In early September, the East River Electric Cooperative held its annual meeting to celebrate 74 years of serving rural South Dakota and Western Minnesota communities. While the meeting focused on the performance of a single cooperative, the general discussion was much bigger. This year’s theme was Cooperatives: Partners in Progress,...Continue Reading
Twenty-five years ago, the residents and business owners of Corsica, South Dakota, worked together to build a business park. The goal was to support economic development by attracting companies to the region, providing jobs, and increasing tax collection.Today, there is only one available lot left in the existing business park...Continue Reading
The Rural Electric Economic Development (REED) Fund, working with Douglas Electric Cooperative, recently approved a $230,000 loan to the Delmont Rural Fire Protection District to buy a new pumper truck. This truck will support 16 volunteer firefighters in the town of Delmont, South Dakota, who protect 900 residents across 190...Continue Reading
Abundant Ag takes a unique approach to pig farming. The company buys food waste from processing companies and repurposes it into a pig feed ingredient, commonly referred to as bakery meal. The process reduces the amount of food that is sent to the landfill while providing nutritious and affordable feed...Continue Reading
The Rural Electric Economic Development, Inc (REED) Fund is excited to celebrate Economic Development Week (EDW) from May 6th - May 10th. This is an excellent time to reflect on the role economic development plays in communities and how electric cooperatives contribute to regional growth. Electric co-ops power 56% of...Continue Reading