Focus on rural development in next farm bill
A member of the Senate Agriculture Committee wants to expand rural development opportunities in the next farm bill. Senator Tina Smith says she’ll be looking for ways USDA can improve the way it meets the needs of rural communities:
“I’m talking about the deep need for reliable high-speed broadband internet, investing in communities, and economic development. Improving access to healthcare and supporting critical access hospitals in rural areas.”
Smith also wants the 2023 Farm Bill to support workforce housing and access to childcare, especially in rural areas:
“And of course, the need that we continually have to figure out how to manage and have stable and even lower energy prices.”
Smith says there’s a shortage of many of these basic needs and it restricts the capacity to grow in rural America.