November 04, 2022

Manchin, Capito Announce USDA Is Establishing Two Rural Partners Community Networks In West Virginia

Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing two Rural Partners Community Networks in West Virginia to help provide resources for rural communities to create good-paying jobs, strengthen local infrastructure and boost economic development. The West Virginia Pioneer Community Network, sponsored by Glenville State University, will serve eight counties, and the Southern West Virginia Community Network, sponsored by the West Virginia Community Development Hub, will serve twelve counties.

“I’m pleased USDA is establishing The West Virginia Pioneer Community Network and the Southern West Virginia Community Network to help expand access to critical economic resources for our rural communities,” said Senator Manchin. “The Rural Partners Community Networks announced today will boost economic development across our great state and identify opportunities that will help create good-paying, long-term jobs and bolster local infrastructure. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of the Community Networks, and I will continue working with the USDA and their federal partners to ensure our rural communities across the Mountain State have access to the resources they need to thrive.”

“Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked to make sure that resources remain available to our communities to create opportunities for our residents to succeed. Today’s announcement will build on that momentum by supporting a network of individuals in 20 West Virginia counties tasked with helping communities navigate resources, such as those I helped include while negotiating and crafting the bipartisan infrastructure law. I look forward to seeing this support advance efforts that lead to success, growth, and economic stability across West Virginia,” Senator Capito said.

“I’m incredibly excited that USDA Rural Development will be the lead federal agency to coordinate the Rural Partners Network (RPN) initiative in West Virginia. At Rural Development, we are advocates for, investors in and partners to rural communities and the RPN initiative is an extension of that promise. The initiative provides a collaborative, all-of-government, approach to building local capacity and reducing the barriers to obtaining federal resources in twenty distressed and historically underserved counties across West Virginia,” said Ryan Thorn, West Virginia State Director for USDA Rural Development. “The RPN initiative is a testament to the Biden Administration’s commitment to creating new opportunities from the bottom up while building economically diverse and more resilient rural communities. I look forward to seeing the positive impact that it will have in our local communities and for our state.”

The Rural Partner Network (RPN) provides support to rural and underserved areas across the country to expand access to critical economic resources. The West Virginia Pioneer Community Network is sponsored by Glenville State University and will serve Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer, Nicholas, Roane, Webster and Wirt counties. The Southern West Virginia Community Network is sponsored by the West Virginia Community Development Hub and will serve Boone, Fayette, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne and Wyoming counties.