Annual/Termination Reports:

[03/27/2013] [02/15/2010] [05/25/2010] [06/06/2011] [08/31/2012]

Report Information

Participants

Chen, Yong - U of Oregon;
Davis, Alison - University of Kentucky;
Davis, Elizabeth - University of Minnesota;
Deller, Steven - University of Wisconsin;
Francis, Joe - Cornell University;
Gabe,Todd - University of Maine;
Hughes, David - Clemson University;
Johnson,Thomas - University of Missouri;
Kriesel, Warren - University of Georgia;
Lambert, Dayton - University of Tennessee;
Miller, Wayne - U of Arkansas;
Morris,Doug - University of New Hampshire;
Otto,Dan - Iowa State University;
Partridge, Mark - Ohio State University;
Rainey, Daniel - U of Arkansas;
Renkow, Mitch - North Carolina State University;
Rossi, James - U of Missouri;
Skidmore, Mark - Michigan State University;
Stallmann, Judy - University of Missouri;
Stenberg,Peter - ERS;
Watson, Philip - University of Idaho;
Weber, Bruce - Oregon State University;
Whitacre, Brian - Oklahoma State U;

Brief Summary of Minutes

This is a termination report.

Accomplishments

The NE-1029 project was very successful as numerous research studies, along with dissemination of results and key findings, were completed under each of the four objectives. Some of these studies are highlighted below; others are summarized in the annual reports.<br /> <br /> Objective 1. Identify and analyze ongoing and potential changes in rural labor markets and the impacts of migration, commuting, and workforce development policies on rural labor markets.<br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Tennessee explored the long-run relationship between retiree in-migration and education expenditures. Particular attention was given to the so-called Gray Peril hypothesis, which maintains that funding for some public services will decrease because retirees are unwilling to support services not directly benefiting them. The findings lend support to the notion that funding for local public education is different in counties that attract and retain seniors in large numbers than in counties that do not. The results of the analysis offer little support for the notion that growth in per pupil education expenditures is negatively correlated with senior in-migration, or what might be termed strong Gray Peril. On the other hand, the results suggest that counties experiencing significant senior in-migration were less likely to translate increased fiscal capacity to fund education than were counties that had not attracted significant senior in-migration. <br /> <br /> Complementary work by NE-1029 researchers in Pennsylvania explored the implications of a graying farm population on rural economies. Research suggests that the graying farm population is an important issue, having potential to strongly influence the rural landscape. <br /> <br /> Research on labor markets focusing on low-income workers was completed by NE-1029 researchers in Pennsylvania. Using data from the US Census Bureau, results found a smaller percentage of nonmetro (than central city or suburban metro) young adults ages 20 to 24 are only in school, a larger percentage work only, combine school and work or are idle. Of nonmetropolitan youth in 2000, 20% remained in nonmetro areas five years later. Comparing nonmetropolitan stayers and leavers, 78% of stayers worked only, compared to 62% of leavers; 23% of leavers combined school and work, and 10% of nonmetro stayers did so. Idleness was slightly higher among leavers (12%) than stayers (10%). Nonmetropolitan leavers and stayers had quite different experiences with work and schooling as young adults. These differences translate into differential levels of educational attainment and earnings in the longer term. <br /> <br /> Other work on labor markets by NE-1029 researchers in Colorado focused on labor market performance, the role of immigration, and the agribusiness sector. Work on immigration analyzed the trends observed in hired labor used in the Colorado agricultural sector, how it may relate to policies that are evolving for immigration and the economic impact that different labor policies may have on industry and communities. Findings were presented at one conference and disseminated through discussions with major labor advocacy groups in Colorado.<br /> <br /> Commuting network studies by NE-1029 researchers in Pennsylvania analyzed the impacts of network topography (e.g., centrality, in-entropy, out-entropy) on local economic growth rates. Results show 1) marked increases in commuting in the US over time , and 2) that even rural counties in the most rural places (rural-urban continuum codes 6, 8) can have high out-centrality scores, comparable to those found in urban core areas (code 1). Research also suggests the need for more investigation at the micro level into underlying mechanisms of settlement patterns and economic activity along the rural-urban continuum. Related research now underway will determine the relationships among commuting, migration and network topography. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Missouri investigated the entrepreneurship of migrants and their location choice in an attempt to draw connections between migration and economic development, especially the role of business formation in rural development. Their findings suggest that social capital and social networks established in ones home region are a strong factor in location choice of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs from rural origins tend to start their businesses in rural areas in general and half of entrepreneurs migrate back to their home region to take local comparative advantages. Rural entrepreneurs are also more likely to obtain financial support from family members, friends and local banks to start a business than are their urban counterparts. More generally, find rural residents are more likely to start a business than urban residents. One plausible explanation for this finding is a lack of job opportunities in more remote rural areas.<br /> <br /> A primary focus of NE-1029 researchers in Ohio is on how proximity to urban areas affects housing location, land-use, economic activity, population retention, and rural poverty. It has also sought to identify patterns of exurbanization and the underlying processes that determine these patterns, as well as the linkages between regional processes (e.g., regional economic growth, job creation, and commuting), natural amenities, and exurban land-use patterns. Finally, this work demonstrates a link between small business vitality and subsequent local economic growth. The research has been disseminated via the web, at professional conferences, and through journal articles. The audience for these papers includes academics, while the underlying findings also support the less technical presentations, media work, and policy briefs. A second set of outputs revolve around policy briefs that illustrates how the green economy will affect the Ohio and national economies. The briefs suggest modest effects on job creation and describe how a more targeted approach would be more effective. The findings of the policy brief were disseminated via press releases, web-based publications, radio interviews, and by public presentations. The targeted audience for these policy briefs and related presentations include informed decision makers, economic development officials, and elected/appointed government officials, and interested members of the public. To leverage greater public appeal, Ohio State University has formed partnerships with organizations such as The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Greater Ohio. <br /> <br /> Objective 2. Investigate the potential for rural development policies based on entrepreneurship, industrial clustering, value-added and nontraditional agricultural businesses and analyze the spatial implications of industrial restructuring on employment and earnings.<br /> <br /> Recruiting food, fiber, or biomass processors remains a plausible rural economic development strategy in the belief that rural areas provide access advantage to the raw materials needed for these operations. While expansion of the manufacturing sector in rural areas ended in the 1980s, food processing remains more rural-based than most manufacturing, suggesting that some nonmetropolitan communities have comparative advantage compared with urban areas in attracting food processors. Community planners may consider food manufacturing and other value-added agribusinesses to be solutions to offset rural outmigration and unemployment because these activities are potential sources of off-farm work, and could increase farm income through backward linkages to local agricultural production. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Colorado and Idaho analyzed how different economic development strategies involving food (local foods, value added agriculture, new distribution models) or natural resources (agritourism, ecosystem services) may be influencing communities. Outputs included a series of models and results based on secondary data, survey data and/or IMPLAN models customized to regions of Colorado. The research has been disseminated in academic meetings, to community stakeholders (producer groups, public health groups, ag advisory councils) and in targeted workshops of producers and food system stakeholders. <br /> Growth of the meat and poultry processing industry in rural parts of the Midwest has generated considerable controversy regarding the economic and social impacts of new plants on their host communities. Much of the evidence informing this debate is anecdotal or based on case-studies of very large plants. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Missouri examined the impacts of meat and poultry processing plants on social and economic outcomes, using data on non-metropolitan counties in twenty-three Midwestern and Southern states spanning a decade. The research shows that while growth in the industry is associated with community change, particularly changing demographics, the dramatic burdens documented in a few case studies appear to be the exception rather than the rule. The Missouri research found that the industry has impacted the demographic composition of rural communities and their schools, but find no evidence that the industry increases per capita government expenditures. The impact of livestock production on the local economy was much lower than expected. This suggests rural communities trade off the economic benefits of hosting these large employers against the costs of accommodating needs of new residents. <br /> <br /> In another study investigating the local determinants correlated with attracting food manufacturing investment, NE-1029 researchers in Indiana and Tennessee found that micropolitan counties had a comparative advantage with respect to attracting some types of food manufacturing investment, but the most rural, noncore counties were less likely to attract any type of food processors. All food processor types preferred locations in or around urban areas, or in nonmetropolitan counties that provide access to product or input markets, or agglomeration economies. Supply oriented food processors tend to locate in nonmetropolitan counties providing access to agricultural inputs. Noncore counties simply lacked the critical mass in terms of access to product demand centers or availability of infrastructure to meet logistical needs. <br /> <br /> The development of biomass-based industries, which could hold promise for some rural areas, face many challenges. The organization of developing biomass-based industries could become a key non-technical barrier to its development. Biomass sources could be a low cost feedstock for energy production such as cellulosic ethanol. This potential low cost hinges on effective and efficient markets for the raw material. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Missouri and Kentucky examined the broad industrial structure of the current biopower industry including the organizational forms used to procure or transfer ownership of biomass. Using survey evidence, the Missouri study found evidence that the current biopower industry is highly vertically integrated with little use of spot markets, which is consistent across the type of biomass fuel used. In Kentucky, the results of the economic impact analysis of the biomass sector were reported to state policymakers. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Tennessee examined the local characteristics that were important to attract ethanol plant investments in the lower 48 United States between 2000 and 2007. This period marked an era of rapid industry expansion and competition for prime sites that provided access advantage to feedstock and co-product markets. The importance of ethanol plant location determinants varied, depending on how remote a location was, and whether an ethanol plant was established, or announced. While some rural counties exhibited comparative advantage with respect to attracting ethanol plants, it appears that many rural communities were less likely to attract ethanol plant investments. During this period, the primary drivers behind the decision to locate an ethanol plant in a given county were access to feedstock and the absence of operating ethanol plants. Access to co-product markets and transport infrastructure was also important. These findings are a first-step towards understanding the interaction between ethanol plant location and the local factors providing comparative advantage to counties considering ethanol plant recruitment as a development strategy. While the results appear encouraging for some rural areas, a rural county's access to or availability of important location determinants should be put in perspective before limited funds are invested to attract ethanol plant investment. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Arkansas conducted a study of Hispanic entrepreneurs, showing that this demographic group operates a diverse array of businesses. The study also identified barriers faced by Hispanic entrepreneurs. Alleviating these barriers will help communities more fully capitalize on the human capital that exists in these migrant groups. They also examined the alternative sources of economic stability for declining rural locations across Arkansas. In particular, they used survey data to explore the potential impact to local economies from an expansion of agritourism in the distressed Delta region of Arkansas. The analysis reveals that farm operators' and/or landowners' perceived future success in the agritourism industry in Arkansas entail different assistance depending on the regional location in the state. The assistances identified are support in training the farm operators; agritourism promotion and marketing; and awareness of laws and regulations impact on agritourism. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in three states examined aspects of the retail sector in rural areas. Researchers in Missouri and Iowa studied the impact of Wal-Mart on rural wages. Prior research suggests that Wal-Mart decreases the average retail wage. This is possible if it has market power, employs more part-time workers, employs workers with lower skills, or employs a different mix of skills, such as fewer managers per worker, or offers lower wages but higher benefits relative to other retailers. Their hypothesis is that in rural areas Wal-Mart is a large demander relative to the labor supply and may increase the average retail wage. Using a weighted regression they found that Wal-Mart increases rural retail wages. <br /> <br /> In Maine, NE-1029 researchers developed a demand threshold method to examine the retail and service sectors of communities located in Maine. The method was initially applied to the Town of Orono, and a project report was released in April of 2011. Researchers are currently using the demand threshold method to study the retail and service sectors of other Maine communities. They also conducted Retail Trade Area Analyses for rural Maine communities to assist economic development professionals and local officials in their economic development efforts. Research on the retail and service sectors of Maine communities has been used by economic development professionals to identify gaps in the local economy, which might be candidates for new business attraction and local entrepreneurial activity. <br /> <br /> Broadband connectivity is widely promoted as a potentially significant contributor to local economic development in relatively isolated rural places. The high-speed data transmission that broadband facilitates reduces the effective cost of distance to businesses and to consumers, easing key constraints at play in such communities, namely small markets, high transport costs and geographic isolation. Ironically, precisely the same physical remoteness and low population densities that make broadband particularly desirable in rural areas also render its deployment expensive. As a result, broadband penetration into rural areas - and particularly more remote areas - has lagged more densely populated and less remote locations. Since 2000 federal Broadband Loan programs authorized under consecutive Farm Bills have directed more than $1.8 billion to private telecommunications providers in 40 states with the explicit goal of increasing the amount of high-speed data transmission capacity available to rural residents and businesses. Most recently, $2.5 billion of the $7.2 billion funded by ARR Act of 2009 explicitly targeted rural areas in new federal spending for these same purposes. The economic implications of investment in rural broadband Internet was conducted by NE-1029 researchers at the Economic Research Service (ERS), Clemson, and North Carolina State University. ERS research showed that broadband access to the Internet contributes to greater rural economic growth. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Oklahoma focused on the role of policy and digital communications on economic development/entrepreneurship and on local government and tax policy, respectively. The findings of this research will promote a better understanding (change in knowledge) of the environment required for successful entrepreneurial efforts. This work serves to inform and encourage use of broadband in rural areas and generate new business activity. <br /> <br /> Similarly, NE-1029 researchers in North Carolina evaluated the impact of USDAs low-cost broadband loan programs on the U.S. agricultural sector. The broadband loan programs increase access to high-speed internet in recipient communities, which can raise farm sales by increasing both farm output and prices received by producers. Further, high-speed internet may drive down costs by providing information on cheaper inputs and better management practices, leading to an overall improvement in farm profits. Using data from the 1997, 2002, and 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture, they employed an inverse probability reweighting technique in a panel fixed effects model to show that the two USDA broadband loan programs have had positive causal impacts on farm sales, expenditure, and profits. The positive effects for crops are larger than those for livestock and animal products. <br /> <br /> Objective 3. Investigate the changing organizational structure, tax policy and fiscal standing of local governments and the impact of tax and/or expenditure limitations on local government fiscal stress and economic growth in rural areas.<br /> <br /> In Michigan, NE-1029 researchers focused on public finance policy and economic development. The research examined the political economy of state subsidies in the emerging ethanol industry, the use of the tax increment finance development tool, the impacts of property taxation on property value growth, the role of governance in limiting natural disaster impacts, among other research projects. The procedures used to evaluate specific research questions depend on the nature of the question at hand. They rely on local/regional, state, and international economic and government data or survey data to examine specific issues. Variation over time and across units of observation can provide an excellent evaluative environment. Generally, the goal of the program is to generate quality analyses that will help government decision makers better understand how to respond in the midst of evolving conditions. This past year they enhanced the Michigan local government database management system so that local authorities could pulled data from the database into Excel file, which generated a series of fiscal measures (Citizens Guide) in accordance with Governor Snyders requirement for greater transparency in government finance (a new requirement to receive revenue sharing). The portal and the Citizens Guide can be accessed at http://f65.mitreasury.msu.edu/. The research in the policy arena appears to be making its way into decision processes in Michigan. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Wisconsin and Missouri collaborated on a project investigating tax and expenditure limitations at the state and local levels and their impacts on economic growth, credit ratings and state debt. One argument for imposing limitations is that lack of fiscal constraint on the part of elected officials and results in bloated government which hampers economic growth. This argument is testable. The results to date suggest that state limits have little impact on economic growth. This research was cited in a report by the Turkish Ministry of Finance, A New Tendency in Management of Fiscal Policies: Rules and Limitations on Taxes, Expenditures, Debt, etc. (translation). One difficulty for doing the research is that no two limits are alike and they change overtime. An index of these limitations was developed for each state from 1969 to 1990. Current research uses this index to investigate both growth and credit ratings. A past collaboration of Missouri and Wisconsin provided a set of papers on the impact of retirees on rural areas, which continues to generate interest. The Daily Yonder interviewed Missouri and the article they published was picked up by over 300 media outlets, many of them small rural newspapers. <br /> <br /> In Arkansas, NE-1029 researchers focused on the decline of the economic base in many rural areas and inability of local governments to generate enough revenue to pay for needed public infrastructure and services. A recent study of county government revenue and expenditures found that nearly one-fourth of non-metropolitan counties lost revenue between 1999 and 2007. Not only do these counties have little capacity to generate local revenue, but many have high sales and property tax rates which further constrains their ability to generate additional local revenue. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Tennessee evaluated the land value taxation as a potential smart growth policy tool because it does not infringe on private property rights. Through land value taxation, municipalities can reform prevailing property tax schemes to moderate sprawl by reducing the tax rate applied to building values, while increasing the tax rate applied to land values. Such taxation schemes have been referred to as a two-rate property tax (TPT). A two-rate property tax (TPT) imparts different tax rates on land and structures. A hypothetical TPT is evaluated as an instrument to promote open space preservation in a rapidly growing metropolitan county in Tennessee. The potential TPT effects on open space equilibrium levels were compared with simulated equilibrium levels reflecting the TPT policy shock. Ex ante results suggest that equilibrium open space levels were positively displaced following a revenue neutral tax policy on land. About 76% of the households valued open space more following a land value tax rate of 9.04%, which suggests that households in certain locations are likely to support programs or policies preserving open space. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Ohio developed new theoretical and empirical methodologies for evaluating how local government policies affect economic outcomes. One novel approach used has been the application of survey data of county officials in understanding the effects of county policies on poverty and growth. Another novel approach is the incorporation of fine migration data in understanding growth in Appalachia. This research illustrates that tax incentives and other traditional economic development efforts are typically ineffective and describes more effective place-based strategies. Other research focused on estimating models of residential land use change using micro-level data on residential subdivision development. Findings from econometric models of the quantity and intensity of development reveal the unintended consequences of land development policies that delay larger development projects closer to urban areas and hasten lower density development in more rural areas. Other methodological advances have focused on developing spatial simulation models of urbanization that incorporate microeconomic behavior into spatial modeling and using this model to generate predictions of how land use policy changes influence patterns of land use change. <br /> <br /> The associated OSU policy briefs have facilitated the non-technical dissemination of the knowledge creation for policymakers and decision makers. From these efforts, there are emerging signs of changes in actions that would help represent transformative change. The knowledge creation has been used to support policy changes that would support efforts to promote rural/urban regionalization including better land use planning, linking rural and urban economies for their mutual benefit, and findings ways to generate efficiencies for local government service provision. Likewise, policy briefs on shale energy raises the specter that communities have to engage in long-term planning. Past policy briefs allowed researchers to work with the State of Ohios commission on Reforming Local Government and Improving Local Government Collaboration. The knowledge creation continues to support the growing realization that Ohios manufacturing economy of the middle 20th Century will not return and the state needs to seek new opportunities for the 21st Century. <br /> <br /> In Oregon, NE-1029 researchers examined the termination of County Forest Payments and Oregon County Services. Because of the decline in federal timber harvests under the Northwest Forest Plan, the forest related revenues that historically were shared with county governments declined dramatically. This put these governments at risk and led to a series of federal laws that provided federal payments to these counties, culminating in the Secure Rural Schools Act in 2000. The SRS payments are ending this year. In its 2009 report on the implications of scheduled termination of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the Governors Task Force on Federal Forest Payments and County Services estimated that, without the SRS payments, one quarter of Oregons counties (9 counties) would face losses of more than 25% of discretionary General Fund revenues, and almost one-third of counties (11 counties) would lose more than half of their Road Fund revenues. In 2011, 11 Oregon reporters for both print media (including Oregonian, Eugene Register Guard, Oregon Business magazine) and radio (including Jefferson Public Radio and KSJJ) interviewed project investigators for stories on the termination of the SRS funding and the future of rural communities. <br /> <br /> Objective 4. Develop a better understanding of the role of amenities in rural development and the impact of economic and social changes on the quality of life in rural communities.<br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Iowa examined the factors affecting economic opportunities and quality of life for communities and for individuals living and working in rural areas. The analysis has helped communities understand economic changes and to develop strategies to adjust to them. Ongoing research and outreach are helping communities evaluate opportunities for investing in recreational amenities such as trails, water quality improvements, and boat docking facilities. Identifying opportunities to expand recreational resources improve quality of life for Iowan as well as creating new jobs and income.<br /> <br /> In Georgia, NE-1029 researchers analyzed the environmental impacts of housing demand on saltwater marshes found that people are willing to pay a premium for larger lots, more common space and less impervious surface. Less important in rural areas so developers lose their incentives to practice green development. The policy implications are that salt water marsh counties are fastest growing so it makes sense to plan green development incentives into subdivision projects now. Scientists in Tennessee evaluated the effectiveness of a two-rate property tax (TPT) on housing development density and the preservation of open space amenities. Findings suggest that 76% of the households valued open space more following a land value tax rate of 9.04%, which suggests that households in certain locations are likely to support programs or policies preserving open space. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Pennsylvania were involved in a multidisciplinary research project focusing on measuring perceptions and impacts of development and land use change on indicators of quality of life across the Susquehanna Transition Zone (STZ) in Pennsylvania and New York State. The effort involves qualitative surveys of local officials and other key informants, quantitative surveys in a stratified sample of HUC14 watersheds, and photo-interpretation of changes in land use and land cover from historical aerial photographs for the selected watersheds, dating from the late 1930s. Access to amenities and the role of rural amenities in driving patterns of growth is an important component of this work. Surveys across the region will be completed within a year, forming the first wave of data collection to monitor changes in land use, environmental impacts, economic well-being, and quality of life across the T-Zone transect, as widespread development continues. Data collection provides for broad stakeholder input and assessment of change and is particularly relevant given the recent Chesapeake Bay Executive Order. <br /> <br /> Creative regions have been the subject of study by NE-1029 researchers in Tennessee and at ERS. Rural counties with both higher proportions of creative capital and richer entrepreneurial contexts (as measured by either the rate of self-employment or the number establishments per job) typically enjoy faster business establishment and job growth, and the beneficial effects of this synergy tends to increase with the prevalence of local outdoor amenities. While limited in scope in terms of the time period analyzed, the secondary data analysis of industry clustering shows some potential for certain economic sectors of the region. The growth potential stemming from the clusters appear to be associated with high-tech sectors or they are involved in the production of intermediate goods. Though this may be encouraging for counties with established economic bases suitable for attracting and retaining businesses which make up these sectors, caution should be used by local leaders in terms of picking winner industries in the hopes of becoming competitive with neighboring counties who have been successful in attracting businesses. As with any clustered developed strategy, careful measurement of the local assets communities have in place must be put in perspective in terms of social and human capital, geography, and even local history. Without precedence for attracting certain industries, the odds of doing so in the future may be lower without the necessary infrastructure, talent, or connections to other economic centers of influence. <br /> <br /> The Tennessee and ERS findings also suggest that growth in total county income in the United States was lower in counties that had the following: larger per capita income in 1990, a higher population density in 1990, a higher proportion of older individuals, and a higher proportion of population under 20 years of age. Counties with a heavy dependence on agriculture grew more slowly in general. Counties that grew at a faster rate had a high proportion with a college degree, close to a metropolitan area, a high proportion of commuters, and relatively more sunshine in January. It might be reasonable to expect that adding, expanding, and improving existing recreational amenities in rural counties can generate increases in aggregate income through a combination of attracting employment or population. In rural areas, there is a negative relationship between property taxes and aggregate income growth. To reduce the negative effect of high local property taxes, county government officials might explore alternative revenue sources (e.g., shifting property tax base, using other taxes, cost-sharing arrangement with state and federal governments) that do not deter in-migration or outside investment. <br />

Publications

Impact Statements

1. NE-1029 researchers at USDAs Economic Research Service focused significant effort on digital economic policy in rural areas. The research analyzed the economic relationship between the Internet and rural economies. The on-going study examined the economics of communication and information service delivery and on-line economic activities (such as e-commerce) with respect to farm and rural businesses examining various farm business characteristics and the likelihood of Internet use in management. A briefing room on rural digital economy is available at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/telecom/. The research has been used by Congress, the Council of Economic Advisors, and other federal policy making entities.
2. NE-1029 researchers in Maine examined the potential economic impact of a proposed casino in Oxford, Maine. This project involved a market potential analysis and an econometric analysis of the effects of casinos on local restaurant and lodging sales. A project report was released in August of 2010, which led to several newspaper articles, radio interviews (e.g., Maine Public Radio, George Hale and Ric Tyler Show on WVOM), and television coverage. Research on the impacts of the proposed Oxford casino informed Maine voters about a referendum question appearing on a statewide ballot.
3. NE-1029 researchers in Georgia analyzed coastal real estate sales prices and disseminated study results through an online price estimation tools for developers, homebuyers and local officials. Results show that buyers place a premium on larger parcels, but this can be outweighed by the higher premium they place on planned open spaces inside the subdivision. Among other things, the study is the first to show that the trade-off between open space and lot sizes. Findings inform local government officials as they prepare for the changing the real estate market that increasingly emphasizes low-impact development strategies.
4. NE-1029 researchers in Pennsylvania and New York studied the socioeconomic impacts of Marcellus Shale natural gas development in their states. The project uncovered the mixed reactions of local residents to the profound changes that are occurring. The research was featured in the New York Times and other newspapers.
5. NE-1029 researchers in Ohio examined how the Great Recession and associated housing bust altered migration behavior and land use activities in a sustained era of high fuel costs. Results of the analysis were disseminated via press releases, web-based publications, radio interviews, and by public presentations. The audience for these policy briefs and related presentations include informed decision makers, economic development officials, and elected/appointed government officials, and interested members of the public. To leverage greater public appeal, researchers formed partnerships with organizations such as The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Greater Ohio.
6. NE-1029 researchers in Oregon analyzed rural-urban linkages with a focus on the exchange of goods and services (both material and environmental), people, and taxes and public expenditures. Results were disseminated to hundreds of civically engaged citizens and policymakers at the Oregon Civic Engagement Conference (November 2011, Salem); the University of Oregon PPPM Spring Symposium (April 2011, Portland); the SEDCOR Economic Business Forum (December 2011, Salem); and the TOCOWA/ ODCCWD New Oregon Trails Forum (November 2011, Roseburg) and the Regards to Rural 2011 Conference (June, Corvallis). Hundreds more citizens and policymakers learned about the impact of the Northwest Forest Plan of Oregons rural communities at the national Wealth Creation in Rural America conference in October in Washington DC.
7. NE-1029 researchers in Oklahoma examined telemedicine and rural communities. Project outputs included two fact sheets on Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which will quickly become mandatory for many rural hospitals and other health care providers. These fact sheets provided an opportunity for collaboration between the entity authorized to help with adoption of EHRs (Oklahomas Regional Extension Center) and researchers from Oklahoma State interested in the technology adoption and rural health. Adoption of EHRs across Oklahoma has been impressive, demonstrating a change in action from this dissemination.
8. In response to the devastating tsunami that affected Japan in 2011, NE-1029 researchers in Michigan disseminated information on natural disasters. This research was heavily cited in the United States, Japan, and internationally by media outlets such as CNN, Forbes, Fox, Huffington Post, New Yorker, New York Times, Reuters, and many other U.S. news outlets (as well prominent outlets in Japan, Europe, China, India, Brazil, and elsewhere).

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Report Information

Participants

Davis, Alison - University of Kentucky;
Renkow, Mitch - North Carolina State University;
Otto,Dan - Iowa State University;
Stenberg,Peter - ERS;
Partridge, Mark - Ohio State University;
Skidmore, Mark - Michigan State University;
Morris,Doug - University of New Hampshire

Brief Summary of Minutes

Given budget constraints and the inability for many Project members to afford to travel to Napa Valley for the WRSA meetings in 2009, only 7 project members could attend the NE-1029 meeting. Each of the members discussed their current line of research. There seemed to be a current theme that research interests focused on broadband, Going Local, local public finance, and health.
There was also discussion of having a Special Proceedings at Agricultural and Resource Economics Review. This will be decided at the 2010 meetings.

Accomplishments

Within the last year the team of researchers associated with NE-1029 has conducted research across a broad array of topics related to the projects four objectives. There have been several important forms of cross-state cooperation as evident in this body of research. A large share of research activities and outputs were conducted collaboratively across states.<br /> <br /> The most relevant example is the recent publication of Targeting Regional Economic Development. A book edited by three Project members introduces analytical tools for promoting economic development not by random industrial attraction but by exploring the potential for certain industries in certain areas. (Deller, Goetz, and Harris, 2009). Many Project members contributed articles to this book (Deller, Barkley, Woodward, Gabe, Davis, Harris, Johnson, Goetz, Shields). These models can be employed within a region to help communities identify industries that might be well-suited for location.<br /> In addition, researchers in Kentucky, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, and Hawaii are jointly developing the Community Business Matching Model, a modeling strategy that matches the wants of a community with the needs of businesses.<br /> Another important type of cross-state cooperation is the sharing of research methods and data sharing across the states (Stenberg, 2008, Renkow, and Morris). In the last year, many Project members investigated the use and impact of access to broadband.<br /> <br /> During calendar year 2008, NE-1029 members made progress on all four of the projects objectives. Accomplishments are presented by objective below.<br /> <br /> Objective 1: To better understand the emerging opportunities and threats to the economic structure of non-metropolitan communities arising from forces that change the size or structure of rural markets. We focus on broadband, biofuels and renewable energy, and health care.<br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers examined the value of broadband on rural economies. These studies focused on both farm and rural internet use. Research findings suggested that rural businesses are successfully using e-commerce to expand markets and reduce costs.<br /> <br /> Other work conducted by NE-1011 members in Ohio focused on the evolution of housing, population and employment patterns in various states. These studies explored the changing nature of population dynamics, land use, and mobility patterns in various states, as well as the attendant implications for local and state policy.<br /> <br /> Several NE-1029 researchers investigated the impacts of the biofuel boom on rural communities. While previous research has focused on corn-based ethanol in the Midwest focused researchers in Kentucky and North Dakota focused on alternative biostocks such as switchgrass, woody plants, and agricultural residue. Other Project members looked more at the impact of policy on the ethanol and renewable energy markets.<br /> <br /> Other work under this objective focused on the effects of the creative economy of the United States, finding that the positive impacts associated with the creative sectors is largely confined to urban areas. Researchers in Kentucky have continued to study the impact of gambling on the horse industry. Finally, research was conducted on the effects of local economic instability on rural business location. This work suggested that businesses are attracted to areas with high short-term and seasonal stability; that annual fluctuations in local employment are not a significant deterrent to new business activity; and that service businesses are particularly sensitive to local employment fluctuations.<br /> <br /> Objective 2: To determine the root causes of changes in rural labor markets, the employment and demographic growth that are likely to occur in the future, and the degree to which these factors are modified by workforce development policies.<br /> <br /> Research by NE-1029 members focused on a variety of rural labor market issues. Researchers in Ohio studied the diversity of economic outcomes in metropolitan areas from recent immigration. The study found that the largest impact to be increased net out-migration of natives in the more remote rural counties. Dramatically less out-migration of natives occurred in manufacturing-dependent counties, which also experienced reduced employment rates suggesting greater job queuing. Immigration was positively associated with net migration in persistently high-poverty counties. Resarchers in Idaho explored the wage divergence between Idaho wage earners and the national wage averages. The study found that mining and lumber and wood products manufacturing sectors play a minor role at best in explaining wage divergence in Idaho between 2001 and 2005. More important sectors in widening-wage-gap process in Idaho are computer and electronics products manufacturing as well as heavy and civil engineering construction.<br /> <br /> Objective 3: To understand the effects of public policy on rural areas and rural industries.<br /> <br /> Several NE-1029 researchers investigated local and state public finance issues. Researchers in Missouri, Wisconsin, Maine, and Michigan focused on changing levels of fiscal stress, how municipalities are responding to those changes, and the nature of state-local fiscal relationships. An important element of that work examines how tax and expenditure limitations influence economic growth and development. Research completed by Project members from Wisconsin and Missouri constructed a set of indices that capture the characteristics state and local tax and expenditure limitations (TEL) for a panel of the 50 U.S. states for the period 1969 to 2005. Then, they used the panel data to estimate a set of economic growth models to explore the relationship between TELs and economic performance.<br /> <br /> Other work by NE-1029 members examined specific types of government investments and policies. Research was conducted on the impacts of federal, state and local investments in biofuels and renewable energy. In addition, other research looked at changing education finance policy and local government spending.<br /> <br /> Objective 4: To identify community characteristics associated with viable and healthy rural communities and investigate policy alternatives to enhance these characteristics.<br /> <br /> Within the last 5 years, there has been tremendous focus on the local foods movement as well as other promoting other locally owned enterprises, particularly agri-tourism as a way for a rural community to become more sustainable. NE-1029 group members have recognized the need for research in this area but have also realized that its almost too soon to determine the effectiveness of this economic strategy for small rural communities. The research thus far has focused on a case by case basis. For example,<br /> there has been work done on the economic on the role of agritourism in Western States. In addition, some have also looked at the economic impact of farmers markets. It is expected the research will become more robust and more policy specific within the next few years.

Publications

Chokie, Menghis and Mark D. Partridge. Poverty Dynamics in Canadian Communities: A Place-Based Approach. Growth and Change, 39 (June 2008, 2): 313-340.<br /> <br /> Davis, Alison and Thomas R. Harris, The Use of Double Hurdles Models: An Application to Nevada" in Targeting Regional Economic Development, editors Stephan Goetz, Steven Deller and Thomas Harris, March 2009.<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C., Victor Lledo and David Marcouiller "Modeling Regional Economic Growth with a Focus on Amenities" Review of Urban & Regional Development Studies 20(2008)<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven "Community Economic Development." in, ed. The Encyclopedia of Rural America. Grey Publishing, 2008.<br /> <br /> Fortenbery, Randall T. and Steven Deller "Understanding Community Impacts: A Tool for Evaluating Externalities from Local Bio-Fuels Production" Journal of Extension 46(2008)<br /> <br /> Goetz, Stephan, Steve Deller, Thomas Harris, and Alison Davis. "What Have We Learned?" in Targeting Regional Economic Development, editors Stephan Goetz, Steven Deller and Thomas Harris, March 2009.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd M., Local Economic Instability and Business Location: The Case of<br /> Maine. Land Economics, forthcoming.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd M., Local Economic Instability and Business Location: The Case of<br /> Maine. Land Economics, forthcoming.<br /> <br /> Goetz, Stephan, G., Deller, Steven C. and Harris, Thomas. (eds). Targeted Regional Economic Development, 2009.<br /> <br /> Hughes, David. Rural-Urban Economic Linkages: Implications for Industry Targeting Recommendations. in S. Goetz, S. Deller, and T. Harris (eds.) Targeting Regional Economic Development, Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis (Forthcoming, 2008).<br /> <br /> Hughes, David W. Cheryl Brown, Stacey Miller, and Tom McConnell. Evaluating the Economic Impact of Farmers Markets Using an Opportunity Cost Framework. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. 2008 40(1): 253-265.<br /> <br /> Kanlaya Jintanakul, Daniel Otto Factors Affecting Hospital Choice for Rural Iowa Residents, Review of Regional Studies , Forthcoming<br /> <br /> Kriesel, Warren, Craig Landry and Andrew Keeler. Coastal Erosion Management from a Community Economics Perspective: The Feasibility and Efficiency of User Fees. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 37(2): 376-88.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, and Kamar Ali (2008) Recent Immigration and Economic Outcomes in Rural America. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 90 (December, 5): 1326-1333.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. (2008). Lost in Space: Population Dynamics in the American Hinterlands and Small Cities. Journal of Economic Geography. 8 (November, 6): 727-757.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. and Dan S. Rickman. Place-Based Policy and Rural Poverty: Insight from the Urban Spatial Mismatch Literature. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 1 (2008, 1): 131-156.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. and Dan S. Rickman. Does a Rising Tide Lift All Metropolitan Boats? Assessing Poverty Dynamics by Metropolitan Size and County Type, Growth and Change, 39 (June 2008, 2): 283-312<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. The Geographic Diversity of U.S. Nonmetropolitan Growth Dynamics: A Geographically Weighted Regression Approach. Land Economics, 84 (May 2008,2): 241-266.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. and Dan S. Rickman. Distance from Urban Agglomeration<br /> Economies and Rural Poverty. Journal of Regional Science, 48 (May 2008, 2): 285-310.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. and Dan S. Rickman. CGE Modeling for Regional Economic<br /> Development Analysis. Regional Studies, (February 5, 2008, Online)<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. Employment Growth in the American Urban Hierarchy: Long Live Distance. Berkeley Journal of MacroeconomicsContributions. 8 (2008, Issue 1). Available at: http://www.bepress.com/bejm/vol8/iss1/art10.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark and Craig Maher, Changing Education Finance Policy, School Referenda Activity and Success Rates: Evidence from Wisconsin, Public Finance Review, Vol. 36, No. 4, 2008<br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark and Mehmet Tosun, Do New Lottery Games Stimulate Retail Activity? Evidence from West Virginia, Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Vol. 38, No. 2, 2008.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark and Steve Deller, Is Local Government Spending Converging? Eastern Economic Journal, Vol. 34, No. 1, 2008.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P.L., M. Morehart, S. Vogel,V. Breneman, J. Cromartie, D. Brown, D. Broadband Internet's Value for Rural America, Economic Research Report, ERR-78, U.S. Department of Agriculture, August 2009.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P.L., Rural Digital Economy, ERS Briefing Room.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P.L. and M. Morehart. "Characteristics of Farm and Rural Internet Use in the United States," in Yogesh Dwivedi, et al (eds.), Handbook of Research on Global Diffusion, Idea Group, Inc., 2008, pp. 395-406.<br /> <br /> Thilmany, Dawn, J. Wilson and P. Watson, The Role of Agritourism in Western States: Place-Specific and Policy Factors Influencing Recreational Income for Producers. Forthcoming, Review of Regional Studies.

Impact Statements

1. The Community Business Matching model has been employed in several counties across the Western States. Results from this program have actually resulted in new industries being targeted and recruitment strategies.
2. Research by NE-1029 members had an impact on how the land preservation programs in Kentucky have evolved, leading to partnerships between towns to obtain development rights or easements.
3. In Idaho, legislators on the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee limited their spending and tax cuts based on research completed by Stephen Cooke.

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Report Information

Participants

Lambert, Dayton - University of Tennessee;
Gabe,Todd - University of Maine;
Johnson,Thomas - University of Missouri;
Stallmann, Judy - University of Missouri;
Deller, Steven - University of Wisconsin;
Weber, Bruce - Oregon State University;
Davis, Elizabeth - University of Minnesota;
Hughes, David - Clemson University;
Stenberg, Peter - Economic Research Service, USDA;
Kriesel, Warren - University of Georgia;
Morris,Doug - University of New Hampshire;
Rossi, Daniel - Rutgers University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Key discussions included how the group tailors reporting output and impact in light of the new objectives outlined by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and how NE1029 group members can better promote the objectives and research findings among peers, academic administrators, and the public. The new area focus of NIFA will challenge NE1029 researchers with respect to fitting the important issues of local governance, markets, rural change, and quality of life into the program objectives of this funding opportunity provided the USDA. Other topics discussed include the logistics behind coordinating and administering multi-institutional grants. Given the growing propensity of funding agencies looking towards cross-cutting research and involvement of PIs from different departments and research institutions, this is also another challenge that NE1029 researchers will face in the upcoming years. In sum, attendees noted the following issues that will have to receive continued attention in terms of group writing collaboration and area focus, to the extent that these issues can be integrated into the NE1029 objectives:

1. Enhancing the sustainability, competitiveness, and profitability of U. S. food and agricultural systems.

2. Adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change on food, feed, fiber and fuel systems in the U.S.

3. Supporting energy security and the development of the bio-economy from renewable natural resources in the U.S.

4. Playing a global leadership role to ensure a safe, secure and abundant food supply for the U.S. and the world.

5. Improving human health, nutrition and wellness of the US population.

6. Heightening environmental stewardship through the development of sustainable management practices.

7. Strengthening individual, family and community development and resilience.

Accomplishments

The NE1029 group was prolific in 2009. There were 37 publications in peer reviewed journals. Two books were published, and many of the NE1029 group members contributed chapters to one or more books (14). There were 14 manuscripts presented at professional meetings or published in conference proceedings, and 17 technical reports. <br /> <br /> In general, the knowledge created thus far by NE1029 scientists has been used to support policy changes that support efforts to promote rural/urban regionalization including better land use planning, linking rural and urban economies for their mutual benefit, and findings ways to generate efficiencies for local government service provision. Accomplishments for each objective are summarized below.<br /> <br /> Objective 1: Identify and analyze ongoing and potential changes in rural labor markets and the impacts of migration, commuting, and workforce development policies on rural labor markets.<br /> <br /> Research on labor markets focusing on low-income workers was completed by scientists at Penn State University (PSU). The focus was on young adults. Using 1980, 1990, 2000 data from the US Census of Population and Housing and from the 2006 ACS, results found a smaller percentage of nonmetro (than central city or suburban metro) young adults ages 20 to 24 are only in school, a larger percentage work only, combine school and work or are idle. Of nonmetropolitan youth in 2000, 20% remained in nonmetro areas five years later. Comparing nonmetropolitan stayers and leavers, 78% of stayers worked only, compared to 62% of leavers; 23% of leavers combined school and work, and 10% of nonmetro stayers did so. Idleness was slightly higher among leavers (12%) than stayers (10%). Nonmetropolitan leavers and stayers had quite different experiences with work and schooling as young adults. These differences translate into differential levels of educational attainment and earnings in the longer term.<br /> <br /> Other work on labor markets in Colorado has focused on labor market performance, the role of immigration, and the agribusiness sector. Work on immigration focuses on analyzing the trends seen in hired labor used in the Colorado agricultural sector, how it may relate to policies that are evolving for immigration and the economic impact that different labor policies may have on industry and communities. Findings have been presented at one conference and disseminated through discussions with major labor advocacy groups in Colorado<br /> <br /> Researchers in Minnesota (UMN) conducted analysis using the Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics (LED) data. Important questions builds on previous work by researchers in North Carolina (NCSU) and Ohio (OSU) to examine which types of workers (local residents, commuters or new residents) become employed when jobs expand. Additional findings were used to delineate commuting work zones, which will facilitate regional economic impact analyses.<br /> <br /> Using a survey-based approach, research in New Hampshire is investigating strategies whereby individuals can be better matched with certain skill sets demanded by firms. Findings suggest that 50  55% of firms in the New England region are looking for part-time workers. It is interesting to note that the New Hampshire research findings suggest that retirees are willing to work part-time. This is consistent with findings by researchers in Tennessee (UT) looking at the impact of retiree migration on local economies in particular, and public finances in general.<br /> Issues related to childcare accessibility in rural and low income areas, labor availability, and how the issues are intertwined with local economic development have also been the focus of several researchers. The economic costs of childcare have been the focus of recent research by NE1029 members in Oregon, Missouri, and Minnesota. In Oregon (Oregon State University) (2009), the Legislature voted to add $16 million addition to current subsidies for childcare. In Missouri, questions relate to the economic impacts of childcare. <br /> <br /> A variety of policy options have been proposed in response to the continual out-migration of young, college-educated adults from rural areas of the U.S. Researchers in Missouri used a survey to compare the characteristics of Iowa State graduates who chose rural residence locations with those who chose to reside in an urban area. There are a few strong predictors for why graduates chose to live in rural counties. The most likely rural alumni are rural born with degrees from the College of Agriculture. The authors conclude from the study that interest in rural life appears to be increasing, at least conditional on the farm economy.<br /> <br /> Researchers in Tennessee explored the long-run relationship between retiree in-migration and education expenditures. Particular attention was given to the so-called Gray Peril hypothesis, which maintains that funding for at least some public services will decrease because retirees are unwilling to support services not directly benefiting them. The findings lend support to the notion that funding for local public education is different in counties that attract and retain seniors in large numbers than in counties that do not. The results of the analysis offer little support for the notion that growth in per pupil education expenditures is negatively correlated with senior in-migration, or what might be termed strong Gray Peril. On the other hand, the results suggest that counties experiencing significant senior in-migration were less likely to translate increased fiscal capacity to fund education than were counties that had not attracted significant senior in-migration. <br /> <br /> Complementary work by researchers at Penn State (PSU) has explored the implications of a graying farm population on rural economies. Research suggests that the graying farm population is an important issue, having potential to strongly influence the rural landscape. Second, work was completed on determinants of growth in US self-employment numbers and earnings; ongoing work is assessing motivations of entrepreneurs to locate in small towns and efficiency of financial inputs for entrepreneurship in the financial sector. Completed work shows the profound importance of access to collateral in terms of home ownership and housing values for expanding self-employment or entrepreneurship. This is important in the current economic crisis as housing values have collapsed, while need for collateral as a source of business finance has skyrocketed.<br /> <br /> Objective 2: Investigate the potential for rural development policies based on entrepreneurship, industrial clustering, value-added and nontraditional agricultural businesses and analyze the spatial implications of industrial restructuring on employment and earnings.<br /> <br /> Recruiting food, fiber, or biomass processors remains a plausible rural economic development strategy in the belief that rural areas provide access advantage to the raw materials needed for these operations. While expansion of the manufacturing sector in rural areas ended in the 1980s, food processing remains more rural-based than most manufacturing, suggesting that some nonmetropolitan communities have comparative advantage compared with urban areas in attracting food processors. Community planners may consider food manufacturing and other value-added agribusinesses to be solutions to offset rural outmigration and unemployment because these activities are potential sources of off-farm work, and could increase farm income through backward linkages to local agricultural production. <br /> <br /> Growth of the meat and poultry processing industry in rural parts of the Midwest has generated considerable controversy regarding the economic and social impacts of new plants on their host communities. Much of the evidence informing this debate is anecdotal or based on case-studies of very large plants. Research in Missouri examined the impacts of meat and poultry processing plants on social and economic outcomes, using data on non-metropolitan counties in twenty-three Midwestern and Southern states spanning a decade. The research shows that while growth in the industry is associated with community change, particularly changing demographics, the dramatic burdens documented in a few case studies appear to be the exception rather than the rule. The Missouri research found that the industry has impacted the demographic composition of rural communities and their schools, but find no evidence that the industry increases per capita government expenditures. The impact of livestock production on the local economy was much lower than expected. This suggests rural communities trade off the economic benefits of hosting these large employers against the costs of accommodating needs of new residents. <br /> <br /> In another study investigating the local determinants correlated with attracting food manufacturing investment, researchers in Indiana (Purdue) and Tennessee (UT) found that micropolitan counties had a comparative advantage with respect to attracting some types of food manufacturing investment, but the most rural, noncore counties were less likely to attract any type of food processors. All food processor types preferred locations in or around urban areas, or in nonmetropolitan counties that provide access to product or input markets, or agglomeration economies. Supply oriented food processors tend to locate in nonmetropolitan counties providing access to agricultural inputs. Noncore counties simply lacked the critical mass in terms of access to product demand centers or availability of infrastructure to meet logistical needs.<br /> <br /> The development of biomass-based industries face many challenges. The organization of developing biomass-based industries could become a key non-technical barrier to its development. Biomass sources could be a low cost feedstock for energy production such as cellulosic ethanol. This potential low cost hinges on effective and efficient markets for the raw material. Researchers in Missouri and Kentucky (UK) examined the broad industrial structure of the current biopower industry including the organizational forms used to procure or transfer ownership of biomass. Using survey evidence, the Missouri study found evidence that the current biopower industry is highly vertically integrated with little use of spot markets, which is consistent across the type of biomass fuel used. In Kentucky, the results of the economic impact analysis of the biomass sector were reported to state policymakers. <br /> <br /> Researchers in Missouri also investigated the entrepreneurship of migrants and their location choice in attempt to draw connections between migration and economic development, especially the role of business formation in rural development. Their findings suggest that social capital and social networks established in ones home region are a strong factor in location choice of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs from rural origins tend to start their businesses in rural areas in general and half of entrepreneurs migrate back to their home region to take local comparative advantages. Rural entrepreneurs are also more likely to obtain financial support from family members, friends and local banks to start a business than are their urban counterparts. More generally, find rural residents are more likely to start a business than urban residents. One plausible explanation for this finding is a lack of job opportunities in more remote rural areas. In a complementary study, researchers as PSU also investigated the determinants of economic growth in US self-employment numbers and earnings; ongoing work is assessing motivations of entrepreneurs to locate in small towns and efficiency of financial inputs for entrepreneurship in the financial sector.<br /> <br /> In South Carolina (Clemson), research continues on how worker skill sets tie into industry cluster development and economic growth. Findings of this research may be relevant to industry targeting and entrepreneurial training.<br /> <br /> Value Chain Industry cluster identification methods were used to determine linkages between purchasers and suppliers at the county level for 447 economic sectors in Tennessee. Using an econometric model, the cluster analysis was extended to estimate which value chains contributed to economic growth between 2001 and 2006. Businesses making up the agriculture and forestry clusters experienced increased output per job in 34% and 32%, respectively, of Tennessee's counties. The spatial pattern of these findings was evident, suggesting that some counties may benefit from regional coordination of projects designed to enhance or retain businesses in these industry clusters.<br /> <br /> Research on the cruise ship industry in Portland, Maine, informed business owners, policymakers and residents about this industry that is growing nationally and in Maine. This research and a previous study about cruise ship passengers in Bar Harbor is frequently cited in newspaper articles about the cruise industry in Maine. A cabinet-level Maine policymaker stated that this information is being used in presentations across the state.<br /> <br /> Objective 3: Investigate the changing organizational structure, tax policy and fiscal standing of local governments and the impact of tax and/or expenditure limitations on local government fiscal stress and economic growth in rural areas.<br /> <br /> A study by researchers in Missouri Agricultural determined the economic impacts and costs and benefits to the state of a grant program for agricultural value-added technical and feasibility studies and a tax credit program for New Generation Cooperatives. Businesses that receive money under these programs are now required to report to the state for three years. This should improve the ability of the state to evaluate the programs. <br /> <br /> Broadband connectivity is widely promoted as a potentially significant contributor to local economic development in relatively isolated rural places. The high-speed data transmission that broadband facilitates reduces the effective cost of distance to businesses and to consumers, easing key constraints at play in such communities, namely small markets, high transport costs and geographic isolation. Ironically, precisely the same physical remoteness and low population densities that make broadband particularly desirable in rural areas also render its deployment expensive. As a result, broadband penetration into rural areas - and particularly more remote areas - has lagged more densely populated and less remote locations. Since 2000 federal Broadband Loan programs authorized under consecutive Farm Bills have directed more than $1.8 billion to private telecommunications providers in 40 states with the explicit goal of increasing the amount of high-speed data transmission capacity available to rural residents and businesses. Most recently, $2.5 billion of the $7.2 billion funded by ARR Act of 2009 explicitly targeted rural areas in new federal spending for these same purposes. The economic implications of investment in rural broadband Internet was conducted by researchers at the Economic Research Service (ERS), Clemson, and North Carolina State University. ERS research showed that broadband access to the Internet contributes to greater rural economic growth.<br /> <br /> Objective 4: Develop a better understanding of the role of amenities in rural development and the impact of economic and social changes on the quality of life in rural communities.<br /> <br /> Researchers at OSU, UT, Georgia (UGA), and UK continue to focus on how proximity to urban areas affects housing location, land-use, economic activity, population retention and rural poverty. Their research also seeks to identify patterns of exurbanization and the underlying processes determining these patterns, as well as the linkages between regional processes (e.g., regional economic growth), natural amenities, and exurban land use patterns. <br /> <br /> Researchers in Georgia investigating the environmental impacts of housing demand on saltwater marshes found that people are willing to pay a premium for larger lots, more common space and less impervious surface. Less important in rural areas so developers lose their incentives to practice green development. The policy implications are that salt water marsh counties are fastest growing so it makes sense to plan green development incentives into subdivision projects now. Scientists in Tennessee evaluated the effectiveness of a two-rate property tax (TPT) on housing development density and the preservation of open space amenities. Findings suggest that 76% of the households valued open space more following a land value tax rate of 9.04%, which suggests that households in certain locations are likely to support programs or policies preserving open space.<br /> <br />

Publications

1. Ali, Kamar, M. Rose Olfert, and Mark D. Partridge. Urban Footprints in Rural Canada: Employment Spillovers by City Size. (forthcoming) Regional Studies. (Accepted).<br /> <br /> 2. Alm, James, Sennoga, Edward, Skidmore, Mark. 2009. Perfect Competition, Urbanization, and Tax Incidence in the Retail Gasoline Market, Economic Inquiry, 47 (1).<br /> <br /> 3. Bakhshi, Samira, Mohammad Shakeri M. Rose Olfert Mark D. Partridge, and Simon Weseen. (2009). "Do Local Residents Value Federal Transfers: Evidence from the Canadian Federation?" Public Finance Review. 37 (3):235-268.<br /> <br /> 4. Carrion-Flores. Carmen and Elena G. Irwin. Identifying spatial interaction effects in the presence of spatially error autocorrelation: an application to land use spillovers. (forthcoming) Energy and Resource Economics. (Accepted).<br /> <br /> 5. Chen, Yong, Elena G. Irwin and Ciriyam Jayaprakash (2009). Dynamic modeling of environmental amenity-driven migration with ecological feedbacks. Ecological Economics 68: 2498-2510. <br /> <br /> 6. Clark, C.D., D.M. Lambert, W.M. Park, and M.D. Wilcox, 2009. Willingness to Fund Public Education in a Rural Retirement Destination County. Journal of Research in Rural Education 24(6).<br /> <br /> 7. Clark, Jill K., Ron McChesney, Darla K. Munroe, Elena G. Irwin (2009). Spatial characteristics of exurban settlement pattern in the U.S. Landscape and Urban Planning. 90: 178-188.<br /> <br /> 8. Davis, Elizabeth E. and Li, NaiChia. (2009). Regional Variation in Child Care Prices: A Cross-State Analysis. Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy. 39(1): 40-54.<br /> <br /> 9. Devine, Jon, Todd Gabe and Kathleen P. Bell. Community Scale and Resident Attitudes towards Tourism. Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Vol. 39, No. 1, 2009.<br /> <br /> 10. Gabe, Todd M. Knowledge and Earnings. Journal of Regional Science, Vol. 49, No. 3, 2009.<br /> <br /> 11. Goetz, S.. and S. Shrestha, 2009. Explaining Self-Employment Success and Failure: Wal-Mart vs. Starbucks or Schumpeter vs. Putnam. Social Sciences Quarterly 91 (1):22-38.<br /> <br /> 12. Goetz, S., and A. Rupasingha. 2009. Determinants and Implications of Growth in Non-Farm Proprietorship Densities: 1990-2000. Small Business Economics 32: 425-438.<br /> <br /> 13. Irwin, Elena G. New directions for urban economic models of land use change: incorporating spatial dynamics and heterogeneity. Journal of Regional Science. (In Press)<br /> <br /> 14. Irwin, Elena G., Kathleen P. Bell, Nancy E. Bockstael, David A. Newburn, Mark D. Partridge, and JunJie Wu. (2009). The Economics of Urban-Rural Space. Annual Review of Resource Economics. (1): 435-462.<br /> <br /> 15. Irwin, Elena G., Andrew Isserman, Maureen Kilkenny and Mark D. Partridge. A century of research on rural development and regional issues (forthcoming) American Journal of Agricultural Economics. (Accepted)<br /> <br /> 16. Irwin, Elena G., Ciriyam Jayaprakash and Darla K. Munroe (2009). Towards a comprehensive model of urban spatial dynamics Landscape Ecology, 24(9): 1223-1236.<br /> <br /> 17. Kangayi, Chipo, M. Rose Olfert, Mark D. Partridge. (forthcoming) Co-operatives and Rural Community Population Growth: Evidence from a Canadian Study. Review of Regional Studies. (Accepted)<br /> <br /> 18. Kilkenny, Maureen and Mark D. Partridge. (2009). Export Sectors and Rural Development. American Journal of Agricultural Economics (91): 910-929. <br /> <br /> 19. Lambert, D.M., T. R. Wojan, and P. Sullivan. 2009. Farm Business and Household Expenditure Patterns and Local Communities: Evidence from a National Farm Survey. Review of Agricultural Economics 31(3): 604 - 626.<br /> <br /> 20. Lambert, D.M., K. T. McNamara. 2009. Location Determinants of Food Manufacturers in the U.S., 2000 - 2004: Are Nonmetropolitan Counties Competitive? Agricultural Economics 40(6): 617 - 630. <br /> <br /> 21. Lambert, D.M., C.D. Clark, M.D. Wilcox, and W.M. Park. 2009. Public Education Financing Trends and the Gray Peril Hypothesis. Growth and Change 40(4), 619 - 648.<br /> <br /> 22. Lobao, Linda and David Kraybill. 2009. Poverty and Local Governments: Economic Development and Community Service Provision in an Era of Decentralization. Growth and Change. Vol. 40(3): 418-451.<br /> <br /> 23. Loomis, J., O. Tadjion, P. Watson, J. Wilson, S. Davies, and D. Thilmany. 2009. A Hybrid Individual Zonal Travel Cost Model for Estimating the Consumer Surplus of Golfing in Colorado. Journal of Sports Economics. 10(April):155-67.<br /> <br /> 24. Maher, Craig, and Skidmore, Mark. 2009. Voter Responses on Referenda to Exceed Revenue Limits, Public Budgeting and Finance, 29 (2).<br /> <br /> 25. Monchuk, Daniel C., Derek Brewin, and Mark D. Partridge. (2009). Are all Innovations Created Equally? Examining the Adoption of Product and Process Innovations in the Canadian Food Processing Industry. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 57 (March, 1): 75-98.<br /> <br /> 26. Partridge, Mark D., M. Rose Olfert, and Kamar Ali. (Forthcoming) Lessons from the Evaluation of Canadian and U.S. Rural Development Policy. Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy. (Accepted) <br /> <br /> 27. Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, and Kamar Ali. (2009) Recent Immigration: The Diversity of Economic Outcomes in Metropolitan America. Cityscape 11 (3): 29-57. <br /> <br /> 28. Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. (2009) Agglomeration Spillovers and Wage and Housing Cost Gradients Across the Urban Hierarchy. Journal of International Economics 78 (1): 126-140.<br /> <br /> 29. Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. (2009). Do New Economic Geography Agglomeration Shadows Underlie Current Population Dynamics across the Urban Hierarchy? Papers in Regional Science. 88(2): 445-466. <br /> <br /> 30. Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, and Hui Li. (2009) Who Wins From Local Economic Development? A Supply Decomposition of U.S. County Employment Growth. Economic Development Quarterly. 23: 13-27.<br /> <br /> 31. Shideler, David W. and David S. Kraybill. 2009. Social Capital: An Analysis of Factors Affecting Investment. Journal of Socioeconomics. Vol. 38: 443-455. <br /> <br /> 32. Skidmore, Mark and Scorsone, Eric. 2009. Causes and Consequences of Fiscal Stress in Michigan Municipalities, State Tax Notes, Vol. 53, No. 10, 675-692.<br /> <br /> 33. Skidmore, Mark, Merriman, David, Kashian, Russ. 2009. The Relationship between Tax Increment Finance and Municipal Land Annexation, Land Economics, 85 (4).<br /> <br /> 34. Skidmore, Mark. 2009. A Review of Risking House and Home: Disasters, Cities, Public Policy, edited by John M. Quigley and Larry A. Journal of Regional Science, 49 (3).<br /> <br /> 35. Sparks, P., D. McLaughlin, and C. Stokes. 2009. Differential Neonatal and Postneonatal Infant Mortality Rates Across US Counties: The Role of Socioeconomic Conditions and Rurality. Journal Of Rural Health. 25(4):332-341.<br /> <br /> 36. Stewart, L., D.M. Lambert, M. D. Wilcox, and B. C. English. 2009. Tennessee Agriculture and Forestry Industry Clusters and Economic Performance, 2000. 2006, Journal of Agriculture and Resource Economics, 34(1): 172 - 195.<br /> <br /> 37. Warren, Keith, Ciriyam Jayaprakash and Elena G. Irwin (2009). The interaction of segregation and suburbanization in an agent-based model of residential location. Environment and Planning B, 36:6, 989, 1007.<br /> <br /> Conference Presentations and Proceedings<br /> <br /> 1. Artz, G. 2009. Impacts of Meatpacking and Processing Plants on Rural Communities in the U.S. Proceedings of the 2009 Cambio De Colores Conference, Latinos in the Heartland, St. Louis, MO, May 18-20.<br /> <br /> 2. Davis, Elizabeth E. and Whitler, Melissa. (2009) Complexity of Commuting Patterns: Workforce Flows in Rural Minnesota. Presentation at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) annual meeting, July 2009.<br /> <br /> 3. Deller, Steven, Judith I. Stallmann, Lindsay Amiel and Craig Maher.  Tax and Expenditure Limitations and State Credit Ratings. North American Regional Science Association. San Francisco, California. Nov. 19-21, 2009. <br /> <br /> 4. Deller, Steven , Judith I. Stallmann, Lindsay Amiel. The Impact of Tax and Expenditure Limitations on Economic Growth Midwest Regional Science Association. Milwaukee, WI. May 28-30, 2009. <br /> <br /> 5. Deller, Steven, Judith I. Stallmann, Lindsay Amiel. Do Tax and Expenditure Limitations Influence State Credit Ratings? Midwest Regional Science Association. Milwaukee, WI. May 28-30, 2009.<br /> <br /> 6. Fleming, D., D. McGranahan and S.J. Goetz, Natural Amenities and Rural Development: The Role of Land-Based Policies invited paper at the Experts Consultation on Rural Policy, OECD Headquarters, Paris, France, June 15-16, 2009. NERCRD-RDP No. 45.<br /> <br /> 7. Goetz, S., M. Partridge, D. Rickman and S. Majumdar. Sharing the Gains of Local Economic Growth: Race to the Top vs. Race to the Bottom Economic Development. 2009. Paper presented at the Lincoln Land Institute Race to the Top Workshop, Sept. 10-11, 2009, 52pp. Available: http://www.lincolninst.edu/docs/635/1008_Rickman.pdf<br /> <br /> 8. Goetz, S.J., M. Partridge and S. Deller, Evaluating Policy Options for Stimulating Rural Entrepreneurship invited paper at the Experts Consultation on Rural Policy, OECD Headquarters, Paris, France, June 15-16, 2009. NERCRD-RDP No. 46<br /> <br /> 9. Renkow, Mitch and Ivan T. Kandilov. 2009. Infrastructure Investment Programs and Rural Economic Development in the U.S. Paper presented at the Conference on Aiding the Process of Agricultural Policy Reform: Evaluation of Public Policies for Rural Development, OECD, Paris, France, June 15-16, 2009.<br /> <br /> 10. Rossi, James, G. Artz, J. I. Stallmann, and T. G. Johnson. Missouris Agricultural Products Utilization and New Generation Cooperative Tax Incentive Programs: Economic Impacts and Benefits and Costs. San Antonio, Texas: Southern Regional Science Association Annual Meeting, April 2-4, 2009.<br /> <br /> 11. Stenberg, P., Morehart, M. (2009). "Rural Broadband Internet Access Supply and Demand", paper presented at the AAEA Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI, July.<br /> <br /> 12. Stenberg, P. (2009). "Broadband Use: What, Where, and Why of Farm Internet Use", presentation at USDA-CSREES Family Farm Forum, Washington, DC, May.<br /> <br /> 13. Yu, L. and G. Artz. Migration and Rural Entrepreneurship. Presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association annual meetings, Milwaukee, WI, July 26-28, 2009.<br /> <br /> 14. Weber, Bruce A. Review of Mark D. Partridge and Dan S. Rickman. The Geography of American Poverty: Is There a Need for Place-Based Policies? in Growth and Change 40(1): 169-174. March 2009.<br /> <br /> Technical Reports<br /> <br /> 1. Alves Pena, A., D. Thilmany McFadden, and J. Herdandez. ALR 09-02. Economic Implications of Labor and Immigration Policy: The Case of Greeley's Swift Plant April 2009. 5 pp.<br /> <br /> 2. Amiel, Lindsay, Steven Deller and Judith Stallmann. 2009. The Construction of a Tax and Expenditure Limitation Index for the US. University of Wisconsin Agricultural and Applied Economics Staff Paper Series No. 536, May 2009, 33p. http://www.aae.wisc.edu/pubs/sps/<br /> <br /> 3. Blumenthal, Marsha, Laura Kalambokidis, and Alex Turk. 2009. Charitable Contributions in a Voluntary Compliance Income Tax System: Itemized Deductions Versus Matching Subsidies: A report to the Internal Revenue Service. Washington, DC: U.S. Internal Revenue Service. <br /> <br /> 4. Center for Rural Pennsylvania (twin reports submitted by Findeis, J., M. Shields, S. Shrestha, D. Yerger, J. Julian). 2009. Studies on Unemployment and Underemployment in Rural Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, PA: CRP.<br /> <br /> 5. Gabe, Todd and Jaison Abel. Labor Market Pooling and Occupational Agglomeration. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Staff Report 392. September 2009.<br /> <br /> 6. Gabe, Todd and James McConnon. Economic Impact of Cruise Ship Passengers in Portland, Maine. School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 578, January 2009.<br /> <br /> 7. Holland, D., Paul Lewin, Bruce Sorte, and Bruce Weber, How Economically Interdependent is the Portland Metro Core with its Rural Periphery? A Comparison across Two Decades. February 2009. RSP # 09-01<br /> <br /> 8. Lake, Amy, Sara Alva Lizarraga, Dennis Robinson, and Tom Johnson. 2009. Northeast Region Baseline Report: 2006-2016. Report R-2009-02, Community Policy Analysis Center, University of Missouri. April.<br /> <br /> 9. Lucht, Jill, Tom Johnson, Dennis Robinson, Tracy Greever-Rice, and Amy Lake. 2009. City of Columbia Peer Community Comparison and Scenario Report: 2005-2015. Report R-2009-03, Community Policy Analysis Center, University of Missouri. June.<br /> <br /> 10. Partridge, Mark D., Xuetao Huang, and Tripti Uprety, 2009. What will Economic Recovery Bring to Ohio? The Exurban Change Project and Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy Summary Report, December 2009. Available at: www.aede.osu.edu/programs/Swank. 15 pages.<br /> <br /> 11. Snyder, A., D. McLaughlin and A. Coleman-Jensen. 2009. The New, Longer Road to Adulthood: Schooling, Work and Idleness Among Rural Youth. Report 9. The Carsey Institute, University of New Hampshire.<br /> <br /> 12. Stenberg, P., and Low, S. (2009). Rural Broadband At a Glance, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, EIB- 47.<br /> <br /> 13. Stenberg, P., Morehart, M., and Cromartie, J.. (2009). "Broadband Internet and the Vitality of Rural America", Amber Waves, Vol. 7, Issue 3, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, August.<br /> <br /> 14. Stenberg, P., Morehart, M., Vogel, S., Breneman, V., Cromartie, J., Brown, D. (2009). Broadband Internet's Value for Rural America, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Economic Research Report, ERR-78, August.<br /> <br /> 15. Stallmann, Judith I., Thomas G. Johnson, Georgeanne Artz and James Rossi. New Generation Cooperatives Tax Credits and Agricultural Product Utilization Contributor Tax Credits: Economic Impact and Benefit-cost Analyses. A report to the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority, December, 2009. <br /> <br /> 16. Sorte, Bruce, Paul Lewin and Bruce Weber, Economic Impacts on Oregon Counties of the Termination of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act: An Update. Feburary 2009. RSP #09-03.<br /> <br /> 17. Thilmany McFadden, D., A.Alves Pena, and J. Herdandez. ALR 09-01. Agricultural Labor in Colorado: Has Recent Immigration and Labor Policy Resulted from Colorado's Employment Trends? April 2009. 6 pp.<br /> <br /> Books<br /> <br /> 1. Goetz, S.J., S.C. Deller and T. Harris, eds., Targeting Regional Economic Development, Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group, UK, 2009, 410pp. <br /> <br /> 2. Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. In Press. <br /> <br /> Chapters in Books<br /> <br /> 1. Gabe, Todd M. Impact of Agglomerations on the Economy, in a Stephan Goetz, Steven Deller and Thomas Harris (eds), Targeted Regional Economic Development. Routledge Publishers, 2009.<br /> <br /> 2. Daniel, Harold, Kathleen Bell, John Daigle, Todd Gabe and Jessica Leahy. Tourism & Recreation in Jacobson, G.L., I.J. Fernandez, P.A. Mayewski and C.V. Schmitt, Editors, Maines Climate Future: An Initial Assessment. Orono, ME: University of Maine, 2009.<br /> <br /> 3. Deller, S.C. and S.J. Goetz, Historical Description of Economic Development Policy, Chapter 2 in Goetz et al. editors, Targeting Regional Economic Development, Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group, UK, 2009, pp. 17-34.<br /> <br /> 4. Findeis, J., K. Brasier, and R. Salcedo Du Bois. 2009. Population-driven Transition Zones in the United States: Demographic Change, Land Use, and Adjustments in the Structure of Agriculture. In S.Goetz and F. Brouwer (eds.), New Perspectives on Agri-environmental Policies: A Multidisciplinary and Transatlantic Approach. New York, NY: Routledge.<br /> <br /> 5. Goetz, S.J., S.C. Deller and T. Harris, Targeted Regional Economic Development: Introduction and Overview, Chapter 1 in Goetz et al. editors, Targeting Regional Economic Development, Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group, UK, 2009, pp. 1-13.<br /> <br /> 6. Goetz, S.J., M. Shields and Q. Wang, Targeted Regional Economic Development: Introduction and Overview, Chapter 15 in Goetz et al. editors, Targeting Regional Economic Development, Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group, UK, 2009, pp. 281-310.<br /> <br /> 7. Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber. Toward One Oregon: A Declaration of Interdependence Chapter 1 in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. In Press. <br /> <br /> 8. Holland, David, Paul Lewin, Bruce Sorte, and Bruce Weber, How Economically Interdependent is the Portland Metro Core with its Rural Periphery? A Comparison across Two Decades. Chapter 5 in in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. In Press.<br /> <br /> 9. Jensen, L., and T. Yang. 2009. Taken by Surprise: New Immigrants in the Rural United States. Pp. 17-42 In B. Jentsch and M. Simard (eds.), International Migration and Rural Areas: Cross National Comparative Perspectives. Hampshire, UK: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.<br /> <br /> 10. Deller, S.C., Goetz, S.J., T.R. Harris and A.F. Davis, TRED: Conclusion and the Future, Chapter 20 in Goetz et al. editors, Targeting Regional Economic Development, Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group, UK, 2009, pp. 391-398.<br /> <br /> 11. Martin, Sheila, and Bruce Weber, A Tale of Two Oregons: Common Aspirations, Different Contexts and Critical Interdependencies in Urban and Rural Oregon, Chapter 2 in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. In Press. <br /> <br /> 12. Slack, T. and L. Jensen. 2009. Informal Work in Rural America: Theory and Evidence. Pp. 177 - 191 in E. Marcelli, C. Williams and P. Joassart (eds.), Informal Work in Developed Nations. New York, NY: Routledge.<br /> <br /> 13. Weber, Bruce and Mindy Crandall. Impacts of welfare reform on rural people and places in the United States in Paul Milbourne, editor. International Perspectives on Rural Welfare, Bingley UK: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. In press. <br /> <br /> 14. Seltzer, Ethan, Michael Hibbard and Bruce Weber, Reframing our Common Cause in an Interdependent World. Chapter 9 in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. In Press. <br />

Impact Statements

1. Analysis of farm labor market trends, the interface with immigration policy and framing the potential economic impacts from various approaches to handling those with different immigration status has been used in Colorado policy and advocacy discussions.
2. Research on Tennessee entrepreneurs was the subject of some radio reports in Nashville, as well as some local news paper articles, in addition to being invited to the Governors Conference on Entrepreneurship.
3. Associated policy briefs have facilitated the non-technical dissemination of the knowledge creation for Ohio policymakers and decision makers.
4. A cabinet-level Maine policymaker frequently uses research by an NE1029 member to inform policy about ecotourism and the states economy. Other ongoing research in Maine has informed policymakers and other interested stakeholders about strategies to increase the productivity and wages of Maine workers.
5. Findings from research on broadband connectivity have been shared with the staff of E-NC, an organization whose mission is to promote broadband access in rural North Carolina.
6. Findings from a national study on broadband connectivity by researchers at the USDA Economic Research Service have also been disseminated Congress and other policymakers in Washington through hearings, press interviews, meetings, and other venues.
7. Scientists at Oregon State have presented their findings through presentations about rural poverty to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the International Comparative Rural Policy Studies Summer School in Scotland.
8. Research on the potential impacts of local fiscal policy has been disseminated through workshops, websites, and proceedings, and has piqued the interest of State Representatives in Michigan.

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Report Information

Participants

Skidmore, Mark - Michigan State U;
Stenberg, Peter - ERS;
Stallmann, Judith - U of Missouri;
Rossi, James - U of Missouri;
Deller, Steve - U of Wisconsin;
Otto, Daniel - Iowa State U;
Hughes, David - Clemson U;
Morris, Doug - U of New Hampshire;
Rainey, Daniel - U of Arkansas;
Renkow, Mitch - North Carolina State U;
Miller, Wayne - U of Arkansas;
Chen, Yong - U of Oregon;
Whitacre, Brian - Oklahoma State U;

Brief Summary of Minutes

The primary focus of the meeting was on the continuation of the project beyond the current five year period. There was a concensus to develop a new proposal. The new proposal will address two issues under the Experiment Stations Science Roadmap (that also overlaps with the NIFA Areas of Focus) - Local/Regional Foods and Community Resilience. The participants started to frame out these topics and prepared drafts of two objectives and related issues. Assignments were made to have individuals further develop these objectives.

Accomplishments

The NE1029 group was prolific in 2010. There were 45 reported publications in peer reviewed journals along with a book chapter. Participants reported that 20 manuscripts were presented at professional meetings and/or published in conference proceedings, and 38 technical reports and staff papers were prepared. The research and information generated by these NE-1029 efforts are and will increasingly play an important role in policy formation. During the year, project participants provided valuable support and insight in each others research efforts. A detailed summary of accomplishments for each objective are summarized below.<br /> <br /> Objective 1: Identify and analyze ongoing and potential changes in rural labor markets and the impacts of migration, commuting, and workforce development policies on rural labor markets.<br /> <br /> California researchers developed a new version of the Environmental Dynamic Revenue Model, which was delivered to the California Air Resources Board. Using the model, the researchers evaluated the macro effects of a proposed renewable energy standard for California. The standard includes the proposed use of biogas and biomass for energy. They found that the proposed standard results in a small contraction in state output and personal income.<br /> <br /> The Economic Research Service focused significant research effort on digital economic policy and on-farm renewable energy use. The digital economic policy research analyzed the economic relationship between the Internet and rural economies. The on-going study examined the economics of communication and information service delivery and on-line economic activities (such as e-commerce) with respect to farm and rural businesses examining various farm business characteristics and the likelihood of Internet use in management. A briefing room on rural digital economy is available at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/telecom/. The research has been used by Congress, the Council of Economic Advisors, and other federal policy making entities. On-farm renewable energy use is an on-going study of farm-level interrelationships with the renewable fuels sector. The study showed that farm operators not only grew biomass crops but invested in renewable energy production for on-farm use as well as selling to the electrical grid. Bio-digesters, wind energy, and solar energy though rapidly increasing, still were only minor factors in farm operations.<br /> <br /> In Georgia, NE-1029 helped to support his project helped to fund the development of an outreach effort in the form of (a) the project report "Economic Analysis of the Coastal Georgia Real Estate Market and Applications of the Results" and (b) a set of online price estimation tools for developers, homebuyers and local officials. Tax assessors' databases were obtained from metropolitan Chatham County, suburban Glynn County and rural Camden County in Georgia. A separate statistical study was performed for each of the counties to explain variation in sale prices. In each of the counties around 2,000 properties were analyzed for a total of 5,964 parcels. Results show that buyers place a premium on larger parcels, but this can be outweighed by the higher premium they place on planned open spaces inside the subdivision. Among other things, the study is the first to show that the trade-off between open space and lot sizes. Findings inform local government officials as they prepare for the changing the real estate market that increasingly emphasizes low-impact development strategies.<br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Kentucky helped to create the Stronger Economies Together curriculum for regions across the United States. This curriculum was based on the "Targeting Regional Economic Development" book edited by Goetz, Harris and Deller of which Alison Davis contributed two chapters. The crux of this curriculum focuses on cluster analysis and building on a region's competitive advantage. The mission was to help promote local businesses by first having them understand their current local economy. A Kentucky researcher was also awarded a research project that investigates health access, quality and quantity in Kentucky. This project will look at clusters of health care, health care professionals, and the economic impact of health care on communities.<br /> <br /> In Maine, researchers examined the potential economic impact of a proposed casino in Oxford, Maine. This project involved a market potential analysis and an econometric analysis of the effects of casinos on local restaurant and lodging sales. A project report was released in August of 2010, which led to several newspaper articles, radio interviews (e.g., Maine Public Radio, George Hale and Ric Tyler Show on WVOM), and television coverage. Research on the impacts of the proposed Oxford casino informed Maine voters about a statewide referendum question appearing on the November ballot. Groups on both sides of the casino issue used results from the study in public debates leading up to the election. In early 2010, project investigators examined the effects of cellular telephone warning labels on Maine retailers. Findings from this study were presented on March 2, 2010, to the Maine Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. The study on cellular telephone warning labels informed members of a legislative committee, which voted on whether or not a bill should be considered by the full Maine Legislature.<br /> <br /> In Minnesota, scientists analyzed different methods for measuring economic linkages across counties using data from the Census Bureau Longitudinal Employment Dynamics (LED) program. The data include counts of workers' primary job location and residence location at a detailed geographic level for Minnesota and bordering states. In 2010, this work was expanded to look at significant workforce flows by worker characteristics, including wage level, age and industry. Two manuscripts were prepared for publication in peer-reviewed journals and findings were disseminated at the Southern Regional Science Association annual conference. A key finding of this research was that it is very important to account for economic ties between counties when formulating economic development policy. <br /> <br /> In Missouri, researchers examined the broad industrial structure of the current bio-power industry including the organizational forms used to procure or transfer ownership of biomass. Based on survey evidence, the current bio-power industry was found to be highly vertically integrated with little use of spot markets. This result is found to be consistent across the type of biomass fuel used. <br /> <br /> A North Carolina researcher is evaluating the degree to which the availability of broadband in rural communities has been an important for U.S. rural development. Since 2000, federal broadband loan programs authorized under consecutive Farm Bills have directed more than $1.8 billion to private telecommunications providers in 40 states with the explicit goal of making high-speed data transmission capacity available to rural residents and businesses. Most recently, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized $2.5 billion in new federal funding for these same purposes. Arguments in favor of these programs are supported by research projecting large economic benefits from widespread broadband deployment. However, these projections obscure the fact that the distribution of these benefits is not likely to be uniform, either spatially or across industries. For example, prior research conducted under this project (and published during this reporting period) found evidence that the loan program created a range of impacts - some positive, some negative - that varied across industries and across county types (Kandilov and Renkow 2010). During this reporting period, the researcher further explored the impact of broadband loans on the agricultural industry, finding that commodity sales, production expenses, farm income, and farm size have been positively affected by the broadband loan program. <br /> <br /> NE-1029 researchers in Oklahoma studied whether or not the early provision of broadband access impacted migration in rural areas. They found that only rural communities that were able to offer more than one type of broadband access had statistically significant higher rates of in-migration. Oklahoma also continues to play an important part in researching various rural health topics. In particular, their research this year demonstrated that the presence of a critical access hospital has a sizeable positive impact on the retail sector of a community.<br /> <br /> Researchers at Ohio State University have been prolific in terms of refereed publications. A primary focus of this research is on how proximity to urban areas affects housing location, land-use, economic activity, population retention, and rural poverty. It has also sought to identify patterns of exurbanization and the underlying processes that determine these patterns, as well as the linkages between regional processes (e.g., regional economic growth, job creation, and commuting), natural amenities, and exurban land-use patterns. Finally, this work demonstrates a link between small business vitality and subsequent local economic growth. The research has been disseminated via the web, at professional conferences, and is at varying stages of review for academic publication. The audience for these papers includes academics, while the underlying findings also support the less technical presentations, media work, and policy briefs. A second set of outputs revolve around policy briefs that illustrates how the green economy will affect the Ohio and national economies. The briefs suggest modest effects on job creation and describe how a more targeted approach would be more effective. The findings of the policy brief were disseminated via press releases, web-based publications, radio interviews, and by public presentations. The targeted audience for these policy briefs and related presentations include informed decision makers, economic development officials, and elected/appointed government officials, and interested members of the public. To leverage greater public appeal, Ohio State University has formed partnerships with organizations such as The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Greater Ohio. <br /> <br /> In Pennsylvania, commuting network models for the US were specified and estimated to analyze impacts of network topography (eg, centrality, in-entropy, out-entropy) on local economic growth rates. Results show 1) marked increases in commuting in the US over time , and 2) that even rural counties in the most rural places (rural-urban continuum codes 6, 8) can have high out-centrality scores, comparable to those found in urban core areas (code 1). Research also suggests the need for more investigation at the micro level into underlying mechanisms of settlement patterns and economic activity along the rural-urban continuum. Related research now underway will determine the relationships among commuting, migration and network topography. <br /> <br /> Under obj. 1, Pennsylvania research also continued to explore the role of informal work in the well-being of families in rural and urban America. Based on a national-level survey of about 1800 US households, this research reveals widespread participation in informal work. The work is often important for household economic survival, especially among poor households. The research suggests that informal work is somewhat more prevalent in rural than urban, a spatial difference partly accounted for by greater levels of social capital in the countryside.<br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 2: Investigate the potential for rural development policies based on entrepreneurship, industrial clustering, value-added and nontraditional agricultural businesses and analyze the spatial implications of industrial restructuring on employment and earnings.<br /> <br /> Arkansas researchers recently conducted a study of Hispanic entrepreneurs, showing that this demographic group operates a diverse array of businesses. The study also identified barriers faced by Hispanic entrepreneurs. Alleviating these barriers will help communities more fully capitalize on the human capital that exists in these migrant groups. They also examined the alternative sources of economic stability for declining rural locations across Arkansas. In particular, they used survey data to explore the potential impact to local economies from an expansion of agritourism in the distressed Delta region of Arkansas. The analysis reveals that farm operators' and/or landowners' perceived future success in the agritourism industry in Arkansas entail different assistance depending on the regional location in the state. The assistances identified are support in training the farm operators; agritourism promotion and marketing; and awareness of laws and regulations impact on agritourism. State government's sponsored trainings in agritourism along with marketing and promotion are viewed as the most important factors in all studied regions that affect operators' decision to participate in the program. However the following regional variations were manifest in the results, in the Ozark region providers are more receptive to face-to-face training interactions while the Delta providers appear to prefer newsletters and news releases. Regarding laws and regulations, property and water rights are given more emphasis in the Ouachita region, but assistance with grant resources was identified in the Ozarks. Delta farmers are interested in receiving help with the identification of niche markets while Ouachita providers are concerned with promotion and marketing assistance. The information is useful to extension leaders and administrators at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture as they plan future agritourism programs in the state.<br /> <br /> In Colorado, NE-1029 activity has focused on the economic development issues surrounding Colorado's agricultural and agribusiness sectors. An agritourism project culminated in a number of workshops, completed curriculum and one peer-reviewed publication. In addition, work on immigration has focused on analyzing the trends seen in hired labor used in the Colorado agricultural sector. This work has been disseminated at one conference and through discussions with major labor advocacy groups in Colorado. Also, analysis of recreational surveys for golf and agritourism has been shared with the stakeholders through existing professional meetings and agritourism workshops organized with CSU Extension.<br /> <br /> In Idaho, research has been conducted on wage and employment, showing a significant gap in Idaho wages relative to the U.S. average. Idaho's wage gap was the result of positive sector bias on employment growth in influential low-wage sectors and negative sector bias on employment growth and the low level of wages in the influential high-wage sectors. The economy of the Rocky Mountain region can be characterized as caught in a low-skill/low-wage equilibrium trap. These results inform policies on employment training and education policies.<br /> <br /> Researchers in Missouri have examined the growing meat and poultry processing industry in rural parts of the Midwest. This research examines the impacts of meat and poultry processing plants on social and economic outcomes, using data on non-metropolitan counties in twenty-three Midwestern and Southern states spanning a decade. The research shows that while growth in the industry is associated with community change, particularly changing demographics, the dramatic burdens documented in a few case studies appear to be the exception rather than the rule. Industry growth has had an important impact on the demographic composition of rural communities and their schools, but appears not to contribution to the funding of government expenditures. This suggests that rural communities consider the trade off the economic benefits of hosting these large employers against the costs of accommodating needs of new residents. The research adds new information to the controversial debate regarding the impact of the meat industry in rural Midwestern communities.<br /> <br /> A New Hampshire researcher has used a on-line survey tool to ascertain the degree of corporate interest in offering part-time and full-time jobs to both rural and urban citizens in New England. Building on previous pilot surveys, high-level executives were queried for the specific information necessary to facilitate the employer/part-time retiree matching process. The data collected continued to be focused on the "rural retiree." During this 2010 project year, data were obtained from over 900 businesses and 500 retirees. Results indicate that retirees wishing to return to work on a part-time basis did possess highly valued skill sets. When the random sample of retirees on the East Coast (from ME to FL) were informed of the purpose of the research project, over one-hundred of the respondents actually registered to use a temporary skill-matching service. Results of the research conducted during the project year were presented at the NAREA meeting in June 2010. <br /> <br /> In Oklahoma, NE-1029 scientists focused on the role of policy and digital communications on economic development/entrepreneurship and on local government and tax policy, respectively. The findings of this research will promote a better understanding (change in knowledge) of the environment required for successful entrepreneurial efforts. This work serves to inform and encourage use of broadband in rural areas and generate new business activity.<br /> <br /> New research in Tennessee evaluates the economic impacts of adding green jobs to the Appalachian Region (AR), a 205,000-square-mile region that follows the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi (Appalachian Regional Commission, 2010). Many of the AR counties fall within the economically distressed or at risk categories. Green jobs can provide a potential avenue for environmentally sustainable economic development. Green jobs are defined as & family-supporting jobs that contribute significantly to preserving or enhancing environmental quality (TN Dept. Labor Workforce and Development, 2008). These jobs primarily originate in sectors to produce renewable energy and efficiently use energy. For this study, key areas considered were wind energy, solar energy, ethanol conversion, biodiesel refining, co-firing wood residues with coal, landfill gas, and retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency. An IMPLAN model using 2006 data is used to project the economic impacts of adding a million dollars of total industry output for each of these activities.<br /> <br /> In Texas, researchers considered the long-run sustainability and locally grown markets. The also gave presentations on a diverse set of issues such as obesity reduction and the economic impact of the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico region. <br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 3: Investigate the changing organizational structure, tax policy and fiscal standing of local governments and the impact of tax and/or expenditure limitations on local government fiscal stress and economic growth in rural areas.<br /> <br /> In Arkansas, researchers have focused on the decline of the economic base in many rural areas and inability of local governments to generate enough revenue to pay for needed public infrastructure and services. A recent study of county government revenue and expenditures found that nearly one-fourth of non-metropolitan counties lost revenue between 1999 and 2007. Not only do these counties have little capacity to generate local revenue, but many have high sales and property tax rates which further constrains their ability to generate additional local revenue. <br /> <br /> An NE-1029 scientist in Idaho has made significant contributions to policymakers by conducting important forecasts of state revenues. This research was disseminated by making a series of presentation to state policymakers. <br /> <br /> A Michigan researcher is working on issues related to local government fiscal challenges. The work includes evaluation of efforts regarding local government consolidation and/or cooperation. In addition, he has work with the Michigan Department of Treasury to develop a local government fiscal data management system: The system is now available to the practitioners and the public for accessing data http://f65.mitreasury.msu.edu/. The portal increases transparency, accountability, and decision-making power at the local, regional, and state levels. <br /> <br /> Minnesota investigators examined the changing organizational structure, tax policy, and fiscal standing of local governments and the impact of tax and/or expenditure limitations on local government fiscal stress and economic growth in rural areas. For this objective, we began a new study of taxpayers' willingness to accept increased tax filing costs in exchange for non-transparency of earnings to the tax authority (i.e., the opportunity to under-report earnings). <br /> <br /> Researchers in Missouri were contracted by the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority to determine the economic impacts and costs and benefits to the state of a grant program for agricultural value-added technical and feasibility studies and a tax credit program for New Generation Cooperatives. As a result of this work, businesses that receive money under these programs are now required to report to the state for three years. This should improve the ability of the state to evaluate the programs. <br /> <br /> Tennessee scientists are evaluating the land value taxation as a potential smart growth policy tool because it does not infringe on private property rights. Through land value taxation, municipalities can reform prevailing property tax schemes to moderate sprawl by reducing the tax rate applied to building values, while increasing the tax rate applied to land values. Such taxation schemes have been referred to as a two-rate property tax (TPT). A two-rate property tax (TPT) imparts different tax rates on land and structures. A hypothetical TPT is evaluated as an instrument to promote open space preservation in a rapidly growing metropolitan county in Tennessee. The potential TPT effects on open space equilibrium levels were compared with simulated equilibrium levels reflecting the TPT policy shock. Ex ante results suggest that equilibrium open space levels were positively displaced following a revenue neutral tax policy on land. About 76% of the households valued open space more following a land value tax rate of 9.04%, which suggests that households in certain locations are likely to support programs or policies preserving open space. <br /> <br /> In Wisconsin research followed two lines of work: (1) tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) and (2) privatization. Research findings suggest that TELs are too blunt of a policy instrument and have numerous unintended consequences. In addition, for small rural local governments privatization as an alternative service delivery option is limited due to thinness of provider markets and most opportunities have already played out, but alternatives such as cooperative agreements across numerous local jurisdictions have significant opportunities. It is important to note that this work was a collaborative effort with a NE-1029 researcher in Missouri.<br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 4: Develop a better understanding of the role of amenities in rural development and the impact of economic and social changes on the quality of life in rural communities.<br /> <br /> Iowa researchers have been studying the factors affecting economic opportunities and quality of life for communities and for individuals living and working in rural areas. The analysis has helped communities understand economic changes and to develop strategies to adjust to them. Ongoing research and outreach are helping communities evaluate opportunities for investing in recreational amenities such as trails, water quality improvements, and boat docking facilities. Identifying opportunities to expand recreational resources improve quality of life for Iowan as well as creating new jobs and income. Flood disasters were again a major issue for a number of Iowa communities in 2010 and the studies and strategies developed during the 2008 floods were used to assist affected communities assess flood impacts and responses. Research assessing the nature and growth of farmers markets and potential for alternative crops are helping entrepreneurs identify new market opportunities. Identifying demographic changes in rural communities helps state and local governments develop appropriate service delivery policies and programs. Iowa researchers also used data from over 5400 Iowa State University alumni spanning 24 years to compare the characteristics of graduates who chose rural residence locations with those who chose to reside in an urban area. There are a few strong predictors of which graduates choose to live in rural counties. The most likely rural alumni are rural born with degrees from the College of Agriculture. Rural alumni place greater emphasis on non-pecuniary career goals than their urban counterparts. These data also show a large income gap between rural and urban alumni, which widens with experience and advanced degrees. In addition, researchers in Iowa are investigating entrepreneurship of migrants and their location choice in attempt to draw connections between migration and economic development, especially the role of business formation in rural development. Social capital and social networks established in ones home region are a strong factor in location choice of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs from rural origins tend to start their businesses in rural areas in general and half of entrepreneurs migrate back to their home region to take local comparative advantages. Rural entrepreneurs are also more likely to obtain financial support from family members, friends and local banks to start a business than are their urban counterparts. More generally, we find rural residents are more likely to start a business than urban residents. <br /> <br /> In the wake of recent natural disasters this past year, the research of a Michigan NE-1029 member on disaster resilience and economic development was widely cited in media outlets such as the PBS News Hour, New York Times, Reuters, The Economist, Forbes, New Yorker, Business Week, and Money. Looking ahead, this line of work may fit in well with the new emphasis on issues related to rural resilience.<br /> <br /> In Missouri researchers conducted a number of economic baseline and scenario analyses for regions of Missouri. In one, the Boone County (Columbia) region was compared with 24 communities with similar population characteristics and research universities. This report was developed as a follow-up to the City of Columbia Baseline Report 2005  2015. The report indicates that the region compares well with peer regions of similar population and university characteristics. Further, in a study of six county rural region in Northeast Missouri we used the Show-Me Model to develop 10 year annual baseline projections of demographic, economic, and fiscal conditions through 2016. The report provided comparisons of various strategies for redevelopment following recent, severe flooding of the region.<br /> <br /> Oregon researchers collaborated across states on three projects that yielded publications in 2010. One study addresses a key determinant of rural change and rural quality of life: community capacity and social capital. Assessing community capacity is an important step in developing community strategies for reaching community goals. The small size, fragility and remoteness of rural communities introduce unique challenges to those who would study capacity in these places. At the same time, the human scale and rich social interaction in rural communities makes the assessment of capacity in such places particularly fruitful and rewarding. The NRE Rural Observatory and Central Oregon SCCBS provide excellent examples of assessment models and techniques that take advantage of the opportunities and address the challenges of rural social capital and community capacity assessment. Particularly important to the success of the NRE was the explicit model of community change, careful selection of communities that participated in the Rural Observatory, and involvement of community leaders in all phases of the project. A second study examined thresholds for community sustainability. Small communities worry about whether there is a critical mass of population below which the community may not survive. Using the Oregon community-level data and applying the threshold estimation method of Hansen (2000), we quantitatively distinguish small communities from their larger counterparts based on significant structural differences in population change. Our results suggest that such a critical population mass is nonexistent. Our results also support the use of community population thresholds as a qualifying condition for the participation in government grant and loan programs and the targeting of community development programs to smaller communities. A third study examines the impact of federal forest policy and rural development investments on community growth and wealth creation during the last two decades, looking at changes in population and the value of bank deposits in 200 rural communities in Oregon. Preliminary results suggest that the implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan has no significant impact on the wealth accumulation process among the rural communities in Oregon. The rural development program of USDA is marginally significant in promoting community population growth but not significant in promoting growth in bank deposits. We are not confident that the wealth creation results because we are not confident that FDIC data on bank deposits are a very good indicator of community financial wealth (in part, because of the failure to capture other forms of financial assets like the investment in stock markets). <br /> <br /> Tennessee researchers are investigating the economic impacts of adding green jobs to the Appalachian Region (AR), a 205,000-square-mile region that follows the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi (Appalachian Regional Commission, 2010). Many of the AR counties fall within the economically distressed or at risk categories. Green jobs can provide a potential avenue for environmentally sustainable economic development. Green jobs are defined as & family-supporting jobs that contribute significantly to preserving or enhancing environmental quality (TN Dept. Labor Workforce and Development, 2008). These jobs primarily originate in sectors to produce renewable energy and efficiently use energy. For this study, key areas considered were wind energy, solar energy, ethanol conversion, biodiesel refining, co-firing wood residues with coal, landfill gas, and retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency. Also, these researchers used the 2004 Agricultural Resource Management Survey to examine the linkages between farm household and business expenditures and communities are explored. Farms in urban areas purchase household goods in markets closest to the farmstead, but traveled further to purchase farm business items. The opposite pattern was observed in rural locations. These findings may have implications with respect to understanding the role of farm program support and local economic development. This project will obtain critical information about Tennessee vegetable and fruits farmers ability to participate and benefit from Locally Grown Produce (LGP) markets. Finally, the Tennessee Rural EcoNomic Development (TREND) website continues to reach interested users wanting information about rural development issues in Tennessee, as well as elsewhere. Total hits from January to November 2010 summed to 86,652 (and average of 259 per day), with 17,278 visitors. The role of the website is to summarize our current and ongoing research related to the NE1029 project objectives, as well as serving as a platform to other websites focusing on rural economic development.<br /> <br /> Pennsylvania multidisciplinary research continued, bringing together economists, sociologists, soil scientists, geographers and ecologists to focus on measuring perceptions and impacts of development and land use change on indicators of quality of life across the Susquehanna Transition Zone (STZ) in Pennsylvania and New York State. The effort involves qualitative surveys of local officials and other key informants, quantitative surveys in a stratified sample of HUC14 watersheds, and photo-interpretation of changes in land use and land cover from historical aerial photographs for the selected watersheds, dating from the late 1930s. Access to amenities and the role of rural amenities in driving patterns of growth is an important component of this work. Surveys across the region will be completed within a year, forming the first wave of data collection to monitor changes in land use, environmental impacts, economic well-being, and quality of life across the T-Zone transect, as widespread development continues. Data collection provides for broad stakeholder input and assessment of change and is particularly relevant given the recent Chesapeake Bay Executive Order. <br /> <br /> Other work conducted by Pennsylvania researchers used spatial modeling to understand geographic variation in county-level mortality rates. This work confirmed the so-called "rural paradox" (nonmetropolitan mortality rates that are lower than expected in view of socioeconomic disadvantages characterizing these places) and finds a partial explanation in the higher levels of social capital in the countryside.<br /> <br /> Finally, new research is being undertaken in Pennsylvania that extends earlier immigration research conducted under NE-1029 to include infectious disease management, environmental quality and quality of life in the Rio Grande Corridor. The goal is to determine appropriate policy options and response in a border transition zone. <br />

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles<br /> <br /> Ali, Kamar, M. Rose Olfert, and Mark D. Partridge. 2010. Rural-to-Urban Commuting: Three Degrees of Integration. Growth and Change. 41: 303-335. <br /> <br /> Briggeman, Brian and Brian Whitacre (senior authorship shared). 2010. Farming and the Internet: Reasons for Non-use. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 39(3): 571-584.<br /> <br /> Carrion-Flores, Carmen and Elena G. Irwin. 2010. Identifying spatial interaction effects in the presence of spatially error autocorrelation: an application to land use spillovers. Energy and Resource Economics 32: 135153.<br /> <br /> Cho, S., D.M. Lambert, R.K. Roberts, and S.G. Kim. 2010. Moderating Urban Sprawl: Is there a Balance between Shared Open Space and Housing Parcel Size? Journal of Economic Geography, 10(5): 763  783.<br /> <br /> Cho, S., D.M. Lambert, and R.K. Roberts. 2010. Forecasting Open Space with a Two-Rate Property Tax. Land Economics, 86(2): 263 - 280.<br /> <br /> Cooke, Stephen C. and Bharathkumar A. Kulandaisamy. 2010. Wage Divergence between the Rocky Mountain States and the U.S.: Idaho Measures and Sources, 2001 to 2009, The Review of Regional Studies Vol. 40, No.1. <br /> <br /> Cotti Chad, Skidmore, Mark. 2010. The Impact of State Government Subsidies and Tax Credits in an Emerging Industry: Ethanol Production 1980-2007, Southern Economics Journal, 76 (4).<br /> <br /> Das, Biswa R., and Daniel V. Rainey. 2010 "Agritourism in the Arkansas Delta Byways: Assessing the Economic Impacts" International Journal of Tourism Research. Vol 12 (3): 265-280.<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. 2010. Rural Poverty, Tourism and Spatial Heterogeneity Annals of Tourism<br /> Research. 37(1):180-205.<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. and Deller, Melissa. 2010. Rural Crime and Social Capital. Growth and Change. 41(2):221-275.<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. 2010. Spatial Heterogeneity in the Role of Microenterprises in Economic Growth. Review of Regional Studies. 40(1):70-96.<br /> <br /> Goetz, Stephan, Partridge, Mark, Deller, Steven C. and Flemming, David. 2010. Evaluating Rural Entrepreneurship Policy in the U.S. Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy. 40(1): 20-33.<br /> <br /> Goetz, Stephan J., Yicheol Han, Jill L. Findeis, Kathryn Brasier (2010), US Commuting Networks and Economic Growth: Measurement and Implications for Spatial Policy, Growth and Change, 41(2): 276-302. <br /> <br /> Hansen, Tonya J., and Laura Kalambokidis. 2010. How Are Businesses Responding to Minnesota's Tax-Free Zone Program? Economic Development Quarterly, 24: 180-192<br /> <br /> Irwin, Elena G. 2010. New directions for urban economic models of land use change: incorporating spatial dynamics and heterogeneity. Journal of Regional Science 50(1): 65-91. <br /> <br /> Irwin, Elena G., Andrew M. Isserman, Maureen Kilkenny, and Mark D. Partridge. 2010. A Century of Research on Rural Development and Regional Issues. American Journal Agricultural Economics 92(2): 522553.<br /> <br /> Jeanty, P. Wilner, Mark D. Partridge, and Elena Irwin. 2010. Estimation of a Spatial Simultaneous Equation Model of Population Migration and Housing Price Dynamics. Regional Science and Urban Economics. 40: 343-352. <br /> <br /> Jomaa, Lamis H., Elaine McDonnell, Elaine Weirich, Terryl Hartman, Leif Jensen, and Claudia Probart. 2010. "Student Involvement in Wellness Policies: A Study of Pennsylvania Local Education Agencies." Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 42(6): 372-379.<br /> <br /> Kandilov, I. T. and Renkow, M. 2010. Infrastructure Investment and Rural Economic Development: An Evaluation of USDA's Broadband Loan Program. Growth and Change, 41: 165191. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2257.2010.00524.x .<br /> <br /> Kazeem, A., L. Jensen, C. S. Stokes. 2010. School Attendance in Nigeria: Understanding the Impact and Intersection of Gender, Urban-Rural Residence and Socioeconomic Status. Comparative Education Review, 54(2): 295-319.<br /> <br /> Kim, S.G., S. Cho, D.M. Lambert, and R.K. Roberts. 2010. Measuring the Value of Air Quality: Application of the Spatial-Hedonic Model. Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, 3: 41 - 51.<br /> <br /> Kinsella, Jim, Stephan J. Goetz. Mark Partridge, Steven C. Deller and David Fleming. 2010. Evaluating RD Policies for Social and Human Capital Development. Euro Choices. 9(1): 42-47. <br /> <br /> Kinsella, James, Goetz, Stephan, Partridge, Mark, Deller Steven C. and Flemming, David. 2010. Evaluating the Contribution of Policies on Human Development: Entrepreneurship EuroChoices. 9(1):43-47.<br /> <br /> Mahasuweerachai, Phumsith, Brian Whitacre, and David Shideler. 2010. Does Broadband Access Impact Migration in America? Examining Differences between Rural and Urban Areas. Review of Regional Studies 40(1): 5-26.<br /> <br /> Marre, Alexander and Bruce Weber, Assessing Community Capacity and Social Capital in Rural America: Lessons from Two Rural Observatories, Community Development, 41(1):92-107, Winter 2010.<br /> <br /> McGregor, Peter, Mark D. Partridge, and Dan S. Rickman. 2010. Innovations in Regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Modelling. Regional Studies. 44: 1307-1310. <br /> <br /> Midmore, Peter; Mark D. Partridge, M. Rose Olfert, and Kamar Ali. .2010. The Evaluation of Rural Development Policy: Macro and Micro Perspectives. Euro Choices. 9(1): 24-29. <br /> <br /> Mohr, Robert D., Deller, Steven C. and Halstead, John M. 2010. Public-Private Partnerships,Cooperative Agreements, and the Production of Public Services in Small and Rural Municipalities Public Administration Review. 70(6):894-905.<br /> <br /> Morris, Douglas E. and Lyndon E. Goodridge and Alberto Manalo. 2010. New England Firms Willingness to Hire Retirees. ARER, Vol 39/3.<br /> <br /> Olfert, M. Rose and Mark D. Partridge. 2010. Best Practices in Twenty-First-Century Rural Development and Policy. Growth and Change. 41: 147-164. <br /> <br /> Oropesa, R. S., L. I. Jensen. 2010. Dominican Immigrants and Discrimination in a New Destination: The Case of Reading, Pennsylvania. City & Community, 9(3): 274-298.<br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. 2010. "The Dueling Models: NEG vs Amenity Migration in Explaining U.S. Engines of Growth." Papers in Regional Science. 89: 513-536. <br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. 2010. The Spatial Dynamics of Factor Price Differentials: Productivity or Consumer Amenity Driven? Regional Science and Urban Economics, 40: 440-452. <br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. and Dan S. Rickman. 2010. CGE Modeling for Regional Economic Development Analysis. Regional Studies, 44: 1311-1328.<br /> <br /> Refsgaard, Karen and Thomas G. Johnson. 2010. Modeling Policies for Multifunctional Agriculture and Rural Development: a Norwegian Case Study. Environmental Policy & Governance. In press.<br /> <br /> Roy, Eric D., Jay F. Martin, Elena G. Irwin, Joseph D. Conroy, David A. Culver. 2010. Unstable ecological-economic equilibria: the effects of invasive species and ecosystem restoration on nutrient management compromise in Lake Erie. Ecology and Society 15(1): 20. <br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark, Ballard, Charles, Hodge, Tim. 2010. "Property Value Assessment Growth Limits and Redistribution of Property Tax Payments: Evidence from Michigan." 63. National Tax Journal, 3rd Quarter/Summer.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark, Kashian, Russ. 2010. The Relationship between Tax Increment Finance and Property Taxation, Regional Science and Urban Economics, 40.<br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I. and Deller, Steven C. 2010. Impact of State and Local Tax and Expenditure Limits on Economic Growth. Applied Economic Letters. 17(7):645-648.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P., Morehart, M., 2010. "Farm Businesses, the Digital Economy, and Broadband Internet", Delhi Business Review, Vol. 11, no. 2, July  December.<br /> <br /> Sullins, M, D. Moxon and D. Thilmany McFadden. 2010. Agritourism in Colorado: A Cluster Analysis of Visitors. Journal of Agribusiness. Fall.<br /> <br /> Toya, Hideki, Skidmore, Mark, Robertson, Raymond. 2010. A Reevaluation of the Effect of Human Capital Accumulation on Economic Growth: Using Natural Disasters as an Instrument, Eastern Economic Journal, 36 (1).<br /> <br /> Welsch, David, Statz, Bambi, Skidmore, Mark. 2010. An Examination of Inter-District Public School Transfers in Wisconsin, Economics of Education Review, 29.<br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian and Bradford Mills. 2010. A Need for Speed? Rural Internet Connectivity and the No access / Dial-up / High-speed Decision. Applied Economics 42(15): 1889-1905. <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Whitacre. 2010. The Diffusion of Internet Technologies to Rural Communities: A Portrait of Broadband Supply and Demand. American Behavioral Scientist 53 (9): 1283-1303. <br /> <br /> <br /> Book Chapters<br /> <br /> Debertin, David L. and Stephan J. Goetz. 2010. Social Capital Formation in Rural, Urban and Suburban Communities. in Environmental Politics: From Sociability to Sustenance, ed Prasenjit Maiti, pp.166-195. Discovery Publishing House PVT.LTD New Delhi (India).<br /> <br /> <br /> Selected Conference Presentations and Proceedings<br /> <br /> Abreo, Christina, W. P. Miller, S. McCullough, F. L Farmer, and Z. K. Moon. 2010. If I Just Had a Piece of Paper: One Land Grant Universitys Response to Latino Immigrant Entrepreneurs Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Multistate Research Project, SERA37 (Raleigh, North Carolina).<br /> <br /> Chen, Yong, Lena Etuk, Mallory Rahe and Bruce Weber, Threshold Estimation of Community Population Change: Is there a minimum population size for community viability? NARSC meeting November 2010, Denver<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C., and Sundaram-Stukel, Reka. 2010. The Location Decisions of US Credit Unions. Presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Western Regional Science Association, Sedona, AZ. February 21-24. <br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. and Stallmann, Judith. 2010. The Impact of Tax and Expenditure Limits on City Credit Ratings. Paper presented at the 41st Annual Meetings of the Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, St. Louis, MO. June 3-5.<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C., Amiel, Lindsay, and Deller, Melissa. 2010. The Determinants of Midwestern Rural Crime: An Application of Bayesian Model Averaging. Paper presented at the 57th Annual Meetings of the North American Regional Science Association, Denver, CO November 10-13.<br /> <br /> Farmer, Frank L, Z. K. Moon, C. Abreo, W. P. Miller, and S. McCullough. 2010. Immigrant Latin American Entrepreneurs in a New Destination State: Who Are They? Paper presented at the annual meetings of Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (St. Louis, Missouri).<br /> <br /> Farmer, Frank L, Z. K. Moon, C. Abreo, W. P Miller, and S. McCullough. 2010. Latin American Migrant Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Assessment of Rural-Urban Differences. Paper presented at 73rd Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society (Atlanta, Georgia).<br /> <br /> Farmer, Frank L and Wayne P. Miller with Zola K. Moon, Christina Abreo and Stacey McCullough. 2010. Entrepreneurial Development Targeting Rural Hispanic Immigrants: A Collaborative Research and Extension Effort Presented in a WEBINAR format at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. November 2010.<br /> <br /> Miller, J. D., McCullough, S.W., Rainey, D.V., & Das, B. (2010) [peer reviewed]. Arkansas agritourism business Operators: Who they are, how they communicate, what they want to learn, and how they want to learn it. Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists Agricultural Communications Section, Mobile, AL. Available on-online: http://agnews.tamu.edu/saas/ <br /> <br /> Morris, Douglas E., Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association Meetings, June 2010, Atlantic City, NJ, New England Firms Willingness to Hire Retirees.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, M., Scorsone, E. A. 2010. "Causes and Consequences of Fiscal Stress in Michigan Municipalities". Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Tax Policy Center, May 20.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, M., Scorsone, E. A. 2010. "Causes and Consequences of Fiscal Stress in Michigan Municipalities". University of Nevada-Reno, May 14.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, M., Reese, L., Kang, S. 2010. "Property Taxation, Education Finance Reform, and Tax Base Growth". Mid-continent Regional Science Association, June 4.<br /> <br /> Skidmore, M, Reese, L, Kang, S. 2010. "Property Taxation, Education Finance Reform and Tax Base Erosion". Western Regional Science Association, Sedona, Arizona, February 22.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P., "The Challenge and Rewards of Broadband Access for Rural America", presentation at Brookings Institution Forum on the National Broadband Plan, March 17, 2010, Washington, DC.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P., Morehart, M., "The Internet in Business Activities of Spatially Dispersed Economic Actors", paper presented at Southern Regional Science Association meetings, March 2010, Arlington, VA.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P., "Rural Broadband Use and the Digital Economy", plenary presentation at the Southern Region Convening, May 11-12, 2010, Charlotte, NC.<br /> <br /> Stenberg, P., "Farm Businesses, the Digital Economy, and High-Speed Access to the Internet", plenary/keynote presentation at the 11th International Conference: Global Economy, Nitra, Slovak Republic, May 2010.<br /> <br /> Swindall, Devin and David W. Hughes. The Determinants of Entrepreneurial Income in South Carolina. Paper presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Southern Regional Science Association, Arlington, VA March 25-27, 2010.<br /> <br /> Yu, L. and G. Artz. Migration and Rural Entrepreneurship. Presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association annual meetings, Milwaukee, WI, July 26-28, 2009.<br /> <br /> <br /> Technical Reports and Staff Papers<br /> <br /> Abel, Jaison, Ishita Day and Todd Gabe. Productivity and the Density of Human Capital. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Staff Report 440. March 2010.<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. 2010. A Trade Area Analysis of Wisconsin Counties: An Update for 2009. Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Miscellaneous Staff Paper No. 550 University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension. (October).<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. Maher, Craig and Kovari, John. 2010. The Fiscal Health of Wisconsin Counties: An Analysis of Primary and Secondary Data. Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Staff Paper No. 552. University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension. (October).<br /> <br /> Stewart, Jennifer, Deller, Steven C. and Ken Schroeder. 2010. The Economics of Water Dependent Industries in Portage County. Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Staff Paper No. 555 University of Wisconsin  Madison/Extension (November).<br /> <br /> Deller, Steven C. 2010. Economic Impact of Foreign Exports on the Wisconsin Economy. Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Staff Paper No. 546 University of Wisconsin  Madison/Extension (November).<br /> <br /> Dickes, Lori R. David Lamie, and Brian Whitacre. 2010. The Struggle for Broadband in Rural America. Choices 25(4). Available online: <br /> http://www.choicesmagazine.org/magazine/article.php?article=156 <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. Economic Impact of Harbor House. Report prepared through the University of Maine, Knowledge Transfer Alliance (KTA) for Harbor House. September 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. Economic Impact of Harbor House. Report prepared through the University of Maine, Knowledge Transfer Alliance (KTA) for Harbor House. September 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. Statewide Economic Impact of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 2010-2015. Report prepared through the University of Maine, Knowledge Transfer Alliance (KTA) for Bigelow Laboratory. September 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd, Jaison Abel, Adrienne Ross and Kevin Stolarick. Knowledge in Cities. University of Toronto, Martin Prosperity Institute, Working Paper 2010-MPIWI-013, September 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. Statewide Economic Contribution of a Proposed Resort Casino in Oxford Maine. School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 590, August 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd and Bernardita Silva. Socioeconomic Profile of Native Americans in Maine. School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 587, June 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd M. and James McConnon. Economic Impacts of Year-Round Residents on Mount Desert Island, Maine. School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 586, March 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd M. Beyond Educational Attainment: Knowledge-Based Investments to Enhance a Regions Human Capital and Resident Earnings. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Working Paper WP10TG1, February 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd and Mario Teisl. Effects of Cellular Telephone Warning Labels (LD 1706) on Maine Retailers. School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 584, February 2010.<br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. Economic Contribution of the Proposed SMCC Mid-Coast Campus and Maine Advanced Technology & Engineering Campus (MATEC). School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 582, January 2010.<br /> <br /> Kuejai(Nan) Jungjaturapit, Chad Hart, and Daniel Otto, Economic Analysis of Butanol as an Alternative Biofuel Working paper 2010<br /> <br /> Lake, Amy, Sara Alva Lizarraga, Dennis Robinson, and Tom Johnson. 2009. Northeast Region Baseline Report: 2006-2016. Report R-2009-02, Community Policy Analysis Center, University of Missouri. April.<br /> <br /> Lucht, Jill, Tom Johnson, Dennis Robinson, Tracy Greever-Rice, and Amy Lake. 2009. City of Columbia Peer Community Comparison and Scenario Report: 2005-2015. Report R-2009-03, Community Policy Analysis Center, University of Missouri. June. <br /> <br /> Maher, Craig, Deller, Steven C. and Kovari, John. 2011. How Stressed are Wisconsin Cities and Villages? Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Staff Paper No. 557. University of Wisconsin  Madison/Extension (February).<br /> <br /> Otto, Daniel, Economic Importance of Snowmobiling in Iowa, Dec. 2010. ECON staff report.<br /> <br /> Otto, Daniel, Consumers, Vendors, and the Economic Importance of Iowa Farmers Markets: <br /> An Economic Impact Survey Analysis, Jan. 2010 ECON staff report.<br /> <br /> Qiye Sun, Chad Hart and Daniel Otto, The Value of CO2 in the Ethanol Industry, Working paper, 2010.<br /> <br /> Phillips, M. and D. Thilmany-McFadden. Colorado State University Ag and Resource Economics Extension Fact Sheet EDR 10-02. Selling Local: Campaigns to Encourage Local Consumerism. July 2010. 8 pp.<br /> <br /> Popp, J., N. Kemper, W. Miller, K. McGraw and K. Karr. 2010. Economic Contribution of the Agricultural Sector to the Arkansas Economy in 2008. Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR. Published at: http://division.uaex.edu. <br /> <br /> Powell, S., M. Phillips and D. Thilmany. A Closer Look at Farm Operators. Report to the Northern Colorado Food Assessment. Fall 2010<br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark, Bradshaw, Nicole. 2010. Taxes and Growth: A Review of the Evidence, Show-Me Institute Policy Study Report, 23. <br /> <br /> Sullins, M. and D. Thilmany. Health Outcomes. Report to the Northern Colorado Food Assessment. Fall 2010.<br /> <br /> Sullins, M., M. Sloan, M. Phillips and D. Thilmany. Food Security and Access in Northern Colorado. Report to the Northern Colorado Food Assessment. Fall 2010<br /> <br /> Thilmany, D., A. Gunter and C. Thomas. Food Markets and Buyers. Report to the Northern Colorado Food Assessment. Fall 2010<br /> <br /> Thilmany, D. and C. Thomas. Food Consumers. Report to the Northern Colorado Food Assessment. Fall 2010<br /> <br /> Tickamyer, Ann R. and Debra A. Henderson. 2010. Devolution, Social Exclusion, and Spatial Inequality in U.S. Welfare Provision Pp. 41-60 in Paul Milbourne (ed.) Welfare Reform in Rural Places: Comparative Perspectives, Research in Rural Sociology and Development v. 15. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group. <br /> <br /> Toya, Hideki, Skidmore, Mark. 2010. Natural Disaster Impacts and Fiscal Decentralization, CESifo Forum, 2.<br /> <br /> Weinstein, Amanda and Mark D. Partridge. Making the Green Economy Work for Ohio. Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy Summary Report, December 2010. Available at: www.aede.osu.edu/programs/Swank. 32 pages.<br /> <br /> Weinstein, Amanda L., Mark D. Partridge, and J. Clay Francis. 2010. Green Policies, Climate Change, and New Jobs: Separating Fact From Fiction. The Exurban Change Project and Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy Summary Report, June 2010. Available at: www.aede.osu.edu/programs/Swank. 29 pages.<br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian. 2010. Rural Broadband Availability and Adoption in Oklahoma. Choices 25(4). Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/magazine/article.php?article=160 <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian, Shannon Ferrell, and J.C. Hobbs. E-commerce and Sales Tax: What You Collect Depends on Where You Ship. Oklahoma State University Extension Fact Sheet AGEC-1022, March 2010, 4pp.<br /> <br /> Wojan, T., and D. M. Lambert. 2010. Half of Farm Expenditures Are Spent Locally. Amber Waves, June 2010: 7.<br />

Impact Statements

1. The knowledge created thus far by NE1029 scientists has been used to support policy changes that would support efforts to promote rural/urban regionalization including better land use planning, linking rural and urban economies for their mutual benefit, and findings ways to generate efficiencies for local government service provision.
2. A project report on the potential economic impact of a proposed casino in Oxford, Maine was released in August of 2010, which led to several newspaper articles, radio interviews (e.g., Maine Public Radio, George Hale and Ric Tyler Show on WVOM), and television coverage.
3. Research in North Carolina to evaluate the role high-speed Internet access has had in farm profits found that broadband access increases profits by 3 percent.
4. NE1029 researchers conducted and presented revenue forecasts for the Idaho Legislature.
5. NE-1029 scientists from Missouri and Wisconsin evaluated the implications of tax and expenditure limitation nationwide as well as in their respective states and made available via a website their extensive database on state government institutional arrangements, providing an invaluable service to other researchers and policymakers throughout the country.
6. NE-1029 scientists have worked closely with the State of Ohio&lsquo;s commission on Reforming Local Government and Improving Local Government Collaboration.
7. NE1029 researchers have worked with the State of Michigan Department of Treasury to develop a new web-based local government fiscal data portal that makes detailed local government financial data available to citizens, local officials, state lawmakers, policy analysts and researchers.
8. NE1029 researchers contributed to the emerging literature on the movement of immigrant groups to small cities and towns and rural areas through an analysis of the experience of Dominican immigrants in Reading (Berks County), Pennsylvania.

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Report Information

Participants

Stenberg, Peter - ERS;
Deller, Steve - University of Wisconsin;
Stallmann, Judith - University of Missouri;
Renkow, Mitch - North Carolina State U.;
Gabe, Todd -University of Maine;
Weber, Bruce - Oregon State U.;
Watson, Philip - University of Idaho;
Whitacre, Brian - Oklahoma State U.;
Francis, Joe - Cornell University;
Skidmore, Mark - Michigan State U.;
Johnson, Tom - University of Missouri;
Kriesel, Warren - University of Georgia

Brief Summary of Minutes

Discussions centered on the current status of the project renewal and accomplishments from the fourth year of the NE-1029 project.

The proposed project renewal would have two objectives:

LOCAL/REGIONAL FOODS Objective: To better understand the emerging opportunities and threats to the economic structure of non-metropolitan communities arising from the potential shifts in local and regional food systems.

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND NATURAL/HUMAN-MADE DISASTERS Objective: To identify and analyze policies and strategies contributing to the viability and resiliency of communities in responding to economic and policy changes and to shocks, natural and human-made.

It was noted that successful research has been on-going in each objective and the NE-1029 project has been very productive.

Peter Stenberg would continue in following up on the new project proposal. The incoming Project officers will be Todd Gabe (ME), Chair, and Brian Whitacre (OK), Secretary. The next meeting will take place in Arlington, Virginia, if the new project is accepted.

Accomplishments

The last year was productive for the NE1029 research group as more than 100 papers were reported. Among these were 34 publications in peer reviewed journals and 10 book chapters. Participants also reported 20 manuscripts presented at professional meetings and/or published in conference proceedings, and 37 technical reports and staff papers published. <br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 1: Identify and analyze ongoing and potential changes in rural labor markets and the impacts of migration, commuting, and workforce development policies on rural labor markets.<br /> <br /> <br /> Researchers in Colorado and Idaho analyzed how different economic development strategies involving food (local foods, value added agriculture, new distribution models) or natural resources (agritourism, ecosystem services) may be influencing communities. Outputs included a series of models and results based on secondary data, survey data and/or IMPLAN models customized to regions of Colorado. The research has been disseminated in academic meetings, to community stakeholders (producer groups, public health groups, ag advisory councils) and in targeted workshops of producers and food system stakeholders.<br /> <br /> <br /> Researchers in Missouri and Iowa studied the impact of Wal-Mart on rural wages. Prior research suggests that Wal-Mart decreases the average retail wage. This is possible if it has market power, employs more part-time workers, employs workers with lower skills, or employs a different mix of skills, such as fewer managers per worker, or offers lower wages but higher benefits relative to other retailers. Their hypothesis is that in rural areas Wal-Mart is a large demander relative to the labor supply and may increase the average retail wage. Using a weighted regression they found that Wal-Mart increases rural retail wages.<br /> <br /> <br /> In Maine, researchers developed (and have been improving) a new demand threshold method to examine the retail and service sectors of communities located in Maine. The method was initially applied to the Town of Orono, and a project report was released in April of 2011. Researchers are currently using the demand threshold method to study the retail and service sectors of other Maine communities. They also conducted Retail Trade Area Analyses for rural Maine communities to assist economic development professionals and local officials in their economic development efforts. Research on the retail and service sectors of Maine communities has been used by economic development professionals to identify gaps in the local economy, which might be candidates for new business attraction and local entrepreneurial activity.<br /> <br /> <br /> The Economic Research Service focused significant research effort on digital economic policy and on-farm renewable energy use. The digital economic policy research analyzed the economic relationship between the Internet and rural economies. The on-going study examined the economics of communication and information service delivery and on-line economic activities (such as e-commerce) with respect to farm and rural businesses examining various farm business characteristics and the likelihood of Internet use in management. A briefing room on rural digital economy is available at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/telecom/. The research has been used by Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, USDA-Rural Utility Services, and other federal policy making entities. On-farm renewable energy use is an on-going study of farm-level interrelationships with the renewable fuels sector. The study showed that farm operators not only grew biomass crops but invested in renewable energy production for on-farm use as well as selling to the electrical grid. Bio-digesters, wind energy, and solar energy though rapidly increasing, still were only minor factors in farm operations.<br /> <br /> <br /> Researchers in New Hampshire addressed new ways for enhanced economic development in rural areas. One avenue was the creation of a supply demand model for New Hampshire's potential for cellulose to ethanol production plant using local biomass. Dissemination activities focused on annual presentations at a number of professional societies spanning different disciplines. A paper was presetned at a workshop hosted by the USDA's Economic Research Service. That activity led to correspondence with a potential joint effort with the FCC. Besides these outlets, the survey methods and techniques were shared with over 400 students at the University of New Hampshire in resource economics and applied statistics courses.<br /> <br /> <br /> North Carolina researchers evaluated the impact of USDAs low-cost broadband loan programs on the U.S. agricultural sector. The broadband loan programs increase access to high-speed internet in recipient communities, which can raise farm sales by increasing both farm output and prices received by producers. Further, high-speed internet may drive down costs by providing information on cheaper inputs and better management practices, leading to an overall improvement in farm profits. Using data from the 1997, 2002, and 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture, they employed an inverse probability reweighting technique in a panel fixed effects model to show that the two USDA broadband loan programs have had positive causal impacts on farm sales, expenditure, and profits. The positive effects for crops are larger than those for livestock and animal products.<br /> <br /> <br /> Ohio researchers have been assessing how the Great Recession and associated housing bust altered migration behavior and land use activities in a sustained era of high fuel costs. In addition their research shows how declining, economically struggling communities can make a comeback and how emerging shale natural gas mining will affect the Ohio economy. The latter research suggests much more modest effects on job creation than industry reports suggest and points out communities need to more coherently plan for the boom-bust cycle. The findings of the policy brief were disseminated via press releases, web-based publications, radio interviews, and by public presentations. The targeted audience for these policy briefs and related presentations include informed decision makers, economic development officials, and elected/appointed government officials, and interested members of the public. To leverage greater public appeal, researchers have formed partnerships with organizations such as The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Greater Ohio.<br /> <br /> <br /> In Oregon,researchers attempted to find a link between a major change in federal forest policy and the prosperity of rural communities whose economic base has historically been tied to the wood products industry. They sought to distinguish the potentially positive effect on nearby community population and wealth as forestland was reserved under the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) from the potentially negative economic effect as reduced federal timber harvests increased pressures on mill closures in rural communities. They found that communities close to the reserved land under the NWFP experienced higher growth in population. They also found that while negatively affecting wealth creation in rural Oregon communities during the 1990s, mill closures did not lead to population declines directly. Indeed, during the early 2000s mill closures may have been associated with population increases, other things being equal. They hypothesized a link between the NWFP and mill closures as a possible causal path through which these negative effects would be transmitted. Although it is plausible that the NWFP accelerated mill closures, they are not able to conclude that the NWFP was responsible for reduced growth in wealth during the late 20th century. A firm conclusion about the impact of the NWFP on rural community population and wealth in Oregon awaits future research that can establish this link. At the same time, they do find in their results support for the conclusion that proximity to protected forestland may induce amenity migration, that mill closures may no longer significantly reduce rural community populations, and that some federal investments in rural areas can spur population growth.<br /> <br /> <br /> The economic interdependence of Portland and its rural hinterlands were also studied. Project investigators found that critical interdependencies are realized through exchange of goods and services (both material and environmental), people, and taxes and public expenditures. Urban areas, with their higher incomes, are able to provide a more-than-proportional share of Oregons specialized services such as health care and financial and business services, as well as public funding for schools, infrastructure, and other programs. Rural areas, with more natural resources, provide a more-than-proportional share of energy and environmental goods and services. There is a great deal of trade in goods and services between the rural and urban areas, both within industry clusters and between industries and consumers of goods and services. The interdependence between core and periphery is not as strong as one might think; a global economy and lower transportation costs have made distance less important to trade than it once was. However, for some critical goods and services, interdependence is very real. <br /> <br /> <br /> In addition to the media impacts, hundreds of civically engaged citizens and policymakers learned about rural and urban linkages and their importance directly from the investigators at Oregon conferences at the Oregon Civic Engagement Conference (November 2011, Salem); the University of Oregon PPPM Spring Symposium (April 2011, Portland); the SEDCOR Economic Business Forum (December 2011, Salem); and the TOCOWA/ ODCCWD New Oregon Trails Forum (November 2011, Roseburg) and the Regards to Rural 2011 Conference (June, Corvallis). Hundreds more citizens and policymakers learned about the impact of the Northwest Forest Plan of Oregons rural communities at the national Wealth Creation in Rural America conference in October in Washington DC. <br /> <br /> <br /> A study by Pennsylvania State and Cornell researchers on the socioeconomic impacts of Marcellus Shale natural gas development in Pennsylvania and New York uncovered mixed reactions of local residents to the profound changes that are occurring. Early results of on-going studies indicated that the growth in jobs and economic opportunities is viewed positively, while impacts on daily life (e.g., heavy traffic, longer commutes, housing shortages and increased costs, displacement of families from rental properties) increase stress and lower quality of life for some families. Concerns about contamination of drinking water and methane gas migration in water are common. Impacts are not experienced equally by all families. A study of variation in mortality across US counties confirmed the lower mortality rates in more rural counties, and explained some of this advantage through higher levels of social capital in rural areas, other things equal.<br /> <br /> <br /> This e research was featured in the New York Times and other newspapers. The studies in this subject area that are supported under this project show a critical need for local leaders to think 30-40 years ahead and to make necessary investments today if their local communities are to avoid suffering through boom-and-bust cycles.<br /> <br /> <br /> In Tennessee regression and spatial clustering techniques were used to isolate which location determinants were important with respect to attracting ethanol plant investments in the lower 48 United States, 2000-2007. This period marked an era of rapid industry expansion and competition for prime sites that provided access advantage to feedstock and co-product markets. The importance of ethanol plant location determinants varied, depending on how remote a location was, and whether an ethanol plant was established, or announced. While some rural counties exhibited comparative advantage with respect to attracting ethanol plants, it appears that many rural communities were less likely to attract ethanol plant investments. During this period, the primary drivers behind the decision to locate an ethanol plant in a given county were access to feedstock and the absence of operating ethanol plants. Access to co-product markets and transport infrastructure was also important. These findings are a first-step towards understanding the interaction between ethanol plant location and the local factors providing comparative advantage to counties considering ethanol plant recruitment as a development strategy. While the results appear encouraging for some rural areas, a rural countys access to or availability of important location determinants should be put in perspective before limited funds are invested to attract ethanol plant investment.<br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 2: Investigate the potential for rural development policies based on entrepreneurship, industrial clustering, value-added and nontraditional agricultural businesses and analyze the spatial implications of industrial restructuring on employment and earnings.<br /> <br /> <br /> Researchers in Maine examined the economic impact of Maines food industry. An article published in 2011 documented the economic activity associated with Maines food producers and processors, and the food retail/restaurant sector. Research conducted at the University of Maine has also examined issues related to human capital and workforce skills, with an analysis of the differences in skills and earnings across the U.S. rural-urban hierarchy. Results from this study were shared with colleagues at an international professional conference, and they have been cited in the media. The study on the economic impact of Maines food industry has informed policymakers, food industry officials and other stakeholders about the importance of food growers, processors and retailers to the Maine economy. Research on workforce skills and earnings provided the foundation for a Bangor Daily News editorial in April of 2012, and a blog entry at www.theatlanticcities.com.<br /> <br /> <br /> Missouri researchers have been exploring various industry strategies, such as renewable energy, as means of supporting rural economic development. They have compared strategies in the US with those of various European countries.<br /> <br /> <br /> Ohio researchers have discovered more practical policy solutions to problems facing Ohio and American communities. Their work is assessing how state and local government development economic development policy and whether these policies are effective in creating jobs, reducing poverty, and in increasing incomes for middle class families. Likewise, their activities are assessing how the Great Recession and associated housing bust altered migration behavior and land use activities in a sustained era of high fuel costs.<br /> <br /> <br /> On-line economic endeavors have been the focus of some of Oklahoma States research. Several activities and events were held this year that directly related to the research. First, over 220 participants received hands-on training on various e-commerce topics during 20 different workshops that were held across the state. These workshops focused on how various Internet tools can improve small businesses and promote entrepreneurial activities (thus focusing on disseminating knowledge related to industry and quality of life). Second, a micro business conference was held in Payne County, Oklahoma to attract small and home-based businesses and provide them with information regarding available resources and current hot topics.<br /> <br /> <br /> Pennsylvania research on the impacts of small, locally-owned firms as well as entrepreneurs and self-employed workers revealed statistically and economically significant effects on local economic growth, poverty reduction and growth in wage-and-salary employment. Findings also indicate that investments in broadband and technology education in schools have tangible pay-offs in terms of subsequent employment growth. Results of this study were widely reported in newspapers and on influential blogs (Daily Yonder, Center for Rural Affairs, Home Town Advantage), and copies of the study were requested from representatives of rural and urban communities, including the Office of the Manhattan Borough President in New York City.A study of employment circumstances of rural men found significant erosion in terms of underemployment and other dimensions, reducing historical advantages vis-à-vis rural women. Other published research documented the greater risks of underemployment among immigrants and racial and ethnic minorities in the US. <br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 3: Investigate the changing organizational structure, tax policy and fiscal standing of local governments and the impact of tax and/or expenditure limitations on local government fiscal stress and economic growth in rural areas.<br /> <br /> <br /> In Michigan, researchers focused on public finance policy and economic development. The research examined the political economy of state subsidies in the emerging ethanol industry, the use of the tax increment finance development tool, the impacts of property taxation on property value growth, the role of governance in limiting natural disaster impacts, among other research projects. The procedures used to evaluate specific research questions depend on the nature of the question at hand. They rely on local/regional, state, and international economic and government data or survey data to examine specific issues. Variation over time and across units of observation can provide an excellent evaluative environment. Generally, the goal of the program is to generate quality analyses that will help government decision makers better understand how to respond in the midst of evolving conditions. This past year they enhanced the Michigan local government database management system so that local authorities could pulled data from the database into Excel file, which generated a series of fiscal measures (Citizens Guide) in accordance with Governor Snyders requirement for greater transparency in government finance (a new requirement to receive revenue sharing). The portal and the Citizens Guide can be accessed at http://f65.mitreasury.msu.edu/. The research in the policy arena appears to be making its way into decision processes in Michigan. <br /> <br /> <br /> Missouri researchers explored local government strategies to increase economic growth and to optimize their tax structures. A brief synthesized research on the effectiveness of economic development incentives included research by Maine and provided some best practices recommendations. The brief was published just as national attention was focused on the failure of a solar firm that received a federal subsidy and a firm in Missouri that received a subsidy and failed. The brief was the subject of six media interviews, two of which were picked up by over 150 media outlets each. A second brief synthesized research on tax policy.<br /> <br /> <br /> Wisconsin and Missouri collaborated on a project investigating tax and expenditure limitations at the state and local levels and their impacts on economic growth, credit ratings and state debt. One argument for imposing limitations is that lack of fiscal constraint on the part of elected officials and results in bloated government which hampers economic growth. This argument is testable. The results to date suggest that state limits have little impact on economic growth. This research was cited in a report by the Turkish Ministry of Finance, A New Tendency in Management of Fiscal Policies: Rules and Limitations on Taxes, Expenditures, Debt, etc. (translation). One difficulty for doing the research is that no two limits are alike and they change overtime. An index of these limitations was developed for each state from 1969 to 1990. Current research uses this index to investigate both growth and credit ratings. A past collaboration of Missouri and Wisconsin provided a set of papers on the impact of retirees on rural areas, which continues to generate interest. The Daily Yonder interviewed Missouri and the article they published was picked up by over 300 media outlets, many of them small rural newspapers.<br /> <br /> <br /> Missouri researchers provided fiscal information about and to local governments. Using data on Missouris third class counties (88 of 114 counties) from 1996 to 2009, they developed an interactive spreadsheet and manual. The spreadsheet and manual are on the University of Missouri Extension website and two presentations were made based on the data. <br /> <br /> <br /> Research in Ohio has developed new theoretical and empirical methodologies for evaluating how local government policies affect economic outcomes. One novel approach used has been the application of survey data of county officials in understanding the effects of county policies on poverty and growth. Another novel approach is the incorporation of fine migration data in understanding growth in Appalachia. This research illustrates that tax incentives and other traditional economic development efforts are typically ineffective and describes more effective place-based strategies. Other research focused on estimating models of residential land use change using micro-level data on residential subdivision development. Findings from econometric models of the quantity and intensity of development reveal the unintended consequences of land development policies that delay larger development projects closer to urban areas and hasten lower density development in more rural areas. Other methodological advances have focused on developing spatial simulation models of urbanization that incorporate microeconomic behavior into spatial modeling and using this model to generate predictions of how land use policy changes influence patterns of land use change. <br /> <br /> <br /> The associated OSU policy briefs have facilitated the non-technical dissemination of the knowledge creation for policymakers and decision makers. From these efforts, there are emerging signs of changes in actions that would help represent transformative change. The knowledge creation has been used to support policy changes that would support efforts to promote rural/urban regionalization including better land use planning, linking rural and urban economies for their mutual benefit, and findings ways to generate efficiencies for local government service provision. Likewise, policy briefs on shale energy raises the specter that communities have to engage in long-term planning. Past policy briefs allowed researchers to work with the State of Ohios commission on Reforming Local Government and Improving Local Government Collaboration. The knowledge creation continues to support the growing realization that Ohios manufacturing economy of the middle 20th Century will not return and the state needs to seek new opportunities for the 21st Century.<br /> <br /> <br /> Oklahoma researchers examined the relationship between broadband and tax collections. Their research makes the case that increases in broadband adoption rates are not resulting in lower local tax collections from retail sales. As many states across the country struggle with how to handle sales to online retailers like Amazon, this study demonstrates that simple increases in broadband adoption are not to blame for revenue loss. <br /> <br /> <br /> Oregon researchers examined the termination of County Forest Payments and Oregon County Services. Because of the decline in federal timber harvests under the Northwest Forest Plan, the forest related revenues that historically were shared with county governments declined dramatically. This put these governments at risk and led to a series of federal laws that provided federal payments to these counties, culminating in the Secure Rural Schools Act in 2000. The SRS payments are ending this year. In its 2009 report on the implications of scheduled termination of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the Governors Task Force on Federal Forest Payments and County Services estimated that, without the SRS payments, one quarter of Oregons counties (9 counties) would face losses of more than 25% of discretionary General Fund revenues, and almost one-third of counties (11 counties) would lose more than half of their Road Fund revenues. In 2011, 11 Oregon reporters for both print media (including Oregonian, Eugene Register Guard, Oregon Business magazine) and radio (including Jefferson Public Radio and KSJJ) interviewed project investigators for stories on the termination of the SRS funding and the future of rural communities. <br /> <br /> <br /> Objective 4: Develop a better understanding of the role of amenities in rural development and the impact of economic and social changes on the quality of life in rural communities.<br /> <br /> <br /> Supporting entrepreneurs and revitalizing amenities are two strategies that some rural communities in Arkansas are using to try to rebuild their economies and reverse the population out-migration. Arkansas researchers supported these strategies by identifying constraints and developing resource materials and training programs targeted to Latino entrepreneurs and Agritourism providers. Alleviating these barriers will help communities more fully capitalize on the human capital that exists in these migrant groups. The research also elucidated the importance of rural medical centers as an important amenity for economic development and its contribution to local economies. Arkansas research conducted during the year also portrayed the importance of agriculture and a recreation/retirement community for maintaining the viability of rural communities.<br /> <br /> <br /> The past several years have seen a marked increase in the importance of farmers markets as places for consumers to purchase locally-grown food products and as a venue for farmers to sell fruits, vegetables, meat, and poultry. This growth in the number of farmers markets no doubt reflects increased attentiveness by consumers to the various environmental, economic and food quality issues. To gain insight into what are the more important drivers of consumer and producer participation in these markets, North Carolina State researchers conducted surveys at eight farmers markets in central North Carolina. Their survey of vendors indicated that the farmers who sell their fruits and vegetables at farmers markets are mainly small-scale producers farming less than five acres; that they employ few workers in the sales portion of their operations; and that for the most part they appear to specialize in supplying local customers  in particular, customers at local farmers markets. The consumer survey revealed that shoppers at farmers markets have a strong commitment to eating local foods. Shoppers indicated that food attributes that they value most highly in making their purchasing decisions include food quality (freshness, nutrition level and flavor) and also an explicit desire to support local farmers and to consume locally produced foods. They shop at farmers markets despite the fact that, for the most part, they perceive farmers market prices to be higher generally than at retail food stores. They interpret this to mean that consumers at farmers markets are willing to pay a premium for the foods that they acquire at those venues in exchange for what they perceive to be higher quality of locally grown food products. Finally, a survey of fruit and vegetable prices at farmers markets and nearby supermarkets supported consumers impression that farmers market prices are generally above those at retail food stores, but that counter-examples exist as well due, at least in part, to seasonal supply considerations.<br /> <br /> <br /> These findings imply that in populous areas like the Research Triangle, the growing importance of farmers markets is a demand-led phenomenon, one that is in many respects reminiscent of trends in food demand underpinning the dramatic increase in popularity of high-end food retailers like WholeFoods. However, the dominant role of specialized, small producers in meeting consumer demands for local foods appears to represent a significant factor limiting future increases in the share of total food consumption met by local production  and, by extension, the ultimate economic impact on the local economy. They have begun to share these findings with extension audiences around the state.<br /> <br /> <br /> Research by Oklahoma researchers examined telemedicine and rural communities. Their research helps individuals involved in rural health aware of the potential monetary benefits of investing in telemedicine, which may lead to a change in action among rural hospitals in the future. Other research tested whether or not several programs put in place at an osteopathic school to encourage rural practice by graduates were effective. The findings suggest that at least two specific programs (one occurring in year 1 and one in year 4 of study) were influential in promoting a rural practice by graduating doctors. These findings will likely result in a change in action since osteopathic schools across the country now have empirical evidence of what programs work for this purpose. Other research products included two fact sheets on Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which will quickly become mandatory for many rural hospitals and other health care providers. These fact sheets provided an opportunity for collaboration between the entity authorized to help with adoption of EHRs (Oklahomas Regional Extension Center) and researchers from Oklahoma State interested in the technology adoption and rural health. Adoption of EHRs across Oklahoma has been impressive, demonstrating a change in action from this dissemination. <br /> <br /> <br /> Additional research by Oklahoma researchers has led to number of extension activities. Over 220 participants received hands-on training on various e-commerce topics during 20 different workshops that were held across Oklahoma. These workshops focused on how various Internet tools can improve small businesses and promote entrepreneurial activities (thus focusing on disseminating knowledge related to industry and quality of life). A micro business conference was held in Payne County, Oklahoma to attract small and home-based businesses and provide them with information regarding available resources and current hot topics. <br /> <br /> <br /> Ohio researchers worked with the Ohio Environmental Council to estimate Ohioans willingness-to-pay for an improvement in the water quality of Ohios lakes and reservoirs. The findings will be used by the Ohio Environmental Council to promote funding of infrastructure investments needed to achieve these water quality improvements. <br /> <br /> <br /> Ohio research also has shown practical ways to generate long-term economic growth at the local and regional scale through improved land use planning and long term government policymaking that focuses on building a sustained future of efficient government, building high human capital, enhancing the local network of entrepreneurship, and providing a high quality of life, that among other things, protect the environment and natural resources.<br /> <br /> <br /> Pennsylvania researchers have been studying rural youth and minority issues. Preliminary research from the Rural Youth Education Project funded by USDA-NRI and the Center for Rural Pennsylvania was presented at the 2011 PA Downtown Center annual conference. The results reveal that 9th grade rural PA students' satisfaction with their home community, and characteristics important to them in their "ideal" community at age thirty, influence where they want to live as an adult: in the current community, elsewhere or don't know. Youth who placed greater importance on good opportunities, services and interaction and creative class attributes in their "ideal age thirty community" were less likely to want to stay in rural PA. Those placing high importance on a clean and accessible natural environment were more likely to want to live in rural PA as adults. These effects are statistically significant after controlling for basic demographic characteristics and whether the youth agree they will need to move away to get the job or education that they want. The research on rural minorities is important given the shifts underway within the farm labor force, as well as changes in federal immigration policy, and the growing reliance on immigrant workers. The youth surveys of future residential preferences provide important insights into continued rural population loss and what, if anything, state and federal policy can do about these losses.<br /> <br /> <br /> Creative regions have been the subject of study by Tennessee and ERS researchers. Rural counties with both higher proportions of creative capital and richer entrepreneurial contexts (as measured by either the rate of self-employment or the number establishments per job) typically enjoy faster business establishment and job growth, and the beneficial effects of this synergy tends to increase with the prevalence of local outdoor amenities. While limited in scope in terms of the time period analyzed, the secondary data analysis of industry clustering shows some potential for certain economic sectors of the region. The growth potential stemming from the clusters appear to be associated with high-tech sectors or they are involved in the production of intermediate goods. Though this may be encouraging for counties with established economic bases suitable for attracting and retaining businesses which make up these sectors, caution should be used by local leaders in terms of picking winner industries in the hopes of becoming competitive with neighboring counties who have been successful in attracting businesses. As with any clustered developed strategy, careful measurement of the local assets communities have in place must be put in perspective in terms of social and human capital, geography, and even local history. Without precedence for attracting certain industries, the odds of doing so in the future may be lower without the necessary infrastructure, talent, or connections to other economic centers of influence.<br /> <br /> The Tennessee and ERS findings also suggest that growth in total county income in the United States was lower in counties that had the following: larger per capita income in 1990, a higher population density in 1990, a higher proportion of older individuals, and a higher proportion of population under 20 years of age. Counties with a heavy dependence on agriculture grew more slowly in general. Counties that grew at a faster rate had a high proportion with a college degree, close to a metropolitan area, a high proportion of commuters, and relatively more sunshine in January. It might be reasonable to expect that adding, expanding, and improving existing recreational amenities in rural counties can generate increases in aggregate income through a combination of attracting employment or population. In rural areas, there is a negative relationship between property taxes and aggregate income growth. To reduce the negative effect of high local property taxes, county government officials might explore alternative revenue sources (e.g., shifting property tax base, using other taxes, cost-sharing arrangement with state and federal governments) that do not deter in-migration or outside investment.<br />

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles<br /> <br /> <br /> Abel, Jaison R. and Todd M. Gabe. 2011. Human Capital and Economic Activity in Urban America. Regional Studies, Vol. 45, No. 8.<br /> <br /> <br /> Ali, Kamar, M. Rose Olfert, and Mark D. Partridge. (2011) Urban Footprints in Rural Canada: Employment Spillovers by City Size. Regional Studies. 45: 239-260. DOI: 10.1080/00343400903241477).<br /> <br /> <br /> Brady, Michael and Elena G. Irwin (2011). Accounting for spatial effects in economic models of land use: Recent developments and challenges ahead. Environmental and Resource Economics. 48(3): 487-509.<br /> <br /> <br /> Brasier, K. J., M. R. Filteau, D. K. McLaughlin, J. Jacquet, R. C. Stedman, T. W. Kelsey, and S. J. Goetz. 2011. Residents' Perceptions of Community and Environmental Impacts from Development of Natural Gas in the Marcellus Shale: A Comparison of Pennsylvania and New York Case Studies. Journal of Rural Social Sciences 26(1):32-61.<br /> <br /> <br /> Brooks, Lara, and Brian Whitacre (senior authorship shared). 2011. Critical Access Hospitals and Retail Activity: An Empirical Analysis in Oklahoma. The Journal of Rural Health 27(1): 29-38.<br /> <br /> <br /> Castle, Emery N., JunJie Wu and Bruce A. Weber. 2011. Place Orientation and Rural-urban Interdependence, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 33(2): 179-204 doi:10.1093/aepp/ppr009<br /> <br /> <br /> Chen, Y, E Irwin, C Jayaprakash (2011). "Incorporating spatial complexity into economic models of land markets and land use change." Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 40(3).<br /> <br /> <br /> Chen, Yong and Bruce Weber. 2011. Federal Policy, Rural Community Growth, and Wealth Creation: The Impact of the Federal Forest Policy and Rural Development Spending in the Pacific Northwest American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 94(2):542-548. First published online November 15, doi:10.1093/ajae/aar065.<br /> <br /> <br /> Dorfman, Jeffrey, Mark D. Partridge, and Hamilton Galloway. (2011) Are High-tech Employment and Natural Amenities Linked: Answers from a Smoothed Bayesian Spatial Model. Spatial Economic Analysis. (6): 397-422.<br /> <br /> <br /> Fallah, Belal, Mark D. Partridge, and M. Rose. Olfert. (2011) New Economic Geography and the Wage Distribution of U.S. Metropolitan Wage Inequality. Journal of Economic Geography. (11): 865-895. doi:10.1093/jeg/lbq016.<br /> <br /> <br /> Fleming, D. and S. J. Goetz. 2011. Does Local Firm Ownership Matter? Economic Development Quarterly 25(3)August:277-81.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd, James McConnon and Richard Kersbergen. 2011. Economic Contribution of Maines Food Industry, Maine Policy Review, Vol. 20, No. 1.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd M. and Jaison R. Abel. 2011. Agglomeration of Knowledge. Urban Studies, Vol. 48, No. 7.<br /> <br /> <br /> Goetz, Stephan, Mark D. Partridge, Dan S. Rickman, and Shibalee Mujumdar. 2011. Sharing the Gains of Local Economic Growth: Race to the Top vs. Race to the Bottom Economic Development. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 29(3):428-456.<br /> <br /> <br /> McGranahan D.A., T.R. Wojan, and D.M. Lambert. 2011. The Rural Growth Trifecta: Outdoor Amenities, Creative Class and Entrepreneurial Context. Journal of Economic Geography, 11(3): 529 - 557.<br /> <br /> <br /> Merriman, David, Skidmore, Mark, and Kashian, Russ. 2010. Do Wisconsin Tax Increment Finance Districts Stimulate Growth in Real Estate Values? Real Estate Economics, Vol. 39, No. 2.<br /> <br /> <br /> Monchuk, D., D. Hayes, J. Miranowski, and D.M. Lambert. 2011. Inference Based on Alternative Bootstrapping Methods in Spatial Models with an Application to County Income Growth in the United States. Journal of Regional Science, 51(5): 880 - 896.<br /> <br /> <br /> Olfert, M. Rose and Mark D. Partridge. (2011) Creating the Cultural Community: Ethnic Diversity vs. Agglomeration. Spatial Economic Analysis. 6: 25-55. DOI: 10.1080/17421772.2010.540032.<br /> <br /> <br /> Partridge, Mark D. and M. Rose Olfert. (2011) The Winners' Choice: Sustainable Economic Strategies for Successful 21st Century Regions. Applied Economic Policy Perspectives. (33): 143-178. doi:10.1093/aepp/ppr006. [Featured Article that Issue].<br /> <br /> <br /> Pickett STA, Cadenasso ML, Grove JM, Boone CG, Irwin EG, Kaushal SS, Marshall V, McGrath BP, Nilon CH, Pouyat RV, Szlavecz K, Troy A, Warren P (2011). Urban ecological systems: Scientific foundations and a decade of progress. Journal of Environmental Management 92: 331-362.<br /> <br /> <br /> Reed, Robert, Rogers, Cynthia, and Skidmore, Mark. 2011. On Estimating Marginal Tax Rates and Tax Progressivities for the U.S. States. National Tax Journal, Vol. 64, No. 1.<br /> <br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark, and Scorsone, Eric. 2011. Causes and Consequences of Fiscal Stress in Michigan Municipalities, request of revision, Regional Science and Urban Economics, Vol. 41 No. 4.<br /> <br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark, and Tosun, Mehmet. 2011. Property Value Assessment Growth Limits, Differential Tax Base Erosion and In-migration. Public Finance Review, Vol. 39, No. 2 2011.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I. and Steven Deller. 2011. State Tax and Expenditure Limitations and Economic Performance. Public Budgeting and Finance. 31(4):109-135.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter, and Robert Dinterman. 2011. "The Digital Economy in the Western United States", Rural Connections, Vol.6, Issue 1, pp. 43-48.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter. 2011. "American Policy and the Evolving Broadband Internet Network", Choices, Vol.25, No.4.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stephens, Heather and Mark D. Partridge. (2011) Do small businesses matter for economic growth in Appalachia? Growth and Change. (42): 431-465.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stewart, L., and D.M. Lambert. 2011. Spatial Heterogeneity of Factors Determining Ethanol Production Site Selection in the U.S., 2000-2007. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35(3): 1273  1285.<br /> <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian. 2011. Estimating the Economic Impact of Telemedicine in a Rural Community. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 40(2): 172-183. <br /> <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian. 2011. Do Higher Broadband Adoption Rates Mean Lower Tax Collections from Local Retail Sales? Implications of E-commerce in Rural Areas of the U.S. Regional Science Policy and Practice 3(2):71-85. <br /> <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian, Jeff Hackler, Vicky Pace, Matt Janey, Chad Landgraf, and William Pettit. 2011. An Evaluation of Osteopathic School Programs Designed to Promote Rural Location by Graduates. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine 14: 17-23. <br /> <br /> <br /> Xu, W., and D.M. Lambert. 2011. Business Establishment Growth in the Appalachian Region, 2000-2007: An Application of Smooth Transition Spatial Process Models. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 43(3): 309 - 324.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Book Chapters<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd M. 2011. The Value of Creativity, in a David Andersson, Ake Andersson and Charlotta Mellander (eds), Handbook of Creative Cities. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. 2011. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber. 2011. Toward One Oregon: A Declaration of Interdependence Chapter 1 in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press.<br /> <br /> <br /> Holland, David, Paul Lewin, Bruce Sorte, and Bruce Weber. 2011. How Economically Interdependent is the Portland Metro Core with its Rural Periphery? A Comparison across Two Decades. Chapter 5 in in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press.<br /> <br /> <br /> Martin, Sheila, and Bruce Weber. 2011. A Tale of Two Oregons: Common Aspirations, Different Contexts and Critical Interdependencies in Urban and Rural Oregon, Chapter 2 in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press.<br /> <br /> <br /> Nabhan, G., L. Lopez-Hoffman, C. Presnall, R. Knight, J. Goldstein, H. Gosnell, L. Gwen, D. Thilmany and S. Charnley 2011. Payments for Ecosystem Services: Keeping Working Landscapes Productive and Functioning. Chapter in Saving the Wide Open Spaces.<br /> <br /> <br /> Seltzer, Ethan, Michael Hibbard and Bruce Weber. 2011.Reframing our Common Cause in an Interdependent World. Chapter 9 in Hibbard, Michael, Ethan Seltzer and Bruce Weber, editors. Toward One Oregon: Rural-Urban Interdependence. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter, Morehart, M., "Toward Understanding U.S. Rural-Urban Differences in Broadband Internet Adoption and Use", in Yogesh K. Dwivedi (Eds.), Adoption, Usage, and Global Impact of Broadband Technologies: Diffusion, Practice and Policy, IGI Global, 2011.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter, Morehart, M. "Exploration in the Existence of Pent-up Demand for Rural Broadband Services", in Irene Bernhard (Eds.), Innovation and Multidimensional Entrepreneurship - Economic, Social and Academic Aspects, University West, 2011.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Selected Conference Presentations and Proceedings<br /> <br /> <br /> Abreo, Christina, W. P. Miller, S. McCullough, F. L Farmer, and Z. K. Moon. 2011. If I Just Had a Piece of Paper: One Land Grant Universitys Response to Latino Immigrant Entrepreneurs Presented at the Arkansas Galaxy Conference, March 16-18, 2011, UA Winrock Institute, Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas.<br /> <br /> <br /> Altman, Ira J., Jason S. Bergtold, Dwight R. Sanders, Thomas G. Johnson. 2011. "Producer Willingness to Supply Biomass: the Effects of Price and Producer Characteristics," Paper presented at the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, February.<br /> <br /> <br /> Amiel, Lindsay, Steven Deller, Judith Stallmann and Craig Maher. 2011. Does the Restrictiveness of State Tax and Expenditure Limitations Affect State Revenues and Expenditures? Miami, Florida: North American Regional Science and Regional Science Association of the Americas, Nov 10-12. Presented by Amiel. <br /> <br /> <br /> Chen, Yong and Bruce Weber. 2011. What affects rural wealth creation? An empirical analysis of changes in population and wealth in Oregons timber-dependent communities. Southern Regional Science Association annual meeting, New Orleans LA, March.<br /> <br /> C<br /> hen, Yong and Bruce Weber. 2011. Federal Policy, Rural Community Growth, and Wealth Creation: The Impact of the Federal Forest Policy and Rural Development Spending in the Pacific Northwest Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting, Pittsburgh PA, July. <br /> <br /> <br /> Deller, Steven, and Judith Stallmann, Craig Maher and Lindsay Amiel. 2011. Tax and Expenditure Limitations and Local Government Structure.´ Miami, Florida: North American Regional Science and Regional Science Association of the Americas, Nov 10-12.<br /> <br /> <br /> Figueroa, Maria A. and Thomas G. Johnson. 2011. "Women Entrepreneurship in Rural America: Necessity and Opportunity from a USDA ERS-Isserman Rural Typology Comparison," Paper presented at the Social Entrepreneurship and Commercialization of Innovative Ideas Conference, Fairfax, Virginia, May 6.<br /> <br /> <br /> Johnson, Thomas G. 2011. "Comprehensive Wealth Accounting: Bridging Place-Based and People-Based Measures of Wealth," North American meetings of the Regional Science Association International, Miami, FL. November 11.<br /> <br /> <br /> Johnson, Thomas G. 2011. "Rural Regional Innovation and Place-Based Policy," National Academy of Sciences, Geographical Science Committee Annual meeting, Washington, DC, February 10.<br /> <br /> <br /> Moon, Z. K., F. L. Farmer, C. Abreo, W. P. Miller, S. McCullough. 2011. Community Involvement of Urban and Rural Latin American Migrant Entrepreneurs. Presented at 74th Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society, July 2831, Boise, Idaho.<br /> <br /> <br /> Moon, Z. K., C. Abreo, F. L. Farmer, W. P. Miller, S. McCullough. 2011. Barriers to Migrant Latino Entrepreneurship. Presented at Cambio de Colores 10th Annual Conference, June 810, Kansas City, Missouri.<br /> <br /> <br /> Rainey, Daniel, Stacey McCullough, Jefferson Miller, and Biswa Das. "Agritourism Development in Arkansas: Economics & Associated Constraints" 2011 Arkansas Agritourism Symposium. August 18-19. Little Rock AR.<br /> <br /> <br /> Smith, Jessica E., Georgeanne M. Artz and Judith I. Stallmann. 2011. Impact of Wal-Mart on Rural Retail Wages. Revisions of the paper presented at: Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Missouri, February 11. Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, March 9.<br /> <br /> <br /> Smith, Matthew M., Morris, Douglas E., Halstead, John H., Smith, Sarah S. 2011. The Feasibility of Celluloseto-Ethanol Production in New Hampshire Using Forest and Agricultural Biomass,Agricultural andApplied Economics Association, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I and James Rossi. 2011. Trends in Missouri 3rd Class County Budgets: Implications for Rural Residents. Invited. Breimyer Seminar, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia. May 16.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I. 2011. Third Class County Budget Trends: 1996-2009. Missouri Extension Councils, University of Missouri Extension. June 24.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter. 2011. "Spatial Diffusion of Broadband Technologies", Presented at the 58th Annual North American Meetings of the RSAI, November 9-12, Miami, FL.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter. 2011. "Investment in Rural Broadband Technologies", paper presented at the 51st European Regional Science Assoc. meetings, Aug.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter, Beckman, J., Borchers, A. 2011. "Spatially Dispersed Entrepreneurs in Renewable Energy Generation", Uddevalla Symposium, June.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stenberg, Peter. 2011. "The Bio-energy Activities of Spatially Dispersed Economic Actors", presentation at NE-1029 Sessions during SRSA meetings, New Orleans, LA, April.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Technical Reports and Staff Papers<br /> <br /> <br /> Abreo, C., W. P. Miller, S. McCullough, F. L Farmer, and Z. K. Moon. 2011. Latino Immigrants Guide to Starting a Business in Arkansas: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs. Cooperative Extension Service. University of Arkansas---Division of Agriculture, MP497. <br /> <br /> <br /> Abreo, C., W. P. Miller, S. McCullough, F. L Farmer, and Z. K. Moon. 2011. Guía para inmigrantes Latinoamericanos para empezar un negocio en Arkansas: Un manualpara los empresarios. Cooperative Extension Service. University of Arkansas---Division of Agriculture, MP497SP.<br /> <br /> <br /> Abreo, C., W. P. Miller, S. McCullough, F. L Farmer, and Z. K. Moon. 2011. Business Owners Records Portfolio . Cooperative Extension Service. University of Arkansas---Division of Agriculture, MP498.<br /> <br /> <br /> Abreo, C. A., Z. K. Moon, F. L Farmer, W. P. Miller, S. McCullough. 2011. Survey Overview: Entrepreneurial Development Targeting Rural Hispanic Immigrants. Edited by Judith Killen. Cooperative Extension Service. University of Arkansas---Division of Agriculture, MP495.<br /> <br /> <br /> Colton, Ben, Tom Harris, and Brian Whitacre. 2011. High-speed Telecommunications: Infrastructure Growth and Market Penetration throughout Nevada and the Nation. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet 10-08, February.<br /> <br /> <br /> Dabson, Brian, Thomas G. Johnson and Chuck Fluharty. 2011. Rethinking Federal Investments in Rural Transportation: Rural Considerations Regarding Reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Act. Rural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri. http://ruralfutureslab.org/docs/RUPRI_Transportation_Policy_Brief_072911.pdf<br /> <br /> <br /> Davis, Donna S., Frank L Farmer, Wayne P. Miller, Zola K. Moon (Team). 2011. Rural Profile of Arkansas 2011. Social and Economic Trends Affecting Rural Arkansas. (Laura Goforth editor). University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, MP474.<br /> <br /> <br /> Deng, J., J. Anderson, A. Collins, T. Harris, R. Jackson, F. LaFone, S. Lamont, J. Strager, M. Strager, W. Veselka, N. Zegre, F. Boettner, E. Hansen, A. Hereford, S. Zegre, R. Martin, N. Askins, C. Abdalla, and S. J. Goetz, et al. 2011. An Assessment of Natural Assets in the<br /> Appalachian Region: Water. Appalachian Regional Commission. Washington, DC.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. 2011. Regional Economic Contribution of the New England Electric Railway Historical Society and Seashore Trolley Museum, Report prepared through the University of Maine, Knowledge Transfer Alliance (KTA) for the New England Electric Railway Historical Society and Seashore Trolley Museum, July.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. 2011. Statewide Economic Contribution of the University of Maine, School of Economics, University of Maine, Staff Paper 593, June.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd and Bernardita Silva. 2011. Retail and Service Sector Analysis of Orono, Maine, Report prepared through the University of Maine, Knowledge Transfer Alliance (KTA) for the Town of Orono. April.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd and Greg White. 2011. Economic Contribution of Maine Stores Supported by Associated Grocers of Maine, report prepared for Associated Grocers of Maine, March.<br /> <br /> <br /> Gabe, Todd. 2011. Regional Economic Impact of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Report prepared through the University of Maine, Knowledge Transfer Alliance (KTA) for Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. March.<br /> <br /> <br /> Johnson, Thomas G., Shriniwas Gautam, Bhawani Mishra and Timothy L. Haithcoat. 2011. The Benefits of Expanded broadband for Missouri Farms and Agribusinesses. Community Policy Analysis Center, University of Missouri. http://cpac.missouri.edu/library/publications/broadband%20white%20paper.pdf. <br /> <br /> <br /> Kashian, Russ, and Skidmore, Mark, 2011. A Hazard Analysis of Tax Increment Finance District Lifespans. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Report.<br /> <br /> <br /> McConnon, James C., Thomas G. Allen, and Todd Gabe. 2011. Trade Area Analysis of Retail Sales for Howland, Maine. School of Economics Staff Paper 592, University of Maine.<br /> <br /> <br /> McConnon, James C., Thomas G. Allen, and Todd Gabe. Trade Area Analysis of Retail Sales for Milo, Maine. School of Economics Staff Paper 591, University of Maine.<br /> <br /> <br /> McGraw, K., J. Popp, and W. Miller. 2011. Economic Contribution of Arkansas Agriculture<br /> Pocket Guide. UA Division of Agriculture, Little Rock.<br /> <br /> <br /> McGraw, K., J. Popp, and W. Miller. 2011. Economic Contribution of Agriculture to the Arkansas Economy in 2009 Cooperative Extension Service - UA Division of Agriculture, Little Rock. Fact Sheet FSA44-PD-9-11N.<br /> <br /> <br /> Miller, Wayne P. 2011. Economic Contribution of Baptist Medical Center  Arkadelphia 2011. Cooperative Extension Service. University of ArkansasDivision of Agriculture, Little Rock.<br /> <br /> <br /> Miller, Wayne P. 2011. Economic Contribution of Baptist Medical Center  Heber Springs 2011. Cooperative Extension Service. University of ArkansasDivision of Agriculture, Little Rock.<br /> <br /> <br /> Miller, Wayne P. 2011. Economic Contribution of Baptist Medical Center  Stuttgart 2011. Cooperative Extension Service. University of ArkansasDivision of Agriculture, Little Rock.<br /> <br /> <br /> Miller, Wayne P. 2011. Economic & Fiscal Contribution of Hot Springs Village Arkansas 2010. Cooperative Extension Service. University of ArkansasDivision of Agriculture, Little Rock.<br /> <br /> <br /> Skidmore, Mark, and Sands, Gary. 2011. Analysis of Detroit Revenue Options. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Report (completed for the Detroit City Council).<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith and Thomas G. Johnson. 2011. Thinking of Taxes as a Portfolio. Report 14-2011. Institute of Public Policy, Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri. http://ipp.missouri.edu/files/ipp/attachments/14-2011_tax_policy_stallmann_johnson.pdf<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith and Thomas G. Johnson. 2011. Economic Development Incentive Programs: Some Best Practices. Report 13-2011. Institute of Public Policy, Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri. http://ipp.missouri.edu/files/ipp/attachments/13-2011_economic_development_incentive_programs_0.pdf<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I. 2011. James Rossi, Matthew Pezold and Eunice Patron. Missouri's Third Class County Budget Trend Analysis. (Spreadsheet). University of Missouri Extension. DM4011, new June. http://extension.missouri.edu/p/DM4011<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I. and James Rossi. 2011. Missouri's Third Class County Budget Trend Analysis:Workbook Users Manual. University of Missouri Extension. DM4010, June. http://extension.missouri.edu/p/DM4010.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stallmann, Judith I. 2001. Ballard Local Government Series Editor. <br /> Cronan, Patrick. Rules for Missouri Fire Protection Districts (2nd ed.). Ballard Local Government Series # 2. University of Missouri Extension # DM4003. June. http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=dm4000. <br /> <br /> <br /> Thilmany, D. and L. Hoffman. 2011. Northern Colorado Food Assessment: Final Report. March. Available online at: http://www.larimer.org/foodassessment/report.cfm <br /> <br /> <br /> Watson, P., and D. Thilmany. 2011. Water Use Efficiency in Golf: An Economic Analysis of Colorado Golf Courses. Golf Course Management. June. 88-98<br /> <br /> <br /> Weber, Bruce, Paul Lewin and Bruce Sorte. 2011. Economic Impacts on Oregon of the Termination of Secure Rural Schools Payments to Counties: 2011 Update. Rural Studies Program Working Paper RSP #11-01. November.<br /> <br /> <br /> Weinstein, Amanda and Mark D. Partridge. 2011. The Economic Value of Shale Natural Gas in Ohio. Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy Summary Report, <br /> December. Available at: www.aede.osu.edu/programs/Swank.<br /> <br /> <br /> Weinstein, Amanda and Mark D. Partridge. 2011. How Can Struggling Communities Make a Comeback? Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy Summary Report, June. Available at: www.aede.osu.edu/programs/Swank.<br /> <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian, and Lara Brooks. 2011. Does More Broadband Mean Less Local Sales Tax Collections? Oklahoma State University Extension Fact Sheet AGEC-1028. September.<br /> <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian, Lara Brooks, Jonathan Kolarik, and Corie Kaiser. 2011. Electronic Health Records Incentive Program: The Payment Clock is Ticking! For Eligible Professionals. Oklahoma State University Extension Current Report CR-1023. January. <br /> <br /> <br /> Whitacre, Brian, Lara Brooks, Jonathan Kolarik, and Corie Kaiser. 2011. Electronic Health Records Incentive Program: The Payment Clock is Ticking! For Hospitals. Oklahoma State University Extension Current Report CR-1024. January.<br />

Impact Statements

1. Overall NE-1029 scientists have helped inform federal, state, and local policy as well as having served as sources for journalists and the citizenry.
2. Colorado State research has led to enhanced USDA and state Departments of Agriculture program efforts for local food enterprises.
3. Research in Maine on retail and service sectors is used by economic development professionals to identify problems and opportunities in the local economy.
4. Hundreds of civically engaged citizens and policymakers learned about rural and urban linkages and their importance directly from the Oregon State investigators at Oregon conferences.
5. Pennsylvania State and Cornell researchers on the socioeconomic impacts of Marcellus Shale natural gas development in Pennsylvania and New York uncovered the mixed reactions of local residents to the profound changes that are occurring. The research was featured in the New York Times and other newspapers.
6. Research by Oklahoma State has led to their assistance in leading hands-on training on various e-commerce topics during 20 different workshops held across the state.
7. Ohio State research developed new theoretical and empirical methodologies for evaluating how local government policies affect economic outcomes and helped inform the State of Ohios commission on Reforming Local Government and Improving Local Government Collaboration.
8. Economic Research Service research on rural broadband Internet technologies has led to federal policy formation.
9. Research in North Carolina found positive effects on the farm sector from the rural broadband loan program.
10. Research by Missouri on local government strategies to increase economic growth and to optimize their tax structures, for example, led to six media interviews, two of which were picked up by over 150 media outlets each.
11. In the wake of the devastating tsunami in Japan, Michigan State co-authored research on natural disasters was heavily cited in the United States, Japan, and internationally. The work was cited in the CNN, Forbes, Fox, Huffington Post, New Yorker, New York Times, Reuters, and many other U.S. news outlets as well prominent outlets in Japan, Europe, China, India, Brazil, and elsewhere.

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