A new era of farming is evolving in Kentucky. Resulting primarily from the loss of medium-sized operations, there has been a decline in the total number of farms. The real value of farmland dropped 16% in Kentucky between 1981 and 1985. More farmers are seeking off-farm employment in order to continue family operations. Similarly, more farmers…

Community leaders and government agency representatives need to understand local population trends, particularly in situations of rapid change. This publication outlines a simple framework for analysis of population changes, along with useful methods and criteria that can be applied when considering management and policy alternatives. Two…

The difficulties presently being faced by rural communities in the North Central Extension Region are well known. Many of these communities have economies which are closely tied to farming and therefore suffer economic hardship in direct relationship to those encountered by farmers. However, a dominant characteristic of communities in the region…

This document is the last of 10 reports resulting from New York's 1983 First Statewide Symposium on Rural Development and is intended to be used primarily as a resource document for the development of public policy proposals. The 9 preliminary reports generated discussion at 12 public hearings, plus written testimony, and served to catalog rural…