Every five years the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) undertakes a detailed inventory of farming operations across the country. The most recent, the 2022 Census of Agriculture, aims to provide a detailed snapshot of the nation’s farming economy, including information on farm demographics, production practices, land use, and economic trends. The intent of this issue of WIndicator is to provide an overview of recent trends in Wisconsin farming using the Census of Agriculture. We pay particular attention to the changes since the last Census in 2017 to understand trends in key metrics for Wisconsin agriculture with some references to longer term trends (1997 to 2022).
Using the latest research and data specific to Wisconsin’s rural communities and regions, this summit focuses on the Wisconsin rural economy. The summit includes an overview of the latest economic and demographic trends across rural communities, and an examination of rural health care, housing, and broadband. Conversations will include what rural communities can do to foster economic growth and development.
There are a number of factors feeding into the current labor shortage, and while the problem seemed to accelerate after the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been facing a downward trend in unemployment for over a decade.
This webinar explores the pivotal role of rural pharmacies in providing vital healthcare services, especially in areas affected by hospital closures. Learn why the decline of independently owned rural pharmacies is a pressing concern, affecting medication access and downtown vitality.
Wisconsin follows the nationwide trend of a relatively small yet growing number of diverse business owners. This recent growth suggests a promising and economically important future for diverse business owners despite evidence that they face significant challenges.
The UW-Madison EDA University Center conducted a statewide survey of Wisconsin residents on broadband access and affordability, with the goal of estimating the willingness to pay for broadband. As the state makes significant investments in broadband infrastructure, attention is shifting to the willingness, or ability, of people, particularly lower income people, to pay for broadband subscriptions.
Using 2022 county sales tax data, we examine the strength and weaknesses of Wisconsin retail and service markets through the application of the tools of Trade Area Analysis.
This webinar dives into the world of rural recruitment and welcoming strategies, drawing inspiration from successful initiatives in Minnesota communities. This webinar will provide practical tools and insights that can be applied to Wisconsin communities.
This webinar highlights several rural workforce challenges and the role that university extension can play in addressing these challenges. It also introduces the Future Opportunities for Rural Workforce and Rural Development (FORWARD) curriculum designed by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) at Purdue University and the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU)—a curriculum intended to support extension professionals in their efforts address some of these rural workforce challenges. The webinar gives particular focus on how labor market information (LMI) and other types of socio-economic data can be more effectively woven into rural workforce planning efforts.
Using the latest research and data specific to Wisconsin’s rural communities and regions, this summit focuses on the Wisconsin rural economy. The summit includes an overview of the latest economic and demographic trends across rural communities, an examination of entrepreneurship, and a discussion of what rural communities can do to foster economic growth and development.
This webinar describes work from the University of Minnesota-Extension to support business retention and expansion efforts in rural areas. With over 20 years of experience working with rural communities, MN-Extension has developed several resources that support economic development leaders to create a supportive ecosystem for rural business retention and expansion. Three guest presenters, Michael Darger, Marty Walsh, and Amy Schaefer, discuss the importance of business retention and expansion in rural communities.
One long-held strategy to foster economic growth and development is to recapture tax dollars that flow to higher units of government. Paying taxes to higher units of government, such as the state and/or federal government, is a leakage from the local economy. In a sense, these leakages are akin to a local business buying inputs from vendors outside of the community or local residents shopping outside of the community. While many communities strike to close these leakages by encouraging firms and shoppers to buy locally, such an approach does not apply to state and federal taxes. Rather, communities often strive to have those dollars returned to the community through local state and federal government spending.
