Fifteen historically African-American land-grant educational institutions were selected to receive $1.5 million in grants from the Department of Agriculture. "These funds help provide entrepreneurship training and benefits to rural youth," Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press release. "Using these funds, students will learn to take advantage of existing economic development opportunities in their communities -- such as renewable energy resources -- as well as the vast business knowledge and connections that these schools and their faculty members have." USDA hopes the grants will help spur economic development in rural communities.

The Obama administration launched a "Rural Tour" campaign in order to "engage in a more robust dialog with folks living in rural America," according to the program’s Web site. Led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Cabinet secretaries and local legislators are holding forums around the country, many in swing states or competitive districts for the 2010 midterm elections. The original itinerary scheduled Vilsack to visit nine states over the summer, but since then forums have been held in rural communities in 20 states.

The president's draft budget includes $70 million for research grants to rural areas and land grant university agriculture programs. It sets aside $1.3 billion in loans and grants to increase broadband penetration and $61 million in grants for small businesses and value-added producers. The budget would also allocate $6.9 billion dollars in discretionary funds to the Department of Agriculture for use improving infrastructure, housing and businesses in rural America.

In his confirmation hearing, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack lamented: "Small towns and rural communities continue to lose people and jobs while critical infrastructure crumbles." He pledged "to leverage the financial commitment of the stimulus bill with other public sector and private resources to realize the full promise of rural America."