About Marshall County, KS

Kansas is mostly a rural state with about 80,000 square miles of mostly farms and rural areas. So today when Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the selection of 16 projects in 10 states for funding to create jobs and provide new economic opportunities it was worth taking a further look and Kansas did receive some funding.

The projects are being funded through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDLG), which is administered by USDA Rural Development. On the list it shows the following projects for Kansas.

• Blue Valley Tele-Communications, Inc. - $740,000 loan to build and equip a new 5,000 square foot convenience store and retail space in Marysville, Kan, creating an estimated 12 jobs.
• Bluestem Electric Cooperative, Inc. - $192,000 loan to help construct a new building and purchase equipment and expand a saw mill in Belvue, Kan., a community of 228.
• Prairie Land Electric Cooperative, Inc. - $300,000 loan to purchase a digital X-Ray machine for the Cloud County Health Center.

REDLG provides funding to rural projects through local utility organizations. Under the program, USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. For more information on this program, please visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_redlg.html.