Rural areas in Georgia are looking for ways to strengthen their communities with policies that address the climate crisis, infrastructure, and opportunities for workers.

The 2023 Rural Action Policy Report by the Rural Democracy Initiative contains input from about 50 organizations, making recommendations to help small towns thrive.

Brandon Byrd, lead organizer of the New Georgia Project, participated in the report and said one challenge that remains prominent for rural Georgia is the lack of healthcare infrastructure.

"There were multiple towns when I was growing up, where our hospital was on the verge of closing. And then, learning more about economic development and seeing how losing your hospital could affect different businesses and industries wanting to come into your town," he explained. "Because it's just a testament to, 'The health care in your area isn't -- that means your infrastructure isn't -- where it's supposed to be.'"

The report proposes federal laws supporting access to rural health care, including virtual visits. It also emphasizes the need to reduce the distance people have to travel to get care in rural areas. And it stresses the importance of democracy and voting access in fostering rural growth.

The report also cites the need to restore voting rights for people after their release from jail or prison, who often reside in rural areas. Byrd said by ensuring people's freedom and protection against discrimination, rural areas can actively participate in conversations that benefit them.

"We know democracy is a basic building block of society," he continued. "So, if you're taking away these certain rights and not allowing people to express themselves and actively participate in democracy as they have the right to, then change is really hard to create."

The report also calls for policies to create more jobs, safeguard small businesses, and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to build better futures for families. The full report is online at ruraldemocracyiniative.org.

Rural schools in Ohio are finding local solutions to ensure their students have the resources and skills they need to be successful.

Grand Valley High School in Ashtabula County started a Community Learning Center to help support students.

Teacher Jason McConnell, who is also the president of the Grand Valley Education Association, said the center has been a game changer in helping students meet basic needs - so they can focus on learning, and not feel embarrassed about needing help.

But McConnell said he worries about funding drying up and the impact on students if the center closed.

"The services that I see kids use the most," said McConnell, "is food - number one, clothing - number two, and number three - a person to go talk to who can get them in touch with the right people to help them, not only physically but mentally."

According to the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, more than 36% of the Ohio's public school students in live small towns or rural areas.

This year Ohio spent more on primary and secondary education than at any other time in state history - totaling around $11 billion, according to data from the Ohio Department of Education.

Emily Boerger - a co-president of the Cory Rawson Education Association - said her county's test scores for kindergarten readiness have been notoriously low for several years.

A recent grant from the American Federation of Teachers helped establish a local preschool program aimed at preparing young children with the skills they need to start school, while expanding childcare options for working parents.

"We also live in a place that's obviously very rural, a lot of removal from city amenities," said Boerger. "And so, we knew that quality child daycare was something that was greatly needed in our area."

Wendi Davis, the other Cory Rawson Education Association co-president, added that thriving rural economies start with educated workers.

"There's so much need in Ohio, we have so many rural communities," said Davis. "And if the federal government is able to supply funds for that, we provide a more inclusive and equalizing environment, so that all students can get what they need."

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, provide $2 billion for economic development projects across the country, along with hundreds of millions of dollars for expanding access to high-speed internet in rural regions.

Some of the funds are trickling down to school districts.

Young farmers in New York and across the country want Congress to help them deal with the effects of climate change.

Bayer's Farmer Voice Survey showed 71% of farmers said climate change has affected their farm. The Fifth National Climate Assessment reported drier conditions are becoming more of a detriment to agriculture in the Southeast, and the problem of drying land is increasing since New York and other Northeastern states had modest droughts in 2022.

Holly Rippon-Butler, land policy director for the National Young Farmers Coalition, described some climate-resistant practices farmers are using to combat climate change.

"One of the most popular programs that farmers in our network are using is the high tunnel program," Rippon-Butler pointed out. "One of the ways farmers are adapting is by building high tunnels on their farm, making sure that they've got some way to keep crops out of the weather or control the climate a little bit for their crops."

Conservation is becoming more important to farmers. The National Young Farmers Survey found 83% of young farmers said their farm exists primarily to engage in conservation or regeneration and 86% of young farmers utilize regenerative agriculture practices. But fewer than half of younger farmers are taking advantage of U.S. Department of Agriculture programs which could prove beneficial to handling climate change.

While farmers are determining how to handle climate change's effects, there are other barriers preventing them from leading the charge. Rippon-Butler described the challenges farmers are facing.

"Being able to afford land to purchase is the top challenge young farmers face," Rippon-Butler explained. "This kind of long-term security is really necessary for farmers to invest in climate mitigation and resilience."

She noted federal legislation could help young farmers better deal with climate change. Some bills include the Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act, which provides funding for equitable land access, and The Farmer to Farmer Education Act, which creates investments in farmer-led climate change education could prove helpful.


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President Joe Biden was in southern Minnesota yesterday to highlight federal investments for rural America.

Biden visited a farm near Northfield to discuss funding from recent packages such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, with the latter focusing on climate projects and health care assistance.

For agriculture, the administration said there is new funding for farmers to take advantage of climate-friendly practices, such as nutrient management, with other provisions designed to create market fairness.

Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, spoke at the event and said the efforts allow rural residents to keep their communities vibrant.

"They want their families to have the opportunity to farm and to work, and to raise their families in the small communities where they come from," Vilsack explained.

While the infrastructure law received support from lawmakers on both sides, Republicans strongly opposed the Inflation Reduction Act. They've been trying to cut some elements of the law amid budget battles in Congress. Some of the proposed rollbacks would come under the Farm Bill reauthorization, with opponents of such moves arguing there would be a negative effect on rural communities.

Meanwhile, $65 billion has been set aside within the infrastructure law to boost access to high-speed internet, with the hopes of enhancing efforts to close broadband gaps in rural areas.

Josh Sumption, chief technology and information officer for the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative, said they welcome any help in putting local students in a better position to learn in the digital age.

"For schools, it's really about students being able to continue to learn and take their homework home," Sumption pointed out. "And stay connected to their educational institutions and the resources that they're using in the classroom."

Like other voices in education, he said the pandemic made worse some of the internet connection challenges rural students face. Sumption acknowledged recent federal investments might not close all broadband gaps but hoped more projects will be shovel-ready very soon, citing additional funding from the state.


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