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It's Not Your Daddy's Rural Economy: Creating Vibrant Communities and Rural Economies |
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Speaker: |
Bo Beaulieu |
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| How quickly things change! Several months ago, most economic observers would have noted that rural America was in the midst of an economic boom. No doubt about it, the economic expansion that touched much of the United States over the course of the 1990s was being felt even in the small towns and cities of rural America. In fact, of the 23 million jobs created over the 1990-99 time period, more than 3.8 million were generated in non-metro areas of our nation. Finally, sustained economic growth had arrived in the corridors of rural America. However, the series of events that have occurred in recent months have put us all on alert that the economic health of rural America remains fragile. While layoffs and business closures have become commonplace in many localities, the impact of job losses appears to be particularly dramatic in nonmetro areas-areas with a more limited capacity to absorb displaced workers into their local labor markets. This session will seek to paint a realistic picture of what is happening in rural America today and offer some options for contributing to its economic and social advancement in the years ahead. | ||
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Presentation
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