First things first. I want to wish The Delmarva Farmer readers a very Happy New Year and begin by stating how deeply honored and privileged I am to have been given the opportunity to serve as the Rural Development State Director since November of 2017.
Helping to build prosperity in rural Delaware and Maryland is an important, challenging and complex mission.
I’ve had the best experiences working with our outstanding professionals. 
They share the desire and dedication to serve our two great states every day. 2020 will most definitely be remembered for working remotely, wearing facial masks, using gobs of hand sanitizers and socially distancing but still functioning as a team.
Through it all our RD staff continues to deliver programs with excellent customer service as confirmed by DUSEC’s year-end statistics listed below.
USDA Deputy Under Secretary Bette Brand highlighted Rural Development’s investments in 2020 that are building prosperity and strengthening rural businesses and communities.
Brand says, “Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA invested a record $40 billion in rural communities in 2020. This assistance is helping increase economic opportunities and improving the quality of life for rural residents across the 50 states and all U.S. territories.” Brand added, “USDA responded with urgency to help those affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic. We worked to bring high-speed internet capacity, modern community facilities, and upgraded water and wastewater infrastructure to rural areas. We helped provide homeownership opportunities and reliable electricity. We invested in businesses and family-supporting jobs, because when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
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Below is a summary for some of USDA Rural Development’s 2020 accomplishments:
Connecting Rural America to High-Speed Broadband
• Invested $1.3 billion to support rural broadband expansion through the ReConnect Pilot Program. Included in this total is $85 million provided through the CARES Act. In total, these investments are connecting approximately 280,000 households, 19,978 farms and 10,053 businesses to high-speed internet. One award was made in Maryland totaling $13,100,000.
• Invested $187 million in broadband through the Telecom Infrastructure and Community Connect programs. These investments are connecting 58,249 households in rural communities to high-speed internet.
Improving Rural Infrastructure
• Invested a record $6.3 billion in 125 projects to upgrade or build electric infrastructure. These investments will benefit 10.7 million customers by improving electric service reliability across 34 states.
• Invested $801 million in Smart Grid technology to improve electric systems and monitor grid security for rural electric customers.
• Invested $2.1 billion to expand access to safe drinking water and improve wastewater management systems. These investments will improve the reliability of local water supply for 2.1 million rural Americans. DE/MD 2020 investments total $17,456,000.
Bolstering Rural
Economic Development
• Invested $1.7 billion to assist 384 rural businesses through the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program. Included in this total was $326 million provided through the CARES Act. These investments created or saved nearly 18,000 jobs. 2020 DE/MD Business & Industry Guarantee Investments total $345,000.
• Invested more than $386 million in 2,304 loan and grants through the Rural Energy for America Program for energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy systems, and energy development assistance in rural businesses. These investments are projected to generate or save more than 1.8 billion kWh. DE/MD REAP investments total $1,116,000.
Improving Rural Quality of Life
• Invested $1.5 billion in loans and grants through the Community Facilities Programs that funded the construction or modernization of 1,683 essential community facilities such as rural hospitals, educational institutions and public safety facilities. These investments will benefit 20 million rural residents, across all 50 states, Guam, Virgin Islands and the Western Pacific. 2020 Community Facilities Loan & Grant funding for Maryland and Delaware total just under $7,600,000.
• Invested $71.5 million through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program in 116 distance learning and telemedicine projects. These investments will benefit 12 million rural residents, making it easier for them to access healthcare and educational opportunities without having to travel long distances. Only one award in Round One was made in Maryland totaling $430,124. Second Round Funding Awards will be announced this last week of December.
• Invested $24 billion in direct and guaranteed loans through the Single Family Housing Programs to help 143,795 low- and moderate-income families buy homes in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 2020 Housing investments in Delaware and Maryland total just under $963,000,000.00.
Enhancing Customer Service
• Cut red tape to increase private investment by making it easier for lenders to access four flagship loan programs under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative.
• Took immediate actions to assist rural residents, businesses and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, USDA launched a Federal Rural Resource Guide, provided loan forbearances, halted evictions, and made additional funding available under existing programs. For more information, visit our COVID-19 response page.
• Streamlined regulations to ease customer access to CARES Act programs, infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community facilities and high-speed internet access in rural areas.
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For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact me at denise.lovelady@usda.gov and I will forward more detailed reports.
