We’re getting a look at recommendations for our rural communities from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in their first report-out to the president.

President Donald Trump established the task force last spring asking members to identify key legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to achieve rural prosperity.

The new report provides more than 100 recommendations for the federal government that were formed from listening sessions in rural communities and discussions with local, state, federal and tribal governments.

The recommendations are focused on five key indicators of rural prosperity: e-connectivity; quality of life; rural workforce; technological innovation; and economic development.

Highlights of the recommendations include:

e-Connectivity (access to reliable and high-speed internet)

• Form a task force and conduct a multi-sector assessment of the state of affordable rural high-speed internet access, infrastructure and service gaps.

• Revise federal regulations to encourage high-speed investment in rural areas.

Increasing access to ensure high-speed internet access for all Michiganders is also a priority from Governor Rick Snyder’s 21^st Century Infrastructure Commission.

Improving Quality of Life

• Create a strategy for public-private partnerships to complete the connection of all rural Pre-K-12 and community/technical colleges to high-speed, high-capacity internet to maximize the use of digital learning

• Implement best practices to enhance access to primary health care and specialty providers through telemedicine and improve access to mental and behavioral care

• Develop a set of shared best practices for increasing homeownership, reducing homelessness in rural communities, and building robust community infrastructure

• Better align policies for rural transit services based on locally-created rural community economic development strategies

Supporting a Rural Workforce

• Study and identify existing job demands, skillset gaps and community needs

• Use the findings to promote curriculum that supports such workforce demands in K-12 and postsecondary education and training programs

• Federal agencies should promote and assist local businesses in the expansion of apprenticeship programs to support the talent pipeline in health care and trade industries

Harnessing Technological Innovation

• Coordinate and leverage ongoing investments in technology to drive innovation in rural America and deliver safe, transformative technologies to farmers and consumers

• Develop an R&D strategy that identifies and creates opportunities for the technology sector to invest in rural communities

• Develop best practices for big data management in agricultural applications

Developing the Rural Economy

• Provide access to capital to businesses, entrepreneurs and farmers in rural areas

• Seek more strategic public-private partnerships for rural America to create jobs and fuel economic development

• Create a web-based rural investment portal that will serve as a matching tool for projects to reach local and international investors

• Address infrastructure gaps and enhance connections to metropolitan areas

Regulatory reforms were mentioned throughout the recommendations that the task force said could help catalyze investments and projects in rural areas.

The task force is calling on long-term leadership and oversight over these recommendations to ensure action on the regional, state and federal levels.

Want more?

Read the full report.

CMF is featuring innovative work underway by members serving rural communities in our new rural philanthropy video series. Be sure to check out this month’s video from Sturgis Area Community Foundation. Stay tuned for February’s video featuring Rotary Charities of Traverse City, with more stories from our rural communities coming this spring.