Change in Command for the Commander in Chief

In every Presidential campaign, the American countryside attracts a lot of attention for a brief period as candidates roam the highways and byways of states like Iowa talking up the importance of rural people and places (read farm issues) - and, of course, the President-Elect was no exception. However, his discussions on the stump appear to have made the leap from campaign to potential practice.  

The new Obama administration has articulated a three-pronged strategy for rural America aimed at family farmers, rural economic development, and rural quality of life. This strategy appears to signal a shift from “what is good for commodity agriculture is good for rural America” to a realization that agriculture - and by extension America - can only thrive with the support of a healthy and well-rounded rural economy. If related policy and investment priorities can overcome long-standing underinvestment in rural infrastructure and human capital, then this can represent a real and important transformation in the way work with rural communities and regions gets done.  

Such changes would not reflect some notion of injustice but would respond to seriously addressing the education, health care, and infrastructure capacity that will enable rural Americans to contribute to national prosperity. In the essential areas of food systems, renewable energy, environmental services, and the stewardship of natural resources, rural citizens will fulfill critical roles if this investment and capacity-building help is in place.

Brian Dabson is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Policy Research Institute and Research Professor at the Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, Columbia.

He has over 30 years of experience in public, private, and nonprofit sectors on both sides of the Atlantic dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for low-income people and distressed communities. Recognized nationally and internationally for his work on entrepreneurship development, particularly in a rural context, he has given many keynote presentations and consultations across the United States, Europe, and India. He is also a frequent speaker and writer on rural policy and the implications of global forces on rural America.