In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order establishing the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity “to ensure the informed exercise of regulatory authority that impacts agriculture and rural communities.” As Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue was selected to serve as the chairman of the Task Force, which includes 22 federal agencies as well as local leaders. In response to President Trump’s call to action to promote agriculture and rural prosperity in America, the Task Force envisioned a rural America with world-class resources, tools, and support to build robust, sustainable communities for generations to come. Members of the Task Force met, along with staff involved in separate working groups, to set priorities and a framework. Most importantly, the Task Force listened to the people of rural America. View the full report here. 

The task force identified over 100 recommendations for the federal government to consider in order to help improve life in rural America. The recommendations centered around these five areas: