U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued a USDA proclamation to recognize October 2024 as the Department’s 60th anniversary of National Cooperative Month.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $17 billion in loans and grants to spur economic development, catalyze rural prosperity and advance equity through rural cooperatives.
“Cooperatives are the backbone of our nation and are central to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild the economy from the bottom up and middle out,” Secretary Vilsack said. “Today we celebrate our partnerships with these organizations and renew our commitment to champion the vital work they accomplish in building local wealth, creating new opportunities and serving the unique needs of rural communities throughout the country.”
This year’s theme for the month-long celebration is “The Future is Cooperative,” acknowledging the unique and essential role cooperatives play in providing clean, affordable energy, increasing economic opportunities and improving the quality of life for people in rural America.
In his proclamation, Vilsack noted that more than 30,000 cooperatives throughout the U.S. account for more than 2 million jobs and generate more than $700 billion in annual revenue. Secretary Vilsack also noted that USDA has been serving the nation’s farmer cooperatives for 98 years with cooperative statistics, research, technical assistance and informational products.
USDA Rural Development offers a variety of financial assistance and services to assist rural businesses, including cooperatives and agricultural producers. For more information on cooperatives, visit USDA Rural Development Cooperative Services.
USDA news release
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