The new demands being placed on the rural land base--for agricultural production, for energy and minerals, as well as for economic development--are considerable, and rural areas today face the difficult challenge of finding ways to accommodate new growth and development, while at the same time ensuring that essential activities and the inherent…

The future of rural America depends on the abilities of diverse interest groups and leaders to piece together educational and economic resources in creative ways, fitted to the needs of their respective regions and communities. It has become essential that rural persons be plugged into national and international production, marketing, and…