USDA's undersecretary visits Northern Colorado to discuss needs with rural infrastructure

Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo hosted USDA's under secretary, Xochitl Torres Small, on Wednesday in Greeley. 

Small and Caraveo met with elected officials and town planners from across Weld and Larimer counties in an effort to discuss infrastructure in rural communities.  

"I think we have a lot of things to work on together," Small told CBS News Colorado reporter, Dillon Thomas. "I heard a lot today about rural places that are growing and the opportunities and pressures that come with that."      

Northern Colorado is one of the fastest growing regions in Colorado, yet the remote communities are quickly falling behind the urban areas when it comes to infrastructure. 

Elected officials from both counties, especially in Larimer County, expressed concerns with basic modern day necessities like sewage systems and broadband internet either being subpar or completely inaccessible for many residents.  

Small spent half of her time speaking with leaders about not only the need to build out the broadband service in rural Colorado but also talked about the need for that internet to be quick and affordable.  

"25 down and three up (speed) is not enough to truly do what you need in a modern society," Small said.  

Caraveo, who is a medical professional as well, said access to telehealth is a major concern. After COVID-19 surfaced more health professionals expanded their services to online. 

However, those in rural parts of the state where internet access isn't as available are unfairly sequestered from such benefits and resources. 

Because most health professionals are already located near areas with plenty of access to internet, this gives urban residents even more advantage.  

"This is the difference between somebody being able to access mental health," Caraveo said.       

Caraveo said she was also concerned that rural Coloradans would not have the ability to access broader opportunities to education, potentially putting youth in small towns behind their peers in larger cities.  

"So, what are the ways in which broadband can help (a student) advance her education to tap into the expertise of people around the world?" Caraveo said.       

Those in the meeting discussed federal financial aid programs that help build out broadband to rural towns. Small gave them advice on both current and upcoming federal grant programs that northern Colorado towns and counties can apply for. 

Others in attendance gave Small feedback on how the federal government could make the application processes more simplistic and fair for small towns that do not have as many resources as larger communities.  

"We can work together to make sure that is accessible in hard to reach places," Small said. "We've got to make sure we are building for the future and building for speeds that will help in the future as well." 

"(Access to broadband) is not just about Netflix and accessing your email. It is about health and growth. It is important that we provide these communities with those opportunities," Caraveo said.