Illinois
COMMENTRY

As a 40-plus year member of the Corn Belt Electric Cooperative, which serves rural customers in north central Illinois, I was pleased when asked to write a few thoughts about my life and work as the state director of Rural Development, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Wallace "Wally" D. Furrow

From the time I was 7 years old my family lived and farmed in Woodford County. My father was a tenant farmer and worked hard to improve our circumstances. We moved four times during my first eight years of school. Each move was to a better farm and an improved lifestyle. The first two farms had no electricity or indoor plumbing. The third was a farm with electricity to both the house and the barn. It was here that my mother was first able to purchase and use a new refrigerator. I don't believe I have ever seen her happier or more emotional than when they delivered that new frig. We had ice cubes, cold milk, and cold water for the first time in our lives and when you opened the door the light came on. You can imagine how excited my two sisters and I were when we didn't have to make anymore trips to the spring, which was about 200 yards from the house. That's where we kept our milk, butter and other foods that had to be kept cool. Electricity made an unforgettable impact on our lives very early on.

Growing up, I was the only child my age in a one-room school house and was the sole pupil in my class for eight years. Those first years of education did not serve me very well, but after high school, the Army and marriage and with the support of my wife, Lorene, I started farming. Through the years as my farming and agribusiness endeavors grew so did my need for water and electrical services and I remained sensitive to their availability. Now, of course, many of us are able to take these services for granted and expect their availability.

In April 1993, I was appointed to the position of State Director of Farmers Home Administration by President Bill Clinton and the secretary of agriculture, upon the recommendation of Sen. Paul Simon. Farmers Home Administration (FmHA), at that time, was an agency that provided loans and grants to farmers, rural home buyers and rural communities. This opportunity was another wake-up call for me as I saw first hand the tremendous need in our rural areas for housing, water, health care facilities, fire protection, education facilities, nursing homes, child care, community centers, transportation and the list goes on and on.

In 1993 FmHA had 320 employees and 62 offices in Illinois. In 1995 we went through a reorganization and transferred 109 employees to what is now known as the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Those employees continue to deliver the same credit programs to farmers that FmHA formerly provided. The agency once known as FmHA was abolished and Rural Development, USDA replaced it. Rural Development now operates with approximately 150 employees and has 25 full time offices in the state. With a new name and new responsibilities the remaining staff continues to provide a wide array of programs. It is our mission to assist rural communities in improving the quality of life for their residents. Our programs have helped to directly provide safe, modest housing, modern sanitary water

From serving as a commissioner of the Illinois Rural Bond Bank and officer of the newly formed Illinois Distance Learning Foundation, to being a member of the National Grain Association, Wally Furrow's record of service to rural Illinois is long and distinguished. He was appointed by President Clinton to serve as state director of Farmers Home Administration in 1993.

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and sewer systems; essential community facilities; and job and economy-boosting business and industry in rural areas. The agency makes direct loans and guarantees loans made by private lenders, and provides a limited number of grants. This past year Illinois was among the top 3-5 states nationwide in the distribution of program dollars. This is particularly gratifying to me as I become more familiar with how great the need is in Illinois' rural communities.

The demand for affordable single-family housing and financing is at an all-time high and with the reduction of funding levels we are struggling to help as many people as possible. We are grateful to the many lenders who work as our partners in meeting this need. Every time they make a loan using our guarantee or leveraging programs they help make our dollars go a little further.

Demand for our other programs are equally as great. Community Facility loans are being requested to finance health care projects, assisted living facilities, shelter workshops, fire and rescue buildings and vehicles, day care centers, community buildings and many more types of facilities.

Providing water to rural residents is another program that places high demand on our program allocations. We are happy to work as partners with the electrical cooperatives in this endeavor, as they can provide much needed assistance to rural water systems. Being well established in many areas enables the cooperatives to assist with meter reading, billing and other management services to rural water customers and we are grateful for their cooperation. Many of the board members on rural water system projects serve on the electric and telephone cooperative board as well. This leadership is critical. Having a safe, dependable water system for the first time is almost as important to the quality of life as electricity.

Additional challenges and opportunities lie ahead as we realize the enormous benefits to be derived from telecommunications, distance learning, and telemedicine technological developments. We must remain diligent in pursuing these innovations in order to assure our rural areas of the same services that urban areas enjoy.

I am pleased to be the state director of Rural Development in Illinois during these times of tremendous change. The opportunity to make a difference has never been greater. Our success in improving rural life in Illinois hinges on our ability to form cooperative partnerships and develop joint projects. With shrinking state and federal budgets, it is more important than ever for public and private groups to unite in their efforts. I want to invite all the electric cooperatives and others to become our partners. Together, I know we can make a difference.

If you have interest in finding out more about our agency and its programs, please call (800) 835-5159 for information about the office that serves your area. I want to thank the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives for the opportunity to share my thoughts.

MARCH 1997 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 5