CTC Receiving USDA Grant for High-Speed Internet in Rural Minnesota

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced three grants to provide high-speed, reliable internet to residents in rural Minnesota, and that includes a local company in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) will receive a $5.5 million grant and a $5.5 million loan from the USDA, which will be used to deploy high-speed fiber optics to 67 businesses and 78 farms in Crow Wing and Morrison counties, with more than 2,800 people expected to benefit.

The money comes from USDA Rural Development’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program. U.S. Senator Tina Smith announced the grants on Wednesday, saying internet access is “not just a luxury in the 21st century, it’s a necessity.”