReConnect Pilot Program through the CARES Act.

Trump Administration Invests $86 Million in Rural Broadband Service in Eight States

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $86 million in rural broadband service for 17,000 people and businesses in eight states. USDA is providing loans to six telecommunications providers to build, expand and improve broadband services in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Below are examples of projects that USDA is funding through the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program:

USDA Invests $3.3 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural South Dakota

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $3.3 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in South Dakota. This investment is part of USDA’s round one investments through the ReConnect Pilot Program. USDA is providing the $3.3 million grant to help SDN Communications deploy fixed wireless broadband in rural areas of Pennington and Lawrence counties in South Dakota. This service area extends across 13 square miles and will provide broadband access to 275 people, 14 businesses and two farms.

USDA Invests $2 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural New Hampshire

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that USDA is investing $2 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in New Hampshire. This funding is part of USDA’s round one investments through the ReConnect Pilot Program. USDA is providing a $2 million loan to help Granite State Telephone Inc. build fiber to provide speeds up to 1 gigabyte downstream and 1 gigabyte upstream to rural subscribers in Hillsborough, Sullivan and Cheshire counties in New Hampshire.

USDA Invests $71 Million in High-Speed Broadband for Rural Kansas and Oklahoma

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that USDA is investing $71 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Kansas and Oklahoma. This funding is part of USDA’s round one investments through the ReConnect Pilot Program.

USDA Invests $23 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural New Mexico

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $23 million for three recipients in New Mexico to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas. These investments are part of USDA’s round one investments made through the ReConnect Pilot Program. 

USDA Extends ReConnect Application for Rural Broadband Funding Deadline to March 31

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the deadline for ReConnect Pilot Program applications to March 31. “By extending the ReConnect Program application deadline, we are helping even more qualified organizations access the essential funding to make high-speed broadband connectivity a reality for rural communities across America,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand said.

Educational Opportunities Spread with Broadband Expansion in Rural America

As a former teacher, education and its long-reaching benefits are dear to my heart. While joining Deputy Under Secretary Donald “DJ” LaVoy at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia (KY) to announce over $55.3 million in ReConnect funding, I thought of the impact this funding would have on the education of our fellow Kentuckians. While it is true that rural communities stand to benefit from broadband expansion in a number of ways, its ability to help close the very real digital divide between rural and urban America is a shining promise to the future for all Americans.

USDA Invests Nearly $10 Million for Broadband in Maine’s Rural, Coastal and Island Communities

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $9.87 million investment in four infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 4,527 households and 215 businesses in rural Maine. USDA announced the following projects:

USDA Invests $1.6 Million in Broadband for Rural Arizona Communities

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested $1.6 million in a high-speed broadband infrastructure project that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 1,492 rural households, 27 pre-subscribed businesses, six educational facilities, four pre-subscribed farms, three critical community facilities and a health care center. Wecom Inc.

USDA Invests $55.3 Million in Broadband for Rural Kentucky and Tennessee Communities

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested $55.3 million in four, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects in rural Kentucky. These projects will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 12,250 rural households and nearly 100 farms and businesses across Kentucky and northern Tennessee. USDA announced the following investments in rural Kentucky:

USDA Invests $2.4 Million in Broadband for Rural Washington Communities

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested $2.4 million in a high-speed broadband infrastructure project that will create or improve e-Connectivity for approximately 250 households and home-based businesses in rural Mason County (WA). Mason Public Utility District 3, based in Shelton (WA), will use a $2.4 million ReConnect Program grant to provide high-speed broadband to the unserved Grapeview community. The Three Fingers Rural Broadband Fiber Project will provide middle-mile and last-mile fiber-optic service to each premises located within the targeted area.

USDA Invests $61 Million to Bring Broadband to Rural Missourians

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested $60.9 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 11,000 rural households, 81 farms, 73 businesses, 16 educational facilities, 12 critical community facilities and two health care facilities in rural Missouri. The following five projects throughout the state were announced: