Date: Location: Circulation (DMA): Type (Frequency): Page: Keyword:
Tuesday, September 22,2009 FOSSTON, MN 9,000 (1 19) Newspaper (W) 5 Center For Rural Affairs
Federal Support for Rural Small Business Makes Cents summer, the Senate passed
Brian U r p q bn'rrwd@diu. org, Centerfor fifral Affair5 Small business is the backbone of rural America. Investing in small business development is the most critical stcp our leaders in Washington can take to create genuine opportunity in our small towns. Small businesses with ten o r fcwer employees are economic building blocks that can help rebuild our econom): pro\lding immediate economic stimulus and planting the seeds o f long term rural revitalization. Consider, during the recession earlier in this decade, employment fell among large employers but grew among small busi-
nesses. Recognizing the importance of these small busincsscs, the 2008 farm bill created the new Rural hlicroentrepreneur Assistance Program to provide funding for loans, training and assistance to rural small businesses. T h e program is a valuable resource for rural Amcrica, but woefully underfunded at . lust 54 d o n for the entire nation. That's just five dollars for every Sl,OOO,000 injected . ~n big banks to solvc thc nation's financial crisis. President Olmma proposed increasing funding for this rural small business program to $26 million. Over the
a spending bill that \voul(l increase funding for rural snlall business development. T h e House passetl a bill rhar docs not incrcasc funding for thc program. In the coming month congresional leaders \\.ill meet to hammer out their differcnces, and rural America \\-ill be stronger if the Scnate's plan to increme funding this program prevails. T h e increase \vould also be a start on rcvcrsing the kils against small rural businesses in economic polic! To learn how !.ou can make a difference \.isit \x~x~v. cfra.org/OO/small-husincss.
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Date: Location: Circulation (DMA): Type (Frequency): Page: Keyword:
Wednesday, September 23,2009 SPRINGFIELD, MN 2,278 (200) Newspaper (W) 6 Center For Rural Affairs
Federal support for rural small business makes cents by Brian Depew,
Small business is the backbone of rural America. Investing in small business development is the most critical step our leaders in Washington can take to create genuine opportunity in our small towns. Small businesses with ten or fewer employees are economic building blocks that can help rebuild our economy, providing immediate economic stimulus and planting the seeds of long-term rural revitalization. Consider, during the recession earlier in this decade, employment fell among large employers but grew among small businesses. Recognizing the importance of these small businesses, the 2008 farm bill created the new Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to provide funding for loans, training and assistance to rural small businesses. The program is a valuable resource for rural America, but woefully underfunded at just $4 million for the entire nation. That's just five dollars for every $1,000,000 injected in big banks to solve the nation's financial crisis. President Obama proposed increasing finding for this rural small business program to $26 million. Over the summer, the Senate passed a spending bill that would increase funding for rural sinall business development. The House passed a bill that does not increase funding for the program.
In the coming months congressional leaders will meet to hammer out their differences, and rural America will be stronger if the Senate's plan to increase funding this program prevails. The increase would also be a start on reversing the bias against small rural businesses in economic policy. The Center for Rural Affairs was established in 1973 as an unaffiliated nonprofit corporation under IRS code 501(c)3. The Center for Rural Affairs was formed by nrral Nebraskans concerned about family farms and rural communities, and we work to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities.
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