News Release

U.S. Department of Agriculture Holds StrikeForce Meetings In Southern Missouri

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Rural Development (RD) will host StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative meetings in Houston, Mount Vernon, Sikeston, Ste. Genevieve and Springfield, November 1-3.  Meetings are open to the public and provide attendees with an overview of StrikeForce while allowing time for questions from the audience.  A complete list of dates, times and locations is included below.

The goal of StrikeForce, launched in 2010, is to reduce poverty through investment in rural communities and increase opportunities for farmers.  To date, more than 1,500 StrikeForce partnerships have helped USDA support nearly 190,000 projects and invest $23.5 billion in high-poverty areas of 26 states with StrikeForce designation.  Forty-six counties in Missouri were designated for the StrikeForce Initiative in 2016.

“StrikeForce builds on existing partnerships in rural communities and allows USDA to bring economic opportunities directly to rural Missourians,” State Conservationist J.R. Flores said.  “Working together with FSA and RD, we can assist in areas that include agricultural loans and financial assistance to producers, assistance with locally-led food production efforts and farmers markets, and community-based organizations working with poverty issues.”

Topics of discussion at Missouri’s November meetings may include broadband networks for rural communities, rural community economic development, improving soil and water conservation efforts, assisting with locally led food initiatives and farmers markets, forest health and management, farm lending and equipment loans and rural housing.

For more information on StrikeForce, visit the Missouri NRCS website or contact the NRCS office serving your county. 

Date                 Time                            Location

November 1      10 a.m.-Noon                Ste. Genevieve Community Center (St. Genevieve)

November 1      3 p.m.-5 p.m.                Clinton Building (Sikeston)

November 2      9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.      City of Houston Storm Shelter (Houston)

November 2      3 p.m.-5 p.m.                Mount Vernon Arts & Recreation Center (Mount Vernon)

November 3      9 a.m.-11 a.m.               Springfield Botanical Gardens (Springfield)