DORGAN ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL EXTENSION OF NORTH DAKOTA REAP ZONES
Senator created the critical rural economic development program in 1990s
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) announced Wednesday the U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized a four-year extension of the Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) zone program, which he created to stimulate a variety of innovative economic development projects in southwestern and north-central North Dakota.
Dorgan created the nationwide REAP zone program in 1995 when he secured a commitment for the project during negotiations with then-President Bill Clinton over features of a budget bill. From that effort, Dorgan said, the REAP Zones were born, and they have since produced a trail of successes.
“The REAP Zone program has proven successful at producing jobs in our rural communities, so I was proud we could include an extension in last year’s farm bill,” Dorgan said. “We’ve made significant strides in our efforts to build our rural economy in North Dakota, and I look forward to working with our REAP Zones to promote business in the region.”
North Dakota has two REAP Zones. The Southwest Zone includes Dunn, Stark, Hettinger, Adams, Bowman, Slope, Golden Valley and Billings counties, and part of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The Center of North America Coalition for Rural Development, or CONAC, Zone includes Towner, Benson, Pierce, Bottineau, Rolette and McHenry Counties, and the Spirit Lake and Turtle Mountain Indian Reservations.
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