Creating More Opportunities in Rural America By U.S. Senator Russ Feingold La Crosse Tribune December 31, 2006 The strength of our rural communities is a big source of pride in our state. Wisconsin is known not just for its agricultural products, but for the special character of our small towns. With a changing economy, and tough challenges for our hardworking farmers, it is going to take some new approaches to create more opportunities for people living in these rural communities that mean so much to our state. The federal government has an important role to play in supporting America’s small towns and rural areas, which contribute so much to our economy, and to our strength as a nation. That is why, when the new Congress starts in January, I plan to introduce a bill to create more economic opportunities in rural America. This initiative is the last in a series of proposals I have announced this year to address domestic issues raised by Wisconsinites; the first three proposals took steps to reform our health care system, fix our trade policy, and create more affordable housing. My bill will support rural America in four ways: supporting local bioproducts and food markets, encouraging local renewable fuels and bioproducts, expanding broadband Internet service in rural areas, and helping develop the next generation of farmers, ranchers and land managers. Developing local markets is critical for the future of rural communities, since those markets help farmers get more for their products, and counter the power of big agribusiness. My proposal would help schools link up with local farmers to supply their cafeterias with locally produced products. It would also provide additional funds for existing USDA programs, which help develop local markets and help farmers develop and sell products at these markets. My bill would also boost funds to provide additional vouchers – like those distributed by the Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee -- for low-income seniors to purchase items at farmers markets. This would both provide a nutritional benefit for the voucher recipients and help farmers see more value from their crops. This would both provide a nutritional benefit for the voucher recipients and help farmers see more value from their crops. There is a lot of discussion about how renewable energies like ethanol and biodiesel will help rural economies, but for these opportunities to fulfill their potential, we need to make sure the benefits stay local. We need more technical assistance and other efforts to ensure that the benefits of turning agricultural and forest products into fuel go back into local economies. Otherwise, ethanol and biodiesel plants could shift from value-added local and farmer ownership to multinational investment firms and energy corporations. My bill will provide flexible federal matching funds for extension, education and applied research purposes, as well as boosting funding to develop the next generation of biofuels. Not surprisingly, Wisconsin is already well ahead of the curve in supporting biofuels. In addition to many other exciting developments statewide, Governor Doyle has established a Consortium on Biobased Industry. My bill would give a federal boost to such efforts in Wisconsin and every other state. As we support local agriculture markets, we must also help rural economies grow in new directions, and broadband Internet access is key to that growth. As many Wisconsinites know, the availability of affordable broadband Internet service in rural areas of the state is spotty. The U.S. is falling behind some of our Western European and Asian counterparts who have supported more universal access to the Internet. My proposal includes a language encouraging improvements in existing programs to increase Internet access and a goal of universal affordable service. Finally, no matter the type of farm, a common concern expressed by farmers across Wisconsin is “How we can support the next generation of farmers and where will they come from?” My bill will improve existing federal programs to better serve beginning farmers and ranchers, giving them more resources, and targeting those resources toward developing agricultural methods appropriate for small farmers, such as organic farming, farmers markets, and grazing. It would also provide federal matching funds for states and regions to address their specific local needs. I’ve designed my bill to allow Wisconsin to continue and build upon programs such as the University of Wisconsin’s Center of Integrated Agricultural Systems’ School for Beginning Dairy Farmers. There are even regional grants to encourage regional collaborations and I could very well see Wisconsin becoming the regional hub for developing the next generation of dairy farmers, just as another region may focus on crop production or ranching. In true Wisconsin style, my bill is fully offset so that it doesn’t add to the deficit. The bill reforms our agricultural support system by reducing the subsidies paid to the largest farms, and uses the money to pay for the new assistance. These efforts certainly don’t address every challenge rural communities face. There is much more to be done for the small towns and rural areas across Wisconsin, and around the country, that represent America at its best – proud communities built by centuries of hard work and commitment. My legislation provides resources to sustain and strengthen rural economies for the future, and create more opportunities for people in these communities. With this effort, and others like it, we can support the rural communities that America was built on, for this generation and generations to come.