USDA Announces Investments in Community Facilities that will Benefit Nearly 715,000 Rural Americans
Contact:
Weldon Freeman (202) 690-1384
Jay Fletcher (202) 690-0498
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2019 – Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Joel Baxley today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $68 million (PDF, 125 KB) to build or improve community facilities and essential services for nearly 715,000 rural residents in 13 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
“Having access to high-quality education, health care, public safety, community infrastructure and municipal services is crucial to achieving prosperity,” Baxley said. “Under the leadership of Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to partnering with rural community leaders to improve quality of life and economic development in rural America by building or modernizing the essential community facilities that provide these building-block opportunities.”
USDA is funding 20 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The funding helps rural small towns, cities and communities make infrastructure improvements. For example:
The projects announced today are in rural communities in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, South Dakota and Texas.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Applicants and projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a cornerstone recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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Tractor Supply’s Spring Paper Clover Program Raises $917,954 for
4-H Youth Nationwide
Donations collected during two-week campaign will send 4-H youth to camps and other
hands-on programming
(May 8, 2019) – Hundreds of 4-H youth from across the country will have the opportunity to participate in valuable hands-on learning experiences as a result of Tractor Supply Company’s Paper Clover spring fundraiser. Tractor Supply customers and team members raised $917,954 in only 12 days during the Paper Clover campaign by making donations in-store and online across the country. A biannual program, Paper Clover is in partnership with the National 4-H Council.
“Tractor Supply customers and team members continue to show support to 4-H youth through the Paper Clover campaign because they recognize the lasting impact that 4-H programs have on youth in their communities,” said Christi Korzekwa, senior vice president of marketing at Tractor Supply Company. “The impact of the Paper Clover program is proven by the important opportunities it presents to 4-H youth nationwide. We are proud to work with our customers and team members to make a difference in the lives of these young people.”
From March 27 to April 7, Tractor Supply customers and team members purchased paper clovers—the emblem of 4-H—for a donation during checkout at stores nationwide or through purchases made online at TractorSupply.com.
Dollars collected during Tractor Supply’s Paper Clover event fund scholarships for numerous state-level 4-H programs, and every donation benefits youth within the state it was collected. Scholarships are used for camps and leadership experiences where attendees learn everything from animal care and woodworking to networking practices and civic responsibility.
“Programs like Paper Clover are key to supporting the development of our youth’s skills and passions, and we are beyond grateful to Tractor Supply, which continues to help us provide hands-on learning experiences for our kids,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of National 4-H Council. “By presenting 4-H youth with learn-by-doing programming, we give them the tools they need to become tomorrow’s leaders.”
Now in its 10th year, the Paper Clover campaign has raised $13.2 million for 4-H youth nationwide due to the commitment and in-store participation of Tractor Supply customers, team members and local 4-H groups. The second 2019 Paper Clover event will be held this fall, from Oct. 9 –20. For more information on the program, visit www.TractorSupply.com/4H.
About Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has been passionate about serving its unique niche, as a one-stop shop for recreational farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural lifestyle, for more than 80 years. Tractor Supply offers an extensive mix of products necessary to care for home, land, pets and animals with a focus on product localization, exclusive brands and legendary customer service that addresses the needs of the Out Here lifestyle. With more than 29,000 team members, the Company leverages its physical store assets with digital capabilities to offer customers the convenience of purchasing products they need anytime, anywhere and any way they choose at the everyday low prices they deserve. At March 30, 2019, the Company operated 1,775 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and an e-commerce website at www.TractorSupply.com.
Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense, a small-box pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities, and offering a variety of pet products and services. At March 30, 2019, the Company operated 176 Petsense stores in 26 states. For more information on Petsense, visit www.Petsense.com.
About 4-H
4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4‑H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4‑H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs. Learn more about 4‑H at WWW.4‑H.ORG, or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
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States support a wide range of career and technical education (CTE) programs that feature industry-recognized credentials, but how effective are they at preparing high school students for a future career and long-term success?
Credentials Matter, a first-of-its-kind analysis by ExcelinEd and Burning Glass Technologies, examines whether the credentials students earn align with real-world employer demand. This project presents the most extensive data collection available on industry-recognized credentials earned in states.
The Credentials Matter research uncovered some thought-provoking findings.
Credentials Matter represents a critical first step to understanding the current credentials landscape across the U.S. so policymakers and other stakeholders can build a better career education system for students.
The Credentials Matter report and interactive website of data together can inform and inspire efforts to build a better classroom-to-career educational path for America’s students
.About Credentials Matter
Credentials Matter is an ongoing research partnership between ExcelinEd and Burning Glass Technologies designed to shed light on the landscape of industry credential data collection and alignment across the country. The project provides insight into how industry credentials earned by high school students align with workforce demand in each state to inform education system improvements and state data collection practices. Visit ExcelinEd.org/CredentialsMatter for more information.
Is starting a small business right for you? Word count: 730
By Christy Wright
My mom started her business when I was only six months old. She was a single mother with only $64 to her name, but with a determination to survive. To make ends meet, she went back to the one thing she knew she was really good at: baking and decorating cakes.
We’re celebrating National Small Business Week this month, which always takes me back to my roots. It reminds me of my childhood that is filled with sweet memories from the cake shop my mom started more than 35 years ago. I grew up watching her struggle and work hard as she built a business and a life doing what she loved. But the best part is that it lit a fire in me to help equip other women to do the same.
Because of my mom, I started some side businesses of my own. And later, I became a certified business coach and created the Business Boutique. I wanted to build a place for women to overcome fear and learn everything they needed to know about starting and growing a business.
For many of us, the journey begins (and sometimes ends) with one question: Do I have what it takes to start a small business?
As much as I love small-business owners, the answer isn’t always yes. It takes a certain kind of person with the willingness to put themselves out there and the determination to persevere. You’ve got to be okay with unknown risks, a lot of responsibility and really hard work at times. So, to help women figure out if this might be worth their while, I usually ask them three questions:
1. Do you want to help people?
If you don’t really like people or helping them, then starting a business is probably not right for you. But if you get excited about serving others in some way—improving their lives, meeting their needs, solving their problems or listening to their complaints (because, let’s be honest, there will be some!)—then this might be right for you. And if you already have in mind how you want to help people, that’s even better!
2. Do you want to make money?
There’s a difference between a hobby and a business: A business makes you money, while a hobby costs you money. Many people pursue their hobby as a business and then end up broke, because they just don’t care about making money or they “feel bad” for charging someone for what they do.
Now, if you do want to make profit but you have some weird, squirmy feelings about money, that’s normal. I coach women every day to help them face their fears around pricing their product, charging customers and paying themselves. Just because you have a love-hate relationship with money doesn’t mean you can’t make it! You just need a little help. But you need to have a drive to make money if you’re ever going to make any (translation: stay in business!).
3. Do you want to work hard?
I’m not going to sugarcoat this: Business is hard work at times. It just is. But if you want it bad enough and are willing to put in the blood, sweat and tears, then you can make it. You don’t need a business degree, a pile of money or all the bells and whistles to build a successful business. But you do need a whole lot of grit.
The most successful business owners aren’t people who had a smooth path to the top. They were just willing to get knocked down over and over again, get back up, dust themselves off, and keep going.
I hope you take time to reflect over these three questions. They’re great indicators of whether starting a business might be a good fit for you. I sure hope it is, because I love small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create jobs, pour back into their communities and lead the charge in new tech and product innovation.
And as we celebrate National Small Business Week, I can’t help but dream about seeing even more women pursue their passion and build a life making money doing what they love. So, let me ask you, will you be one of them? If you need help getting started, I have tons of free resources to help you at christywright.com.
About Christy Wright
Christy Wright is the #1 national best-selling author of Business Boutique, host of the Business Boutique Podcast, a Certified Business Coach and a Ramsey Personality with a passion for equipping women with the knowledge and steps they need to successfully run and grow a business. Since joining Ramsey Solutions in 2009, she has spoken to thousands across the country at women’s conferences, national business conferences, Fortune 500 companies and her own sold-out live events. You can follow Wright on Twitter and Instagram @ChristyBWright and online at christywright.com or facebook.com/OfficialChristyWright.
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LIFT THE MEDIUM
PREMIERE VIDEO FOR "DON'T NEED TO FALL"
VIA PURE GRAIN AUDIO
WATCH HERE
MOMENT IN TIME OUT NOW
May 6, 2019 - Cincinnati, OH - Lift The Medium are premiering their new video for "Don't Need To Fall" exclusively today via Pure Grain Audio. Watch HERE. "LTM strive to deliver positive, uplifting music that stands the test of time and, with their rocking single, do just that", Pure Grain Audio notes. The concept of the visual, as the lyrics suggest, is built around two individuals who are madly in love with one another, but otherwise confounded to other relationships. The band elaborates, "Regardless of their situation or the timing of our story, it was inevitable that our two lovers should end up together...We also wanted to capture some of our live show and incorporate that footage into the video without losing the continuity of the love story and the different relationships." "Don't Need To Fall" is lifted from the band's sophomore album, Moment In Time, available now on all major online platforms. For more information on Lift The Medium, please visit: https://www.liftthemedium.com/.
Lift the Medium are a pure rock band made up of lead singer/guitarist Joey Vasselet, lead guitarist/singer Joe Bartone, drummer/pianist/singer Jake Bartone and bassist/singer LJ Lillie. With a goal of creating timeless, uplifting music that strikes a positive chord in the minds and spirits of the audience, the band released their debut album Mastermind in June 2014. Following a successful campaign and tour, Lift the Medium returned to Sonic Lounge Studios to complete their sophomore album, Moment In Time, released in August 2017.
The band is noted for their high energy shows, dedicated fanbase, and diverse, yet cohesive and contemporary sound. As a result, they have earned several accolades in the tri-state area, including the Cincinnati Entertainment Award for best hard rock band of 2017. That same year, the quartet also won the Next2Rock competition with 96Rock radio.
Moment In Time, the sophomore album from Lift the Medium featuring "Don't Need To Fall", is available now on all major online platforms.
For more information on Lift The Medium, please visit:
https://www.liftthemedium.com/
http://facebook.com/liftthemedium
http://instagram.com/liftthemedium
http://twitter.com/liftthemedium
Tour dates:
5/24 - Bogart's presented by Cricket Wireless - Cincinnati, OH
5/25 - Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY
6/29 - State Street Pub - Indianapolis, IN
I'm reaching out to let you know that Utah State University has created a News Desk Twitter account, @USU_News. Content from this account will include news stories and updates about USU and its colleges. Additionally, I will repost important (and hopefully not too irreverent) news on my long-unused-until-now Twitter feed, @Spin_MD.
