With a new administration coming to Washington next month, Colleen Callahan will be ending her term as head of Illinois Rural Development for USDA. Callahan says since 2009, USDA rural development has provided nearly five billion dollars in needed infrastructure capital to rural Illinois. 



The money isn’t just government money flowing in, but mainly low interest loans and loan guarantees that helps rural communities raise capital for projects they could not otherwise afford, like water and sewage plants, broadband internet, medical facilities, affordable housing and a host of other projects that low interest guaranteed loans make affordable.

Lincoln realized the economic importance of rural America and created USDA and established land grant colleges to help promote economic development, a program that continues today.