U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $714 million in grants and loans to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers and business owners in 19 states to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. Connecting all communities across the United States to high-speed internet is a central part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild our economy from the bottom up and middle out by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, which is driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing investments and creating good-paying jobs.
Here are the awards in Minnesota…
- Johnson Telephone Company
Grant: $7,916,408
Loan: $7,916,408
This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the[1]premises network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit 949 people, 30 businesses and 13 farms in Cass County, Minnesota. Johnson Telephone Company will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs - MiEnergy Cooperative
Grant: $6,838,539
Loan: $6,838,539
This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the[1]premises network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit 1,017 people, nine businesses and 148 farms in Fillmore County, Minnesota. MiEnergy Cooperative will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs. - Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association
Grant: $19,039,348
This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the[1]premises network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit 458 people, 16 businesses, 124 farms and one educational facility in Kandiyohi, Meeker and Stearns counties in Minnesota. Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program