Sidney native studies cultures in United States, France to improve rural development

Meredith Redlin, originally from Sidney, hopes to find different methods to improve rural development in the United States – so she went to France.

By Ellen Robinson Sidney Herald

http://sidneyherald.com/articles/2004/07/26/news/news02.txt

Redlin, who is an associate professor of rural sociology at the University of South Dakota, is participating in a program that examines rural economic development in France in order to gain ideas for implementing practices in the United States.

Currently, Redlin is working on a grant to help implement some of the ideas from the example of French rural development in the U.S.

Redlin said her vision for the possible implementation of the French model includes providing diversity in rural economies, stabilizing rural populations and inspiring new enterprise and entrepreneurships in rural communities.

"The policy structure behind the model encourages rural development as a community verses development as individual businesses. The businesses refer customers to each other and share in advertising," Redlin said.

Redlin made her first trip to France for this project at the end of February to familiarize the University of South Dakota faculty with Toulouse, farmers and community members.

Next spring, the faculty will tour the community facilities, farms and hospitals and meet the staff. In 2006 a student tour is planned.

Next spring, the faculty will tour the community facilities, farms and hospitals and meet the staff. In 2006 a student tour is planned.

"I hope to one day see rural American economies flourishing from the implementation of these ideas gathered from our study of France’s rural development," Redlin said.

Redlin said the group chose to examine France’s rural development because it closely resembles the United States’ rural economy and because in the French culture, there is a strong specialty market, which enables families to stay on their farms.

"We are looking at the organic markets, which are very popular in France. They have a strong cultural tradition and even in the cities, people are very aware of the specific regions where products originate," Redlin said. "Even in urban places like Paris, the people have a desire to support the rural life in the French countryside."

Redlin is inspired by many aspects of the strong emphasis French people place on tradition and culture especially in relation to supporting French rural economies and lifestyles.

"In the cities, people want to know what area their cheese comes from or the farms where the grapes for their wine are grown," Redlin said

Redlin has noted many differences in the ways the United States and France view rural societies. "In French television shows or films, they have a cultural emphasis on rural societies whereas in the Untied States most of the settings for modern America are usually urban centers and rural societies in America are invisible in our culture. Most American films with rural settings usually have to do with a historical event verses modern day life in rural America," Redlin said.

She feels rural societies emphasis in French culture impacts the rural economies of France in positive ways.

"People even in the cities are concerned about the drop in rural populations and other rural issues more so than people in urban America are concerned about rural issues," Redlin said.

Redlin sees farmers in the United States looking for new ways to sustain themselves, and hopes what she is learning from France will help enable rural communities in the United States prosper.

"The rural development used in France is no magic bullet, but it does increase the economy," Redlin said. "What it does is help families stay on their farms, spread awareness, markets and brings urban people to the rural areas."

In the rural development model from Toulouse, France, 18 businesses market themselves together to tourist.

"About half of the marketed tourism to the area is agriculturally based such as vineyard tours, bed and breakfast accommodations and farm tours while the other half of the marketed tourism includes restaurants, medieval villages, crafts, artisans or anything else," Redlin said. "They have development a collective micro-enterprise to promote their valley which adds extra income to locals and small farmers."

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