USDA Highlights the Ways Cooperatives Support Trump Administration Priorities in Utah During National Cooperative Month

(Salt Lake City, October 26, 2026) - This month, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke L. Rollins issued a USDA proclamation this month to recognize October 2026 as the Department's 62nd anniversary of National Cooperative Month.

"Cooperatives are a powerful engine of economic growth for our nation and central to President Trump's America First agenda to strengthen our economy and empower communities," said Rollins. "Today we celebrate our partnerships with these cooperative organizations and reaffirm our commitment to advancing the vital work they do to create jobs, build local prosperity, support critical infrastructure, and expand opportunity for rural America."

Since the start of the Trump Administration and under the leadership of Secretary Rollins, USDA has invested more than $18.1 billion in loans and grants to support 242 cooperatives to spur economic development, invest in critical electric and broadband infrastructure, and build prosperity through rural cooperatives supported by USDA Rural Development's programs.

"Utah's rural cooperatives are essential partners in strengthening local economies, expanding access to critical services, and creating new opportunities for rural residents," said USDA Rural Development Utah State Director Stanley Summers. "Rural Development is proud to support these community-led organizations as they invest in infrastructure, create jobs, serve producers and consumers, and help advance the priorities of the Trump Administration across Utah."

In Utah, USDA Rural Development is supporting cooperatives at the local level and recently advanced funding for two projects with cooperatives to increase high-speed internet access:

• South Central Utah Telephone Association Inc. (Known as SC Broadband): In Kanab and the San Juan County region of southeastern Utah, SC Broadband received $3.4 million through the ReConnect Loan and Grant Program to extend high-speed internet access into portions of Coconino County, Arizona.
• Strata Networks: Strata Networks was awarded $24 million through USDA Rural Development's ReConnect Loan and Grant Program to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in northeastern Utah, primarily in Duchesne, Uintah, and Wasatch counties, including lands of the Ute Indian Tribe.

During October, Cooperative Month, USDA is highlighting ways the Department is investing in cooperatives and creating stronger and more resilient communities. Supporting cooperatives strengthens farmer profitability, expands market access, encourages innovation, creates jobs in rural communities, and reinforces the America's role of leadership in agriculture, food production, and farm security.

This year's theme for the month-long celebration is "Built for this Moment," as selected by the National Cooperative Business Association. This theme acknowledges the electric co-ops delivering essential infrastructure to rural America, the food co-ops that support local farmers and agricultural producers, the housing co-ops creating lasting affordability and the worker co-ops preserving local businesses.

USDA Rural Development offers a variety of financial assistance and services to assist rural businesses, including cooperatives and agricultural producers. For more information on cooperatives, visit USDA Rural Development Cooperative Services .

If you'd like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page .

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