South Dakota

Beadle and Spink Enterprise Community (BASEC) just made its 500 th loan and through its revolving loan program has loaned over $16 million dollars to improve the economic and housing climate of part of South Dakota since 1996. BASEC (named after the two counties it serves) has less than a 1 percent...

USDA Rural Development South Dakota State Director Elsie Meeks recently awarded the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) Telephone Authority headquartered in Eagle Butte a $37.9 million USDA Telecommunication Infrastructure Loan to complete a total fiber to premises build out. Attending the award...

Today, November 18, 210, Basin Electric Power Cooperative based in Bismarck, ND, will receive a USDA Rural Development Rural Utilities loan guarantee for $153,396,000 for two wind projects in Mina, ND. Together these projects will provide 120 MW of renewable electricity. Combined with Basin’s...

In the mid-1970’s, the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (Sioux Tribe) relocated from a small tribal office building in Sisseton, SD, to establish a new tribal government at the Old Agency Dakota community in Agency Village, SD. Since then, the tribe has grown immensely in population and in services provided...

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) partnered with the Office of Personnel Management to participate in the Feds, Farmers, and Friends Feed Families (F5), a food drive. This food drive benefited local food banks identified by state and area/local USDA offices.

USDA Rural Development joined Ipswich, South Dakota city officials, congressional staff, partners, and members of the community recently for a “raising of the ball” event. There was excitement in the air as the National Anthem was sung by members of the Ipswich High School chorus, drum roll, and all...

USDA Rural Utilities Administrator Jonathan Adelstein was a guest speaker earlier this week at the South Dakota Association of Telephone Cooperatives 2010 Annual Meeting and Conference. Adelstein spoke to a crowd of over 150 telephone cooperative managers and representatives on USDA Rural...

By Tammi Schone, USDA Rural Development Public Affairs Specialist, South Dakota State Office South Dakota State Director Elsie M. Meeks and Don Harris, Outreach Initiative Team Leader, National Office (Washington, DC) logged over 1,400 miles traveling across the state in mid June, reaching out to...

Theresa Two Bulls, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) signed a proclamation declaring June 2010 National Homeownership Month. The signing event took place in conjunction with the live interview the OST Housing Authority, Partnership for Housing and USDA Rural Development held with KILI Radio...

Earth Day celebrations in both Rosebud and Porcupine, South Dakota, featured Jessica Zufolo, USDA Rural Development Deputy Administrator for Rural Utilities Programs. Zufolo was joined by the South Dakota Rural Development State Director Elsie M. Meeks and Area Director Tim Potts, along with...