June 16, 2017
President Trump’s Rural Task Force met for the first time this week, discussing how to improve the quality of life in rural communities.
With an executive order, President Trump tasked Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue and other leaders from across the government with making rural America great again. At their first official meeting, they explain why more than 20 agencies were represented around the table.
“Working together, taking the best of each of these agencies and applying them, making sure that we don’t over regulate – that we’ do take into account the safety and needs of our citizens, but that we don’t over regulate,” said Rick Perry, United States Secretary of Energy.
Working together is not the only reason for the team spirit, the uniqueness of the challenge was also a factor.
Secretary Perdue made his intentions clear at the meeting.
“Our goal is not to provide a report, but to provide an operational plan. There’s a lot of meetings, lots of talking going on, but this is going to be an effort to really develop a serious plan,” explained Secretary Perdue.
Attendees discussed a broad range of issues, from increasing trade and reducing regulation to expanding rural broadband. But they also said this task force is about acknowledging rural Americans.
The Secretary says that working groups for specific task force goals, like preserving family farms, will begin meeting immediately. But as the Task Force’s plan isn’t due to the President until October, it could be a while before its recommendations have any real impact on rural communities.
The Secretary also remarked that Anne Hazlett, the newly appointed Assistant to the Secretary on Rural Development, will play a key role on the Task Force going forward.
For more information visit, usda.gov.