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#USDARoadTrip: Investments in Rural Utilities

Posted by Matt Herrick, USDA Director of Communications in Rural Technology
Jul 13, 2015
A technician installing cables at Pine Net Telephone and internet stations
A technician installs cables at Pine Net Telephone and internet stations. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.

Here at USDA, we know utilities mean more than just flipping a switch or turning on a faucet. Access to crucial rural infrastructure helps boost trade opportunities for rural businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our nation’s economy as a whole. That’s why we’re making smart investments to lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity in communities across the country and to provide the foundation needed for rural economies to thrive.

By spurring smart and sustainable infrastructure growth and by helping rural communities manage utility costs, we’re opening the door to a world of opportunities for rural businesses everywhere. Updated water and water treatment systems, increased renewable energy sources, and access to affordable, reliable electric systems and broadband all work to improve the quality of life for our nation’s rural residents, and open possibilities to connect to the global economy.

Arsenic removal absorber vessels at the Freer Water Control and Improvement District (FWCID) Arsenic Removal System Site in Freer, Texas
Arsenic removal absorber vessels at the Freer Water Control and Improvement District (FWCID) Arsenic Removal System Site in Freer, Texas. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of rural electrification. By erecting electric power and telephone lines across the country, the Rural Electrification Administration built infrastructure that empowered rural communities and changed American lives for the better. And today, 80 years later, we are still making sure that rural America stays connected and competitive by investing in broadband projects in hard-to-reach rural areas.

105 solar panels installed at Littlestown Veterinary Hospital in Littlestown, PA
105 solar panels are installed at Littlestown Veterinary Hospital in Littlestown, PA. Courtesy photo by Julie Holland.

This week, as part of our #USDARoadTrip, we are pleased to take you on a tour though our rural utilities investments and show you how they are working to improve the quality of life in rural America and build a brighter future for all Americans.

Insituform’s Mack Meher checking the water flow that fills the white resin impregnated fabric lining that goes down the manhole
Insituform’s Mack Meher checks the water flow that fills the white resin impregnated fabric lining that goes down the manhole. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.

In the coming weeks, we’ll make more stops in some of our nation’s rural communities and take you inside USDA’s R&D shop, which pumps out science and tech innovations, web portals, and applications for consumers around the world. Continue tuning in to #USDARoadTrip to see how USDA is working in all corners of our nation to build a stronger, more sustainable American economy through partnership, progress and promise. Hold on tight! It’s going to be an exciting ride.

A wind farm in Oklahoma
A wind farm in Oklahoma. USDA photo by Alice Welch.
Category/Topic: Rural Technology
Tags: #USDARoadTrip Broadband Rural America rural communities Rural Electrification Administration Rural Utilities