ERS Conference Center

Broadband in the Rural Economy

Workshop Homepage | Registration | Lodging | Contact Us

Workshop on Broadband in the Rural Economy
	September 29-30 (Monday and Tuesday), 2008 Waugh Auditorium Economic Research Service, USDA 1800 M Street NW Washington, DC (Directions)

The workshop highlights current research on the value of information technology (IT), with specific focus on the agriculture, food, and rural sectors. A host of questions will be addressed on the economic effect of IT use in the rural economy, including the household, business, education, and health sectors. Broadly, the questions addressed include:

Who uses IT or broadband Internet? which businesses? which households?
For what purpose is IT used?
How is IT used?
What are the economic effects?

At the end of each presentation, a brief question and answer period will allow for audience participation.

AGENDA

Monday, September 29, 2008
Welcome	Moderator Peter Stenberg, Economic Research Service
8:15-9:00 a.m.	Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:15 a.m.	Introduction and Welcome Peter Stenberg-Economic Research Service Mary Bohman-Economic Research Service
9:15-10:00 a.m.	*Keynote: Rural Digital Economy Edward Malecki*, The Ohio State University
10:00-10:15 a.m.	Break
Internet and Rural Business Activity: Moderator-Kenneth Kuchno, USDA, Rural Development
10:15 am-10:45 am	Broadband Deployment and Economic Development in Kentucky and North Carolina Mitch Renkow, North Carolina State University
10:45 am-11:15 am	Rural Broadband Internet Use and Rural Economy Peter Stenberg, Economic Research Service
11:15-noon	Comparing Rural Retailer Internet Users and Non-Users: Access Speed, Demographics, Attitudes and Beliefs. Leslie Stoel and Stan Ernst, The Ohio State University Rural Grocers and Technology Adoption: Attitude Maters, Size Matters More Stan Ernest and Leslie Stoel, The Ohio State University
Noon-1:00 p.m.	Lunch at ERS (catered)
Food and Nonfarm Rural Business: Moderator - TBD
1:00-1:30 p.m.	Internet Marketing of Nursery and Greenhouse Products Enefiok Ekanem and Fisseha Tegegne Tennessee State University
1:30-2:00 p.m.	Positive Examples and Lessons Learned from Rural Small Business Adoption of E-Commerce Strategies David Lamie, David Barkley, Clemson University, and Deborah Markley, University of Missouri
2:00-2:30 p.m.	IT and E-Commerce Companies John Leatherman, Kansas State University, and Hanas Cader, South Carolina State University
2:30-2:45 p.m.	Break
Farm and Rural Households: Moderator - Anthony Crooks, USDA, Rural Development
2:45 pm-3:15 pm	Farm Businesses and Broadband Internet Use Mitchell Morehart and Peter Stenberg, Economic Research Service
3:15 pm-3:45 pm	Farming and the Internet: Reasons for Nonuse Brian Briggeman and Brian Whitacre, Oklahoma State University
3:45 pm-4:15 pm	What Skills Are at the End of Broadband Cables in Rural America? Do They Match Up with Firms Wishing to Engage Rural Sourcing? Doug Morris and Lyndon Goodridge, University of New Hampshire
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Welcome
8:15-9:00 a.m.	Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:05 a.m.	Introduction to today's sessions Peter Stenberg, Economic Research Service, RRED
Digital Economy: Moderator-TBD
9:05-9:45 a.m.	IT in the Global Economy Catherine Mann, Peterson Institute for International Economics and Brandeis University
9:45-10:15 a.m.	Effects of Broadband Deployment on Output and Employment Robert Crandall, Brookings Institution
10:15-10:45 a.m.	Home Broadband Adoption in the United States: Patterns, Barriers, and Consequences John Horrigan, Pew Internet & American Life Project
10:45-11:00 a.m.	Break
Community Internet Use: Moderator - Mary Campanola, USDA, Rural Development
11:00-11:30 a.m.	The Role of the Internet in Rural Community Participation—Examples from Recent Survey Data Michael Stern and Alison E. Adams, Oklahoma State University
11:30 a.m.-noon	Rural Distance Education Janet Poley, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and President of the American Distance Education Consortium
Noon-12:30p.m.	Economic Impact of Rural Telemedicine Brian Whitacre, Oklahoma State University
Adjournment

The workshop is free and open to all, but space is limited.

Please register to attend.

For more information, contact: Peter Stenberg

Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: September 17, 2008