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Incentives Abound for Light Industry in Wall, SD
Jan 29 2025With South Dakota boasting one of the best business climates in the country, the Wall Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) welcomes companies interested in low taxes, a low cost of doing business, and a lack of red tape to check out its new, centrally located, 85-acre Industrial Park. Wall’s robust, local...

The Regenerative Agriculture Finance Program, also known as RAF, was launched in January 2022 by Farmers Business Network in collaboration with Environmental Defense Fund. The pilot year of the RAF program included 48 corn, wheat and soybean farmers seeking access to lower interest rates on operating loans by achieving standards...

South Dakota receives more than $2.65 million across 17 projectsHURON, S.D., Jan. 17, 2025 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for South Dakota Nikki Gronli today announced that USDA is funding 17 projects to expand access to clean energy systems and increase availability of domestic biofuels...

The Mailbox Program is a special initiative that partners with local businesses to honor our graduating seniors. Each senior receives a personalized mailbox with their last name displayed on the side, filled with thoughtful items contributed by our local businesses.This gift serves as a practical and symbolic gesture—encouraging our students...

Supporting Workforce Growth: New Worker Relocation ProgramTo address workforce needs and support our local businesses, we’ve implemented the New Worker Relocation Program for our business investors. This program is designed to assist individuals and families who relocate to Wall for full-time employment with in-town employers.The program offers several benefits, including:•...

WEDC Revolving Loan Fund: Supporting Local Business GrowthOur Revolving Loan Fund is fully operational, with $15,000 added annually over the past three years, bringing the total to $45,000 available for loans. We’ve also partnered with the West River Foundation for Economic and Community Development to provide access to additional funding...

Wall Economic Development Corporation Annual Meeting RecapThe Wall Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) held its annual meeting on November 20th, celebrating a successful year and exciting future developments.Dawn Hilgenkamp opened the meeting by welcoming attendees and introducing Dr. Rochan Burrell, the new Economic Development Director. Dr. Burrell shared her inspiring journey...

Last fall, we were proud to host a breakfast event to highlight the Build Dakota Scholarship program and its statewide workforce initiative. The gathering brought together local businesses, community leaders, and school administrators to discuss how Wall can leverage this program to encourage more students to pursue skilled trades and...

This summer, Black Hills Energy utilized a grant to conduct a site survey along the I-90 corridor and throughout the Black Hills area. This survey has been instrumental in refining our Request for Information (RFI) responses, allowing us to better promote and market the available land in our Industrial Park.We...

Quinn Moon 2024 Faith Frink 2025 Patrick Trask 2026 Youth Leadership on Our Board We’re proud to involve high school students as active members of our board. Each year, we select a student from the Junior class to serve a two-year term, ensuring we always have representation from both a Junior and a...

As the year comes to a close, it’s a natural time to reflect on the journey so far. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share my story.My name is Dr. Rochan Burrell, and I was born in eastern South Dakota, raised in Rapid City, and graduated...

As many of you know, housing remains in short supply in Wall and the Black Hills area. The City of Wall has worked diligently to address this challenge by putting infrastructure in place, resulting in ready-to-build land. Progress has already been made, with new housing developed in Echo Park and...

U.S. Economic Development Administration Reauthorized by Congress for First Time in 20 Years
Dec 30 2024Washington—The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) celebrates its historic reauthorization by Congress, allowing it to continue its legacy of promoting American innovation and competitiveness by providing grants and support to communities across the country. Since 1965, EDA has led some of the nation’s most impactful programs to...

USDA Rural Development Awards Advancing Eco Agriculture $3.8 Million Grant to Expand Production of Regenerative Farming Nutrition ProductsThe grant will help Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) meet growing demand by increasing its production capacity at the company’s manufacturing facility in Aurora, Colo.Regenerative agriculture pioneer Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) today announced that...

Farm Bill Bulletin
Dec 30 2024On Friday, Congress passed a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. The legislation also included a second extension of the farm bill, in addition to financial aid for producers impacted by natural disasters and economic hardship over the past year.The bill, which was the final of three versions presented...

USDA Announces Final $300 Million in Automatic Assistance for Distressed Farm Loan Borrowers
Dec 30 2024The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the final approximately $300 million in assistance to distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act.WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the final approximately $300 million in assistance to distressed...

Wall Economic Development Corp. Celebrates Exciting Year of Community Innovation and Accomplishments
Dec 19 2024Led by Executive Director Dr. Rochan Burrell, the Wall Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) celebrated a productive and exciting year of community innovation and accomplishments during its annual meeting on November 20th.“I’ve seen the tireless dedication of our residents continuously re-invigorating Wall in ways we never thought possible,” said Burrell. “It’s...

October 2024 Economic Indicators
Dec 16 2024Around this time each year, you can be sure of three things: fruitcake, one of your co-workers will make a fool out of themselves at your holiday work party, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” will re-enter the charts in a big way.And it’s not even close. Nat...

The smartest move you can make in the end-of-year work rush (Hint: It’s not what you think)
Dec 13 2024As we push through the last stretch of the year, many of us are caught in a relentless “rush, rush, rush, busy, busy, busy” cycle. There’s the pressure to tick every box, meet every deadline, and make it through the end of the year in one piece. But, as tempting...

Massive data centers have eyes on South Dakota
Dec 11 2024Massive data centers used for cloud computing and artificial intelligence are consuming enormous amounts of energy, and developers are eyeing South Dakota as a potential location, regulators say. These “hyperscale data centers,” or “hyperscalers,” are designed to handle immense computing demands and are often operated by tech giants. The centers are...

USDA Invests $6.3 Billion to Strengthen Rural Infrastructure and Create Good-Paying Jobs in 44 States
Dec 10 2024U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is investing $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water, and create good-paying jobs.“The Biden-Harris Administration invests in rural America, because we know...

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new round of investments totaling more than $194 million to support local economic development plans and projects in Rural Partners Network (RPN) communities and other neighboring communities across 14 states and Puerto Rico. USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dr...

The landscape of marketing is evolving rapidly, and 2025 is no different. Economic developers must stay ahead by reallocating their budgets to align with modern trends and audience expectations. Based on data from over 11,000 marketers, the priorities for marketing budgets have shifted toward digital optimization, community engagement, and paid...

The Wall Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is celebrating local entrepreneurs and their accomplishments this November for National Entrepreneurship Month! From the world-famous and family owned, 76,000 sq. ft. Wall Drug to the 85-acre Wall Industrial Park, Wall, South Dakota is home to an ever-innovative group of entrepreneurs who are dedicated...