The National Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development Policy, established by Congress to provide broad, long-range policy perspectives, examined rural development policy issues and made many field visits to observe rural conditions and rural development projects. The Commission recognized the diversity of rural communities and identified…

Analyzes the distribution of 1985 federal expenditures among U.S. counties by expenditure function and object and by county type (metro/nonmetro and nonmetro economic base). Concludes that federal spending in nonmetro areas focuses on income redistribution and does not promote economic development. (SV)

The rural economy has performed badly during the 1980s. While the recession of the early 1980s was responsible for much of the trouble, the slow rural recovery demonstrates the fundamental hurdles facing the rural economy. Central among these are economic disadvantages, including remote locations isolating rural producers from their markets, low…

Describes rural implementation of the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities program, which combines flexible long-term financing with strategic planning and performance benchmarking to empower impoverished communities to address structural problems comprehensively. Impressive 3-year results include job creation; improved community services;…

Reviews current trends in the restructuring of rural economies and labor markets. Outlines metro-nonmetro differences in earnings and production sector job growth, by years of school completed. Discusses rural and community development solutions to local economic problems and the role of education in such development. Contains 15 references. (SV)

Substate regional organizations (defined as those public bodies that provide planning, economic development, and service coordination for local governments) are discussed, and the major issues pertaining to substate regionalism are explored in this overview. The background and setting of the substate regional movement is traced, from its inception…

The study described the patterns of government outlay to U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas for 86% of the $499 billion of federal outlays and loan guarantees made in fiscal 1978 to individual counties in the 50 states. Between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas there were considerable variations in outlays to programs in seven…