New Policies for a New Rural America

Abstract

The U.S. rural economy is undergoing huge changes as the twenty-first century begins. The most compelling feature of these several changes is unevenness: some rural areas are booming while many others struggle. Looking forward, rural America faces five major challenges. Closing the digital divide will help rural America top e-business opportunities. Urging on rural entrepreneurs will help fuel new economic activity on Main Street. Leveraging a new product-oriented agriculture will boost growth in some farming communities, but probably not all. Sustaining the rural environment will provide a strong economic foundation for many scenic rural areas. And boosting rural human capital will be essential for most rural growth strategies. Public policy will play an important supporting role as rural America meets these challenges. But rural policies in the twenty-first century will have to go far beyond a historical focus on agriculture. The period ahead will likely see a rich debate on the goals and mechanisms of a new generation of rural policy.