rural economy
Obama selects McBride to lead Rural Utilities Services
President Obama selected Brandon McBride, a Senate Agriculture Committee staff worker, to serve as administrator of USDA's Rural Utilities Services, the White House announced.
White House announces steps to boost rural exports
The Obama administration announced eight steps to boost exports by rural businesses, including "reverse trade missions" that bring foreign business officials into the United States as well as an effort to double the number of rural businesses that take part in traditional trade missions overseas. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the announcement was the result of workshops held over the past year in rural America.
Roberts, Conaway agree over-regulation is the problem
The chairmen of the Senate and House Agriculture committees agree on how to strengthen the agricultural economy and rural America: eliminate "burdensome regulations."
Farming important but small share of Midwest economy
Even with the boom years of 2003-14, agriculture's share of the Midwestern economy is shrinking, to 1 percent or so, said a paper from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.
Rural housing, a silent crisis
Affordable housing often is a debate heard amid gentrifying neighborhoods or high-cost cities, notes the Atlantic. "But cities aren’t the only places that are lacking when it comes to adequate housing at affordable prices.
Grocery stores, the economic barometer of rural towns
The local grocery store is often the "anchor business" of a rural community, acting as a meeting place as well as a food vendor, says a Kansas State University expert quoted by DTN.
Fewer jobs in 2 of 3 of rural counties than before recession
"There are 1,260 rural counties with fewer people working than seven years ago; 711 rural counties have more jobs than in November 2007," writes Bill Bishop at the Daily Yonder in looking at the recovery from the 2008-09 recession.
Midwest tries to lure dairy farms out of California
While California dairy farms cope with a three-year drought, "states like Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa are pitching themselves as a dairy heaven," says Harvest Public Media.
Senate sends $41 billion tax extenders bill to White House
The Senate passed, 76-16, and sent to President Obama a retroactive one-year revival of four dozen tax incentives that expired at the start of this year.
Obama to boost high-speed Internet in rural and urban areas
President Obama is to visit Cedar Falls, Iowa, today to promote widespread availability of high-speed Internet service, including in rural areas with poor or no service. As part of its efforts, the White House says USDA will re-open its Rural Broadband program with $40-$50 million in loans "to eligible rural carriers that invest in bringing high-speed broadband to unserved and under-served rural areas." USDA also is accepting applications through its Community Connect program, which provides grants for broadband projects.
Rural employment remains below pre-recession level
Some 779 rural counties lost jobs since mid-2013, says USDA's Economic Research Service, compared to 1,206 that held steady or notched gains.
Orman appeals for farm vote in Kansas Senate race
Independent Greg Orman campaigned in typically Republican rural Kansas with the argument incumbent Pat Roberts doesn't keep the state's agricultural interests in mind, says the Associated Press.
Mississippi town sees gigabyte network as economic stimulus
With a population of 2,300, Quitman, Mississippi, will be one of 10 communities in the state to get a 1 gigabyte per second broadband network, says the Daily Yonder.
Mobile phones for poor farmers’ upward mobility
Mobile phones - and other types of communication technology - can be a powerful way to improve the welfare of the rural poor, writes Maximo Torero of the International Food Policy Research Institute.
China ponders how to remodel its farm sector
"From a bedrock of traditional culture, and an engine of the post-Mao economic boom in the 1980s, agriculture has become a burden for China," says the New York Times, "and few in the countryside see their future there."
Rural job growth is half of urban rate
Job growth in rural America was half the rate of urban areas over the past year, says the Daily Yonder, in a look at Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Administration launches “Local Food, Local Places”
The Obama administration announced the "Local Food, Local Places" project to provide expert advice to rural communities to use local food systems as an engine for economic growth.
US announces Web portal for rural exporters
At a "Made in Rural America" forum, the administration unveiled a Web portal for rural businesses interested in the export market.