Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development and Oregon native, Lisa Mensah, visited the state in June, her first visit to Oregon since being nominated for the position by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November of 2014.

Mensah’s visit focused on strengthening rural communities across Oregon. She attended the Regards to Rural Conference, where she gave the keynote address, speaking about the need to build collaborations across regions and among the various sectors serving rural communities, as well as the importance of establishing long-term, integrated, holistic approaches to community economic development. USDA Rural Development is a key partner in this effort, having invested more than $3.5 billion in rural Oregon since the start of the Obama Administration. Click here to read more…

Jessica and Jason Smith used to watch home improvement shows in which old and deteriorating houses are completely renovated. They never thought they’d be the ones giving a neglected home new life—until now. While building their dream of homeownership, they are quite literally helping revitalize a neighborhood, and on June 19th, Rural Development State Director Vicki Walker was joined by elected officials and the local nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT) at the Smiths’ work-in-progress in St. Helens, Oregon, to celebrate the positive impact this program is having in rural communities. To read more about the Smiths’ project, click here…

Under Secretary Mensah also celebrated the achievements of this program, joining Walker, local officials, and representatives from the nonprofit Community Home Builders to tour the houses being built by rural Oregonians through the self-help method in Lafayette, Oregon.

The families, working side-by-side on nights and weekends, perform approximately 70 percent of the construction on each other’s homes, buying down the price through their sweat equity while the local sponsor, Community Home Builders, develops the site, secures the assistance of a professional contractor, and provides construction coordination and training. The current group of participants consists of six families and marks the 200th family aided by Community Home Builders over the years. To learn about the Mutual Self-Help project in Lafayette, click here…

USDA Rural Development is accepting applications for funding through the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program, formerly known as the Biorefinery Assistance Program. This program provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million to construct and retrofit commercial-scale biorefineries and to develop renewable chemicals and biobased product manufacturing facilities. 

Rural Development has made significant improvements to the program. Biorefineries are now able to receive funding to produce more renewable chemicals and other biobased products in addition to advanced biofuels. Biobased product manufacturing facilities are now eligible to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs into end-user products. In addition, USDA has streamlined the application process.  

Two funding cycles are being held. Applications for the first round of funding are due October 1, 2015, while applications for the second round are due April 1, 2016. For information on how to apply, see page 38432 of the July 6, 2015 Federal Register. For applicants wishing to be considered under the October 1, 2015, deadline, a letter of intent must be received by Thursday, September 1, 2015.  

North River Boats has been producing recreational, commercial, and government boats and providing high-wage jobs to the residents of Roseburg, Oregon, since 1974. During the height of the recession in 2009, however, the company was placed into receivership. There was a high likelihood the business would be sold to an out-of-state strategic buyer and relocated, resulting in the loss of local jobs.

Entrepreneur Brent Hutchings saw potential in North River Boats, and he found a lender willing to make the necessary loans to allow him to purchase the company. The $2.7 million and $1.8 million loans were guaranteed through USDA Rural Development’s Business & Industry Program, which bolsters the existing private credit structure by guaranteeing loans to rural businesses, allowing private lenders to extend more credit than they typically could. 

In early 2014, Hutchings purchased the company, and it is now thriving. Click here to learn more about how this local business retained 100 high-wage jobs and added 16 more with USDA assistance…

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. This program is authorized through the 2014 Farm Bill and is expected to have $50 million available in funding annually through 2018. Applications are being accepted on a continual basis.

If you are interested in applying or have questions, please contact John Holman, Energy Coordinator, at john.holman@or.usda.gov or (503) 414-3369.

USDA Rural Development in Oregon recently welcomed into its ranks a veteran intern looking to start a civilian career. Through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans receive employment services, such as job training and employment accommodations, helping numerous veterans navigate the job market and gain new skills after completing their service.

Brandon Doyle applied for and was accepted into the program when he experienced difficulty finding employment after his military service concluded. Having recently completed a degree in real estate management, combined with his desire to continue serving the American public in his new career, Doyle requested a job training internship with USDA Rural Development. He is now working out of the Redmond office, gaining real-world experience in the profession of his choice. Doyle receives a stipend from the VA, allowing Rural Development to benefit from his expertise at no cost to the agency while also helping Doyle transition into his civilian career. 

The staff who work at apartments funded by Rural Development’s Multi-Family Housing programs guarantee the success of our rental properties. They make sure that day-to-day operations go smoothly and help to ensure a decent, sanitary living environment for the residents. Often, they also invest a great deal of their own free time in providing tenants with a safe and cohesive community.

They deserve recognition for their hard work, which is why Rural Development introduced a Maintenance Person of the Year Award in 2015. We are proud to announce that Anthony “TJ” Anton, maintenance person for the Pineview / Cottonwood Apartments in Joseph, Oregon, was presented with this award in June. Not only does TJ provide exceptional maintenance for these apartments, he also builds their cabinetry, including the wooden kitchen cabinets shown here. 

Maintaining the infrastructure necessary to enable rural communities to grow and thrive can be a significant challenge, especially for those communities with a median household income below the poverty line. USDA Rural Development’s Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) Program can help small, financially distressed rural communities start the planning process for water and waste disposal projects.

The City of Jordan Valley in rural southeastern Oregon, for instance, received a $30,000 SEARCH grant to develop a water system master plan and preliminary engineering report for planned improvements to their water system. This funding will enable the city to start the process of making upgrades, such as lining the 150,000-gallon water reservoir, ensuring the continued operation and full functionality of the system and providing water to the 181 residents of this rural community for years to come.