State Director Maxine Moul presents plaque to the President of Allo, Brad Moline for the Recovery Act funds Allo Communications secured to improve telecommunications services in part of Nebraska.

USDA Rural Development Nebraska State Director Maxine Moul and staff celebrated four Summer Recovery Tour projects last month, in three days and encompassing more than 900 miles.  The success and impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment dollars in Nebraska were highlighted. Read more »

Two weeks ago Secretary Vilsack took a moment to share some of his thoughts about USDA’s sad history on civil rights and the progress we have made to put it behind us.  I was not surprised to see the outpouring of thoughts and comments that blog post inspired, including many from USDA employees.  Read more »

Ryan Brewster served as an agricultural expert in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

This morning at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recognized the efforts of more than 20 USDA employees who served as civilian agricultural experts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The agricultural experts were part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to provide civilian assistance abroad to help promote long-term economic development. 

One of those agricultural experts, Ryan Brewster, served for nearly three years in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Here are his recollections: Read more »

USDA Rural Development’s Illinois State Director Colleen Callahan along with Gov. Pat Quinn, Gibson City contractor Mike Sizemore, and school technology director Terry Sullivan talk about the benefit of high-speed Internet coming to 11 rural Illinois counties thanks to a Recovery Act Broadband award.

The excitement was readily apparent when Rural Development Illinois State Director Colleen Callahan and Governor Pat Quinn announced Aug. 31 that 66,000 Cellular One customers in 11 east central Illinois counties would be getting high speed Internet service.  Read more »

USDA Administrator Judy Canales (second from right) tours the McKechnie Vehicle Components plant in Nicholasville, Ky. and is shown some of the automotive parts made on site. Administrator Canales toured the plant with U.S. Rep. Ben Chander , Nicholasville Mayor Russell Meyer, Jeff Ball of Citizens Commerce Bank and Tom Fern, State Director for Rural Development.

While touring the facilities of McKechnie Vehicle Components in Kentucky last month, USDA Rural Business and Cooperative Programs Administrator Judy Canales got up close and personal with many of the company’s employees whose jobs were saved thanks to assistance from Rural Development and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Read more »

From Left to Right: Lakeview Terrace Owners Gary Lanzen and Allan Richardson are joined by Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, U.S. Senator Harry Reid, Congresswoman Dina Titus, and Lakeview Terrace General Manager Teri Stoneback in cutting the ribbon at the Grand Opening Celebration.

The residents of the recently opened Lakeview Terrace Senior Living Community in Boulder City, Nevada, were delighted late last month, to share their opinions of their new home with special guests Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, U.S. Senator Harry Reid, and Congresswoman Dina Titus, who were together at the facility to cut the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony.  More than sixty attended. Read more »