New goals for new rural policies

The basic question is whether rural America is sustainable in its present form. America's hegemonic position in world agricultural commodity trade is eroding. The lessons from urban America suggest that structural transformation is both painful and necessary. Improving rural infrastructure will be an important objective, but the benefits may be smaller than similar investments in metropolitan areas. Expanding agricultural opportunities will be important, through value-added processing and new specialized crops. Lifting rural human capital will be an essential ingredient in spurring new rural business formation. Finally, improving rural economic networks will be an important step in harnessing the potential of small businesses that typify the rural economic landscape. There will not be one way to address the myriad problems in rural America, but any new rural policies must recognize that not all rural communities may be viable in the future.