NACo testifies before Congress in support of federal rural development programs
Author
Owen Hart
Rachel Yeung
Upcoming Events
Related News
Key Takeaways
On September 18, Potter County, Pa. Commissioner Paul Heimel testified on behalf of NACo before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development hearing, titled “USDA’s Rural Development: Delivering Vital Programs and Services to Rural America.” During his testimony, Commissioner Heimel highlighted USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)’s important role in empowering rural counties across the country.
Commissioner Heimel emphasized to Chairman Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Ranking Member Don Davis (D-N.C.), and other subcommittee members that “County governments are on the front lines in rural America, providing essential services that make it possible for our residents to stay, work and thrive in our communities. Given our limited staff and tight budgets, we rely on strong federal partnerships to get the job done.”
USDA RD serves as a critical federal partner for rural counties, supporting investments in critical infrastructure and the delivery of services that may otherwise be out of reach for under resourced rural communities. USDA RD programs support water and wastewater systems, construct and equip essential community facilities such as health clinics, public safety buildings and childcare facilities, and expand access to high-speed broadband and renewable energy. In communities with limited staff capacity and constrained budgets, USDA RD programs provide the technical and financial support necessary to bring high-impact projects from concept to completion.
As Congress continues deliberations on the next Farm Bill and the FY 2026 appropriations process, robust funding for Rural Development must remain a central priority to ensure that counties have the tools they need to build resilient, vibrant, and opportunity-rich rural communities.
Commissioner Heimel’s testimony can be viewed here.
Learn more about the hearing from Agri-Pulse's article here.
Related News
County Countdown – October 6, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a federal shutdown FAQ, overdose prevention funding and more.
Seven counties selected for EPA’s Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program
On September 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Northern Border Regional Commission, announced the selection of 25 rural communities to join the 2025 cohort of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program.
Farm Bill expiration: What counties need to know
On September 30, 2025, the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, officially known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334), expired.
Advocacy
CMS releases Rural Health Transformation Program funding opportunity
On September 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released additional details on the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, overviewing program goals, requirements and timelines.
