The White House Rural Council Plans Ahead

“Ironically, rural America has become viewed by a growing number of Americans as having a higher quality of life not because of what it has, but rather because of what it does not have!” said Don A. Dillman, a rural sociologist.

While many people romanticize life in rural America, the people who actually live there feel like they need more opportunities to develop their lives there.  Whether it’s a farmer trying to figure out how to export a crop or a teacher trying to figure out how to entice students to enroll in college, often people feel all alone as they try to improve the lives of themselves and those in their community.

In an attempt to reach out to rural Americans, the government has formed a new council to help improve the quality of life and economic prosperity for more people living faraway from cities. The White House Rural Council will coordinate programs across government to encourage public-private partnerships to promote further economic prosperity and quality of life in rural communities nationwide.  Chaired by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the council will be responsible for providing recommendations for investment in rural areas and will coordinate federal engagement with a variety of rural stakeholders, including agricultural organizations, small businesses, and state, local and tribal governments.

The aims of the council are diverse.  Among the varied goals are the intentions to improve job training, give better credit, and increase broadband opportunities for rural communities.  In the future, recruiters may look forward to rural Americans with more credentials to fill many of the difficult-to-fill job openings in the modern markets.