USDA Rural Development State Director Jasper Schneider, and staff, recently toured seven rural communities in southwestern North Dakota as part of USDA’s ongoing commitment to rural communities.  Schneider participated in conversations with community leaders to identify ways Rural Development programs can most effectively work to improve the quality of life and increase economic opportunity in the region. Read more »

Today, November 18, 210, Basin Electric Power Cooperative based in Bismarck, ND, will receive a USDA Rural Development Rural Utilities loan guarantee for $153,396,000 for two wind projects in Mina, ND.  Together these projects will provide 120 MW of renewable electricity.  Combined with Basin’s previous wind investments, they are expected to represent over 600 MW of wind generation – enough to power the average annual needs of 175,000 homes. Read more »

Rusty Gillette, Arikara/Hidatsa, a world class Grass Dancer from the Fort Berthold Reservation in White Shield, North Dakota was the cultural entertainment for the United States Department of Agriculture, National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month ceremony, "From the Roots of Our Past Grow the Promises of Tomorrow," held in Washington, DC, Tuesday, November 9, 2010. Gillette whose Indian name is “Hooves” is a member of the Dead Grass Society.

Earlier this week I was honored to participate in an event here at USDA that marked National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.  Billy Mills, 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist addressed a capacity audience, sharing his life story and observations about how America and the world’s diversity can be a force, not to drive us apart, but to bring us together. Read more »

Students from Brenham and Krause elementary schools in Texas put on an exercise musical.

What better way to celebrate National School Lunch Week than visiting winners of our USDA HealthierUS School Challenge! It was an honor to visit North Dakota and Texas schools that are going the extra mile to help children adopt healthier lifestyles. Our winners, the Phoenix, Brenham, and Krause elementary schools, respectively achieved Gold of Distinction and Gold status by providing students safe, nutritious, and healthy meals, in addition to plenty of on-site physical activity. Read more »

(Left to right) Bob Dickey Discussing features of the Wall With North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan. Also shown: Aaron Ridenour at a North Dakota Energy Expo.

Born in the first half of the 20^th century, rural electric cooperatives drove the monumental effort to bring electricity to remote areas of the country where investor-owned utilities could not make a profit.  Owned by their members and not-for-profit organizations, rural electric cooperatives have been providing safe, reliable and affordable electric power for 75 years. Read more »

Taylor Grabanksi, a 23-year-old beginning farmer, and Rose Potulny, a 92-year-old landowner, in Walsh County, N.D

When Taylor Grabanksi, a 23-year-old beginning farmer in Walsh County, North Dakota, heard about the Farm Service Agency’s Transition Incentive Program (TIP) he knew this was a program he wanted to check out. Read more »