Author: Press Room

Montana Highlights December 1, 2020

8 December 2020
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Acutech Metalworks of Columbia Falls has become a partner with Powerlift hydraulic Doors of Minnesota. The partnership is an extension of Acutech metal fabrication business throughout Montana and Idaho. Acutech is located on Montana Highway 40 in Columbia Falls.

Hecla Mining Co. has completed the first phase of the reclamation of the Troy Mine. If the DEQ lives up to their obligation they should release almost $8 million dollars in reclamation bond money to the mining company. The next step in the reclamation process is the mill site.

The Farm at River’s Bend near Whitefish is embarking on a plan to grow produce in storage units. The units are remodeled freight containers. The amount of water and nutrients used by the plants are computer controlled. The processes and remodeled container are products of Freight Farms located in Boston.

Cascade County Commissioners have abused their discretionary powers by changing conditions which a lower board placed on Big Sky Cheese processing facility being constructed near Great Falls. Cascade County Zoning Board of Adjustment placed some restrictions on the cheese plant.. The County Commissioners threw out 9 of 17 conditions. They were reinstated by Lake County District Judge James Manley.

Steps are being taken to repurpose the K-mart building in Glendive into a community fitness center. The projects planners will sublet the extra space in the building to other businesses who are looking for a community type location.

110 health care workers who are part of an total of 200 to be deployed in the state until the end of the year have arrived in Montana. The registered nurses and respiratory therapists will help hospitals that are at or near capacity.  as part of a contract between the state and NuWest, which provides traveling health care workers. Benefis Health System in Great Falls, Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, and Kalispell Regional Medical Center are the main beneficiaries of the traveling nurses.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks saw their busiest Octobers ever. Yellowstone hosted more than 360,000 visitors, up 110% from 2019. The old record for October, set in 2015, was more than 252,000 visitors. The park has hosted 3,743,907 recreation visits so far in 2020 down 6% from the same period last year. The park was closed due to COVID-19 concerns beginning March 24, 2020. All five entrances have been open since June 1. Grand Teton National Park saw more than 351,000 tourists in October, up 88% from 2019. Glacier National Park also recorded a jump in October visitation. Glacier recorded more than 125,000 tourists compared to 78,000 in 2018 and an average of about 85,000 over the past three years.

Marijuana is set to become legal in Montana on Jan. 1. Marijuana becomes legal to possess, use and grow for personal use on Jan. 1. The Montana Department of Revenue will begin accepting applications from existing medical dispensaries to open recreational dispensaries by Oct. 1, 2021, and those existing dispensaries will have 12 months to apply for licensing before it opens up to the general public. A study from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research report predicted that the 20% tax on recreational marijuana will bring in over $200 million in tax revenue between 2022 and 2026.

Tumbleweed Teas in Big Timber, owned by Riza Gilpin and Laurie Rennie, recently received a grant from the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund to shift the manufacture of their company’s tumblers from China to Manhattan, Montana to be manufactured by Plastic Design & Manufacturing (PDM). The company markets a custom-blend of teas across the country.

The City of Belgrade is developing an urban renewal plan for its downtown that will allow the creation of tax increment finance district to revamp downtown city streets.

The Montana Department of Transportation is seeking public comment on a proposal to resurface about 7.4 miles of Secondary Highway 421, near Joliet.  The project starts at the intersection of S-421 and US 212, and extends northwest for 7.4 miles.  The project is tentatively scheduled for construction in 2022.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Montana currently holds the greatest decrease in the percentage of self-response rates in the latest Census. Montana saw a 4.2% decline in its self-response rates this year, down from 64.6% in 2010. The national self-response rate increased from 66.5% in 2010 to 67.0% in 2020. The Montana decline could mean a loss in federal program funding and a possible additional representative in Congress.

Mugs Coffee has opened for business in Fairview, by owner Jess Serafin, with the assistance of her father.

Gallatin County’s residential real estate market continued its recent pattern of strong sales activity in October, with increases in closed sales, pending sales and median sale prices in both the single family and condo/townhome markets.   Median sales prices increased 27.6%, from $458,600 in October 2019 to $585,000 in October 2020. Closed sales increased 59%, from 129 to 205, and pending sales jumped 78.1%, from 105 to 187. The number of new single-family listings increased 14.6% compared to October 2019, from 130 to 149. The average days on market increased 30.8%, from 52 to 68. Sellers received 98.5% of their list price last month, up slightly from 98.2% last year. 

Passenger boardings at airports in North Dakota have increased 47% as that  experienced during the same month last year. This is also the highest monthly demand in airline passengers that North Dakota has experienced since the pandemic began last Spring.

The Lower Yellowstone River Coalition reported that in August, “The governor announced that he is asking Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to identify $4 million in general license funding that could be applied to the creation and improvement of numerous recreational resources along the river. This investment could be matched by other sources of state and federal funding, which would bring the total investment in new recreational infrastructure along the Lower Yellowstone to $8 million. This commitment is an important first step in securing funding for recreation in eastern Montana, but it will require the Montana Legislature to approve the use of these funds in the next legislative session which begins in January 2021.” Plans include boat ramps, campsites, restroom facilities, access roads, parks, and hiking trails along approximately 170 river miles between Hysham and Sidney.

The Montana Free Press reports that a plan to reduce Amtrak service to three days a week will cost Montana $38 million. The passenger rail line has been used by out-of-state skiers for decades as affordable and dependable transportation to reach Whitefish’s ski slopes.  It also serves many other Hi-line towns in Montana, which otherwise have limited transportation options. The plan, to reduce costs for the publically-funded Amtrak, is to make stops in Montana only on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays traveling westbound, and Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays heading east. COVID has drastically cut Amtrak passenger numbers prompting the request for an additional $1.4 billion last May in funding, which it has not yet received.

The Montana Department of Transportation is planning to resurface approximately 11 miles of US Highway 191, near Melville in Sweet Grass County.  The project begins south of the junction with Melville Road, at reference post  extends approximately 11 miles north ending at the Wheatland. The project is tentatively scheduled for construction in summer of 2021.

MFB Elects New Officers

8 December 2020
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Montana Farm Bureau elects officers during virtual delegate session

The Montana Farm Bureau elected officers during its hybrid in-person/virtual voting delegate session November 10.

Hans McPherson, a diversified farmer from Stevensville, was re-elected as president of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation with Cyndi Johnson, a Conrad small grains farmer, re-elected as vice president.

Newly elected to the board were: Casey Mott, District 4, a cattle rancher from Custer; Don Steinbeisser, Jr., District 6, a diversified farmer from Sidney and Jim Willis, District 10, a cattle producer from Wilsall. Re-elected to the board were Rhonda Boyd, District 2, a cattle rancher from Alder and Ed Bandel, District 8, a wheat farmer from Floweree.

Carla Lawrence from Boyd was re-elected as the organization’s Women’s Leadership Committee Chair and JM Peck from Melrose was elected as Young Farmer and Rancher Committee Chair.

Following are the district chairs for the Women’s Leadership Committee and the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee:

District Women’s Leadership Committee: 

District 1: Beth Blevins – Ronan / Lorena Erickson – Corvallis

District 3: Mary Hill – Raynesford/ Debbie Bricker – Moore

District 5: Lillian Ostendorf – Powderville / Cathy McDowell – Powderville

District 7: Joy DePuydt – Saco /Julie Reddig – Frazer

District 9: Bonnie Jones – East Helena / Pam Converse – Conrad

District Young Farmer/Rancher Committee: 

District 1: Jo-Hanna Lien – Ronan  / Neela Andres – Missoula

District 2: (Vacant Seat) Michael Walsh – Twin Bridges

District 3: Vic Lewis – Ryegate / Kevin Arntzen – Hilger

District 5: John Olson – Broadus/Fiona Mott – Miles City

District 7: Gwynn Simeniuk – Opheim / John Walker – Nashua

District 9: Rocky Forseth – Helena / Klayton Lohr – Devon

District 10: (Vacant Seat): Kat Taylor – Bozeman

MCC Meat Processing Program Continues to Advance

8 December 2020
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Montana Farm Bureau Federation is thrilled that the Miles Community College’s meat processing program continues to advance, including the hiring of a coordinator for the program. The college, along with the Montana Meat Processors Association, had been working for four years to get a meat processing course in place. The Montana Farm Bureau was integral in building support for the program and working with MCC and MPPA make this program a reality.

“The coronavirus pandemic highlighted strengths and weaknesses in our food system. Farm Bureau worked to identify improvements that could be made for producers and consumers,” noted Nicole Rolf, national affairs director, MFBF. “Montana Farm Bureau was active in working on federal legislation to expand meat processing capacity nationwide, but also wanted to do something on a more local level. Knowing that there is a shortage of processing capacity in the state, we started exploring options to help get more workers trained to do this important job. That’s where involvement in this program started on the Farm Bureau side.”

Brian Engle, who owns Pioneer Meats in Big Timber, noted, “The Montana Meat Processors is very excited to be part of the training platform on the internship side. In Montana, three new plants are being built which will just add to the every-increasing demand for more employees. Having these small plants is vital business for our state and our economy. We really appreciate Kim Gibbs’ efforts at MCC and the state’s Montana Meat Processing Infrastructure Grant. We thank Montana Farm Bureau for their support; if their support wasn’t there, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Rolf welcomed the new meat program coordinator, Tina Rutledge, who is going to facilitate the course, providing students with knowledge on everything from fabricating meat to marketing strategies. The 29-credit remote course include classes on food safety, business math, elementary technical writing and biology. Small meat processing facilities across the state will provide hands-on internships.

Coffee Shortage Looms

8 December 2020
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Besides a humanitarian crisis, two hurricanes across the countries of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua could result in a shortage of coffee, according to AccuWeather.

Honduras is the biggest grower of coffee in the region, followed by Nicaragua and Guatemala. Combined, these three countries account for around 8% of the world’s coffee output. In Honduras alone, coffee is a $1 billion industry that generates 1 million jobs and accounts for 30% of the country’s Gross Domestic Agricultural Product, according to the Honduran Coffee Institute, a leading trade group in the country’s coffee industry.

The loss of coffee crop in Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala could result in higher prices for wholesale coffee buyers but may not be enough to have a substantial impact on prices for everyday coffee drinkers.

AccuWeather estimates that during Eta, there was a 10% loss of Central American coffee, mainly because of roads being washed out and coffee not making it to the market. It further estimates that additional impacts from Iota could be as much as another 10% to perhaps 25% loss as the region could be more susceptible to damage in the wake of Eta

These losses could  be compounded by a strike.

Even if the coffee plants are unharmed after both storms, the significant rain could cause the coffee to mature too quickly and affect its quality,

Census Delays May Postpone State Redistricting

8 December 2020
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Jerrick Adams, The Center Square

On Nov. 19, U.S. Census Bureau Director Steve Dillingham announced that, “during post-collection processing, certain processing anomalies have been discovered” in the 2020 United States Census. Dillingham said he had directed the bureau “to utilize all resources available to resolve this as expeditiously as possible.” Also on Nov. 19, The New York Times reported that “a growing number of snags in the massive data-processing operation that generates population totals had delayed the completion of population calculations at least until Jan. 26, [2021], and perhaps to mid-February.”

This expected delay could postpone state redistricting efforts in 2021. At least one state (California) has already extended its redistricting deadlines in light of the uncertainty surrounding the conclusion of the census. On July 17, the California Supreme Court unanimously ordered the California Citizens Redistricting Commission to release draft district plans by Nov. 1, 2021, and final district plans by Dec. 15, 2021. The original deadlines were July 1, 2021, and August 15, 2021, respectively.

The census, apportionment, and redistricting: Every ten years, the United States conducts the census, a complete count of the U.S. population. Census results determine congressional apportionment (i.e., the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives). Because the U.S. Constitution requires that seats in the House be apportioned to the states on the basis of population, a state can gain seats if its population grows or lose seats if its population decreases, relative to populations in other states.

Federal law requires congressional and legislative districts to have substantively equal populations. States use census data during their redistricting processes to ensure compliance with this requirement. The standard census timeline calls for the bureau to submit apportionment counts to the President by Dec. 31 and redistricting data to the states by April 1, 2021.

In the 2010 cycle, redistricting authorities enacted 43 new congressional district maps and 50 new state legislative district maps. The majority of these – 63 maps (31 congressional and 32 state legislative), 67.74 percent of the total– were enacted in 2011. In 2012, 28 maps (12 congressional and 16 state legislative) were enacted, 30.11 percent of the total. The remaining maps were enacted in the first six months of 2013.

Billings Building Permits 12-01-2020

8 December 2020
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Commercial

Isle Development Llc/Beartooth Holding & Construction, 1008 Shiloh Crossing Blvd , Com New Other, $711,150

Better Billings Foundation/Elevated Home Crafters Inc, 543 Aronson Ave, Com New Other, $4,000

Bartle, Victoria W & , 1402 Broadwater Ave, Com New Other, $18,737

Tanner Bennion/Jorden Construction, 848 Main St, Com Remodel, $160,000

Circle P Ranch Llc/TWE Construction & Restoration Inc, 2170 Overland Ave, Com Remodel,

 $68,680

Kevin McGovern/Zane Merrell Construction Llc, 1410 38th St W, Com Remodel, $8,000

Midtown Realty Llc/Jorden Construction, 1211 24th St W, Com Remodel, $25,000

Richard D Zier Living Trust 65/Donahue Roofing Llc, 1919 4th Ave N, Com Fence/Roof/Siding   $83,310.00

Billings Clinic/Swank Enterprise, 2929 10th Ave N, Com New Hospitals/Institutions, $1,100,000.00 

Roman Catholic Bishop Of Grt Falls/Leonard Schuff, 234 N 31st St, Com New Other, $75,000.00

Rommesmo Family Limited Partnership/Langlas & Assoc., Inc., 1501 S 30th St W, Com New Other  $3,000,000

Deaconess Medical Center Of Billings/Jones Construction, Inc, 2800 10th Ave N, Com Remodel,   $629,878

Elevation Church Billings, Inc/Snowy River Construction/Lawncare, 711 4th Ave N, Com Remodel, $5,026.00

Stock Investment Group III Llc, 115 Shiloh Rd, Com Remodel, $17,800

Residential

High Sierra II  Inc, 2478 Greenbriar Rd, Res New Accessory, $43,200

South Pine Design/South Pine Design, 2609 Strapper Ln, Res New Single Family, $307,730

High Sierra Ii Inc/Infinity Home Llc, 1503 Rancho Vista Ave, Res New Single Family, $194,170

High Sierra Ii Inc/Oakland Built Homes Inc, 2478 Greenbriar Rd, Res New Single Family,   $235,514

Mountain Range Llc/Formation Inc, 2517 Mountain Range Ct, Res New Single Family,  $298,648

Mountain Range Llc/Formation Inc, 2518 Mountain Range Ct, Res New Single Family,    $289,092

Trent Parks/Billings Best Builders Llc, 911 Mission Oaks Dr, Res New Two Family, $442,320

Jeff Engel Construction Inc /Jeff Engel Construction, Inc, 513 N Lakeview Dr, Res New Two Family, $356,798

McCall Development Inc/McCall Development, 6021 Norma Jean Ln, Res New Accessory Structure, $32,256

David Mutch/Yellowstone Property Solutions Llc, 1409 Carson Way, Res New Single Family,    $221,222

High Sierra II Inc/Infinity Home Llc, 2420 Bonito Loop, Res New Single Family, $209,856.00

Dennis & Nancy Cook/Kings Mountain Builders Inc, 872 Garnet Ave, Res New Single Family,   $358,655

McCall Development Inc/McCall Development, 6021 Norma Jean Ln, Res New Single Family, $317,886

True North Homes Llc/True North Homes, Llc, 1813 E Thunder Mountain Rd, Res New Single Family, $409,936

Classic Design Homes Inc/CDH, Llc, 4035 Lodge Ln, Res New Single Family, $225,955

100 Contracted Medical Staff Come to Montana to Support Montana Hospitals

8 December 2020
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Governor Steve Bullock announced that over 100 contracted medical staff from across the country are deployed in Montana to assist hospitals with responding to COVID-19 and filling in gaps in healthcare worker shortages due to quarantine or isolation.

“The situation in Montana is serious. Hospital capacity is stressed and our healthcare workers are exhausted, with many unable to work from being exposed to the virus,” said Governor Bullock. “I know I join all Montanans in being incredibly grateful for this additional medical staff to ensure critical care continues during this time. For these national teams and our frontline workers here at home to be successful, we need every Montanan to stay home as much as possible, wear masks, social distance, and avoid gatherings.” 

The medical staff have been deployed to Montana through a partnership between the State of Montana and the employment agency, NuWest Group, to help respond to the rising caseload and a rising number of Montana healthcare workers in quarantine or isolation. The medical staff come from across the nation and will not pull from existing employees within the medical system in Montana. Medical staff include registered nurses and respiratory therapists.

There are currently 110 medical staff on the ground that arrived throughout the weekend working in hospitals at or nearing capacity in Montana, with an anticipated total of 200 staff deployed before Thanksgiving. They will serve until the end of this year. The majority of the medical staff are currently assisting Benefis Health System, Billings Clinic, Kalispell Regional Medical Center, and St. Vincent Healthcare. Medical staff are also deployed at Bozeman Health, Community Medical Center, Great Falls Clinic Hospital, Livingston Healthcare, Providence St. Patrick Hospital, and St. James Healthcare. 

“Hospitals are in critical need of travel RNs and RRTs that are ready and able to take rapid response assignments throughout the State of Montana this week,” said NuWest. “We are urgently deploying RNs with Covid experience within the ICU, ED, Med Surg, or Tele, as well as Respiratory Therapists.”

11 Montana BioTech Companies to Watch

8 December 2020
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Eleven Montana companies have been highlighted by the Montana BioScience Cluster Initiative and the Montana High Tech Business Alliance as 2020 Montana Biotech Companies to Watch.

The nominated companies are high-growth, high-potential businesses, many of which are doing innovative work to address unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 Montana Biotech Companies to Watch include:

1. Ahana, Missoula— Although only a year old, Ahana is providing pediatric care for many Montana communities. This software and video-based platform allows patients to receive care during non-traditional hours.

2. VIRIS Detection Systems, Bozeman — Develop viral diagnostics using CRISPR-based technologies.

3. FYR Diagnostics, Missoula — Develop novel diagnostic tools for human and agricultural diseases.

4. Golden Helix, Bozeman — A bioinformatics company specializing in genomic data analysis. 

5. NanoValent Pharmaceuticals, Bozeman — Research and develop targeted nanosphere therapies for cancer treatments

6. PatientOne, Missoula — Develop virtual tools and operational remote monitoring technology for primary care.

7. PurCell Bio, Bozeman — Create supplements free from animal products that can replace blood products in cell culture.

8. Rocky Mountain Biologicals, Missoula — Manufacture cell culture media and protein fractions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries

9. SOLO-DEX, Wolf Creek — Designed an opioid-free catheter device for post-surgical pain relief

10. Swan Valley Medical, Bigfork — A mid-stage, privately held medical device company with a unique hospital solution using its patented T-SPeC® technology and advanced analytics to replace existing hospital-based Standards of Practice

11. Truwl, Whitefish – Develop bioinformatics software for sharing data analysis in genomic research.

The eleven 2020 Montana Biotech Companies to Watch profiled reveal a number of key industry trends:

* Four of the 11 firms have raised venture capital investment, a sign of growing interest in Montana bioscience from investors like Michael Goguen, founder of Two Bear Capital in Whitefish.

* Four companies were awarded SBIR/STTR grants, reflecting Montana’s #1 position in securing NIH awards. In 2019, Montana’s SBIR/STIR Application Success Rate with NIH was 48.3 percent – more than double the national average – with support from organizations like TechLink in Bozeman.

* The role of universities in fueling biotech growth is evident in the locations of company headquarters. Four firms are in Bozeman near MSU and four are in Missoula close to UM. Two firms call the Flathead Valley home, indicating the rise of that region as an emerging hub for biotech.

* Montana’s biotech firms are innovators in a range of fields vital to the life sciences – vaccine development, diagnostic testing, bioinformatics, telemedicine, medical devices, cancer treatment, pain management, and development of cell culture media.

* More than half of selected firms are rising up to meet new needs in healthcare driven by the coronavirus pandemic.

The finalists were selected based on the following criteria:

* Steep revenue growth and/or are working in a high-growth sector

* Poised to launch high-potential products or services

* Own or are developing valuable intellectual property

* On track to land major clients or enter new markets

* Plan to expand operations or add a significant number of jobs in the next year

* Have management teams led by experienced entrepreneurs or top experts in their fields

* Working to address unique challenges presented by COVID-19

TC Announces Plans to Move Forward with Wisconsin Project

22 November 2020
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TC Energy Corporation announced that it will move forward with its Wisconsin Access Project to increase natural gas capacity, improve reliability, and reduce emissions on a highly utilized segment of its ANR Pipeline system.

The $0.2 billion project will provide approximately 72 million cubic feet per day of firm transportation service under long-term contracts to utilities serving the Midwestern United States. All project work will occur on ANR Pipeline’s existing facilities in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas.

“This project demonstrates the value of our existing infrastructure as a platform for organic growth. As utility companies’ demand for natural gas grows to provide power and heating to homes, we are finding new ways to meet the demand on our systems while lowering emissions,” said Russ Girling, TC Energy President and Chief Executive Officer. “Consumers benefit from lower energy costs and reliable service that abundant natural gas provides, and we aim to responsibly deliver that assurance with projects that utilize modern compression equipment and emerging technologies in our operations.”

The announcement of the Wisconsin Access Project follows TC Energy’s July sanctioning of the $0.4 billion Elwood Power/ANR Horsepower Replacement Project that will reduce emissions, increase reliability, and support new service for power generation on the ANR Pipeline.

The Wisconsin Access Project involves meter station upgrades, compressor station modifications for enhanced operational flexibility and emissions-cutting horsepower replacements.

The project is targeted to be brought in service in the second half of 2022.

SBA Summarizes 2020 Loan Activity

20 November 2020
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The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Fiscal Year 2020 summary loan data of the financial assistance provided through traditional loan program lending as well as aid provided via the CARES Act. Loans guaranteed through traditional SBA-backed lending programs exceeded $28 billion; however, enactment of the CARES Act dramatically increased loan volume guaranteed by the Agency: In FY20, the Paycheck Protection Program provided an additional 5.2 million loans worth more than $525 billion; the Agency’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program added another 3.6 million small business loans valued at $191 billion, as well as an additional 5.7 million EIDL Advances worth $20 billion.

“In response to the unprecedented challenges faced by small businesses this year, the Trump Administration provided more than three-quarters of a trillion dollars in financial assistance to support impacted small businesses. SBA lending data further reflects the extraordinary commitment this Administration has made to supporting entrepreneurs in underserved communities,” said Administrator Jovita Carranza.

“The SBA played a monumental role in supporting small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, evidenced by the thousands of Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans approved to urban and rural Montana businesses since March,” said Dan Nordberg, SBA Regional Administrator and National Director of Rural Affairs. “The SBA’s historic lending achievement is a testament not only to the dedicated public servants within the agency, but also to the grit of small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state. The SBA will continue advocating for small businesses and working with business owners and entrepreneurs as we navigate these challenging times.”

“When the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Montana’s small businesses, the SBA answered the call by leveraging all of the resources at our disposal, including 24,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans and 10,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loans that provided much needed funds to Montana small businesses, helping to keep Montana’s economy going during this difficult time,” said Brent Donnelly, SBA Montana District Director. “Like any great effort, a team of dedicated individuals was needed, and we at the SBA would like to thank Montana’s lenders, the small business owners, and our resource partners all continuing to work together for Montana.”

Highlights from the PPP include:

 *   27% of the PPP loan dollars were made in low-and moderate-income communities which is in proportion to the percentage of population in these areas:

 *   More than $133 billion, or 25%, of PPP loans were approved for small businesses in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZones); and,

 *   Over $80 billion, or 15%, of total PPP dollars were approved to small businesses in rural communities.

Administrator Carranza further noted, “In addition to the tremendous amount of aid provided by the CARES Act via the PPP and EIDL programs, our regular loan programs showed solid year-over-year improvement, especially within our 504 and Microloan programs. SBA’s small but dedicated team of professionals punched far above its weight this year, building on last year’s lending numbers for traditional loans, while administering the largest and most consequential disaster response effort in modern history – all while overcoming unprecedented workforce disruptions.”