The solution area includes 2,159 households, 25 pre-subscribed companies, two community that is critical, an academic center and 24 pre-subscribed farms, including 22 poultry farms

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural developing Georgia State Director Joyce White announced a $4.4 million investment in high-speed broadband infrastructure. This investment will offer the construction of 90 kilometers of fiber-optic infrastructure in Gilmer County. The solution area includes 2,159 households, 25 pre-subscribed companies, two critical community facilities, an academic center and 24 pre-subscribed farms, including 22 chicken farms. This broadband investment shall fortify the chicken industry in north Georgia. This can be among the many funding announcements into the very first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot system investments.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with Ellijay Telephone business to grow broadband access,” White said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has made deploying this critical infrastructure across rural America a premier concern, because we understand when rural America flourishes, each of America flourishes.”

The Ellijay Telephone Company (ETC), established in 1903, is a technology frontrunner in Gilmer, Fannin, Cherokee and Pickens counties in north Georgia. It provides cable tv, phone, safety solutions and broadband solutions for company, commercial and domestic readers.

Back Ground:

In March 2018, Congress offered New Mexico title loan $600 million to USDA to grow broadband infrastructure and solutions in rural America. On Dec. 13, 2018, Secretary Perdue announced the guidelines for the scheduled program, called “ReConnect,” including exactly how a loans and funds will likely to be granted to simply help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications between might 31, 2019, and July 12, 2019, asking for $1.4 billion in capital across all three ReConnect Program capital items: 100 % loan, 100 % grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA is reviewing applications and announcing authorized jobs on a rolling basis. Extra assets in every three groups will likely be produced in the coming months.

These funds, loans and combination funds allow the government to partner using the personal sector and rural communities to construct contemporary broadband infrastructure in areas with inadequate online sites. Insufficient service is described as connection rates of not as much as 10 megabits per second (Mbps) down load and 1 Mbps upload.

In December 2019, Agriculture Secretary Perdue announced USDA would be making available yet another $550 million in ReConnect money in 2020. USDA is likely to make available as much as $200 million for funds, as much as $200 million for 50/50 grant/loan combinations, or more to $200 million for low-interest loans. The program screen because of this round of capital shall start Jan. 31, 2020. Applications for many financing services and products is accepted within the exact same application screen, that may close on March 16, 2020.

To aid possible providers using their applications, USDA is hosting assistance that is technical and workshops around the world. To see an updated selection of times and areas, or even register to go to, visit www.usda.gov/reconnect/events.

A complete description of 2020 ReConnect Pilot Program funding can be obtained on web page 67913 associated with Dec. 12, 2019, Federal enroll (PDF, 336 KB). To find out more about eligibility, technical support and present notices, visit www.usda.gov/reconnect.

In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to determine legislative, regulatory and policy modifications that may market farming and success in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue offered the duty Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 tips to align the government that is federal state, neighborhood and tribal governments to benefit from possibilities which exist in rural America. Increasing opportunities in rural infrastructure is really a key suggestion of this task force.