KANSAS CITY, MO – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week that 111 projects in 35 states have been selected to receive more than $34.9 million in grants to increase educational opportunities and expand access to healthcare services in rural areas.

The funding will be provided through USDA Rural Development's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program. The funds are part of USDA's annual budget and are not part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager made the announcement on behalf of Vilsack while attending the annual meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting in Kansas City, Mo.

"The Obama Administration is working to ensure that rural citizens have access to a full range of educational opportunities and access to quality medical care," Vilsack said. "The funding we are announcing today will deliver these opportunities by expanding telecommunications, educational resources and computer networks throughout rural communities."

For example, Avera Health in Sioux Falls, S.D., was selected to receive a $396,693 grant to provide video-conferencing and telemedicine service to connect 16 rural hospitals and clinics with regional medical facilities in Sioux Falls, Yankton and Aberdeen.

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program provides access to education, training and health care resources in rural areas. Funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant agreement.

On the next page is a complete list of funding recipients: