In 2013, USDA Rural Development invested $498 million in rural Iowa – nearly half a billion dollars.
Fully 40 different Rural Development direct loan, guaranteed loan and grant programs have moved 2,600 rural families into homes, put 1,000 Iowans to work, and improved the quality of life in 60 rural communities, according to a Rural Development press release. That figure represents almost 2% of USDA’s entire discretionary program outlays for fiscal year 2013.
That’s how you make small towns competitive with urban areas: by providing folks with clean water, a place to live, and a good job.
Rural Development State Director Bill Menner, above, says the goal of investing those funds in rural parts of the state wasn’t just to make sure basic necessities like water and sewers were taken care of. The funding also goes toward economic opportunities that may, over time, end up paying for themselves.
“You’re going to see more folks buying homes,” Menner says. “You’re going to see hospitals investing in new equipment, you’re going to see improved water quality systems, and you’re going to see new jobs being created across rural areas. And that’s how you make these areas viable. That’s how you make small towns competitive with urban areas: by providing folks with clean water, a place to live, and a good job. Really those are the keys to rural vitality.”
One area in which benefits are measured beyond dollars and cents is in healthcare. Rolling out the Affordable Care Act has proved difficult enough in urban areas. Menner says the challenges the ACA poses to rural America are unique.
“When you think about the fact that living in a rural community should not force you to drive to an urban area to get healthcare,” Menner says, “that really has put a premium on the hospitals and clinics in small towns. We’re fortunate we have programs that provide funding for those sorts of facilities.
“At the same time we’re investing in clinic technology: MRI machines, electronic health records that help hospitals reduce costs while improving care. Those are really critical elements to the Affordable Care Act.”
Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested fully $3 billion in public facilities, utilities, housing and small or emerging businesses in rural parts of the state.
