Senator Offers Rural Development Plan For 2007 Farm Bill
News Date March 20, 2007
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced on March 13 that he will offer a bold new approach to rural competitiveness in the 2007 farm bill. Harkin's proposal creates a Rural Collaborative Investment Program to address the rural disadvantage in federal funding commitments to community resources and economic development.
Under Harkin's proposal, select communities would develop local partnerships between government, business and nonprofit organizations to develop and implement comprehensive plans to improve their areas with the help of federal assistance. Generally a region would have to include a rural population of at least 25,000 people. A local council could receive an innovation grant to help it develop plans for how to create jobs and improve the quality of life in its area. Those plans viewed as likely to make substantial improvements could receive implementation grants from USDA.
Harkin said his proposal would be part of the rural development title of the 2007 farm bill. He is working with various stakeholders on details of the proposal. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)