U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that Rural Development is investing approximately $50 thousand in California into Catalina Biotech, Inc. The investments reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to Building a Better America by investing in rural communities.
“We are pleased to provide Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) funding to Catalina Biotech, Inc., for their ‘Timber & Carbon Farming Industry’ pilot which will reveal the potential for development of regenerative Paulownia trees for production of timber, carbon credits and other valuable products within the Coachella Valley,” said Dan Johnson, Rural Development Business and Cooperative program director for California.
The RBDG program supports targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Training and technical assistance can include project planning, market research, feasibility studies, and professional/technical reports. This project will promote economic development and job creation, as well as provide opportunities for emerging small businesses that could lead to establishment of a sustainable lumber industry in rural areas of Riverside County.
This investment will be used to provide planning and business plan development by Catalina Biotech, California. The service area will include Riverside County, North of the Salton Sea, and two largest communities in Mecca and Thermal. The project will help 10 farmers/ranchers and 30 businesses.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.