More than 60 rural leaders, including advocates from Wisconsin, met in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Rural Policy Action Summit to share solutions and speak out about urgent needs in rural communities.
Michael Chameides, policy director for the Rural Democracy Initiative, was among them and said conversations during the summit centered around a clear message: rural families, farmers, and small business owners are doing their part, but they need more support to keep going.
Chameides highlighted one example in Wisconsin, where locals fought against efforts to privatize a county-run care facility.
"The residents really liked that nursing home. They felt like they gave good care, and they didn't want it to be sold off, and they were worried about the kind of care that would happen," Chameides explained. "So they ran a campaign to protect their nursing home and make sure that the board of supervisors in Wisconsin didn't privatize it."
Chameides added wins like the one in Wisconsin show how much rural communities can accomplish on their own, but stressed they should not have to fight so hard to keep basic services.
Chameides pointed out leaders at the summit also raised alarm about proposed federal tax breaks for the wealthy. He warned tax cuts could mean cutting programs rural communities depend on.
"They're talking about cutting health care, cutting education, they're breaking contracts that they already have with small farmers," Chameides outlined. "They're talking about giving away public land, which is often sort of a key part of our rural communities, and just generally gutting the programs that support rural people."
Chameides noted while rural communities are known for their independence and resilience, both state and federal leaders have a responsibility to step in and protect them.
"For the best outcomes, we need the state and federal governments to be working together," Chameides urged. "Ultimately, they should be looking towards rural leadership and providing support to our rural leaders, and we're seeing a lot of things going in the wrong direction at this time."
Chameides underscored rural leaders shared the need for better policy to improve disaster response, public education, and immigration programs, saying such tools are essential for helping their communities grow stronger after setbacks.
