USDA Rural Development official visits Nebraska

The leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development mission area was in Nebraska last week to meet with economic development leaders from across the state.

Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden said it was his first time visiting Nebraska in his role and he was impressed with the enthusiasm of the people he met.

“What I saw here in Nebraska, I mean, just a great group, a team, at rural development," he said. "And I tell you that that's a model that we can replicate in other places across the country.”

Gooden visited the Greater Omaha Packing Company Tuesday, which received a $20 million Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program grant in 2022.

The money has been used to upgrade the company’s freezers and remodel parts of the plant to help strengthen the food supply chain.

The USDA said the improvements will support an additional 275 jobs.

Gooden also spoke at the Rural Community Assistance Partnership Conference and met with leaders in rural economic development.

Gooden said the two biggest rural development issues he heard about are housing and childcare.

“Those are the top two items that we are really working to address in rural development, because it is an impediment for economic development, economic growth, and a lot of these rural communities," he said.

USDA Rural Development has also administered multi-million dollar grants for water infrastructure projects and disaster technical assistance programs in the state.