Highlights
Something extraordinary happened in Ames, Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 27. More than 200 rural advocates from across the country - most under the age of 30 and many of them Latino and African American - gathered on the Iowa State University campus to have a conversation about the future of rural America. The National Summit on Agriculture and Rural Life gave people the chance to share stories about the challenges and opportunities they face, big and small, immediate and long term.
The conversation expanded as 400 young voters, part of Generation Engage, from Mountain View, Calif. and Raleigh, N.C, joined in via broadband video and Apple's iChat technology. During a non-partisan presidential candidate forum, participants spent time with Democrat
Senators John Edwards, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (from New York), and Republican John Cox. It was the participants' turn to challenge them - asking the candidates to articulate their positions and perspectives on topics both rural and urban.
So what was so extraordinary? The simple act of joining together in political dialogue, rural and urban, young and not so young, from coast to coast and border to border was powerful. The discovery that people from diverse places, backgrounds and political stripes share many of the same concerns and goals for the future was empowering. Our goal? To continue the conversation.
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In the Media & Blogosphere
Mid-Iowa News
-- "With three Democrats and a conservative Republicans on hand, there was a large assortment of opinions for listeners to choose from.
But there were areas of consensus, too. All four candidates were in favor of cutting subsidies for oil companies and large agribusiness, but for different reasons." --
Iowa State Daily
-- " . . . the candidates referred to a digital divide that separates cities from rural areas." --
NBC17.com
-- ". . . video conferences like this also aim to give people in rural or inner-city communities access they might not otherwise have." --
The Daily Yonder
-- "We need to address agriculture as a rural policy, not a commodity policy." --
Session Summaries (.pdf)
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: IS TECHNOLOGY THE KEY TO RURAL AMERICA'S FUTURE?
Time for a government-led national strategy to ensure rural vitality.
THE CHANGING FACE OF RURAL AMERICA: GLOBALIZATION'S IMPACT ON IMMIGRATION AND RURAL LIFE
How immigrants are helping revitalize rural communities. How the politics of fear works against them.
CONNECTING THE DOTS: HEALTHY FARMS, HEALTHY FOODS, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Why we need to think differently about our nation's food system - now.
Agenda 9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and opening remarks 9:15 -10:15 Plenary Session: The State of Rural America The changing face of rural America: Globalization's impact on immigration and rural life Bridging the digital divide: Is technology the key to rural America's future? Connecting the dots: Healthy farms, healthy foods, and healthy communities Afternoon 1:15 - 4:45 Presidential Candidate Forum 4:45-5:00 Closing remarks
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