Land Management, Agriculture, Wildlife, and Rural Communities

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 the unique challenges of rural and tribal communities.

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 National Governors Associations’ Center for Best Practices enhances the Governors’ advisors to achieve their policy goals by providing information and sharing best practices across the states and territories.

Meet the team

Will Carraco, Program Director
Michelle Blakeslee, Policy Coordinator

NGA Resources

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

The webinar, hosted in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), introduced the U.S. DOT’s Build America Bureau and shared how states can finance transportation projects through the new ...
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NGA/U.S. DOT Webinar on the Build America Bureau’s New Rural Projects Initiative

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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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State Strategies for Venture Capital and Rural Development

As rural communities struggle to grow their economies and retain skilled labor, work-based learning experiences such as internships and apprenticeships offer a promising strategy to address workforce talent shortages and ...
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Developing Talent in Rural America through Work-based Learning Experiences

August 9–10, 2017 | 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 ...
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Rural Health Learning Collaborative: Improving Access to Behavioral Health Care in Rural Areas

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today released a statement regarding reduced federal payments to states and counties under the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program: “Governors call on members of Congress ...
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