Land Management, Agriculture and Housing

States manage lands for multiple uses, from agriculture to recreation and even energy production. Agriculture plays an important role in many states and territories’ economies. Governors have taken the lead on improving agricultural economies, managing wildlife, and responding to housing issues.

Agriculture plays an important role in states and territories’ economies. Land-use decisions affect agriculture, housing, and infrastructure. As Governors lead on improving agricultural economies, managing wildlife, and responding to land use challenges and rural economies, the NGA Center’s Land Management, Agriculture, Housing team supports Governors’ advisors as they work to achieve policy goals by providing information and sharing best practices across the states and territories.

Meet the team

Will Carraco, Program Director
Matt Gessel, Policy Coordinator

NGA Resources

Summary Times of crisis often exacerbate the economic challenges faced by rural communities. Following the Great Recession, for example, unemployment in rural areas rose by 6 percent, and rates of ...

Solutions for Rural Economies in Response to COVID-19

Rural America has a robust cultural history that has enriched the nation and its people. Rural America is also beset with social and economic challenges. Population migration and persistent poverty ...

RURAL PROSPERITY THROUGH THE ARTS & CREATIVE SECTOR

Summary A partnership between NGA Solutions: The Center for Best Practices, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) introduced an extensive ...

Rural Prosperity Through the Arts & Creative Sector

WASHINGTON — Struggling rural communities have found new life through smart public policies that boost the creative sector, the National Governors Association said in a report and action guide that ...

NGA Offers Strategies for Creative Sector to Revitalize Rural Communities

Published in Governing. We're all too familiar with the stories of rural areas that didn't rebound from the last recession, where families are struggling to make ends meet and prospects ...

The Growing Importance of the Arts to Rural America

‘Hard’ and ‘soft’ infrastructure are key to empowering rural communities, participants in National Governors Association forum agree Governors came together in Iowa’s capital city to redouble their commitment to providing ...

NGA Workshop in Des Moines Focuses on Ensuring That Rural America Shares in Prosperity

March 6-7, 2018 | Washington, DC The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) Health Division hosted a multi-state convening as part of the Rural Health Learning Collaborative ...

Rural Health Learning Collaborative: Improving Heart Health in Rural America

The National Governors Association has selected six states—Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri and Oregon—to participate in a project called Improving Health in Rural America: Addressing the Leading Causes of Death. Specifically, states will develop and implement ...

States Focus on Improving Health Care in Rural America

This webinar featured model rural programs from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative. It was open to all governors’ economic policy advisors, commerce directors, and ...