As the U.S. economy emerges from recession, prospects for a rural rebound in 2010 are also rising. After months of sharp contraction, the nation’s GDP rose solidly in the second half of 2009. Rural job losses also slowed as the year progressed, and commodity prices rebounded, spurring some...

Although scholars have long emphasized the importance of entrepreneurs to long-term growth prospects, entrepreneurship often receives less attention by policy makers than traditional industrial recruitment efforts as regional growth engines. The effects of entrepreneurship may be more subtle...

Historically, record profits in the agriculture industry have been fleeting - farm booms have been followed by busts. Recent profitability suggests agriculture has entered a new "golden era." Still the glint of banner profits could turn out to be fool's gold amid soaring market risks and...