Rural Business-Cooperative Service

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (abbreviated as "RBS") is one of three agencies within USDA Rural Development (along with the Rural Housing Service and Rural Utilities Service) responsible for administering various economic development programs to rural communities in the United States and its territories. Because these three agencies are closely aligned, they are commonly referred to as the USDA Rural Development, Business & Cooperative Programs.

The mission of the RBS is "to enhance the quality of life for rural Americans by providing leadership in building competitive businesses including sustainable cooperatives that can prosper in the global marketplace."

They meet these goals by:

Investing financial resources and providing technical assistance to businesses and cooperatives located in rural communities.
Establishing strategic alliances and partnerships that leverage public, private, and cooperative resources to create jobs and stimulate rural economic activity.

In addition to supporting rural business, economic, and cooperative development, the Agency has become increasingly involved in renewable energy and value-added agriculture since the enactment of the 2002 Farm Bill.

Organization

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is headed by an Administrator who reports directly to the Undersecretary for Rural Development, who in turn reports to the Secretary of Agriculture. All three posts are appointed by the President of the United States.

Business & Cooperative Programs staff are headquartered in Washington, D.C., but the Agency has a presence in every state and U.S. territory.^[1] Typically there is a Business & Cooperative Program section associated with each USDA Rural Development State Office. These State Offices and their subordinate Area Office staff are responsible for most program delivery.

Programs

Guaranteed loans. These are "lender-driven" programs, whereby business loans (generally made by commercial banks) receive a Federal loan guarantee. The guarantee is designed to support and incentivize rural business lending and to support rural job creation and retention. The primary program in this category is the Business & Industry (B&I) guaranteed loan program.
Direct loans. Direct loans are made to intermediary economic development groups who will in turn assist private rural business development through the re-lending of these funds. Note that the Agency does not make loans directly to for-profit businesses or individuals.
Grants to nonprofits & public bodies. Typically these grants are made to nonprofit economic development groups, towns, or tribes who will undertake some project in support of private rural business development.
Grants to private rural businesses & agricultural producers. These grants are narrowly targeted and competitively awarded in support of value-added agricultural ventures and in support of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Matching funds from 50-75% are typically required.

The RBS also publishes the bimonthly Rural Cooperatives magazine. Nearly all of the Agency's programs are funded annually through Congressional appropriation as part of the U.S. Federal Government budget process.

References

↑ Wells, John. USDA's expanding cooperative development assistance role. Rural Cooperatives. 1 July 2001.

External links

United States government agencies involved in environmental science

United States Environmental Protection Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Department of the Interior	National Park Service Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Indian Affairs Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement Bureau of Reclamation Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement Geological Survey Office of Insular Affairs

Department of Commerce	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service National Ocean Service National Geodetic Survey National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

Department of Energy	Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Energy Information Administration Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Biological and Environmental Research Office of Environmental Management

Department of Agriculture	Farm Service Agency Foreign Agricultural Service Risk Management Agency Food Safety and Inspection Service Forest Service Natural Resources Conservation Service Rural Business-Cooperative Service Office of Community Development Rural Housing Service Rural Utilities Service Food and Nutrition Service Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion Agricultural Marketing Service Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Agricultural Research Service Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Economic Research Service National Agricultural Statistics Service Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service

Department of Homeland Security	United States Coast Guard

Department of Health and Human Services	National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Agencies under the United States Department of Agriculture

Headquarters: Jamie L. Whitten Building Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services	Farm Service Agency Foreign Agricultural Service Risk Management Agency Commodity Credit Corporation Federal Crop Insurance Corporation

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment	Forest Service Natural Resources Conservation Service Office of Environmental Markets

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development	Rural Housing Service Rural Utilities Service Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services	Food and Nutrition Service Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety	Food Safety and Inspection Service

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics	Agricultural Research Service Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Economic Research Service National Agricultural Library National Agricultural Statistics Service

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs	Agricultural Marketing Service Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

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