THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT -- 2009

The Northeast Regional Center enhances the capacity of Land Grant Universities in the northeast region to foster rural development and regional partnerships. The project encourages and facilitates integrated research and extension activities to enhance the social and economic well-being of rural people and their communities in the Northeast U.S. The project develops and communicates original and other research on rural development policy issues to faculty, educators and decision makers, and facilitates training of investigators and extension staff in the area of rural development. In 2009/2010 the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development will place an emphasis on two primary issues areas: Local Foods and Agricultural Clusters; and Entrepreneurship and Job Creation. Land use will comprise a third but secondary area, with an emphasis on generating outreach materials. In addition, Center staff will respond strategically to new issues and opportunities as they arise and will seek to document systematically the Center?s outreach impact. Specific objectives of the project are to (1) conduct, promote and extend through outreach both think tank-level and peer-reviewed studies of local foods and agricultural clusters; entrepreneurship and job creation; and land use; (2) organize and sponsor multi-disciplinary and multi-state educational efforts in these issues areas; and (3) continue to fulfill the Center?s other multiple networking responsibilities through strategic partnerships, conference participation, publications and by identifying leading edge programs that can be shared across the northeast states. The Northeast Center is uniquely and strategically positioned to help rural communities address the problems they face. It accomplishes this by delivering research-based information, by facilitating community discourse, and by helping build human capital and capacity within communities through formal teaching or educational programs. As a result of the Center?s outreach projects, we expect higher awareness among key stakeholders and decision-makers of the increasing challenges, solutions and science that relate to the forces and opportunities shaping the sustainability and profitability of agricultural and local food systems in the Northeast U.S. We also expect a better understanding and greater awareness among decision-makers of the importance of self-employment and entrepreneurship within their communities. There will be fewer false business starts; more knowledge regarding business potential; and greater interest in rural areas (including especially among youth) in self-employment and small business creation. The Northeast Center seeks to help local governments and rural communities address the social and economic problems they face by disseminating research-based information, facilitating community discourse, and building human capital and capacity within communities through formal teaching and educational programs. This project encourages and facilitates multi-state collaboration on strategic issues throughout the region, thereby making existing activities more effective and avoiding duplication of effort.