Nearly a year ago, 300 rural leaders from across the United States gathered near Washington, D.C., in the first annual National Rural Assembly. This Assembly sought to strengthen rural America by raising the visibility of rural issues, organizing a national network of rural interests, and developing specific rural policy initiatives. Since then, a Steering Committee has developed a Rural Compact, a set of principles for building stronger rural communities and has laid plans for a 2008 National Rural Assembly.

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2008-05-02 - Presentation by Charles Fluharty
• "What Reporters Should Know About Rural Residents," Presented to the 2008 Rural Health Journalism Workshop, May 2, 2008, in Columbia, MO.  Click here to open a pdf of the presentation.

2008-03-04 - New Document from the RUPRI Rural Health Panel
• Implementing a New USDA Rural Development Program Targeting Small Rural Hospitals and their Communities: Recommendations of the RUPRI Health Panel.
Click here to open a PDF of the document.

2008-01-18 - Nonmetro America: Conditions & Trends
• RUPRI Report Prepared for the Agriculture Chairs Summit, St. Louis, Missouri, January 18-20, 2008.  Click here to open the document (pdf).

Legislative Update - more updates >>
Comparing Senate & House Farm Bill Rural Development Titles
Farm Bill Conference Committee releases side-by-side comparison of Senate and House Farm Bill Titles.
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Rural in the News - more news >>
Rural America and the Presidential Race -
Who's winning the rural vote in the Presidential primaries? Updated with article about the rural vote in Pennsylvania. 2008-01-24
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Upcoming Events - more events >>
Beyond Showerheads and Sprinklers: Water Governance Solutions for Illinios - 2008-05-16
Demand for water is growing, but supply is not. Many states are dealing with similar issues. In Illinois, a gubernatorial order called for the creation of a framework for regional water supply planning.
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