USDA Rural Development State Director Douglas Wilson says the agency invested more than $648 million in rural Illinois communities this year.
In a summary of USDA’s fiscal year 2020 accomplishments, Wilson highlighted specific investments impacting Illinois including $105 million through the ReConnect Program supporting rural broadband and $72 million to expand access to safe drinking water and improve wastewater management systems.
He says they also helped bolster rural economic development by investing $5 million in the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program to increase biofuel sales as well as $62 million in assistance to rural businesses through a loan guarantee program that created and saved more than 600 jobs.
