Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Updated July 2008     Approximately 1/4 of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, which encompass 83 percent of the country's land. Rural areas face challenges related to demographic changes, job creation, capital access, infrastructure, land use and environment, and community and historic preservation. State rural economic development programs tend to be targeted versions of broader state economic development strategies.     NCSL Resources Agriculture and Rural Development Legislation Database NCSL Natural Resources and Infrastructure Standing Committee   Useful Links on Rural Economic Development National Rural Development Partnership Network 07, A Quarterly Newsletter for Northeast Rural Development Reports on Rural Development, By Dr. Kenneth Johnson, Loyola University-Chicago Appalachian Regional Commission A federal-state rural development partnership Center for Rural Affairs Center for Rural Entrepreneurship Center for the Study of Rural America Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City National Commission on Entrepreneurship's Building Entrepreneurship Networks report Rural Policy Research Institute U.S. Department of Agriculture - Development Ideas That Work U.S. Department of Agriculture - Economic Research Service

Featured Links NCSL Resources Useful Links on Economic Development State Federal Other Rural Resources ERS Bioenergy, USDA site Mid-Year Highlights from 2005 Legislation News Items Lessons Learned and Revisions Under Consideration for Aphis Biotechnology Framework Staff Contact Doug Farquhar, program director 303-856-1397 Scott Hendrick, program manager 303-856-1409 NCSL events NCSL agriculture and rural development

State Links

• California Rural Caucus
• Center for Rural Pennsylvania
• Idaho Governor's Task Force on Rural Development
• Idaho Rural Partnership
• Indiana Rural Development Council
• Iowa's Farmer Markets Programs, Issue Review
• Louisiana Rural Caucus
• Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Development Committee
• New Mexico Economic and Rural Development & Telecommunications Committee
• New York State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources
• Rural Futures, a publication of the New York Legislative Commission on rural resources
• North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center, Inc.  
• Texas Office of Community Rural Affairs
   

Federal

• Congressional Rural Caucus
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service state fact sheets
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Other Rural Resources

• The Rural Trust
• Community Transportation Association of America
• Council of State Governments - Agriculture and Rural Policy
• Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy
• W. K. Kellogg Foundation - publications and resources
• National Association of Development Organizations
• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
• National Rural Development Partnership
• Pew Initiative on Food & Biotechnology
• Rural Policy Research Institute

Note:  NCSL provides links to other Web sites from time to time for information purposes only.  Providing these links does not necessarily indicate NCSL's support or endorsement of the site.