For example, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that grants and loans are being made available to help businesses in rural communities create job opportunities. The funding comes from Rural Development's Intermediary Relending Program, along with the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program.
In all, about $6.7 million in funding was announced by the USDA. Vilsack said giving rural businesses access to funds is one of the most effective ways of aiding them in creating jobs.
"Putting Americans to work is a top priority of the Obama administration and these loans and grants will finance the training efforts that small and emerging businesses need to maintain their operations," Vilsack said.
Along with helping create jobs through rural businesses, the USDA and the U.S. Small Business Administration announced they signed an agreement to help encourage the creation the businesses themselves. One of the goals of the program is to reach out to communities that may lack the funding capabilities to support entrepreneurial creation.
