USDA
TOPEKA — U.S. Department of Agriculture Kansas State Director for Rural Development Christy Davis announced that Rural Development is investing more than $6.6 million in loans and grants to spur economic development through rural cooperatives in Kansas, including in Colby.
“Cooperatives serve as one of our most important partners in delivering critical goods and services to rural Kansas,” Davis said. “For more than a century, the cooperative business model has been an integral part of the rural American economy.”
The details of the Kansas projects are:
- A $198,399 grant will provide technical assistance to Kansas State University for their project "Building a Rural Cooperative Landscape in Kansas." The project focuses on new and existing rural grocery stores that are transitioning to mutually owned business models, including the cooperative model in rural communities. The Rural Grocery Initiative will work with partners across Kansas to enhance and deliver cooperative development services. The primary objective of the Center will be to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development. It is anticipated that 74 businesses will be assisted, and 10 jobs created as result of the project and four jobs saved.
- A $2,000,000 loan will provide loan funds to Secure Semiconductor Manufacturing, LLC for furnishings, equipment, supplies, working capital and other costs related to their new semiconductor manufacturing plant being constructed north of Burlington. The project is estimated to create 30 jobs and will be part of a high-tech cluster bringing 1,200 jobs to Kansas.
- A $446,800 loan will help remodel and rehabilitate the Arbor House Event Locale & Stable, LLC event center in Bennington. The project is estimated to create six jobs.
- A $2,000,000 loan will provide loans to rural utilities program borrowers to spur economic development. This project will provide loan funds for WWS, Inc. to construct an 81-room hotel in Colby. The project will result in the creation of 30 jobs.
- A $2,000,000 loan will provide loans to rural utilities program borrowers to spur economic development. This project will provide loan funds for Wooden, Inc. to construct a 93-room hotel in Colby. The project will result in the creation of 30 jobs.