Dimock Cheese is the oldest artisan cheese plant in South Dakota. They have been making quality cheese since 1931. The factory, located 15 minutes south of Mitchell on Highway 37, is in the breadbasket of the heartland. The retail store is established in Dimock, with a population of 131. The… more
Chugwater Area Receives 100% Broadband
Chugwater Telephone Company (‘ChugTel’) is headquartered in Chugwater, Wyoming, and has offered communications services to this small rural community for decades. Known as the “Little Town with a Big Heart,” Chugwater is in a sparsely populated region, however the residents and businesses, as in… more
Infrastructure Shelters Equipment and Provides Enhanced Training Opportunities
Rural communities need volunteers to thrive and help provide services larger municipalities offer through paid personnel, such as a fire department. The volunteer fire department in Webster, SD, understands this need and the facilities and training needed in order to respond to emergency… more
Family of Eleven Enjoys Much Needed Space and Affordability Through Homeownership
The Jason and Kabrina Haar family is a big family compared to most with a family of eleven. The couple, along with their nine children ranging in ages from 18 years old to 10 months had been living in a single-wide three-bedroom trailer house just outside of Herreid, SD. The realization set in… more
Coolers for Rural Grocery Increase Options for Community
Rural communities deserve access to the high-quality food found throughout groceries in large cities. Unfortunately, with the sparse population across southwestern North Dakota, it can be economically challenging to operate a full-service grocery in the area. In the small town of Mott, a… more
Farmtastic Food Hub Celebrates Anniversary
Two entrepreneurs and the people of Anamoose recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of a new bakery and food hub in rural North Dakota. Farmtastic Heritage Food Hub opened last year to provide fresh, homemade meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients to guests, along with being a… more
One of the Largest Solar Farms in the State will benefit approximately 9,400 homes in South Carolina.
USDA Rural Development (RD) Business and Industry (B&I) Loan funds are used to assist farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses in developing renewable energy systems and in making energy-efficiency improvements to their operations.
In May, Peony Solar, located in Springfield, S… more
New School to Serve Nearly 550 Students
Rural Development funds were used to purchase and renovate an existing school facility and for expansion of the Elementary School’s campus. An existing building, on Leaphart Street, was purchased and repurposed as the Middle School campus for grades 6th through 8th. Facility improvements… more
Enhanced Fire Protection Service is Essential for the Pine Ridge Reservation
Founded in 1885, the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SD Mines) is a public institution of higher learning in Rapid City, South Dakota. Through a USDA Rural Development Community Facility Technical Assistance and Training grant, SD Mines has partnered with Banner Associates, Inc. (… more
Greater Future Envisioned Becomes Reality for New Rural South Dakota Homeowner
Kylie Beckman had been renting a townhouse in Madison, SD. Oftentimes, she found herself tossing around the idea of becoming a homeowner. One defining day, she woke up and decided that it was time to take steps toward that greater future she’d envisioned by pursuing homeownership.