Allan Hancock College (AHC) and Rural Prosperity partner EconAlliance co-hosted a USDA “community conversation” in September to introduce the Administration’s Rural Prosperity Initiative to local decision-makers and key economic stakeholders.
The Initiative, established by Executive Order and led by the US Secretary of Agriculture, is guided by a joint task force of more than a dozen federal agencies tasked with driving more federal resources into rural areas. According to Mike Beatty (see photo, left), Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) and the USDA Secretary’s lead on the Initiative, the Rural Prosperity focus areas include: e-connectivity, economic development, workforce development, innovation and technology and quality of life.
EconAlliance has scheduled meetings during the organization’s Washington DC trip (see above) with USDA/OPPE and other agencies to follow up on the initial community conversation and to lay the groundwork for a spring Rural Prosperity Summit in Northern Santa Barbara County. Rural Prosperity regional coordinator Holly Nolan-Chavez, Regional Director of Ag, Water and Environmental Technologies based at Allan Hancock College, will be accompanying EconAlliance on its DC visit.
