USDA forms partnership to serve rural communities

A program to foster growth in rural communities will be coming to Cass, Van Buren and Berrien counties.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Stronger Economies Together (SET) program will offer training designed to help regional economic developers learn new approaches to strengthen and enhance regional economic development activities.

SET training is an opportunity for teams working in more than one county to receive the latest tools, training, and technical assistance to help their region experience positive growth.

Much of this training involves actual hands-on work on the regional plan by team members.

The program also offers database tools specifically designed to help the regional teams identify emerging growth sectors, regional competitive advantages, and critical drivers of their region.

Technical assistance and educational support from the North Central Regional Rural Development Center, Rural Development staff, and Michigan State University Extension staff are part of the program.

There also are educational and information-sharing opportunities with other SET program participants around the country.

Wendy Dant Chesser, president of Cornerstone Alliance, says the organization sees SET “as a timely and indispensable aid in the advancement of our regional economic growth.”

USDA administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave
Source: Alec Lloyd, U.S. Department of Agriculture