Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-355)

This legislation affirmed USDA as the lead agency for rural development. Amended the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize loans for business telecommunications partnerships and establish rural emergency assistance loans; Supporting rural business. Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (P.L. On February 7, 2014, the President signed into law the most recent farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014 ( P.L. The Rural Development title of the 2014 farm bill reauthorized most existing rural development programs. The law also included a new provision directing the Secretary of Agriculture to begin collecting data on the economic effects of the projects that USDA Rural Development funds to assess their long- and short-term viability, and directed the Secretary to develop simplified applications for funding. The law also provided $150 million in mandatory spending for pending rural development loans and grants and $63 million in mandatory spending for the Value-Added Product Grants program. The law also reauthorized funding for programs under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, including the Access to Broadband Telecommunications Services in Rural Areas Program and the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. For Access to Broadband Telecommunication Services in Rural Areas, the law also established new procedures to compare applications and to set funding priorities. Additionally, a new Gigabit Network Pilot Program for high-speed broadband service was authorized at $10 million for each fiscal year FY2014-FY2018. The law also authorized a new Rural Energy Savings Program to fund loans to qualified consumers to implement energy efficiency measures. USDA Rural Development Mission Agencies

The following sections outline the various loan and grant programs administered by the three principal USDA Rural Development mission agencies: Rural Housing Service (RHS), Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS). An overview of the programs administered by USDA's Office of Community Development is also provided. It amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and the United States Housing Act of 1937. Eligibility Criteria: Economic development projects benefitting rural areas. 113-79 ).
More than 88 programs administered by 16 different federal agencies target rural economic development. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the greatest number of rural development programs and has the highest average of program funds going directly to rural counties (approximately 50%). The Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 also designated USDA as the lead federal agency for rural development. The Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agricultural Reorganization Act of 1994 created the Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development and consolidated the rural development portfolio into four principal agencies responsible for USDA's mission area: the Rural Housing Service, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, the Rural Utilities Service, and the Office of Community Development.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79), the most recent farm bill, was enacted on February 7, 2014. Among other changes, the law consolidates several business loan and grant programs into a single business support platform. The law allows prioritization of rural development projects that support strategic economic and community development. The new law provides $150 million in mandatory spending for backlogged rural development loans and grants and $63 million in mandatory spending for the Value-Added Product Grants program. Most existing programs authorized by the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and the Rural Electrification Act were reauthorized. The Access to Broadband Telecommunication Services in Rural Areas Program was reauthorized and establishes new procedures to compare applications and set funding priorities. Additionally, a new Gigabit Network Pilot Program for high-speed broadband service was authorized at $10 million for each fiscal year FY2014-FY2018. The bill also authorizes a new Rural Energy Savings Program to fund loans to qualified consumers to implement energy efficiency measures. A new provision directs USDA to begin collecting data on the economic activities it funds to assess the short- and long-term viability of award recipients.
This report provides an overview of the various programs administered by USDA Rural Development's mission agencies, their authorizing legislation, program objectives, eligibility criteria, and FY2005-FY2016 funding for each program. The report is updated as new USDA Rural Development programs are implemented or amended.