Rural America in the 21st Century: Perspectives from the Field

Rural America is undergoing sweeping demographic, economic, and environmental changes. Whether they are harnessed effectively will depend on federal and state policies and community actions over the next decade. To address these challenges and foster an energized, informed movement to improve rural policies at the federal level, 300 rural leaders from across the United States will gather in June 2007 at the first annual National Rural Assembly. The assembly, convened by the Ford and W.K. Kellogg Foundations, will strengthen rural America by giving its leaders a platform for their ideas, raising the visibility of rural issues, organizing a national network of rural interests, and developing specific strategies to advance rural policy initiatives