RD270 - Center for Rural Virginia 2009 Annual Activities Report


Executive Summary:
Strategic planning and a new style of rural leadership are necessary to properly assess the specific and overall issues that Virginia must address as the population both shifts and increases in the 21st Century.

The Virginia Rural Center (Center for Rural Virginia and Council for Rural Virginia), a public/private partnership representing the major rural components of the Commonwealth, is positioned to address issues of social and economic development of approximately 75% of the land area of the State and 20% of the population (all or part of 87 counties). Strategic planning and a new style of rural leadership are necessary to properly assess the specific and overall issues that Virginia must address as the population both shifts and increases in the 21st Century.

With the establishment of the Rural Strategic Planning Initiative in 2005, the Commonwealth charged the Rural Center to provide leadership in a critical statewide planning process. The Rural Center, in collaborative alliances with a broad range of organizations and planning groups that have a direct interest in Virginia’s rural areas, face a unique opportunity to give leadership to the State’s planning process. Rural planning has traditionally focused on the industry of agriculture or its derivatives, or in providing manufacturing employment opportunities to supplement the traditional rural agricultural farm base.

Diversification of the Commonwealth’s economy must accelerate if we are to make Virginia more competitive in a knowledge-based global economy. Indeed, traditional rural areas are already facing the challenge of blending production agriculture, residential quality of life issues, and development of alternative employment opportunities in a way which will create a better environment for local economic vitality. Meeting these challenges in a way that does not diminish the uniqueness of any particular area will be a challenge. Success or failure will affect all Virginians . . . rural and urban.

Virginia is blessed with many available resources ranging from a widely acclaimed community college system, strategically located universities, and an abundance of natural resources. Over the years, Virginia has been relatively successful in blending profitable production agriculture with business and manufacturing. However, as a number of traditional manufacturing sectors continue to shift production to offshore locations, both rural and urban areas must re-examine their own competitive advantages to determine how those advantages can best be translated into desirable job opportunities for their citizens. A good example is the recent location of a major international industry to an eastern rural county and the good job opportunities provided in a predominately rural setting.

Along with partners from numerous private and public business, organizations and agencies, the Rural Center stands ready to develop an effective Strategic Course of Action for each of the rural regions of the Commonwealth. Each regional plan must take advantage of existing resources such as colleges, natural resources, rail and road transportation and Virginia’s proximity to urban areas, and each plan must incorporate agricultural production and preservation of land and water as essential elements for rural economic vitality. Also, each plan must recognize that rural Virginia’s most important strategic asset is its people.

Yet, it must also be acknowledged that what has historically been viewed as an “ag-based society” no longer exists even in parts of rural Virginia. Today’s rural Virginia is a mix of large scale agricultural producers, smaller “lifestyle farmers”, residents who are employed locally in small business and light manufacturing, and residents who commute to population centers for employment. Each group of citizens has different needs, wants and expectations. The creation of a Strategic Course of Action for Rural Virginia provides a unique opportunity to comprehensively examine issues surrounding “the quality of life that is uniquely Virginia” from the point of view of every stakeholder. Our findings will provide a roadmap leading to more vibrant and sustainable rural economies in every region of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth must address the various issues facing Virginia’s rural areas, identify those that can be altered or improved, while identifying rural economic essentials and attributes that should become sustainable and should be preserved. To do so requires that a statewide rural Strategic Course of Action (SCA) be created and used as the planning guide for the Commonwealth. Specifically, the SCA can and must address the following key issues:

The impact of jobs, workforce training and economic development.

1. The need for quality secondary education across all of Virginia specifically underserved rural areas.

2. How to reinvigorate community and civic leadership in rural areas to offset the out-migration of young leaders to urban and suburban settings.

3. Access of acceptable and necessary healthcare services in parts of rural Virginia.

4. Resource development that includes al aspects of community life in rural areas.

5. The need to support the creation of sustainable systems for natural resources, agriculture and energy production and consumption.

6. The importance of enhancing and preserving livable spaces, the traditional rural quality of life, and the countryside’s open space for future generations.

Virginia is fortunate to have 95 counties, 36 independent cities and dozens of towns large and small located in every corner of the Commonwealth. The pride in each community transcends economic and cultural boundaries. Yet, more than at any time in at least four decades, the Commonwealth is faced with limited resources, increased demand for quality services and a highly mobile population. Services, be they state or local, public or private, must be delivered more efficiently in the future. The Center for Rural Virginia recognizes our commission to facilitate those very tasks!

As an organization whose state and federal Charter mandates stakeholder coordination and collaboration, the Rural Center is uniquely positioned to determine how best to meet the increasing demands for service, both on a local and regional basis. All rural areas of Virginia are not alike! The Rural Center will provide the leadership and expertise to challenge each region to reexamine itself and determine its own strengths and weaknesses. Equally important, a number of state agencies, educational institutions and community organizations with whom the Rural Center currently partners are stakeholders in this vision. It is incumbent upon ‘all’ who have a stake in the future of Rural Virginia to identify ways to gain the very best for our citizens.

There is no good time to change . . . Change is difficult. Change can be uncomfortable. But, with respect to Rural Virginia, change we must! No longer can we address rural issues by solely focusing on production agriculture; nor, can we ignore the effect that “suburbanization” is having on the quality of life held dear by generations of Virginians. Changing for change sake is not the answer . . . Change must come in the form of bold, innovative and visionary thinking. The best way to facilitate that kind of thinking is to create a Strategic Course of Action for Rural Virginia.

Citizens in the rural areas of the Commonwealth want to believe that Rural Virginia’s best and most productive days are ahead. The Commonwealth’s leaders recognize that a dynamic Rural Virginia is a vibrant and vital Rural Virginia. Thus, this strategic plan will provide the roadmap to make that possible.

It is imperative that the next Governor create a new vision for Rural Virginia . . . One that leverages the unique quality of life which exists in rural areas as a tool to create more employment and greater business opportunities. Virginians will continue to demand the level of personal and community services that they should have. Conversely, while government can certainly never be “all things to all people”, it is important that state, local and community leaders understand and appreciate what its citizens need and demand. That is why the creation of a comprehensive Strategic Course of Action for Rural Virginia must be viewed as a critical business imperative for the Commonwealth.