Key Takeaways
- USDA unveiled $501 million for 59 rural development projects and $405 million for affordable housing across Georgia, totaling $906 million in investment.
- Projects include hospital upgrades, water infrastructure improvements, value-added agriculture grants, electric grid modernization, and distance-learning technology for schools.
- Secretary Brooke L. Rollins emphasized strengthening rural economies and supporting communities central to the national food supply chain.
- USDA also announced the Expanding Access to Risk Protection (EARP) Final Rule, modernizing federal crop insurance beginning with the 2026 crop year.
- Key insurance reforms include reduced regulatory burdens, streamlined reporting, expanded specialty crop coverage, and new provisions supporting beginning farmers and ranchers.
USDA Details Nearly $1 Billion in New Rural Investments Across Georgia
During a visit to Georgia, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced a $906 million investment package aimed at strengthening rural infrastructure, expanding economic opportunity, and supporting essential services across rural communities in the state. The funding—coordinated through USDA Rural Development—includes $501 million for 59 community projects and $405 million dedicated to affordable housing.
“President Trump understands how important it is to have a safe, secure, and resilient farm economy,” Secretary Rollins said. “These USDA investments are a direct result of the promise President Trump made to make rural America great again. … We are ushering in a new golden age of prosperity in rural America.”
Georgia State Director Joyce White added that Rural Development programs remain a catalyst for strong, resilient communities and highlighted the nearly $1 billion invested in rural Georgia over the past year.
USDA Highlights Key Projects Across Rural Georgia
Among the 59 funded projects:
- Hospital Authority of Randolph County: A $4 million Community Facilities Grant will support major renovations, equipment purchases, and infrastructure upgrades to restore full operational standards and enhance patient care.
- Jasper County Water and Sewer Authority: A $3.3 million Water and Waste Loan and Grant will fund a new elevated tank and system upgrades to improve water pressure and reduce disinfection by-products.
- Hunter Cattle Company, LLC: A $250,000 Value-Added Producer Grant will support expansion into beef tallow soap products, strengthening market reach for a family-owned farm business.
- Georgia Transmission Corp: A $2.4 million Electric Loan will add 20 miles of new transmission lines, upgrade 17 existing lines, and modernize grid equipment serving 4.5 million customers.
- Seminole County Board of Education: A $980,690 Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant will equip two educational hub sites with new technology, expanding agricultural education, computer science, and dual-credit opportunities for 1,350 students.
USDA Announces Major Crop Insurance Modernization Under EARP Final Rule
Secretary Rollins also introduced the Expanding Access to Risk Protection (EARP) Final Rule, a sweeping modernization of federal crop insurance intended to reduce administrative burdens, expand access, and align coverage with modern production practices starting with the 2026 crop year.
Key updates include:
- Reducing Regulatory Burdens: Simplifies reporting requirements and allows producers switching insurers to submit production data directly to their new provider.
- Prevented Planting Relief: Removes the “insured” requirement from the 1-in-4 rule, increasing land access flexibility while retaining proof-of-planting criteria.
- Expanding Direct-Market Coverage: Adds Dollar Plan eligibility for direct-market tomatoes and peppers beginning with 2027 to better reflect specialty crop markets.
- Simplifying Dispute Resolution: Removes automatic nullification rules and shifts fact-finding authority to courts.
- Deregulating Coverage Dates: Moves termination, cancellation, and end-of-insurance dates into policy provisions rather than federal regulations.
Additional Crop-Specific and Beginning Farmer Improvements
The EARP Final Rule incorporates provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), extending beginning farmer and rancher eligibility from 5 to 10 years, with premium subsidies ranging from 15% in early years to 10% by year ten.
Further adjustments include:
- Revenue Protection Clarifications: Establishes pricing rules and reimbursement processes when insufficient data is available.
- Regional Adjustments for Specialty Crops: Updates insurance dates for fresh tomatoes in Tennessee and South Carolina and adjusts pepper coverage for Northeastern producers.
- Safflower Policy Alignment: Moves contract change dates to better match other spring crops.
USDA stated that both the investment package and the crop insurance reforms are designed to strengthen rural communities, expand economic resilience, and support farmers’ long-term viability across the state and nationwide.
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