Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development report $622 million was invested into rural Iowa in 2016, providing housing opportunities for thousands of rural Iowans while also supporting a wide variety of job-creation and community-improvement projects and activities.

In the KJAN listening area, project and/or communities receiving USDA Rural Development loan and grant funding in 2016 include:

• The City of Wiota – $2 million to assist with essential improvements to its municipal water system.
• The City of Adair – $2.3 million to replace existing water mains, install a reverse osmosis treatment system and other improvements to the water system.

Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, said “Our focus is on the viability of rural communities and areas which are so important to our state and nation. USDA Rural Development funding continues to have a dramatic impact all across Iowa. Since 2009, we have invested nearly $5 billion on essential public facilities, small and emerging businesses, water and sewer systems, and housing opportunities for Iowa families.”

For more information about finance programs available through USDA Rural Development, please call (515) 284-4663 or visit the agency’s web site at www.rd.usda.gov/ia. USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas.  Among the office locations is the Area Office in Atlantic.