releases: https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-authored-farm-bill-provision-nets-millions-for-northeast-kingdom
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-authored-farm-bill-provision-nets-millions-for-northeast-kingdom | Leahy-Authored Farm Bill Provision Nets Millions For Northeast Kingdom | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | VT | Patrick Leahy | L000174 | www.leahy.senate.gov | legacy | 12.14.17 Leahy-Authored Farm Bill Provision Nets Millions For Northeast Kingdom . . . Leahy-Led REAP Zone Designation Continues To Address NEK Needs, Now Topping $200 Million Since 2001 Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) economic development investments in the Northeast Kingdom now total more than $9.1 million during 2017. NEK-area businesses, nonprofits and municipalities received 36 awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Development (USDA-RD) to assist with a diverse range of business assistance, infrastructure upgrades and energy efficiency improvement projects. More than $5.5 million of the awards during federal fiscal year 2017 were made possible through the Rural Area Economic Partnership (REAP) Zone, a special designation secured by Leahy in the last Farm Bill. Leahy is a leading member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees USDA and handles the Senate’s work in writing Farm Bills, and he also now is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which annually appropriates funds for the USDA. Leahy said: “These USDA investments are empowering local organizations and businesses to make our Vermont communities stronger. The diverse nature of Rural Development’s programs mean that federal help can be pre-tailored to address distinct needs for each community. As Congress begins writing a new Farm Bill in 2018, I’ll be focused on making sure that USDA-RD continues to have resources like these to invest in Vermont.” USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure programs through a national network of state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers to improve the quality of life in rural areas. Since 2001 Leahy has consistently and successfully fought to designate, and to renew, the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont -- Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties -- as a REAP Zone, a USDA RD designation recognizing the unique rural nature of a region that prioritizes the region’s grant applications. Successfully designated in the 2014 Farm Bill, the Northeast Kingdom REAP Zone is one of only four regions nationwide designated as REAP Zones by USDA-RD, an arm of USDA focused on helping rural communities thrive. The designation gives applicants to some of USDA RD’s 40 grant and loan programs access to a reserved set of funds only available to REAP Zones. Leahy worked with the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative, a group of economic and community development organizations from across Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties, to create Vermont’s REAP Zone. Since the creation of the NEK REAP Zone, USDA has invested more than $200 million in Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties. Grant Organization $35,300 Town of St. Johnsbury $14,087 Vermont Sun Ltd. $99,999 Northern Community Investment Corp. $60,000 Town of St. Johnsbury $48,626 Ceneter for an Agricultural Economy $72,821 Permanent Fund for VT Children $47,000 VT State Colleges $12,110 Kaufman, Bruce $9,475 South Royalton Food Cooperative $50,000 Center for an Agricultural Economy $12,400 Heartbeet Lifesharing Corp. $3,682 Gilman Housing Trust $14,800 Lyndon Institute $50,000 St. Johnsbury Athenaeum $5,320,000 Town of St. Johnsbury $430,000 Town of St. Johnsbury $71,000 NE Kingdom Travel and Tourism Assoc. $26,738 Northern Forest Center, Inc. $99,999 Northern Community Investment Corp. $75,000 Northern Community Investment Corp. $25,000 VT Council on the Arts $96,700 VT Housing and Conservation Board $189,400 Canaan Fire District #1 $55,200 Troy School District $31,900 Town of Charleston $37,500 Barton Village, Inc. $98,157 Vermont Farm-to-School $99,999 Forestville Foundation, Inc. $695,600 Town of Newport $19,997 Kingdom Brewing $760,000 Highland Lodge 2016, LLC $79,625 City of Newport $58,947 The Art House, Inc. $6,327 Asa H. Searles dba Ellie's Sugarhouse $52,626 Gilman Housing Trust Loans Organization $233,000 Canaan Fire District #1 Press Contact David Carle: 202-224-3693 Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |