Por Teresa Hoffman, ex miembro del personal
Recently, the Center for Rural Affairs outlined our appropriations priorities for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program in a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
"The Center for Rural Affairs pursues a mission to establish strong rural communities, and we are grateful for this opportunity to share with you our priorities for appropriations for fiscal year 2021," Policy Manager Anna Johnson writes in the letter. "Robust funding for the below programs will provide important support for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
In particular, Johnson writes, RMAP offers valuable support for rural entrepreneurs.
"RMAP provides third-party organizations with the funds to offer training and small business loans to rural entrepreneurs, and in doing so allow them to create jobs and expand their businesses in rural communities," she said. "We are grateful that you provided $6 million for RMAP in 2020, and ask that you maintain this funding in 2021."
The Center's appropriations priorities for 2021 are:
- Programa de asistencia a microempresarios rurales - $6 million in discretionary funds
- Asistencia Técnica de Conservación (CTA) - at least $759.2 million
- Working Lands Conservation - No CHIMPS
- Programa de administración de la conservación (CSP)
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - no CHIMPS
- Programa de capacitación y divulgación sobre oportunidades agrícolas (FOTO) - $5 million split equally between the two sub-programs of BFRDP and Section 2501
- Programa de Mercado Agrícola Local (LAMP) - $20m discretionary, split appropriately between two sub-programs of FMLFPP and VAPG
- Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program - $ 37 millones
- Investigación y educación en agricultura sostenible (SARE) - at least $50 million
- Farm Service Agency Loans - fully funded at President’s Budget levels
- Direct Farm Ownership - $2.12 billion
- Préstamos operativos directos - $ 1.63 mil millones
- Guaranteed Farm Ownership - $2.75 billion
- Préstamos operativos garantizados: $ 2.12 mil millones
