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While the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is rich in cultural pride, identity and history, its remote location in the rugged terrain of Southeast Oklahoma has severely limited the tribe’s economic development efforts.  But a Broadband Initiative Program grant, made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will enable Pine Telephone Company (PTC) to use innovative wireless technology to deliver affordable broadband service to portions of this rural, remote and economically disadvantaged region in Southeast Oklahoma.

One of the best things about living in Alaska and working for USDA is seeing how our programs improve things for the folks who call this region home.  Other than electricity and running water, nothing improves the quality of life more than broadband.

U.S. Senator Benjamin Nelson and Nebraska USDA Rural Development State Director Maxine Moul took part in a reception held at the USDA Rural Development State Office in Lincoln, Neb. recently.  At the reception, the Senator heard how Rural Development programs have helped rural Nebraskans.

Cross-posted from the White House Blog

Today I released our first comprehensive report on USDA’s deployment of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for rural broadband.  It showed that the 68 investments we have already made will bring broadband access to an estimated 530,000 households, 93,000 businesses, and 3,300 anchor institutions like hospitals, schools, community centers and libraries.  They will create 5,000 jobs immediately. And they will cover an area larger than the state of California.

Written by Katie Yocum, USDA Rural Development, with assistance from Gayle Cargo, Texas Rural Development Public Information Coordinator

Written by Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service

I traveled to Philadelphia today to join the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) for their 2010 national forum. We partner with CFC to finance electric cooperatives across rural America. It was a chance to talk about the progress USDA has made over the last 75 years toward rural electrification, and how we are on the frontlines again to bring access to high speed broadband to rural America.

Mary Meyer, who began working for the Madison Telephone LLC in Kansas for the first generation owners, is now working with the third generation to prepare them to take over the company upon her retirement...when this USDA funded Broadband project is complete.

An excited crowd gathered in New Town, North Dakota, last week for the groundbreaking of a major broadband infrastructure project.  Reservation Telephone Cooperative (RTC) received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to provide broadband service to rural residents of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and the surrounding area.

Cross-posted from the White House Blog

Tomorrow I will travel to Hillsboro, Missouri to host the Obama Administration’s National Summit of Rural America: A Dialogue for Renewing Promise. The event will feature a broad conversation with key policymakers and community leaders to explore the priorities and policies necessary to strengthen America’s rural communities.

Three patient simulation dummies - an adult, a child, and an infant – are now available for students to practice on at Heart of Georgia Technical College in Dublin, thanks to USDA funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.