U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice were in Clarksdale Wednesday to announce a new approach to the way federal agencies partner with rural places to create economic opportunity in rural America.
The USDA-led Rural Partners Network (RPN) is an all-of-government program that will help rural communities access government resources and funding to create jobs, build infrastructure and support long-term economic stability.
Wednesday’s announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Building a Better America Rural Infrastructure Tour, during which Biden Administration officials travel to dozens of rural communities to talk about the impact of bipartisan infrastructure investments, as well as President Biden’s broader commitment to ensure federal resources reach all communities in rural America.
Secretary Vilsack and Ambassador Rice are in Mississippi with Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) to meet with community leaders and stakeholders who will benefit from RPN in Clarksdale and Greenwood, Mississippi.
“Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA and its federal partners are committed to unlocking the full potential of rural America by investing in its people and the unique visions they have for the places they call home,” Vilsack said. “Rural America is incredibly diverse – economically, racially, culturally and geographically. What makes sense for one community may not for another.”
Rice said it all boils down to program and the dollars they can bring to bear to solve problems in rural America and specifically the Mississippi Delta.
“President Biden has delivered unprecedented resources for rural communities through the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” Rice said. “However, just making resources available is not enough – the federal government must work better for rural communities so that they can fully take advantage of these opportunities. The Rural Partners Network will empower rural communities to get their fair share of federal funds, an important goal for not only economic development but equity as well.”
The Rural Partners Network is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between federal agencies and local leaders and residents. This Network is focused on improving social and economic well-being bolstered by existing local partnerships and assets. The Network will launch in selected communities in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico as well as certain Tribes within Arizona.
In Mississippi those agencies will be: Washington County Economic Alliance Community Network including the counties of Bolivar, Leflore, Sunflower and Washington; Greater Grenada, Lake District Partnership Community Network including the counties of Grenada and Yalobusha; and North Delta Planning and Development District Community Network including the counties of Coahoma, Quitman and Tunica.
Each community network will be supported by a Rural Partners Network team to help address that community’s specific needs and concerns, building on local assets. Network staff will also be responsible for sharing lessons learned from selected communities with federal agencies in D.C. to ensure rural communities have a voice in policymaking.
The Building a Better America Rural Infrastructure Tour is a multi-faceted outreach effort involving cabinet and sub-cabinet officials across federal agencies as they travel to and learn from key rural communities.
These visits will highlight new federal funding and investments already underway through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a once-in-a-generation investment that will support rural communities and their infrastructure needs.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways.
