Rural Development
Encyclopedia
USDA Office of Rural Development (RD) is an agency with the United States Department of Agriculture
which runs programs intended to improve the economy and quality of life in rural
America.
Rural Development has an $86 billion dollar loan portfolio, and administers nearly $16 billion in program loans, loan guarantees, and grants through their programs. For various reasons, some of this funding currently goes to urban
areas to help develop and redevelop suburbs and resort cities.
(7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.), to administer FmHA community and business programs and other USDA rural development programs. RDA was superseded by the Office of Rural Development following the 1994 reorganization of USDA authorized by P.L. 103-354.
On October 13, 1994, the Department of Agriculture was reorganized under the Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act. Under that act, USDA Rural Development was created to administer the former Farmers Home Administration
's (FmHA) non-farm financial programs for rural housing, community facilities, water and waste disposal, and rural businesses. The former Rural Electrification Administration's (REA) utility programs were also consolidated within Rural Development.
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
which runs programs intended to improve the economy and quality of life in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
America.
Rural Development has an $86 billion dollar loan portfolio, and administers nearly $16 billion in program loans, loan guarantees, and grants through their programs. For various reasons, some of this funding currently goes to urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
areas to help develop and redevelop suburbs and resort cities.
History
The Rural Development Administration (RDA) was a USDA agency established by the 1990 farm bill (P.L. 101-624, Sec. 2302), amending the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act of 1972Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act of 1972
The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act of 1972 or Con Act authorized a major expansion of USDA lending activities, which at the time were administered by Farmers Home Administration . The legislation was originally enacted as the Consolidated Farmers Home Administration Act of 1961...
(7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.), to administer FmHA community and business programs and other USDA rural development programs. RDA was superseded by the Office of Rural Development following the 1994 reorganization of USDA authorized by P.L. 103-354.
On October 13, 1994, the Department of Agriculture was reorganized under the Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act. Under that act, USDA Rural Development was created to administer the former Farmers Home Administration
Farmers Home Administration
In 1946 Farmers Home Administration replaced the Farm Security Administration which superseded the Resettlement Administration. Its mission and programs involved extending credit for agriculture and rural development. Direct and guaranteed credit went to individual farmers, low-income families,...
's (FmHA) non-farm financial programs for rural housing, community facilities, water and waste disposal, and rural businesses. The former Rural Electrification Administration's (REA) utility programs were also consolidated within Rural Development.
Operating units
- Rural Business-Cooperative ServiceRural Business-Cooperative ServiceThe Rural Business-Cooperative Service is one of three agencies within USDA Rural Development responsible for administering various economic development programs to rural communities in the United States and its territories...
(RBS) - Rural Housing ServiceRural Housing ServiceThe Rural Housing Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture . Located within the Department's Rural Development mission area, RHS operates a broad range of programs to provide:*homeownership options to individuals;...
(RHS) - Rural Utilities ServiceRural Utilities Serviceis an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture , one of the federal executive departments of the United States government charged with providing public utilities to rural areas in the United States via public-private partnerships...
(RUS)