In each province, to varying degrees and over time, rural development has been part of the agriculture portfolio. It comes and goes — Ontario was the latest province to spin rural affairs out of the ag mix and into its own ministry.
There’s an argument to be made for including or excluding rural development with agriculture, of course. While the lion’s share of agriculture occurs in rural areas, there are plenty of those who live in rural areas that aren’t actively involved in farming.
Similarly, in the U.S., rural development is managed through its own secretariat within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This department runs over 70 programs, including funding for infrastructure and power upgrades, a focus on broadband improvement, housing, and even health care.
Dr. Basil Gooden is the undersecretary for rural development within the USDA. Shaun Haney spoke with him last month at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting event at Kansas City to better understand how rural policies and programs are administered in the U.S.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | All Podcasts
