USDA Rural Development has record level of investments in South Dakota in 2020

USDA Rural Development State Director Julie Gross today (Dec. 16, 2020) highlighted South Dakota USDA Rural Development’s investments in 2020 that are building prosperity and strengthening South Dakota’s rural businesses and communities.

“Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA invested $430 million in South Dakota’s rural communities in 2020,” Gross said. “These investments helped to increase economic opportunities and improved the quality of life for rural residents across the state of South Dakota. When rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”

Below is a summary of South Dakota USDA Rural Development’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 accomplishments:

Connecting Rural America to High-Speed Broadband

• Invested $27.7million to support rural broadband expansion through the ReConnect Pilot Program. In total, these investments are connecting approximately 6,092 residents, 312 farms, five critical community facilities, six educational facilities, and 101 businesses to high-speed internet.

Improving Rural Infrastructure

• Invested $100 million in six projects to upgrade or build electric infrastructure. These investments will benefit 2,430 customers by improving electric service reliability across the state.

• Invested $2 million in Smart Grid technology to improve electric system operations and monitor grid security for rural electric customers.

• Invested $50 million to expand access to safe drinking water and improve wastewater management systems. These investments will improve the reliability of local water supply for 60,245 rural South Dakotans.

• Invested $1.1 million through the Community Facilities Programs in rural infrastructure projects such as roads and transportation improvements.

Bolstering Rural Economic Development

• Invested $3.1 million to assist a rural business through the Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee Program provided through the CARES Act. These investments created or saved 13 jobs.
• Invested $922,252 in 33 loan and grants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy systems, and energy development assistance in rural businesses. These investments are projected to generate or save more than 3.2 million kWh.

Improving Rural Quality of Life

• Invested $39.9 million in loans and grants through the Community Facilities Programs that funded the construction or modernization of 41 essential community facilities such as rural hospitals, educational institutions and public safety facilities. These investments will benefit 27,700 rural residents in South Dakota.

• Invested $985,399 through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. These investments will provide telemedicine software and equipment to ensure equitable health care access at rural, sparsely staffed medical facilities in a seven-state, 66 county area in the Upper Midwest.

• Invested $182 million in direct and guaranteed loans through the Single Family Housing Programs to help 1,176 low- and moderate-income families buy homes in South Dakota.

Enhancing Customer Service – Nationwide

• Cut red tape to increase private investment in rural America by making it easier for lenders to access four flagship loan programs under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative.
• Took immediate actions to assist rural residents, businesses and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, USDA launched a Federal Rural Resource Guide, provided loan forbearances, halted evictions, and made additional funding available under existing programs. For more information, visit our COVID-19 response page.
• Streamlined regulations to ease customer access to CARES Act programs, infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community facilities and high-speed internet access in rural areas.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.