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Progress and Partnerships in a Dynamic Rural America
Michael Sibley, Tuskegee
University (Lincoln Gates); Ken Hammond, USDA (Jamie L. Whitten
Building) |
One hundred years ago, most Americans lived in rural communities.
Rural areas served as the major source of food and fiber production
for consumption and trade, and the food and fiber system employed
the majority of the rural population. A typical rural community
in 1900 consisted of a small town or village with numerous small
farms nearby (see “The Jesup Wagon”).
Today, rural people and communities are engaged
in a wide range of economic activities—from manufacturing
to mining, from recreational services to agriculture. Improved
communication and
transportation infrastructures have narrowed the geographical and
cultural differences between rural and urban communities. As these
changes
unfolded
in the 20th century, rural America housed a smaller share of the
Nation’s population. About 17 percent of the population—over
49 million people—now live in over 2,000 nonmetropolitan
(nonmetro) counties throughout the United States, based on the
2003 definition of nonmetro
areas.
Current demographic and economic trends will help shape
the future of rural America, its communities, and its residents.
Changing
migration patterns, increased educational attainment, and industrial
restructuring have important implications for rural residents,
particularly the almost 4.1 million African-Americans, or Blacks
(the largest minority group in rural areas), who reside in small
towns and rural areas of the United States (see “February
is Black History Month”).
Blacks are geographically concentrated in the South, with nearly
three-fourths of rural Blacks living in the South Atlantic and
East South Central regions. Rural counties with high concentrations
of African-Americans are frequently characterized by a greater
degree of economic disadvantage than other rural counties,
as evidenced by high levels of poverty and unemployment and low
levels of income
and earnings. A wide variety of economic development strategies
call for unique partnerships among public and private institutions
and promise to enhance economic opportunities for Blacks and
other rural residents in a changing rural America.
Changing Demographics Create New Needs
The rural population grew by over 10 percent during the 1990s,
up from 3 percent in the previous decade. In many areas of the
West, the southern Appalachians, and the upper Great Lakes, moderate
climates, scenic features, and other natural amenities stimulated
rapid population growth. In the rural South, high population
growth resulted largely from urban sprawl, especially around
large urban areas, such as Atlanta. In contrast, the majority
of counties in the Great Plains and western Corn Belt continued
to lose population in the 1990s as they wrestled with declining
farm employment and the lack of replacement jobs in other industries.
A particularly dramatic population change in the last three decades
is the return migration of African-Americans to the South, reversing
a longstanding trend of African-American migration loss from the
region. After a net loss of almost 300,000 African-Americans in
the last half of the 1960s, the net inmigration of Blacks to the
South has become more pronounced in each 5-year period up to the
present. Newly released Census data show that between 1995 and
2000, the South saw a strong return of Blacks to the region—nearly
350,000—and, in particular, an unprecedented turnaround in
Blacks moving to the rural South.
These migration patterns are tied to economic development, as
the South has grown in industrialization and income. As earnings
prospects improved, fewer people left the region. For the same
reasons, the South has become more attractive to residents of other
regions. Family ties also factor into Black return migration to
the rural South, as increasing numbers of African-Americans
return to their place of birth along with their children and
spouses.
These changing population patterns create both positive and negative
impacts. In some rural areas, new settlement patterns are contributing
to the revitalization of small towns that have seen their populations
dwindle over the years. In other areas, rapid growth is straining
community resources, as local areas strive to provide essential
services, programs, and infrastructure to both native populations
and new residents.
February is
Black History Month
|
This
article recognizes the importance of African-Americans
in the rural United States, as we highlight the accomplishments
of African-Americans this month. Americans have celebrated
Black history annually since 1926, first as Negro History
Week and later as Black History Month. The initiation of
Black History Month is attributed to Dr. Carter G. Woodson.
Born to parents of former slaves, Dr. Woodson earned a
Ph.D. from Harvard University, established the Study of
Negro Life and History (now called the Association for
the Study of Afro-American Life and History) in 1915, and
a year later founded the Journal of Negro History.
In 1926, he created Negro History Week as an initiative
to bring
national attention to the contributions of African-Americans
throughout American history. Woodson chose the second week
of February for Negro History Week to acknowledge the birthdays
of two men who made significant contributions to the history
of African-Americans—Frederick Douglass and Abraham
Lincoln.
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Industrial Restructuring
Presents New
Opportunities
Farming continues to be an important component of the rural
economy, but it no longer anchors most rural communities as
it did through
the mid-20th century. In 1969, 935 rural counties depended
on farming for 20 percent or more of their total income. Thirty
years later, the number had fallen to 262 counties. Today,
manufacturing,
retail and wholesale trade, and services contribute heavily
to the economy of many rural counties.
In response to long-term declines in mining and agricultural employment,
some rural areas have successfully attracted new population and
employment based on their natural resources and amenities. ERS’s
natural amenities
scale measures the climate, lay of the land,
water area, and other physical characteristics that enhance a county’s
desirability as a place to live.
Although the West contains most of the counties classified as very
high on the amenity scale, high-amenity counties are also found
throughout the South. Many of these areas represent untapped resources
for enhancing population and employment growth in rural areas.
Other strategies to address long-term industrial restructuring
in rural areas include promoting farm-related businesses, such
as food processing and marketing, and generating local farm-related
industries that produce input products, such as fertilizer and
manufactured feeds. Adoption of a telecommunications infrastructure
can provide
farmers and others with better access to information, markets,
and technical assistance. Also, some areas can capitalize on a
more educated population to attract manufacturers to a highly skilled
labor force.
Increasing Educational Attainment Opens Doors
Rural Americans have higher levels of education than ever before.
In 2000, about one in six rural adults age 25 and older had graduated
from a 4-year college, more than double the rate in 1970. The
share of rural adults without a high school diploma fell to a
historic low of 23 percent in 2000. Rural residents, particularly
racial and ethnic minorities, have lower educational levels than
urban residents. Rural Blacks were only half as likely to hold
a college degree as urban Blacks—the largest educational
attainment difference among races. Still, educational levels
among rural African-Americans increased sharply in recent decades,
including their high school completion rate, which rose 12 percentage
points between 1990 and 2000.
Higher educational levels, specifically a college degree, have
resulted in increased labor market rewards to rural residents in
the past 20 years. Rural college graduates now earn more than twice
as much as rural high school dropouts and have far lower unemployment
rates. However, college graduates still earn much more in urban
areas than in rural areas. Metro college graduates earned 12 percent
more than nonmetro college graduates in 2002. This wage differential
encourages better educated rural youth to move to urban areas,
making it harder for rural counties to build and keep their human
capital base.
Despite improvements, low educational levels still pose a challenge
for many rural counties seeking economic development. High school
dropout rates continue to be high in rural areas throughout the
South and Southwest, including many central Appalachian counties
and counties with large minority populations. Raising educational
levels—and the quality of education—is essential to
improving the economic life of rural communities and the well-being
of the rural population.
Rural Diversity Leads to Different Needs
Variation in rural needs means that the most successful economic
development strategies will be multifaceted. The 1990s was a
decade of unprecedented U.S. prosperity, ending with record-high
average income levels and the lowest unemployment rate in 30
years. As a result, the incidence of poverty dropped from a decade
earlier, particularly in rural areas, where the poverty rate
fell from 17 to 14 percent (see “Nonmetro
Poverty: Assessing the Effect of the 1990s” in Amber
Waves, September 2003). The poverty level of
rural African-Americans also declined in
the 1990s, but with a poverty rate of 31 percent, Blacks continued
to have the highest poverty of any rural racial/ethnic group.
Despite the overall improvement in poverty status, over 400 nonmetro
counties still had high poverty rates of 20 percent or more in
2000, well above the rural average. Over half of these counties
were classified as Black high-poverty counties, reflecting the
low incomes of their African-American residents (see “Anatomy
of Nonmetro High-Poverty Areas: Common in Plight, Distinctive in
Nature” elsewhere
in this issue). These rural counties lie in the old plantation
belt of the southern coastal plain, especially from southern North
Carolina through Louisiana, and many have consistently had poverty
rates of 20 percent or more for the last 40 years.
Rural development strategies are often more difficult to implement
in consistently high poverty areas because of inherent structural
and human capital disadvantages. Such counties have a disproportionate
share of economically at-risk residents, including single mothers
and high school dropouts. At the same time, the local economies
of these areas are generally weaker than economies in other rural
places. In persistently poor counties, population growth and
employment
growth are below that of rural areas as a whole, unemployment
and poverty are higher, and earnings and income are lower.
The diverse needs of rural America will require a diverse approach
to economic development. According to recent ERS research on welfare
reform in rural areas, the poorest and most remote areas are often
the hardest to serve (see “Rural
Welfare Reform: Lessons Learned” in Amber Waves, June
2003). Strategies to improve the economic well-being of rural residents
will be most successful when tailored to individual and community
needs.
Partnerships for the Future
Rural America faces many opportunities and challenges in the 21st
century. Efforts to seize these opportunities and surmount the
challenges of the “new rural economy” call for unique
partnerships among a wide range of institutions concerned with
a changing rural America. An example of a successful local, State,
and Federal partnership is the one linking USDA, the 1890 institutions,
and Tuskegee University in efforts to enhance the economic opportunities
and quality of life for rural people. In 1890, Congress expanded
the original system of land-grant universities to include historically
Black institutions. In partnership with USDA, these 18 institutions
in the South have developed teaching, research, and extension
programs to serve rural communities, assist limited-resource
farm operators, and enhance the economic opportunities for all
rural residents (see “The Land-Grant
System”).
The Land-Grant
System |
In 1862, Congress
enacted the Morrill Land Grant Act, authorizing establishment
of a land-grant institution in each State to
educate citizens in agriculture, home economics, mechanical
arts, and other practical professions; perform agriculture-related
research; and provide extension services to farmers. Passage
of the 1862 Morrill Act reflected a growing demand for agricultural
and technical education in the United States. The Morrill
Act was intended to provide a broad segment of the population
with a practical education that had direct relevance to their
daily lives. Every State established at least one 1862 institution
using the funds from the sale of its allotment of public
land.
The second Morrill Act of 1890 expanded the system of land-grant
universities to include historically Black institutions.
Seventeen States, located mostly in the southeastern United
States, are represented by institutions in the 1890 system.
In addition, Tuskegee University, the only private university,
became eligible for Morrill Land Grant Act funds in 1972.
The 1890
institutions have developed teaching, research, and extension
programs that have served rural communities and limited-resource
farm operators for over a century.
1890 institutions:
- Alabama A&M University
- Alcorn State University, MS
- University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- Delaware State University
- Florida A&M University
- Fort Valley State College, GA
- Kentucky State University
- Langston University, OK
- Lincoln University, MO
- University of Maryland-Eastern Shore
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Prairie View A&M University, TX
- South Carolina State University
- Southern University, LA
- Tennessee State University
- Tuskegee University, AL
- Virginia State University
- West Virginia State College
In 1994, land-grant status was conferred upon 29 tribal
colleges, through the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status
Act of 1994. Tribal colleges are usually 2-year institutions,
are less than 30 years old, and are often located on remote
reservations where there is limited access to other colleges.
Tribal colleges have a dual mission of rebuilding and reinforcing
traditional tribal cultures while also providing standard
disciplinary courses that are transferable to 4-year colleges.
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USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service (CSREES) administers a portfolio of programs in partnership
with the 1890 institutions and Tuskegee University to enhance
education, build research capabilities, and develop outreach initiatives
in
underserved communities:
- The 1890 Institution Capacity Building Grants Program is
designed to strengthen partnerships, promote workforce diversity,
and enhance
the 1890 institutions’ teaching and research programs
in the food and agricultural sciences. The program’s primary
goal is to recruit and train outstanding students from groups
traditionally underrepresented in scientific and professional
careers in the
U.S. food and fiber sector.
- The Evans-Allen Program provides annual funding to support
continuing agricultural research at the 1890 institutions.
With the help of
this program, the 1890 institutions are generating new knowledge
to promote small farms, sustainable agriculture, rural economic
development, human nutrition, and rural health.
- The 1890 Institution
Extension Program supports their efforts to foster, develop,
implement, and improve extension and outreach
programs for their clientele.
- The Outreach and Technical
Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Program provides
assistance to help minority and disadvantaged
farmers to own and operate farms and to participate in agricultural
programs.
USDA also supports a variety of agricultural and rural development
research grants, contracts, and agreements with 1890 institutions
and Tuskegee University. For example, CSREES provides research
funds to support a range of studies:
- Assessing Programs and Policies
for Sustainable Rural Development with Tuskegee University
- Food
Safety Education for Underserved Communities with Alabama A&M
University
- Survival Strategies Among Minority Farm Operators
with North Carolina A&T State University
- The Efficacy of
Services for the Rural Elderly in North Florida with Florida
A&M University
- Impact of Business Climate on Employment
Growth with South Carolina State University
ERS and four 1890 institutions—Delaware State University,
South Carolina State University, Tuskegee University, and Virginia
State University—recently joined forces to study the economic
benefits of 1890 institutions. The joint project assessed the
outcomes and benefits of investments in the 1890 institutions’ food
and agricultural science programs and developed a conceptual model
to better quantify and improve the effectiveness of investments
in the 1890’s programs and initiatives (See Investing
in People).
Partnerships, such as the one between USDA and the 1890 institutions,
can promote, develop, and maintain a scientific and analytical
information system to better address the challenges facing rural
America. Today’s rural communities face different circumstances
than those in 1900, and rural needs assessment, program development,
and policy evaluation across the Federal Government can benefit
from such a scientific information system. The continued success
of these efforts will depend on sharing ideas, embracing contributions
of all interested parties, and focusing on a common goal—to
enhance rural economic opportunities.
The
Jesup Wagon
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Kathleen Kassel, USDA/ERS
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In
1906, George Washington Carver of Tuskegee University developed
a plan for the first “movable school”—a
mule-drawn wagon that would carry farm machinery, seeds,
and dairy equipment
to demonstrate improved methods to farmers. This wagon, later
named the Jesup Wagon in honor of the New York businessman
who provided the original funding, became the forerunner
of the Cooperative Extension System and its efforts to take
the university to the people. The Jesup Wagon is now stationed
outside the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a reminder
of one of the strongest coalitions for sustainable economic
progress in rural areas—the continuing partnership
between USDA, the 1890 institutions, and Tuskegee University.
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