U.S. Ag Sec. Tom Vilsack

U-S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Wednesday, announced the selection of 21 utilities for loans and grants to help rural businesses expand and create jobs. Six projects are in Iowa. Among the communities receiving loan or grant funds, are the Cities of Atlantic and Manning.

In Atlantic, the Board of Waterworks and Electric Power Plant Trustees received a $300,000 grant to construct a 25,000-square-foot-industrial building for local or new manufacturing businesses.

And in Manning, the city’s Municipal Light Plant received a $250,000 grant to purchase the Manning Hausbarn Heritage Park campus for an attraction, education and conference center.

Ag Secretary Vilsack says “These loans and grants help cooperatives and utilities support local projects that create jobs and improve rural economic conditions.” He said also the “USDA is proud to be a partner in the effort to bolster these cooperatives and help them ‘Win the Future’ by increasing the value and appeal of the products and services they deliver.”