BISMARCK, N.D. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovation, announced today she will hold a hearing to examine ways to boost rural economies.
The hearing, featuring testimony from a North Dakota economic development expert and a successful Native American small business owner, will be held at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 1, 2014. The hearing will be livestreamed here.
“My hearing is going to take an in-depth look at what has worked to boost economic development, and what can be done in North Dakota and other rural areas to achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth,” said Heitkamp. “Because of the recently passed Farm Bill, there are many ways North Dakota can harness federal resources to support and build their communities. Now we’re working to put them to good use, while also hearing from folks on the ground, like Grafton’s Dawn Keeley, about how we can work together to bring more business to rural America.”
The hearing, entitled “The Importance of Regional Strategies in Rural Economic Development,” will focus on regional strategies that build on the strengths in communities, like those that are already sparking economic development in places like North Dakota. The 2014 Farm Bill will, for the first time, target federal investments for projects that support long term regional strategies under the Rural Business Development Grants Program, Water and Environmental Programs, Community Facilities Program and Business and Industry Program. Each program is operated by USDA Rural Development.
Heitkamp and other Senators on the panel will hear from Grafton’s Dawn Keeley, who is Executive Director of the Red River Regional Council. Keeley has more than 23 years of community and economic development experience. She has focused on assisting local governments in economic and community development, disaster recovery, housing development and rehabilitation, and strategic planning.
Mark Tilsen, CEO of Native American Natural Foods in Kyle, South Dakota, will also testify. Tilsen will share the challenges and successes he and his colleagues faced manufacturing and distributing their TankaBar line of health foods. Tilsen will discuss how his company worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bring the product to market.
Press release provided by US Senate Heidi Heitkamp
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