Working with rural citizens, our aim is to assure that rural communities capture the opportunities for revitalization through increased local leadership capacity, sustainable resource management and community-based development. Part of this revitalization is the emerging bioeconomy, which presents rural communities with many exciting opportunities and serious challenges.

—Jim Kleinschmit
Director, IATP Rural Communities

We strengthen the link between rural economic policy and local, democratic decision-making. Within the bioeconomy sector, Rural Communities is working to “green” the entire value chain, and to assure that local communities and citizens benefit from this system.

Rural Community Connection
Working with rural communities to promote dialogue, information sharing, planning and civic engagement to support sustainable, community-based development.

Strengthening the Rural Commons
Rural communities have shared natural, cultural and infrastructure resources that are an essential foundation for sustainable, community-based development.

Sustainable Bioindustrial Systems
Establishing sustainable systems — including standards — for the production and harvesting of biomass crops for energy, fuels and products.

Rural African Organizing
The rapidly changing landscape of Rural America includes a significant change in the demographics of who is living and working in our rural communities. Thousands of African refugees — fleeing civil war and internment camps — have settled in the Midwest. IATP has launched one of the first comprehensive efforts to survey the needs of rural African communities in an effort to find ways to ensure successful long-term integration into rural Minnesota and the Midwest.

Rural Young Adults Program
IATP is helping to cultivate and engage the next generation of rural leaders so they can more effectively improve the social and economic conditions they face.

African Immigrants in Minnesota: This report provides a short history of African immigrants in Minnesota. October 2008 | Neal Remington | PDF

Camelina sativa profile: A high oil content could make Camelina sativa a sustainable alternative to soybeans. February 2007 | PDF

Where Are Future Markets for Midwestern Agriculture? Right Here in the Midwest!: The bioeconomy holds more promise for Midwest farmers than exports. March 2006 | Mark Muller | PDF

IATP Sustainable Biomass Production Principles and Practices: How farmers can produce crops according to sustainable biomass standards. August 2006 | Jim Kleinschmit | PDF

Biofuels or Bust?!: How We Can Make the Bioeconomy Sustainable for Farmers and the Land: The risks and opportunities for rural communities from the bioeconomy. Spring 2006 | Jim Kleinschmit and Mark Smith | PDF

Jim Kleinschmit, rural communities program director for the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, cites a growing concern that biofuels “be produced in a way that's sustainable for the landscape, for the farmer's pocketbook, and for the community.”

—The American Prospect
April 2006

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