Sen. Brown Addresses Appalachian Economic Development Leaders During Conference in Athens
Brown is Working to Create Jobs in Region as New Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth, and Energy
Brown Fought for Nearly $900,000 in Economic Development Funds for the Voinovich School to Spur Small Business Growth
ATHENS, OH – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today addressed Appalachian economic development leaders at a conference hosted by Ohio University’s Voinovich School. The conference, titled “Positioning Appalachia: Economic Growth Strategies for Success,” focused on the future of manufacturing in Ohio, business incubation, rural economic development, and new market opportunities for Appalachian Ohio.
Brown discussed the important role that anchor institutions, like the Voinovich School, can provide in spurring regional economic development. Brown fought for nearly $900,000 in Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding for the Voinovich School to leverage private investment, expand business assistance, create jobs, bring new products to market, and improve the economy in southeast Ohio.
“Rural America faces great challenges in an economy as fragile as ours. We must connect our strengths—in agriculture, clean energy, aerospace, manufacturing, entrepreneurship and more—to rebalance our economy, replace the hundreds of thousands of Ohio jobs that have been lost, and rebuild our middle class,” Brown said. “Connecting our strengths is critical for a state with an Appalachia heritage as diverse as ours— spanning rural communities and cutting across industries and farms.
“And it’s important because as a state and nation – we’ve never had a comprehensive rural economic development strategy,” Brown continued. “More than half of Ohio’s 88 counties are designated as rural by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Strong rural communities are essential to Ohio’s economic prosperity and serve as a barometer for our economy’s health. By closing the skills gap, rebuilding our infrastructure, and expanding agriculture’s role in the clean energy economy, we can strengthen rural Ohio’s competitiveness in the 21st century.”
Brown, chair of the Senate Agriculture on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth, and Energy, also discussed his work to connect Appalachian Ohio with job opportunities to make Ohio the Silicon Valley of Clean Energy Manufacturing. Specifically, Brown highlighted how the 2012 Farm Bill, and programs like the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), can help agricultural producers and small businesses break into the renewable energy sector.
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