The Business Information Systems Network
(BISNet) is an on-line, wide area network telecommunication system that
will help you access some of the most current and effective business information
and strategies available today.
In 1995, the Secretary of Agriculture announced a $3.025 million cooperative
agreement with seven land grant universities to develop income- producing
projects for underdeveloped rural communities. This effort supported the
President's mandate of reaching out to low-income, rural communities to
help improve their economic sustainability. The Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (RBS), an agency within the Rural Development mission area of the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), working in collaboration
with the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service,
assisted these universities with funding for this project. As a part of
the agreement, RBS established a Wide Area Network called BISNet and provided
the seven pilot universities with computer equipment to assist them in
accomplishing their mission.
The BISNet project is a resource tool whose main purpose is to help
everyone "get connected" on the Internet's World Wide Web. It is an information
resource tool that not only reaches out to low income, rural communities
but it also helps strengthen the USDA/1890 partnerships. The BISNet fosters
opportunities for strategic planning for effective enterprising, and also
contains information about approaches to business development and growth
which has been proven successful for previous entrepreneurs. It interconnects
with corporate, government, and private entities and allows you access
to various services including, but not limited to: classified ads, federal
job announcements, on-line business plans, loan services, and the Federal
Register.
Today, fourteen 1890 Land Grant institutions, plus Tuskegee University and Hampton University,
are part of the BISNet communication system network.
