RURAL DEVELOPMENT The Rural Development Program is an advocate and support provider to Utah’s rural communities and businesses and is the conduit for rural Utah to other GOED and State resources. GOED Partners Through partners like the Governor’s Rural Partnership Board, with representation from business, industry, government throughout the state, the GOED Rural Office educates and raises awareness about rural needs. The office also helps to define economic barriers, and bring these issues to light with the Governor, the Utah Legislature and other state and federal agencies.
Georgia Pacific Plant in Sigurd, Utah.
USU Extension has partnered with GOED in many seminars and workshops, and coordinated programs. Quarterly the Rural Office hosts a statewide internet Webcast. Topics have centered around business and economic development ranging from brownfields, entrepreneur and small business development to open space preservation. The Rural Office continues to support the statewide network of local economic development professionals and has partnered with Center for Rural Life, Cedar City, to support the annual Rural Summit. Outreach services continue to be formed with Utah Department of Community and Culture, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, custom fit training, manufacturing partnership, the Utah Alliance, clusters development, business recruiting, incentives and USTAR. Energy will ever be important for Utah and the nation. The rural office has worked closely with state and local governments and industry to address issues in the field of energy development. Business and Economic Development Assistance Industrial Assistance Fund’s Fast Track incentives are available to non-retail business in eligible rural counties. These companies must have been in business for a least 2 years and have at least 2 employees. Incentives are to assist with new infrastructure investments and costs of new employees. So far this year, businesses in Carbon, Emery, Garfield and Sanpete Counties have received incentives from this fund. For a detailed listing please see page 24.
Governor’s Office of Economic Development • Annual Report 2008
Business applications have been received from a wide range of rural locations as shown in the above chart.
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