Biden-Harris Administration delivers on promises to invest in rural Oklahoma

STILLWATER — United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Oklahoma State Director Kenneth Corn highlighted the ways the Biden-Harris Administration continues to deliver on its promises to build a better America and rebuild the backbone of the country, the middle class.

“Two years ago, President Biden made a promise to rebuild rural America and grow our economy,” Corn said. “The investments the Administration has made in Oklahoma proves that the president has kept that promise, as we grow Oklahoma from the bottom-up and the middle out. I look forward to the next two years with the leadership of the BidenHarris Administration to transform our economy and create tangible prosperity for our families, communities and tribal nations in Oklahoma.”

Here is a look at USDA Rural Development’s actions during the last two years of the administration to rebuild Oklahoma’s economy and rural communities, minimize impacts of climate change, create good-paying jobs for American workers:

• More than $297 million in investing in growing Oklahoma businesses.

• More than $2.1 million in securing a better future for Oklahoma agriculture producers with the ValueAdded Producer Grant.

• Securing Oklahoma’s future in combating climate change by investing more than $1.7 million in energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy.

• Provided safe and secure housing for more than 4,900 rural families.

• Upgraded and prevented failure of rural water systems across Oklahoma by investing more than $142 million.

• Provided rural health care networks and emergency response providers with investments of more than $6.3 million to improve access to care.

• Reinvesting in rural Oklahoma communities by providing more than $17.7 million to counties, municipalities, school districts and nonprofit organizations.

• Ensuring the security and longevity of rural Oklahoma’s electric grid with an investment of more than $580 million.

• Providing broadband access and improved telecom support to rural Oklahoma communities with an investment of more than $14.7 million. Oklahoman’s can see the individual investments in their respective communities provided by USDA Rural Development by visiting https://www.rd.usda.gov/rural-data-gateway/ruralinvestments/programareas.

“These investments highlight how USDA touches the lives of all Oklahomans each day in so many positive ways,” Corn said. “Under the BidenHarris Administration, the shared values of Oklahomans are being honored with critical investments in our rural communities through water and waste water systems, access to healthcare regardless of the zip code, new business opportunities created with updated technology and much needed access to capital and smart investments that protects our natural resources so that many rural families can continue to raise their families on the land and feed their friends and neighbors.”

To learn more, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/ok.