Argues that the rural development policy for Australia proposed by Jonathan and Katrina Sher in a previous issue of this journal is inadequate because the analysis on which it is based is generally unsubstantiated, supportive arguments have been found invalid, the richness of Australian society is overlooked, and economic arguments are flawed.…

This book synthesizes and analyzes much of the theoretical and practical literature on rural economic development and related issues from the past two decades with the aim of initiating construction of a new model for U.S. rural development policy. Part I emphasizes the national and global context within which U.S. rural development must take…

The theme of this conference proceedings of the National Rural Studies Committee is "rural areas in an urbanized region." The presentations cover such issues as urbanization, rural land use, public policies, farmland preservation, environmental policy, natural resources, land management, land-grant university reform, cooperative…

This document is the executive summary for a two volume report on technological innovation and southern rural industrial development. The first volume examines public and private factors that influence investment decisions in new technologies and the outcomes of those decisions; effects of automation on employment and the workplace; outcomes of…

Knowledge of major economic forces shaping the future of rural America provides insights about the likely importance and effectiveness of various broad program alternatives as components of a rural development policy. The rural economic base was transformed during the 1960s and 1970s from a primary dependence on natural resource activities,…

The United States does not have a coherent national rural policy. The federal government has focused on a sector-based policy that has only indirect impact on rural America. State governments have failed to move beyond their traditional focus areas of education, corrections, Medicaid, and other state services. The diversity of rural America makes…

Canadians identify education as key to economic opportunity and advancement, yet rural areas experience teacher shortages, school closings, and extended transportation times. A growing native population in the North needs teachers with cultural and linguistic qualifications. Advantages of rural areas are close communities, good school-community…

This paper proposes a framework for developing a national rural development policy in Australia. Some common relevant misconceptions are that rural Australia and rural Australians are peripheral to the national economy and the nation's future, that farmers and farming communities are the alpha and omega of rural Australia, and that whatever is…

Problems in federal rural policy arise in a number of areas: the extreme economic adversity of rural America, failure to acknowledge the higher cost of providing rural services, failure to distinguish between rural programs and agriculture programs, and failure to address specific rural needs. Papers in this collection examine rural development…

This study documents land ownership patterns in the Appalachian region and analyzes their impact on rural communities. Representing the most comprehensive such study to date, the project was initiated by Appalachian residents in 1978 to examine whether and how land ownership patterns, especially corporate and absentee ownership, underlie or…

The Panel on Statistics for Rural Development Policy was established to assess the current quality and availability of data for rural development policy--a more difficult task than might first appear. Until recent decades, rural development was commonly understood to be the development of agriculture. As science and technology transformed U. S.…

Examines current social policies and the extent to which they address rural needs. Focuses on primary issues raised by programs of social insurance, public assistance, and economic development. Notes differences between pre- and post-transfer income and their impact on self-sufficiency for rural populations. (JHZ)

Current rural policies at both the federal and state levels do not meet the needs of rural people and communities; they are designed for the past, not the future. Agricultural subsidies absorb most federal resources directed to rural areas, with no evidence of benefits for rural communities. The continuing state-level pursuit of low-wage,…

To gain a perspective on rural America's future, seven roundtables consisting of seven rural stakeholder groups were convened. Four groups of challenges facing rural areas emerged. The rural business environment was considered the source of greatest challenge. Agriculture concerns included low profits and access to world markets. The effects of…

This report constitutes a step toward designing an integrated strategy for rural poverty reduction in Brazil. The report contains an updated and detailed profile of the rural poor in the northeast and southeast regions of Brazil; identifies key components of rural poverty in those regions; and proposes a five-pronged strategic framework in which…