Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP)
Rural areas in the Northern Great Plains face economic and community development issues of a very different character than communities whose needs are defined by poverty. In this region, the defining features are often geographic isolation of communities separated by long distances, absence of large metropolitan centers, low-density settlement patterns, historic dependence on agriculture, continued population loss and outmigration.
To address these issues, Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota advocated a concept for rural development investment zones for revitalization of the North Dakota economy. In a letter of August 5, 1993, addressed to Senator Byron Dorgan, President Clinton committed to have his Administration work closely with the Congress to address the critical issues facing rural areas in North Dakota. As a result, the Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Initiative was established to address critical issues related to constraints in economic activity and growth, low density settlement patterns, stagnant or declining employment, and isolation that has led to disconnection from markets, suppliers, and centers of information and finance.
Two zones were designated to participate in the REAP initiative. Each REAP Zone developed a strategic plan for economic revitalization. The definitions for geographic size and composition were identical in most respects to those used for the Enterprise Communities and Empowerment Zones (EZ/EC) Initiative. However, for the REAP Initiative, Tribal communities were also included.
In July 1995, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to create the two Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zones was signed by five parties: Center of North America Coalition (CONAC) Zone, Southwest Zone, Senator Byron L. Dorgan, the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, and the North Dakota State Office for Rural Development.
The MOA made USDA's Rural Development mission area the lead Federal Agency to assist the zones in the implementation of the program. As a result, USDA established a national reserve out of its program funds of $10 million for each zone over five years. USDA also provided $50,000 to the REAP Investment Advisory Committee, which will manage an investment fund to provide seed and redevelopment financing in the two REAP zones. The REAP Investment Advisory Committee will seek total capitalization of at least one million dollars.
The CONAC zone includes the counties of McHenry, Bottineau, Rolette, Towner, Pierce and Benson; and the Indian reservations of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa and Spirit Lake Sioux.
The Southwest Zone includes the counties of Dunn, Stark, Hettinger, Adams, Bowman, Slope, Golden Valley, Billings, and part of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
For more information, contact
William C. Davis
USDA-Rural Development
Box 1737
Bismarck, ND 58502
tel (701) 250-4781
fax (701) 250-4670
bidavis@rdasun2.rurdev.usda.gov
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ocd/reap.html -- revised 4/16/98
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development
Office of Community Development
ocd@rurdev.usda.gov