USDA announces $22M for high-speed internet in rural Minnesota communities

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Minnesota Colleen Landkamer announced Tuesday that the Department is awarding $22 million in loans and grants to provide high-speed internet access for rural residents and businesses in Minnesota.

Funding was provided through the ReConnect and is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s $64 Billion commitment to investing in rural infrastructure and providing reliable, affordable, high-speed internet for all across the U.S.

“Access to reliable high-speed internet is vital for the continued growth of rural Minnesota.” Landkamer said. “It acts as a catalyst for rural prosperity by opening opportunities that allow businesses to expand employment in their communities, schools to expand learning resources, healthcare facilities to expand care services and the list goes on. All of these opportunities strengthen a community’s ability to compete in a global economy.”

As part of today’s announcement:

Spring Grove Communications will use an $11.4 million loan/grant combo to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will connect 983 people, 42 businesses, and 122 farms to high-speed internet in Houston County, Minnesota and Allamakee and Winneshiek counties in Iowa.
Winnebago Cooperative Telephone Association will use a $25.1 million loan/grant combo to deploy a fiber-to-the home network that will connect 3,597 people, 80 businesses and 458 farms to high-speed internet in Freeborn County.
Upsala Cooperative Telephone Association will use a $6.6 million loan/grant combo to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will connect 1,595 people, 32 businesses, 101 farms, and one educational facility to high-speed internet in Morrison, Stearns, and Todd counties.

The Department will make additional investments for rural high-speed internet in the coming months.

All of the funding recipients from this announcement will help to make high-speed internet even more affordable by also participating in the Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs administered through the Federal Communications Commission.