USDA Awards $2.4 Million for Rural Development Research

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced today eight grants totaling $2.4 million for research on rural development.

"These grants support innovative research to help communities create and sustain rural community vitality and prosperity," Johanns said. "The Bush Administration is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America."

The funded rural development projects examine the social, economic, technological and demographic factors that affect quality of life for rural Americans. Topics covered include land use at the rural/urban fringe; investments of financial, social and human capital for rural economic development; and intergenerational assistance among rural and farm families.

Although the eight Rural Development awards are given to project directors at specific universities, these awards fund a number of multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research teams. The research encompasses much of rural America in scope, and the results will have regional or national implications.

The average award size was $299,000. Descriptions of funded awards are available at http://cris.csrees.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=CG=*-35401*%20not%20PS=TERM*&format=WEBTITLESG.

The USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) administers the Rural Development program through the National Research Initiative (NRI). The NRI is the largest peer reviewed, competitive grants program in CSREES. Its purpose is to support research, education and extension grants that address key problems of national, regional and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of agriculture.

CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. For more information, visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov

The fiscal year 2005 grants were awarded to the following:

* University of Arkansas, $252,000. "Assistance That Older Persons Received from Adult Children: Longitudinal Differences Across the Rural Continuum."

* University of Maryland, $357,600. "Linking Land Conservation and Rural Stakeholders through Cultural Model Research."

* Michigan State University, $400,000. "Rural Household Adjustment Mechanisms and Attitudes Toward Public Investments in the United States."

* Oregon State University, $167,100. "How Do Location Decisions of Firms and Households Affect Economic Development in Rural America?"

* Oregon State University, $15,000. "Conference: Frontiers in Resource and Rural Economics: Rural Urban Interplay and Nature-Human Interaction."

* Pennsylvania State University, $440,100. "Social Capital and Rural Economic Development."

* University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, $380,000. "Factors Influencing Land Parcelization in Amenity Rich Rural Areas and the Potential Consequences of Planning and Policy Variables."

* University of Wyoming, $388,200. "Factors Affecting Conservation Easements for Rural Land Preservation: Agricultural Production and Amenity

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2005/12/0522.xml