STREATOR -- A Streator bank is one of two Illinois institutions to receive stimulus money to help rural agriculture and businesses.

Centrue Bank will have $1.6 million available to provide money through the U.S. Department of Agriculture rural loan guarantee program.

"In this market environment, money is tight," Everett Solon, vice president of marketing, said.

The loan guarantee will ease the supply of money for the "footprint" the bank serves in LaSalle and Livingston counties, he said.

The program does not significantly change local interest rates, he said.

The USDA last week said 20 banks in the country would receive $71.7 million as part of the Rural Development's Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. It, in turn, is part of the $1.7 billion made available in the Recovery Act.

The only other Illinois bank to receive money was People's Bank & Trust, Pana. It received $10,000 less than Centrue.