Thanks for visiting the USDA Rural Development California website. Here you’ll see that our agency has a proven track record of helping families purchase their first home, building critical infrastructure in rural areas, helping rural entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, and improving the viability of California’s rural economies.

We can’t do our job though, without private investment and community leadership. That’s where you come in. We have 18 offices across California – from Alturas to El Centro. I welcome you to stop in for a cup of coffee sometime and tell us about your goals. Chances are, we have a program that’s right for you. You can learn more about USDA Rural Development resources in your area by clicking on the ‘Offices’ link above, or calling our state office at (530) 792-5800.

                        -Janice Waddell, Acting State Director

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27% - The increase in vehicle traffic on state's rural roads between 1990 and 2003. 

6,000 miles  - The length of California's network of levees that protect areas from flooding. 

18% - Segment of the state's rural population that completed college in 2000 vs. 26.8% of urban population.

1.4 million  - The number of mostly rural Californians lacking broadband access at any speed  

7.1% - The unemployment rate in California's rural areas vs. 6.2% in urban areas (2004 data).

3,400 - The estimated number of California jobs saved through the help of USDA Rural Development business programs in 2007.

Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, USDA Rural Development, California Chamber of Commerce

February
= 25 - Coachella Valley Housing Coalition Grand Opening, Mecca
= 25 - Grant Workshop sponsored by Senator Boxer, Rialto

March

= 1-3 - California Small Farm Conference, Sacramento

February 10-12, 2009

World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA

USDA Rural Development staff were on hand at the world's largest annual agriculture exposition held in Tulare, CA. 

Pictured left to right: USDA Rural Development Technician Diane Butler and Civil Engineer Robert Neilson discuss Rural Development programs with expo attendees.

January 12, 2009
City of Watsonville Ribbon Cutting Celebration

USDA Rural Development joined the City of Watsonville to celebrate the completion of streetscape improvements funded through Rural Business Enterprise Grant funds.

Pictured Rural Development Business & Coops Program Director Chuck Clendenin.

Pictured L-R: Business & Coops Program Director Chuck Clendenin, Watsonville Mayor Antonio Rivas, Watsonville Mayor Pro Tem Dale Skillicorn, Rural Development Specialists Violet Gomes and Karen Firestein.

For more pictures on other projects visit the Photo Gallery
 

In other USDA Rural Development news...

Registration Now Open for California Small Farm Conference: March 1-3, 2009 in Sacramento

The California Small Farm Conference is the state's premier gathering of small farmers and those who support them. The three day educational conference includes on-farm tours, focused workshops, general educational sessions and opportunities for peer networking.  Registration and scholarship applications are now available for the 2009 conference.  To register click here.  For more information on the California Small Farm Conference click on the logo below.

FCC and USDA Rural Development Launch Website Focused on Rural Broadband Opportunities
The “Broadband Opportunities for Rural America” website makes available the expertise and resources of the FCC and USDA in a single, easily-accessible location and user-friendly format.  For more information or to visit the site click here.

Final Report of the California Broadband Task Force Published - "The State of Connectivity: Building Innovation Through Broadband"

The report provides a comprehensive picture of broadband deployment in rural California and includes maps of current availability and speed.  Although California was found to be a leader in broadband deployment among U.S. states, 1.4 million Californians, mostly rural, lack access to broadband at any speed.

The full report can be found at: http://www.calink.ca.gov/taskforcereport/

More news is just a click away in the USDA Rural Development News Room