Appointee Williams Visits Poplar, Wolf Point

Kathleen Williams, the new State Director for USDA Rural Development in Montana, was on the road last week to meet with rural communities and discuss USDA Rural Development’s new Equity Project.

According to a press release, the meetings were essentially listening sessions with community stakeholders.

“These meetings help USDA Rural Development gain a broader understanding of how loan and grant funding can be implemented across areas of the state to help Montana’s rural communities grow,” said the press release. Media was not invited.

Williams, who is a Biden appointee, conducted meetings in Poplar and Wolf Point on March 10. She told the Northern Plains Independent

she found the conversations engaging and was excited to see possible funding for projects in the region unfold over successive phases.

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 Americans in rural areas. According to their website, “This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and highspeed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas.”

Topics of discussion at the meetings included the Equity Project, new programs to address meat processing and the food supply chain and USDA Rural Development’s role in helping communities thrive.

For more information, visit rd.usda.gov. To contact Williams’ office, write to suzanne. kerver@usda.gov or

call 406-312-0190.