USDA Official: Ag Economy Is Sound but Rural Communities Need Boost

Agriculture, Aviation Fuel (Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)), Business News/Analysis, Federal Agency/Executive Branch, Policy, South Dakota

August 22, 2011

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by Ross Dolan (The Daily Republic) The nation’s agricultural economy is sound but many rural communities are not reaping the benefits, said Dallas Tonsager, undersecretary for rural development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The South Dakota native would like to see more value-added agriculture to create jobs.

…Dallas Tonsager, undersecretary for rural development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said the nation’s agricultural economy is sound but many rural communities are not reaping the benefits.

“We need to create businesses, industries and jobs to help those communities,” said Tonsager, who was appointed to his post by President Barack Obama in May 2009. Wednesday, he toured the Dakotafest agricultural trade show near Mitchell with South Dakota Director of Rural Development Elsie Meeks.

…Tonsager said he doesn’t know if South Dakota is under consideration as one of the biofuel production sites. That would likely be a strategic military decision, he said.

“We have agreements with the airline industry. They want 20 billion gallons of biofuels from agriculture, and they want to fly every plane on biofuels. That’s not going to come from corn. It’s going to come from a lot of things.” READ MORE

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