Recovery Act funds awarded to Van Buren business

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $144 million in loan guarantees to assist 54 rural businesses through funding made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Feb. 16. The funding is authorized through USDA Rural Development’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. The program received $1.57 billion through the Act to help rural businesses stimulate economic development.     A&J Industries, Inc. of Van Buren was one of many entities chosen to receive funding.  
    “A number of the Recovery Act projects announced today support the President’s comprehensive energy strategy announced earlier this month,” said Vilsack. “Advancing biomass and biofuel production holds the potential to create green jobs, which is one of the many ways the Obama Administration and USDA are working to rebuild and revitalize rural America.”
    Eligible applicants for USDA Rural Development’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program include private businesses, cooperative organizations, corporations, partnerships, non-profit groups, federally recognized Indian tribes, public bodies and individuals. The funds are targeted to create and retain quality jobs and serve difficult-to-reach populations and areas hardest hit by the current economic downturn.