Over the past year, as state director of U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, I spent a lot of time in small communities across Iowa.

From building housing to supporting community buildings and infrastructure to assisting businesses looking to build or expand in rural areas, Rural Development has funds available to help communities in rural areas survive and thrive.

It’s exciting that many rural communities are taking full advantage of our programs and are seeing great results. In 2006, Rural Development had a record year of investment in rural Iowa, devoting $329 million to promote growth across the state during the year.

This investment is expected to help create or retain nearly 2,100 jobs, aid 1,300 families in buying their own homes and assist nearly 100 communities in improving community facilities and upgrading local infrastructure.

Stories of communities that have used and benefited from Rural Development’s programs can be found all across the state. From the Loess Hills in Western Iowa to the Mississippi River towns in the east, and in countless places in between, communities are taking advantage of the opportunities that are available to rural areas.

Whether it’s renewable energy, value-added agricultural products or using broadband to create local businesses that have a global reach, there are now opportunities available to rural Americans that they have never before experienced.

On our Web site, www.rurdeve.usda.gov/ia, you can find a link to our 2006 annual report, which has information about programs available through Rural Development and examples of projects we were able to support over the past year.

One community that is taking full advantage of our programs and the exciting opportunities available to rural Iowa is Harlan.

Harlan is a progressive community of 5,400 residents in Shelby County that has attracted a number of new businesses. It boasts a high quality of life and an abundance of recreational and cultural activities.

WHO radio recently highlighted some of the things the people of Harlan are doing to make sure their future remains bright and discussed ways USDA Rural Development is ready, willing and able to help other communities that want to follow this example.

You can listen to the whole program on Rural Development’s Web site. Go to www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia, click on “News/Information” and then select the “Miracle in Western Iowa” link at the top of the page. This piece is a good example of what one group of people is doing to revitalize a community.

This is just one example. When taken with all the other communities that are successfully leveraging the new opportunities available to rural areas, it makes me very optimistic about rural Iowa’s future and leads me to believe that 2007 is going to be another record year for rural America and the entire state of Iowa.

Mark Reisinger is the state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program, which provides financing and technical assistance for housing, business development and critical community and technology infrastructure projects in rural America.