WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the Village of Middlefield was awarded $99,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) Program to promote small business growth through a revolving loan fund.

“Thanks to these federal resources, small businesses in Middlefield will have a better shot at creating new opportunities and jobs,” Brown said. “Small businesses are essential to our economy and, through this award, local communities and their residents can lead the way in rural economic development.”

Brown is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 40 years. In 2014, he was part of the Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee that successfully negotiated a five-year farm bill that had been stalled for more than three years. Brown supported a strong Rural Development title in the 2014 Farm Bill to encourage economic development in rural communities.

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