USDA Rural Development North Dakota Director Tom Campbell talks programs, budget and projects
Jun. 28—BISMARCK, N.D. — Tom Campbell said something he's enjoyed about becoming North Dakota's director of Rural Development as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been connecting with people in the state.
Part of his mission, he said, is to go into rural North Dakota and meet with people who would be applicants for Rural Development funding, as well as visiting projects the program has assisted to check on their progress.
"I'm really enjoying that," he said. "Every day I learn a lot."
Campbell was announced as state director at the
beginning of May
, chosen by U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins. Campbell is a potato farmer and politician who served as a North Dakota senator from 2013 to 2018.
Becoming the rural development director, he said, has included a slew of onboarding and getting to know his support staff. The program has shrunk in staff and budget as part of federal cuts, which has lessened the amount of funding it can give out, Campbell said.
The program's main focus is assisting rural North Dakotan projects, mostly through loans and grants. With budget season coming up and the budget cuts the program has faced, the number of grants the program can give out has lessened, he said. It's been challenging.
"That's a little bit frustrating," he said.
Though cuts have depleted some of what the program is able to offer, Campbell still encourages people to reach out and see what help is available to them. The program focuses on three different areas: community programs, single family housing programs and business and cooperative programs. The three divisions have more than 60 programs between them.
Campbell's main goal is to continue what the program has already been doing, further supporting its mission of helping rural North Dakotans, he said. The rural development program acts as a "behind the scenes" helping hand, he said, pushing rural projects forward. Some things the program has supported include housing, electric cooperatives, infrastructure, rural hospitals, fire stations, emergency vehicles, fiber optics, water projects and more.
One project Campbell has visited recently was in Park River, where the city has set up a daycare and preschool near its school.
Campbell's support staff and team in general have been quality people to work with, he said.
"They have a true, caring heart," he said. "They really, truly care about helping people out there."
Campbell said people are free to reach out to him via phone or email to see how Rural Development could assist them.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Former FBI special agent says she's ‘never seen' a defendant want to remain in prison
All times eastern FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage WATCH LIVE: Senate convenes over President Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill'
CBS News
31 minutes ago
- CBS News
Rally held to support "No Masks for ICE Act" introduced by New York lawmaker
Bill by N.Y. lawmaker would require ICE agents be unmasked during enforcement actions Bill by N.Y. lawmaker would require ICE agents be unmasked during enforcement actions Bill by N.Y. lawmaker would require ICE agents be unmasked during enforcement actions A New York lawmaker is calling for transparency from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, starting with having its agents remove their masks. In a statement from ICE, a spokesperson says the masks are optional but that "ICE law enforcement and their families are being targeted and are facing a 500% increase in assaults ... due to the demonization of ICE by hostile groups and irresponsible elected officials." "Politicians and activists must turn the temperature down and tone down their rhetoric," the spokesperson added. Bill would require ICE agents be unmasked during enforcement actions Immigration advocates and political leaders used 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, which houses the city's ICE field office, as a backdrop Saturday. Immigrants, and even Comptroller Brad Lander, have been detained there by ICE agents with masks on. "No excuses, no cover-ups. When law enforcement hides who they are, there is no accountability," Rep. Nydia Velazquez said. That's the message behind her "No Masks for ICE Act" introduced earlier this month, requiring that ICE agents be unmasked during enforcement actions unless it's for a serious health issue, which has to be explained in writing. "And require them to wear clothing that clearly shows they work for ICE," she said. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on June 20, 2025 in New York masks creates risk of copycat criminals, advocates say Supporters of the bill also allude to copycat incidents, where masked individuals have committed crimes allegedly pretending to be ICE agents. "If they're just wearing masks, you may think you're being kidnapped, and if you're armed, you may shoot them. So this bill will promote the safety of federal agents," Rep. Jerry Nadler said. Ricardo Aca, with immigrant advocacy group Make The Road, says banning the face coverings could relieve tensions he's seeing among the immigrant populations he advocates for. "A lot of folks don't know if they're being kidnapped or they're being detained because ICE is not even telling them or giving them the dignity and respect that they deserve," he said. Supporters say democracy cannot exist in darkness, or behind a mask.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
This Stock Is Up 55,000% Since Its IPO: Here's 1 Reason It Could Still Be a Smart Buy
O'Reilly Automotive is one of the top retailers in the auto parts space, where it benefits from durable tailwinds that support steady demand. Same-store sales increased by 2.9% in 2024, continuing an impressive 32-year growth streak. Management has continued to aggressively repurchase shares despite the stock's rising valuation. 10 stocks we like better than O'Reilly Automotive › History may not always repeat, but the past can serve as a guide. For investors, looking at previous market winners might help us identify stocks that could outperform from here. In that vein, consider a leading niche retailer that usually flies under the radar. As of this writing, this retailer's stock is up by more than 55,000% since its initial public offering in April 1993. In just the last five years, it's up by 213%. Yet even after those monster gains, there's one reason why it could still be a smart buy. The modern world is constantly being reshaped by the forces of cutting-edge technology -- cloud computing, AI, digital payments, and e-commerce to name just a few. And those technologies are providing serious tailwinds to many of the businesses connected to them. O'Reilly Automotive's (NASDAQ: ORLY) business doesn't fall into any of these high-tech buckets. However, one understated tailwind will continue to benefit this aftermarket auto parts retailer. A recent report released by S&P Global showed that the average age of vehicles on the road in the U.S. is now 12.8 years. This figure has climbed for eight straight years. While that secular trend may not be as exciting as the others mentioned, it will be a reliable boon for O'Reilly. It sells various products, including motor oil, air filters, brake pads, floor mats, and batteries, among many other things, to both do-it-yourselfers and professional mechanics. Aftermarket is the key thing investors should remember -- these are products that aren't usually made by the original car manufacturers. Consumers shop at O'Reilly to extend the lives of their vehicles. The greater the mileage is on a car, the more upkeep it will require. Natural wear and tear isn't hard to understand. But most car warranties expire after three to five years, after which whatever goes wrong is strictly the owner's problem. As cars stay on the road for more years and more miles, demand gets stronger for the stuff that O'Reilly sells. The macroeconomic environment is also helping the retailer. With interest rates on auto loans at some of their highest levels in the past decade and other material and labor costs up as well, buying a car is less affordable. This incentivizes people to spend money on repairing the vehicles they already own. These trends have shown up in O'Reilly's financial performance. In 2024, the company reported a same-store sales increase of 2.9%. That was its 32nd straight year of growth, which is unheard of for any retailer. This demonstrates the company's ability to thrive regardless of economic conditions. There's a lot to like about this company. Steady demand that propels revenue and earnings higher is undoubtedly one reason that O'Reilly should be on your investing radar. Management has also aggressively used its free cash flow to buy back stock. In the past five years, O'Reilly has reduced its outstanding share count by 24%. However, the valuation isn't cheap, and that's my main concern. Its current price-to-earnings ratio of 32.8 is 36% higher than its trailing 10-year average, so I'm waiting for this multiple to come down before I even consider adding O'Reilly to my portfolio. But given the company's impressive track record, other investors might have a different view. Before you buy stock in O'Reilly Automotive, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and O'Reilly Automotive wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $704,676!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $950,198!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 175% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends S&P Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This Stock Is Up 55,000% Since Its IPO: Here's 1 Reason It Could Still Be a Smart Buy was originally published by The Motley Fool
