Press Release

U.S. Commerce Department Awards $2.4 Million to Advance Agriculture Cluster in Minnesota

September 1, 2011
Contact: John Atwood, (202) 482-4085

WASHINGTON - U.S. Commerce Acting Secretary Rebecca Blank today announced a $2.4 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to the City of Perham, Minn., to help advance and expand the region's agricultural processing cluster. The grant will support an increase in the region's water treatment capacity, spurring a collective private-sector investment of $89.5 million and the creation of 300 jobs by the region's seven largest employers, according to grantee estimates.

"Improving regional infrastructure in support of business growth is critical to our ability to create jobs and remain competitive," Blank said. "This EDA grant will strengthen the competitiveness of the local agricultural processing cluster and foster business development in the region by helping to boost the capacity of Perham's wastewater treatment system to better serve the rural community."

The City of Perham serves as the region's employment center, providing significant job opportunities in the rural, agricultural area of west central Minnesota. This EDA investment will grow opportunities in the agricultural processing cluster by rehabilitating the city's wastewater treatment system to accommodate the needs of existing business and attract new agriculture-related businesses to the region.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration:

The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.