NEWS RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C.

Tim McNeilly (202) 690-0498

RURAL DEVELOPMENT STAFF HONORED AT ANNUAL USDA AWARDS CEREMONY

     WASHINGTON, June 25, 2005--Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today honored staff from USDA's Rural Development with eight 2004 USDA Honor Awards. The Honor Awards are the most prestigious awards given by USDA.

     "The honorees should be commended for their spirit, dedication and hard work in advancing Rural Development's mission," said Acting Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Gilbert Gonzalez. "I am proud that all USDA Rural Development employees are personally committed to the future of rural communities. Their many talents have ensured that rural America will have a brighter future."

     These awards highlight the outstanding services and contributions provided by USDA employees towards fulfilling USDA's mission. The highest USDA honor is the Plow award. This award was presented to:

• John J. Cooper, Rural Development, Raleigh, North Carolina--Plow award for improving the socioeconomic conditions in rural North Carolina by strengthening the effective and efficient delivery of Rural Development programs, which resulted in greater diversity in management, elimination of equal employment opportunity complaints and improved employee morale.

     USDA Honor Awards were presented to the following individuals and teams:

• Ambrose H. McGuire, Des Moines, Iowa--Honor award for providing housing assistance to thousands of families in Iowa communities through partnership efforts which resulted in rural residents owning and renting decent, safe and sanitary housing for the first time.
  
  
• Michael B. Taylor, Alexandria, Louisiana--Honor award for directing the efforts of Rural Development by utilizing more than $702 million to improve the quality of life for more than 160,000 rural families in the state of Louisiana.
  
  
• Thomas W. Morris, Christine Grabenhorst, J. Paul Edwards and Walter H. Hohrein, St. Louis, Missouri--Hazard and Flood Compliance Team Group Honor award for creating an electronic lender-placed insurance system through a partnership with the Proctor Financial Insurance Corporation. This system resulted in the avoidance of over $33 million in uninsured losses for rural residents and American taxpayers nationwide.
  
  
• Kenneth Hennings and team members, Washington, D.C.--Terrorism and Emergency Response Group Honor award for outstanding support of USDA initiatives in reconstructing the agricultural sectors of Afghanistan and Iraq. This resulted in the noticeable rehabilitation of the agriculture and related environmental areas of both nations.

     USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development and critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information about rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or on USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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USDA Rural Development is an Equal Opportunity Lender, Provider, and Employer. Complaints of
discrimination should be sent to: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

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