On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  As a result of this Act, two Broadband groundbreaking ceremonies were held in Louisiana during the month of October.

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu and USDA Rural Development State Director Clarence W. Hawkins along with staff members were on hand for the announcement of two major broadband projects in Washington and Morehouse Parish. “By bringing this technology to underserved areas of the state, we will better equip our students with the necessary tools needed for a better quality education,” said Hawkins. Read more »

Colby Creek Stables, a horse stable facility located near Ithaca, Nebraska, in Saunders County offers a number of amenities for horses and riders, including a large indoor arena, heated barn aisles, and ventilated horse stalls.  The operation requires a substantial amount of electrical power.  Thanks to USDA, the purchase price of that electricity is dropping sharply.

The owners of the stables, Mark and Tara Timm, were interested in renewable energy options to offset the power needs of their operation and to, in the near future, take it off the grid completely.  The Timms determined that a combination, or “hybrid application”, of wind and solar power would be most beneficial for their operation. Read more »

Sign-up for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program starts today for farmers and ranchers who suffered losses caused by natural disasters during the 2009 crop year.

This program provides assistance to producers who have suffered from natural disasters and is part of the ‘safety net’ designed to assist farmers and ranchers who feed America and the world. Read more »