Kathleen Williams, the new State Director for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, Montana, will be on the road in the coming weeks to meet with rural communities to discuss USDA Rural Development's new Equity Project. On March 9, two of her meetings will take place on the Hi-Line, one in Harlem and the other in Glasgow.

Today, from 9:00-11:00 a.m., Williams will be at Aaniiih Nakoda College sharing information about the Equity Project and what it means for this area. She will also outline programs available to address meat processing and the food supply chain and provide details about USDA Rural Development's role in helping communities thrive. Following her time on Fort Belknap, Williams will speak in Glasgow at 4:00 p.m.

These meetings will help USDA Rural Development gain a broader understanding of how loan and grant funding can be implemented across areas of the state to stimulate the growth of Montana's rural communities.

A former Democratic state lawmaker and congressional candidate, Williams has worked for 38 years in economics and natural resource planning and policy in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. As a state legislator, Williams vice-chaired the Agriculture Committee and passed legislation to improve health care and infrastructure, to grow and diversify Montana's economy, and to advance local food production systems. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkley and a Master's in Recreation Resources from Colorado State University at Fort Collins.

The Biden administration named Williams to her post, and she was sworn in on January 3 to serve as USDA's Montana State Director for Rural Development.

Anyone interested in more information about Williams' role and the advocacy she will provide for rural Montana is encouraged to contact Sue Kerver, Public Information Officer with the Montana State Office, Rural Development, by calling 406-312-0190.