Vilsack: USDA investment should help rural America

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Obama administration's new investments in rural America will help reverse the economic decline of small towns.

Vilsack laid out the administration's plan yesterday at a summit on rural economic issues in Hillsboro, Mo., about an hour south of St. Louis. Vilsack says new investments in broadband Internet, biofuels plants and small-scale farming will help create jobs in rural areas.

After touring rural areas in 22 states, Vilsack says he consistently heard complaints that small towns are losing population because they can't sustain economic growth. He says that hurts city dwellers by threatening their food supply.

About 400 people attended the summit.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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