The Biden Administration is starting to make some USDA appointments on the state level in the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development. That follows Senate confirmation of the new USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small. She says her priorities for the department include making rural communities more resilient to climate change under President Biden’s Build Back Better Infrastructure Plan.

Torres Small says to help advance that agenda state executive directors are starting to be named.

Another key area is rural broadband and new program dollars to expand that infrastructure were disseminated during the pandemic, but Torres Small says more money will be available under the infrastructure package.

Rural Development is also focusing on rural hospitals and more affordable rural housing, plus equality in programs and funding.