USDA Administrator for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs, Judy Canales (center); Rural Development State Director, Clarence W. Hawkins (second from left) and other officials tour the Game Equipment manufacturing plant.

The Administrator for USDA’s Rural Business and Cooperative Programs, Judy Canales was in Louisiana recently to tour Game Equipment, a Rural Development –funded project in Donaldsonville.  Louisiana Rural Development State Director, Clarence W. Hawkins; Jeff Jobe, Regional Coordinator of USDA Business programs; Peachy Melancon, wife of Congressman Charlie Melancon; Anne Perry, Regional Representative of Louisiana Economic Development Office (LED); John Broussard, Business and Cooperative Programs  Director; Lee Jones, Assistant to State Director and lenders were also on the tour.  Read more »

(left to right) Camden National Bank Senior Vice President Jack Williams; Ocean Classroom Foundation recent Discovery High School Student and Recipient of the Alix Thorne Most Outstanding Shipmate Award Charlie Campbell; USDA Administrator Judy Canales; Maine Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel; and Ocean Classroom Foundation Founder and President Alix Thorne.

As a part of her recent trip to Maine, USDA Rural Development Administrator for Business and Cooperative Programs Judy Canales visited the Ocean Classroom Foundation, in Boothbay Harbor. This unique non-profit organization teaches its students, mostly young adults, life skills through learning how to sail and navigate the open sea. 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 »

(Left to right) Ohio Rural Development State Director Tony Logan, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Deb Martin, Great Lakes RCAP Director and Judith Canales, USDA Rural Development Administrator for Business and Cooperative Programs at the Ohio RCAP conference.

The Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) held an intensive two-day economic development conference in Ohio on Aug. 24-25 targeting educational outreach to the state’s small, rural community leaders. With more than 300 participants from Ohio and neighboring states on hand, and an impressive line-up of speakers and workshops, the conference provided both motivation and insights on strategic planning for those in attendance. Read more »

Administrator Canales talks with Martha Perkins, local Bath County Family Consumer Science Agent during a tour of the new marketing center.

USDA Administrator of Business and Cooperative Programs Judy Canales got a taste of true southern hospitality when she visited Kentucky recently. Canales was able to experience the products of local artisans and agriculture producers that were on display in new Bath County Agricultural Education and Marketing Center in Owingsville. Read more »

USDA Rural Development tour of the Sam Kane Beef Processing Plant . (L-R) CEO Jerry Kane, CFO Harold Kane, Deputy Under Secretary Rural Development Cheryl Cook, Texas State Director Paco Valentin, Texas State Program Director Daniel Torres and Area Director Jake Sheeran.

Several Rural Development funded project sites in were visited by officials from Washington, D.C. in Texas recently to highlighted USDA’s commitment to strengthening rural communities.   Read more »