Rural Development Under Secretary Thomas Dorr (click photo to enlarge) and other USDA officials toured community, renewable energy and economic investments in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota supported with funding provided by Rural Development and other USDA agencies. The tour started in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and stopped in communities including Sioux Center, Iowa; Worthington, Heron, St. James, Blue Earth and Albert Lea, Minnesota. Pictured: Under Secretary Dorr, seated third from left, visits with members of Freeborn Mower Cooperative Services. Freeborn Mower, located in Albert Lea, Minn., is a member-owned electric co-op that has brought electric power to farms, homes, businesses and industry in Southeast Minn. for more than 60 years. Freeborn Mower is a recipient of Rural Development funding. |
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns (click photo to enlarge) speaks to his colleagues on the three-State tour bus. Secretary Johanns visited the Siouxland Energy and Livestock Cooperative in Sioux Center, Iowa, that annually produces 25 million gallons of ethanol. He was there to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Energy Policy Act, which President Bush signed into law last year, and announce that 12 projects in Iowa, Kansas and Oregon will receive over $9 million to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. |
Under Secretary Dorr (click photo to enlarge) addresses the crowd at the event at the Siouxland Energy and Livestock Cooperative in Sioux Center, Iowa. |
A group of about 50 rural leaders, stakeholders and policy-makers (click photo to enlarge) joined residents of St. James, Minn., to celebrate the ground breaking of the new St. James Area Medical Center, funded with Rural Development's support. Rural Development helped finance the new medical center with a $16,350,000 guaranteed loan through Pee Dee Farm Credit Services. Pictured: Rural leaders, stakeholders, policy-makers and St. James, Minn., residents break ground for the new Medical Center. |
Pictured: Under Secretary Dorr (center, click photo to enlarge) with Secretary Johanns discussing Iowa rural health issues with Orange City Area Health System Chief Executive Officer Marty Guthmiller at an informal setting.
Rural Development played a major role in financing a new 128,000-square-foot hospital and clinic for the Orange City Area Health System. Rural Development also provided a $300,000 Rural Economic Development Grant to North West Rural Electric Cooperative, that was used to support construction costs and purchase related equipment for the new diagnostic imaging center at the hospital. In addition, a $1.75 million Business and Industry Loan Guarantee issued to Northwestern Bank helped with construction of a 14,922-square-foot medical office building on the new Orange City Area Health System campus.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns (click photo to enlarge) talks with Brenda Morton, of Rural Development's Legislative and Public Affairs Staff, on the three-State tour bus.
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