USDA resource guide aims to help rural businesses grow

The Agriculture Department's Rural Development branch has unveiled a resource guide aimed at helping rural Americans start and grow businesses.

The guide has first-hand stories from business owners about how USDA programs helped them start or expand businesses. It also tells how rural entrepreneurs can access USDA and other federal programs to get financing and other assistance to help start and expand their businesses. It includes tools to help them:

• expand their access to capital to create small business incubators
• create value-added agricultural products
• access high-speed internet to connect their businesses to national and global markets
• cut energy costs
• access health care resources to enhance the quality of life for their employees
• access workforce development and training opportunities to improve their skills, products and services, and more

Though recently surveyed Midwestern rural bankers reported strong local economies, chronic labor shortages remain a significant problem. New local businesses could help with that.