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.

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.

Georgia Pacific Plant in Sigurd, Utah.

Business applications have been received from a wide range of rural locations as shown in the above chart.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Utah Enterprise Zones allow non-retail businesses, with operations in locally defined and state approved geographical zones, tax credits for new investment in plant and depreciable equipment. Credits are also given for creating jobs, rehabilitating older facilities and providing health benefits.

Recycling Market Development Zones allow limited Utah state income tax credits for the purchase of equipment and operation expenses in recycling operations and for manufacturing with recycled content feedstock. Composting is also an eligible activity. Over the last 12 years this industry has averaged an annual investment of over $17M.

Rural Development Grants are available to communities to facilitate economic development projects and are generally used to match other funds. Four projects were funded during the 200708 fiscal year. •Downtown Western Vision and Overlay Zone – Kanab, Kane County •Business Visitation Initiative – Southeast Region •Arts Studio/ School – Helper, Carbon County •Aquaculture Industry Revitalization – Wayne County (picture in file)

Infrastructure

Most of rural Utah continues to grow in population and in economic activity. Average population growth is about 1.4% per year, with job growth at 5.5%. Infrastructure is critical to all rural growth and development. Last year GOED assisted four telecommunication companies expand broadband into many rural regions where broadband did not exist. The areas included Glenwood, Mona, Columbia, Kenilworth, Sigurd, Venice, Grouse Creek and Pleasant Valley. Please see page 25.

Frontier Communication is preparing to install fiber optic cables in Southeastern Utah from Moab to Blanding and possibly beyond. Qwest already has redundancy to Moab.

Eligible Counties for Rural Development Grants and IAF Fast Track.

Main Street Panguitch, Utah.