Apart from their contribution to the local economy in terms of input, output and employment, farmers also play a major role in shaping and maintaining our (natural) environment and landscapes. However, with the (planned) decrease in agricultural subsidies, these activities are at risk. For that reason, it would be useful when farmers could benefit…

Farming is still primarily a family concern in Australia. Having a farm successor in place is important as it is associated with the likelihood of the current farmer adapting to external conditions and hence may have long-term implications for the structure and profitability of agriculture. We used current and historical surveys across a number of…

There is increasing recognition that whilst agri-environment schemes in England have had discernable benefits, their success in relation to certain species and resources has been inhibited by the piecemeal implementation of Environmental Stewardship (ES) on the basis of single farm agreements. In this paper we examine the receptivity of farmers to…

State agencies have been encouraging the development of different enterprises to diversify farm incomes in an effort to retain farmers in business, attract new entrants to agriculture and promote regional development. Entrepreneurship and farming are known to be driven by a complex set of goals including those which are economic and intrinsic in…

Sierra Leone is currently emerging from a brutal civil war that lasted most of the 1990s, and now has the dubious distinction of being ranked among the world's poorest countries. As thousands of displaced people move back to their villages, a large proportion of the predominantly farm-based rural population are growing food crops for the first…

Focusing on the concept of "commodity chains" within the food industry, this paper analyses the term's widespread and variable usage in both academic and policy-orientated work. Despite recent criticisms, the concept has retained its popular appeal alongside competing metaphors such as networks, circuits and assemblages. Examining the…

In this publication, the authors review the historical development of South Dakota communities in the perspective of community change as it occurred in the United States resulting from several important societal factors during the period from 1940-1960. The authors emphasize that, while societal influences continue to operate, forcing adjustment…

Outlines four traditional arguments for rural America, and critiques foundations of each argument, emphasizing different elements at risk. Expresses skepticism for synthesis of approaches given framework of original question. Suggests question of preserving rural America might be misplaced concern for rural social scientists. (TES)

Wes Jackson, founder of the Land Institute (Salina, KS), seeks alternatives to the industrial agriculture that exhausts the soils and economies of small, rural Kansas communities. In Matfield Green (Kansas), interns from the Land Institute manage the town's cafe and help residents work together on achieving a sustainable economy based on renewable…

Endemic problems in EU "lagging rural regions" (LRRs) are well documented and various support mechanisms have long been in place to help overcome structural difficulties. Nevertheless, new rural development architectures are now being sought and some scholars have posited that LRRs may benefit from the "quality (re)turn" in…

Current interpretations of central Appalachia's chronic poverty focus on the region's economic dependence on the bituminous coal industry, controlled by absentee investors and serving an external market. Such theories overlook the ways in which the agricultural sector shaped subsequent industrial development. By analyzing the farm economy of 16…

Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, this research was conducted to investigate topics concerning the following four aspects of rural poverty: (1) documentation of the dimensions of rural poverty; (2) description of past public programs to raise incomes of the disadvantaged; (3) an outline of some of the strengths and…

Describes and identifies U.S. labor market areas (LMAs) and focuses on relationships between rural LMAs and local resources. Includes graph comparing labor-force educational levels of rural LMAs. Two U.S. maps identify rural LMA by industry, including resource (e.g. mining, agriculture), manufacturing, and public education/administration. (TES)

Bank failures are at record high levels with about two-thirds of the failed banks in rural areas, especially farm areas. Most failed banks are purchased and reopened immediately with little disruption to rural communities except that new ownership tends toward lending practices that are more conservative than the average. (JHZ)

This directory is a compendium of over 600 scholars and educators in a range of disciplines throughout the United States who are actively involved in research or teaching of rural issues. It is intended as a resource for those individuals and for other professionals, providing access to one another and aiding a multi-disciplinary approach to rural…