U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) lllinois State Director for Rural Development Betsy Dirksen Londrigan announced the launch of the Rural Data Gateway, a new resource to make the USDA’s data for rural projects easier to access for its partners and for people living in rural communities.
The Rural Data Gateway will help the USDA better target resources to the people who need them most in rural places. It also will help the department be a stronger partner to rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and other stakeholders.
“The Rural Data Gateway offers transparency to our stakeholders and Illinois residents — something that is key for a free government and maintaining trust of the people,” Londrigan said. “It will enable business owners, farmers and our neighbors in rural communities to see where Rural Development’s resources and investments have been made and how it has impacted their communities, whether through high-speed internet, better access to healthcare or renewable energy initiatives.”
The Gateway also showcases USDA Rural Development’s investments that have helped rural people lower their energy costs and buy, repair, build and rent affordable places to call home.
The Rural Data Gateway includes investment dashboards that show how Rural Development has supported local and regional economies in the last 11 years through 69 programs. The dashboards are easy-to-use tools that highlight critical Rural Development investments for people in rural America, including projects that have helped people in socially vulnerable communities access the resources they need. The data will help users analyze trends across different states, counties and congressional districts.
The Rural Data Gateway supports USDA’s mission to expand public access to federal government data as required by the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act of 2018. For more information, visit rd.usda.gov/rural-data-gateway.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
