An agency within USDA charged with administering activities that support rural telecommunications, distance learning and telemedicine, electrical, and water and waste disposal activities. RUS assistance can be provided in the form of direct and guaranteed loans, and grants.
As a Federal credit agency in the United States Department of Agriculture, RUS provides a leadership role in lending and technical guidance for the rural utilities industries. RUS is the Federal "point" agency for rural infrastructure assistance in electricity, water and telecommunications.
An agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that makes financing available to rural telephone and electric organizations so they can provide service in rural areas. The Rural Utilities Service makes low-interest-rate loans, and guarantees loans mad by others. The Rural Utilities Service also administers a rural development loan program and a program for distance learning and telemedicine grants.
A program of the Rural Economic and Community Development agency, which is one of six basic mission areas of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). RUS houses the rural electric, telephone and water/wastewater loan programs and was authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994. RUS replaced the Rural Electrification Administration (REA).
See Rural Electrification Administration
The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was a department of the United States federal government created on 11 May 1935 through efforts of the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The REA's task was to promote electrification in rural areas, which in the 1930s rarely were provided with electricity due to the cost of stringing electric lines to farmsteads.