DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 254 157
RC 015 067
TITLE
Southern Rural Development Center Annual Progress
Report, FY 1984.
INSTITUTION
Southern Rural Development Center,, Mississippi State,
Wise.
REPORT NO
SRDC Series No.75
%
Nov 84
.
-.
.
N
20p.; Period covered: October 1, 1983 to September
30, 1984. For related document, 'see ID 213 569.
PUB TliS
Reports - Descriptive (141)
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DESCRIPTORS
Clergy; Community Development; *Conferences;
Extension Education; Land Grant Universities; Lend
Use; Leadership Training; *Linking Agents; *Networks;
*Professional Contihuing Education; Publications;
.
,
Regional Programs; *Research and Development Centers;
0
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*Rural Development
.
.
IDENTIFIERS
Puerto Rico; *Southern Rural Development Center MS;
United States (South); Virgin Islands
ABSTRACT
Twenty major activities ,y fiscal year (FY) 1984
fulfilled the Southern Rural Developmeit Center's (SRDC) obligation
to focus specifically on the rural -prdb4ems of the region and to
support the community development efforts 6f 29 land-grant
universities in 13 southern states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands. During FY84 SRDC had an active role in seven meetings
involving training about community/rural development (leadership
development t minority land loss, computer utilization, etc.),
training rural clergy to minister to troubled. Pimilies (problami of
death and dying, money management, substance abuse), training Garden
Club and community members for effective leadership, and facilitating
improvement of th'e Kellogg Rural LeadershiR Program through
co-sponsoring a national workshop for Kellogg Leadership Prograi
directors. SRDC was also active in two networks, the National Network
on Extension Community Leadership Programs and the Southern Region,
Business Nienagement Network. SRDC cooperated with the other rural
development centers in developing designs for in-service education of
cooperative extension personnel. Six studies or projects were
completed or are, underway. The Center's information dissemination
program resulted is training manuals for rural officiald, a
newsletter, conference materials, reprints of current awareness
materials, a rural development training packet, six conference
proceedings, and nine reports, directories, etc. (BRR)
S
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Reproductions supplied by ERRS are the best that can be made
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*
*
' from the origisal-decument.
*
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1984 Annual
SOUTHERN RURAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
WDX M06
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
MISSISSIPPI STATE,
39762
4
2
ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FY 1984
SOUTHERN\ RURAL DtVELOPMENT CENTER
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Iprth Carolina
Oklahoma
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virgin Islands
Virginia
DR. WILLIAM W. LINDER
Director
DR. JEROME L. BURTON
Associate Director
.5
a;
TALE OF CONTENTS
41.
A. BACKGROUND
1
B .
ORGAN! ZAT ION
2
C.
ADLNISTRATION
2
D. SRDC STAFF
4
E. SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES
4
F. OTHER LIAISONS
13
G.
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
13
iii
"Agriculture is much more than three million
farmers plowing their land.
Agriculture
inclucls all of rural America."
--John R. Block
Secrerry of Agriculture
ANNUAL REPORT
October 1, 1983 to September 38,
19841
.l'
A. BACKGROUND
The Southern Rural Development Center is one of four regional
rural development centers in the nation.
Each center provides
support staff to community develcipment effort's of land-grant
university Extension Services and Experiment Stations throughout
the nation.
The Southern Rural Development Center was. formed in
1974 and located at Mississippi State University.
Other regional
centers are located at Iowa State University, Oregon State University,
and Cornell University.
The Southern Center focuses specifically on the rural problems of
the region and supports the community development efforts of 29
land-grant universities in 13 Southern states, Puerto Rico and the
Virgin islands.
The SikDC receives funding through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Extension Service and Cooperative State Research
Service.
Although tocat
t Mississippi State University, the
Center is jointly sponso
y Alcorn State University and
Mississippi State Univer
4
The Southern Center exists primarily to provide the best possible
information and assistance to extension and research staffs within
the South as they respond to rural development needs in local
communities.
This is accomplished through such means as the
following:
1.
Provide a central point for regional information
gathering, interpretation, analysis and dissemination.
2.
Communicate research findings and successful extension pro-
gramming ideas through conferences, workshops, seminars
publications.
3.
Serve as a linking mechanism for improved communication
between states.
4.
Falc !Rate interaction between research and extension per-
sonnel,
5.
Provide staff training at regional and subregional levels.
6.
Provide funding for development of programming ideas with
widespread regional application.
8..
ORGANIZATION
Effective.regional participation is a critical factor in the
success of the Southern Rural Development Center.
While the Center
is physically located at Mississippi State University, the drgaqi-
zational structure has been designed to permit active involvement
of other states in program determinbtion.
To insure the
opportwity for strong regional participation, three elements have
been included in the organizational concept.
First, the Board of Directors includes membership from not only
1862 and 1890 institutions but also members from bbth the
Experiment Stations and. Extension Services throughout the South
'and a representative of the private sector.
Second, the SRDC continually seeks advice and guidance in determin-
ing program needs, program direction and program implementation
from rural development professional groups such as the Southern
Community Development Committee, the 1890 Community Resource
'Development Committee, the, Southern Natural Resource Economics Com-
mittee, the Southern Extension Public Affairs Committee, and the
Southern Rural Sociology Committee.
Third, the Center funds and provides support to teams of research-
ers and edtrcators from several universities in an effort to concen-
trate -on pressing rural problems.
Through such projects as small
farm operations, health care, rural industrialization, etc., the
Center eptablishes regional cooperation in gathering, summarizing,
and disseminating research knowledge about critical rural needs.
it also identifies rural programs of each state and shares the
features of that program with other states.
C. ADMINISTRATION
The Center is directed by a nine-member Board of Directors with
each member serving a three-year term.
The membership is composed
of four representatives from the Extension Service (three from
1862 institutions and one from an 1890 institution), four
representatives from Experiment Stations (three from 1862 institu-
tions and one from an 1890 institution), and one representative
from the private sector.
The extension representatives are appointed by the Southern
Association of Extension Directors and the Association of 1890
Extension Administrators.
The research representatives are
appointed by the Southern Association of Experiment Station Direct-
ors and the Association of 1890 Research Directors.
The chairman
of the board seeks nominations from every state Extension Service
Director /Administrator and every state Experiment Station
3
4
3
Director/Administrator for the private sector representative.
After the nominations are received, the board selects a private
sector representative.
The Center is directed by a nine-member Board of Directors with
each member serving a three-year term.
Dr. Preston E. La Ferney
currently serves as acting Chairman of the Board.
Those members
comprising the 9RDC Board indule the following.
Dr. Arjapur L. Allen
Administrator
1890 Programs
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
Dr. Chester D. Black
Director
Cooperative. Extension Service
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695
Dr. James R. Carpenter
Director
Cooperative Extension Service
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Dr. Talmadge C. Du Vail
Director
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
Dr. R. Rodney Foil
Director
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry
Experiment Station
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Mr. Jesse B. Holder
Director of Agriculture Research
Freeport Sulphur Company
P.O. Box 61520
New Orleans, LA
70161
I
Dr. Robert L. Hurst
Vice President, 1890 Research & Extension
South Carolina State College
Box 1765
Orangeburg, SC
29117
t.
4
Dr. Preston E. La Feray
Director
Agricultural Experiment Station
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Dr. A. W. Snell
Associate Director
Agricultural Experiment Station
Clemson University
104 Barre Hall
Clemson, SC
29631
Dr. Chester D. Black of Virginia was appointed to the Board after
Dr. Michael Sprott, director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension
Service, resigned to accept a position in another state.
Dr. B.
D. Mayberry of the Tuskegee Institute of Applied Sciences
completed a three-year term during 1984, and Dr., Arthur Allen of
Arkansas was appointed as the new board member representing 1890
research programs.
D. SRDC STAFF
Staff members of the regional center include the folloWing:
1.
Dr. William W. Linder, Director
2.
Dr. Jerome L. Burton, Associate Director
3.
Dr. Charles J. D. ,Tillman, Rural Development Specialist
4.
Sue H. Jones, Editor
5.
Bonnie Tenter, Administrative Secretary
6.
Sheila Buckner, Administrative Secretary
7.
David Miles, Printer (Part-time)
8.
Jane Ren'deiro, Editorial Assistant (Part-time)
Three SRDC staff members resigned in December to accept other
positions or as a result of having completed short-term projects.
These staff members include Research Analyst Gerry H. Williams,
Editor Ann Spurlock and part-time Editorial Assistant Gregory
Kemmis.
Sue H. Jones returned to the Center in November and
resumed her editorial duties.
Mrs. Jones had worked with the Center
for three years before her resignation in July 1983.
Jane Rendeiro
joined the staff in September to edit Capsules, the monthly
newsletter.
The Center collaborates with many university faculty members
throughout the region on research and extension projects.
A close
review of this report indicates the use of their expertise on a
contributed-time basis.
E. SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES SINCE OCTOBER 1, 1983
0
1.
Southern CRD 1983 Triennial Training Conference:
The SRDC
director serves on the training subcommittee of the Southern
Community Development Committee.
As a result, he assisted in
planning the program for the triennial meeting of the Southern
Regional CRD Training Conference October 11-13 at the Birming-
ham Hilton in Birmingham, Alabama.
The training program
included nine hours of :instruction in five subject matter
areas.
In addition to providing .some financial support for
\the meeting, the Center designed and printed advanced
brochures, program, nametags, registration forms, receipts and
notebook materials for the conference.
The SRDC provided each
participant with a three-ring notebook of instruction
materials for each of the five mini-workshops. The SRDC staff
coordinated registration for the conference and an evening
reception.
Dr. Linder served as moderator for o
of the
mini-workshops.'
...oet
.
2.
SecondAnnual 1890 CRD Program Leaders Workshop:
The SRDC
director served on the program plinning committee of this
workshop in,order to provide subject matter training for
participants on the prioritized topics of leadership
development, minority land loss and computer utilization.
Tht
SRDC continually' works with both the Southern Community
Development Committee and the 1890 CRD Committee to provide
personnel training and information to community development
staff members throughout the region.
The 1890 CRD Program
Leaders Workshop was Conducted October 9-10 at the Birmingham
Hilton in Birmingham, Alabama.
Workshop topics included
"Accountability and Evaluation:
Impacts of 1890 Community
Resource Development Extension Programming," "Minority Land
Loss," "Leadership Development," "Computer Training for 1890 CRD
Staff
Focus on Small Community," and a look at Community
and Heiman Resource Development Programming of. 1890 extension
organizations.
In addition to paying expenses for several
speakers and participating in the program planning,. the Center
designed and printed programs, registratiO0 forms, receipts
and nametags for the workshop. In September 1984, SRDC
Associate Director Jerome Burton represented the Center at the
third annual 1890 CRD, Program Leaders meeting in Washington,
D.C.
3.
Farmland Retention in the
The SRDC cooperated with
the Southern Natural Resource Economics Committee, the
Southern Extension Public Affairs Committee, the Tennessee
Valley Authority and the Farm Foundation in promoting and
conducting a regional workshop highlighting farmland
retention.
About 70 persons attended the workshop March 22-23
in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The workshop was designed to provide
a forum to explore the implications of national, state and
local farmland retention policies.
Papers presented at the
workshop discussed the motives for farmland retention
policies, reviewed the policy tools for farmland retention and
suggested research and educational strategies for the
successful implementation of farmland retention policies in
the Southern region.
The SRDC provided financial support for
the workshop and designed and printed advance brochures,
9
6
0
programs, namelals, registration forms and receipts for the
workshop.
The Center is in the process of printing a
proceedings of the workshop for distrtbution to participants
and other individuals and organizations concerned with
farmland retention.
4.
Mississippi Rural Development Sxm_posium:
SRDC cooperated
with the,Mississippi Covernorls Office of Voluntary Citizen
Participation and the Governor's Office of Community Develop-
ment to sponsor the Mississippi Rural Development Symposium
April 29 through May 1 at the Holiday Inn Downtown in
Jackson.
More than 400 persons from the public, private and
volunteer sectors met in Jackson to develop rural development
directions, pans and priorities to present to the governor,
the legislature and other key decision makers within the
state.
The Center director served as co-chairperson for the
symposium advisory council.
SRDC staff members prepared the
printed material for the symposium including advance
brochures, programs, registration folders, nametags, meal
tickets, posters and covers for the summary document.
The
SRDC editor served as a recorder for one of the workshop
sessions- and assisted in writing the summary statements.
The
SRDC director met with the advisory council in follow-up
efforts designed to encourage implementation of directions and
priorities pinpointed by symposium participants.
5.,
Rural Clergy Conference:
The SRDC cooperated with the
Cooperative Extension Service at Tennessee State University,
the University of Tennessee, the University of Arkansas
(Fayettevilit and Pine Bluff), Alcorn State University and
Mississippi State University in sponsoring a tri-state
workshop designed primarily for rural, bi-vocational
ministers.
This workshop
"Ministering to Troubled
Families" -- was planned as a means of introducing conference
participants to information and resource people they can refer
to as they minister to rural families coping with the problems
of death and dying, fnoney management, and alcohol and drug
abuse.
In addition to providing financial support for the
conference, the Center director assisted in planning the
program and securing speals,ers for the conference.
More than
140 persons attended the meeting April 26 at the Shelby County
Extension Center in Memphis.
The SRDC provided printed
material for the conference including an advance brochure,
program and nametags.
Community development specialists at
Tennessee State and the University of Arkansas piepared a
program evaluation that was printed by the SRDC and
distributed throughout the region.
6.
Effective Leadership Seminar:
The SRDC cooperated with the
Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service; the Garden Clubs of
Mississippi, Inc.; and Sears, Roebuck and Co. in sponsoring an
Effective Leadership Seminar for club and community leaders
throughout Mississippi.
More than 100 participants attended
the leadership seminar June 19 at the Metro Ramada Inn in
iu
7
Jackson.
The Southern Center not only assisted in providing
financial support for the seminar but also planned the program
and secured the speakers and workshop leaders.
Topics covered
during the one-day seminar included "Selling Yourself and Your
Programs," "Bloom Where You're Planted," "Holding an Audience
Without a Rope," "The Gentle Art of. Saying Nd;" and "You Are
the Catalyst." The Center provided all of the printed
materials including an advance brochure, program, nametags,
registratkM form and receipt.
In addition, the SRDC staff
prepared a three-ring notebook containing instructional
material for each of the concurrent workshops and reprints of
leadership materials useful to club and community leaders.
A
notebook and printed materials were distributed to each CRD
leader in the South ,as an example of a community leadership
training program that can be replicated in other states.
7.
National Worksho? for Kellogg Leadership Program Directors:
By providing a time and place for sharing success stories as
well as frustrations, this workshop estiblished a. base for,
improving all the Kellogg Rural LeaderThip Programs and
particularly for strengthening the newer programs.
The SRDC
cooperated with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Winrock Interna-
tional and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension
Service to sponsor, a national workshop for directors of all
Kellogg Rural Leadership Programs, selected state program
participants, representatives of potential funding agencies,
regional rural development center directors, resource persons,
and representatives of the Arkansas Agricultural and Rural
Leadership Advisory Council. The Winthrop Rockfeller Foundation
hosted the workshop November 28-30 at. Winrock International,
the Foundation's conference facility at Petit Jean Mountain,
Arkan'sas.
The SRDC provided logistical support and chaired
the conference planning committee composed oftrr-lesentatives
of the cooperating groups.
The Kellogg Found
reviewed and
approved the program design and provided guidance and
financial support.
The SRDC'alio designed and printed a
program for the three-day workshop.
8.
Electronic Feasibility Study:
The Center completed a study
originally funded in 1982 to determine the need for a regional
research-extension electronic technology center.
The final
phase of this study included a survey of each dean and
director of research, extension, and resident instruction at
the divisions/colleges of agriculture at 29 Southern
land-grant institutions.
The survey inquired about each
institution's current computer capabilities and programming
efforts.
The results of this survey were compiled by Research
Analyst Jane Rendeiro and published in a recent report entitled
Status of Computer Applications in the Southern Land-Grant Institu-
tions.
'this publication provided a means of resource sharing
among institutions.
The SRDC has written to Southern CRD
leaders at both 1890 and 1862 institutions to ask their
cooperation in inventorying and maintaining a current listing
of available CRD software.
In addition, the Center has
11
8
requested a listing of instructional personnel concerned With
computer applications in CRD programming.
The software inventory
will be forwarded to Dr. Robert Strain of Florida in order that
the national computerized listing of Extension CRD software
Might be updated.
The results of both the software inventory
and the personnel listing will be printed by the SRDC and
forwarded to each Southern state.
9.
Special Needs Grant
Designs for In-Service Education of
Cooperative Extension Personnel: The SRDC cooperated wittothe
other rural development centers and with ES-USIA in designing
,
.
a system for ,in-service education to impriwe extension's
effectiveness in comprehensive educational programming.
Each
center provided travel expenses for twit regional representa-:
tives to meet periodically as pert of a training design team.'
Originally appointed two years ago, Dr. 0. W. Cundjff of
Virginia Tech and Ron Williams of Kentucky State University repre;
rented the Southern region.
Dr. Cundiff, howeier, died before
completion of the project and another representative was not
appointed.
Design team members participated in the project
through one-on-one discussions, small group meetings, and
three meetings of the design team.
Although the project
originally was intended to develop designs for in- service
education in community development prbgrammingv the design
team recognized a need for a shift in emphIsisyto Intl
the total extension program.
An Executive Summary
Project
Reitort were distributed in May. Current efforts are
rway
to implement the ECOP approved recommendations.
10..
National -Network on Extension Community Leadership, Progratns:
e
Th-31115r-EFiijaerate-dTriiF other rural development 'enters in
forming a national extension Gommunity Leadership Network with
the goal of helping improve extension educational _programs in
organizational and community leadership development.
This
effort evolved from an earlier project sponsored by the North
Central Regional Center for Rural Development.
The main
objective of the North Central project was to develop an
inventory of ongoing community leadership materials.
The
North Central group extended an invitation to other regional
-
centers to send representatives to a meeting October 5 -7 'in
V it shington, D.C., to discuss the possibility of expanding into
a national network.
This' expanded network was formed and a
second'meeting was convened March 7-9 in St. Lewis.
J.B.
Williams of the University of Arkansas and Ron Williams of
Kentucky State University were the Southern represegfatives to
these meetings.
The purposes of the National Extension Task
force for Community Leadership are as follows:
-- to identify appropriate extension staff in all program
areas, research staff, and non-extension persons who are
involved in community leadership programs.
to give leaclershit to establishing an ongoing system of
sharing inlibrmation on community lbadership programs of
interest to extension.
12
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1111
-111.
1
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9
S
to identify llnd recommend to state Extension Se'rvices,
regional community resource development committees, and the
ECOP-CRD/PA subcommittee potential areas for program
development and evaluation.
.1
.--
to seek out possible sources of private or public funding
. suppoit for development.ofthe network.
Permanerit Southern representatives on the task force are Dr. Bob
Soileau of Louisiana State University and'Ron Williams of Kentucky
State University.
11.
Water Law MI Water Rishts in the South:
This bibliography and
synthesis is itctelida to serve as aiime saver for individuals
who have no training in law and need information about law as
it pertains to state and regional water policy issues.
Pre-
pared by Dr. Roy Carriker of the University of Florida, the
research publication is being proofed prior to publication and
distribution throughout the region.
12.
Impact of Population and Economic Growth on the Demand for and
Cost of Public Education To Rural America:
Dr. Brady,J. Deaton
and Mr. Kevin" T. McNamara of Virginia Tech directed this SRDC
research project to prbvide an annotated bibliography and syn-
thesis that would identify research findings'Concerning the effects
of population and economic changes on the supply and,demand
for education in rural communities.
The resulting publication
presented these research issues and sought to help school
policy makers a0 community leaders perceive the implications
of this researc% for practical decision making at the local
level.
13.
Rural Crime in Florida -- A Victimization Study of the Rural
Nonfarm Population:
This research studWcomprefiensivel5f
examined the extent and pattern of criminal victimization
occurring in rural Florida in order that the information might
be used as a data base for the fallowing:
(1) describing the
nature of the rural crime problem; (2) selecting appropriate
crime prevention strategies for rural areas; (3) developing
and testing explanatory models of rural crime patterns; and
(4) communicating with policymakers at local, state, and
federal levels of government.4 Dr. Keith A. Carter and Dr.
Lionel J. Beaulieu of the University of Florida'directed this
project.
They distributed a questionnaire to 6,024 residents
in 33 rural, small-populatiori.counties and received a 66.6
percent response rate from more than 3,100 households.
The
published report contained the findings of this rural house-
hold victimization study.
44k
14.
Southern Region Business Management Network:
The Business
Management Network was formed to complement the efforts of the
North Central Region Business Management interest Network for
13
10
the basic purpose of developing and/or sharing business
management extension programming materials.
The Southern network
is directed by Dr. penni? U. Fisher of Texas A&M University.
Prior to this fiscal year, the network developed a list of
extension business management contacts in the Southern states
and selected and distributed extension business management
training matblals used in other states.
These materials*
served as the basis for a nine-hour small business training
session led by Dr. Fisher in October at thetriennial meeting
of the Southern CRD staffs.
In September, SRDC- Editor Sue
Jones met with Dr. Fisher at Texas A&M and spent three days
collecting workshop_materials Fisher has developed as a
result of his work with downtown merchants in Texas.
This
material will form the basis of a small business management
guidebook.
In September, Dr. Fisher and Mrs.-Jones made plans
to travel to .Reno, Nevada, in October 1984 to meet-with CRD
specialists from 11 states.
These specialists represented
each of the four regional rural development centers.
This
.
meeting resulted in acceptance, of the guidebook as
national
small business management -programming material to be made
available to CRD units throughout the nation. Each of the
four centers will cooperate in the effort, although the
Southern Center has the lead role in developing the
materials.
The format for the materials will be a large
three-ring notebook, that will include such aids as teaching
outlines, student worksheets, slide sets, overheads, and
discussion materials for 10 topics essential to good business
management.
These topics include customer' relations,
developing a- business plan, forecasting profits and cash flow,
time management, visual merchandising, computer use in
-
business, finanCing a business, analyzing your market,
personnel management and starting a new business.
The small
business guidebook will be availible in late spring 1985.
15.
Rural Community Water Resources Management Under Conditions
of Price Sensitive Demand: Under the leadership of br. Dean
r. Schreiner of Oklahoma State University, this research
project is designed to improve existing rural water services
planning procedures.
Specific objectives include the
following:
(1) identify existing procedures used in
planning water services for rural areas; (2) develop and
estimate" residential, business, industrial and municipal
demand functions for water in rural areas-; (,3) develop and
estimate investment, operations and maintenance cost functions
for water services in rural areas; (4) examine the. effects of
alternative waiter: pricing poljcies
including grants and
subsidies -- 41 the use and conservation of water in rural
areas; and (5) propose modifications to improve existing water
services plannjng procedures based on results of the above
objectives.
The mail survey instrument developed to obtain
data on socioeconomic conditions of rural water users has been
tested in one rural water district.
This data was combined
with actual water consumption and billings data available for
each household at the water district level.
This verified
14
11
that the researchers would be able to obtain data from rural
buiinesses.
During the summer months, researchers have taken
the pre-tested survey instrument to a sample of rural water
districts covering the entire state of Oklahoma.
This survey
effort included rural households, rural businesses and water
district management.
An estimation of water demand and water
cost functions will follow after all the survey results aKe
obtained and analyzed.
Using the water demaad and water cost
functions they have been able to determine thus far, the
researchers prepared a paper on alternative pricing, strategies
for rural water systems.
This paper was presented at the Soil
Conservation Society of America annual meeting.
These results
will be modified on the basis of new survey information still
being obtained.
Dr. Schreiner expects that water demand and
cost functions will be estimated by January 1985 and
programming results and analysis of pricing strategies will be
ready by May 1985.
As a parallel activity, the researchers
are developing a microcomputer software package for analysis
of community investment planning of water systems.
16'.
Impact of Agricultural Districts on the Retention of Agricul-
tural Land Property Tax Distribution:
A Case Study in Virginia;
This grant'pames Dr. Sandra katie of Virginia Tech as the
principal investigator.
The project objectives include the
following:
(1) development of a definition of "prime" agricul-
tural land which includes economic as well as physical
attributes that can be related to agricultural land retention
goals; (2) identification of the economic factors influencing
agricultural land conversion; and /3) analysis of the'
effectiveness of agricultural districts in terms of changes in
property values, tax revenues and tax incidence.
The research
team completed the economic modeling required for the first
objective, development cof,an economic definition of prime
land.
They cmxpleted model specification and identified data
requirements for this objective.
Three Virginia counties were
chosen as the project study area for objectives two and
three.
Progress on objectives two and three included
behavioral and economic modeling and selection of "appropriate
economic estimation procedures.
The research team also
surveyed county administrators across the state to oicit
information about their county's decision to authorize the
formation of agricultuial districts.
Researchers are
conducting a mail survey of Board of Supervisor members in 96
counties across the state, and a sample of landowners including
members and non-members of agricultural districts in Culpepper
County.
The project has been extended to March 15, 1985.
17.
Support for 5-193 Crime and Victimization Technical Committee:
The SRDC offered its facilities as a meeting place for a
regional "Survey and Questionnaire Planning Workshop" April
4-5.
About 20 members of this regional technical committee -
met at the Center for the two-day meeting.
18.
Arkansas Rural Crime In-Service Training:
Rural Crime is big
business in Arkansas.
On a per capita basis, livestock theft
15
12
in the state is equivalent to livestock theft in Texas.
Other
Arkansas farm and rural non-farm crimes also rank high in
crime statistical categories.
The Arkansas CRD faculty will
conduct a one-day, in-depth crime prevention training program
for county faculty.
To enhance the program's quality, the
SRDC will pay the expenses of Dr. Joseph F. Donnermeyer of the
National Rural Crime Prevention Center to attend the training
program as a featured speaker.
Dr. Donnermeyer will report on
current research suggestions about rural farm/non-farm crime,
the status of crime prevention work in other states, and
current feelings amonTextension directors about rural crime
41P.
preventitn work.
19.
Analysis of Employment Changes in the Rural South anti Their
Economic and EducatiOnaOmplications: The SRDC is working
cooperatively with the Southern Growth Policies ,hoard and the
and the Ford Foundation to (1) examine differences in employment
trends between metropolitan and n
metropolitan areas
the
South by sectors of the
o
, (2) -identify a panel
experts
to interpret trends and suggest explanatitxis and polic
indications, (3) bring the information to the attention of
the governors,. legislators and other decisionmakers of the
.Southern states through the Southern Growth Policies Board
in order to generate strategies that will insure continued
crural economic growth, and (4) establish a continuing
network of Southerners to monitor rural development issues.
The network of experts and other citizens concerned with
rural development policy will provide a Continuing forum
"""for discussion of issues to ensure that the region
.
.
considers the effects of policies and programs on nonmetro
economic growth, particularly in depressed areas.
The
panel will be extended to include.representatives in each
state to continue the discussion of how to address, rural
development and related rural- poverty.
The work of this
network is expected to inform the Board's 1986 Commission
on ttr Future of the South and to set the stage for a
possible task force on rural issues.
In addition to the
Center director, members of the advisory network include
Rusty Brooks, University of Georgia; Arthur Cosby,
Mississippi State University; Brady Deaton,. Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University; Fred K. Hines,
USDA -ERS; Jim Hite, Clemson University; Daryl Hobbs,.
University of Missouri; Sheron Randolph, Tennessee State
University; Helen Roberts American Association of State
Colleges and UniversitiesPionathan.P. Sher, Rural Ed
tion
land Development, Inc.; Barbara Smith, Southeast W
n's
Employment Coalition; Alton Thompson, North Carotin
A&T University; Mike Woods, Texas A&M University; Ed
Bergman, Carol Fulreader and Mu Xinming, University of
North Carolina; and Stuart Rosenfeld and Andi Reynolds,
Southern Growth Policies Board.
1
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20.
Public Use Microdata One Percent Sample:
In FY 1984 the Center
laid the groundwork (or a joint effort'with other regional
centers to
prepare a special public use microdata one percent
sample from the 1980 CensUs.
At a meeting of the four center
directors in June," Dr. Linder presented the S-184 Technical
Committee's request for financial assistance in developing the
sample.
The Economic Research Service has contracted with Dr.
Charles T,olbert of Florida State University.to,delineate_a
national sample of about 250 units of rural labor market areas
on a multi - county basis.
What is now needed is the approval
to draw a one percent public use sample from these same.
area,.
This data set would link individuals and households to
multicounty labor markets and allow researchers to analyze
characteristics of labor markets and-a(losv researchers to
analyze characteristics of labor markets and persons who
reside within them.
This will be the only existing data set
that will allow the identification. of rural labor markets, and
it will include data from all states inaiiding Alaska and
Hawaii.
The data will offer a unique opportunity for
comparative analyses across regions as well as between urban
and rural areas.
F. OTHER LtAISONS
In addition to groups and organizations mentioned in the previous
section, the following liaiions have significantly impacted on the
work of the Center during the past year:
1.
TENNESSEE - TOMBIGBEE PROJECT AREA COUNCIL 7- The Center
director is a member of the executive committee of this
council.
2.
SOUTHERN GROWTH POLICIES BOARD
The Center is a member of-
the Southern Growth Policies Board and receives information of
particular concern to community developers.
This information
-
is passed on to extension and research personnel throughout
the region.
A research project jointly sponsored by the Board
and the SRDC is currently underway.
ft
3.
SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF AGRICt%RAL SCIENTISTS -- The
Center director attended the annual meeting of this group
in Atlanta, Georgia.
G: INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
Recording and disseminating what is taking place and what is being
established in rural developm6nt throughout the region is one
of the priorities of the Center.
One w y this- task is accomplished
is through a cpnstant publishing effort that includes the fbllowing:
17
I
lie
1.
Training Manuals for Rural Officials:
The SRDC cooperated
with the 'federal Extension Service and the Rural Governments
Coalition.to publish eight training manuals for rural
officials throughout the nation.
The manuals were written by
members of the Coalition, but the SRDC editor designed and
prepared the manuals for publication.
Titles of the
publications include the following:
Tapping Federal Know-How,
Hazardous Materials Transportation, Making Management'
Improvements, Rural Economic Developments, Sharing local Costs,
Financing Rural Development, Managing Rural,sNatural
Resources, and Working With Your State.
The entire set of eight
manuals was ,distribUted to every CRD .unit in the nation and made
available to local government officials.
2.
SRDC Newsletter
CAPSULES:
Capsules is intended as a
newsletter designed to disseminate information in brief form.
Each issue of the newsletter sit sent to more than 1,600
persons involved in community developmept, civic improvement,
recreation, planning, government, education and a variety of
organizations and agencies working in rural development.
Publication of the newsletter was temporarily interrupted in
January wfien the SRDC editorial assistant resigrted to accept
another position.
Another assistant was not hired until
September, and a 16-page issue of Capsules was published
before the end of the fiscal year.
3.
Conference Miherials:
Since the SRDC uses workshops and
conferences as an integral part of its program, some stiff
time mist be devoted to preparation and printing of such
conference materials as preconference advertising brochures,
programs, nametags, banquet tickets, registration folders,
press kits, etc.
4.
Reprints:
The Center constantly monitors publications of
interest to rural development professionals.
In order to help
both researchers and extension specialists stay current in the
area of rural development, the Center forwards copies of
articles and publications dealing with rural issues.
5.
Training Packet:
The Center exha.usted its supply of rural
development training packets and had to print additional copies
of some of the publications inclucled in the packets.
The
training packet was originally introduced in 1978 as a
"do-it-yourself" approach to rural development.
This fiscal
year the Center sent packets to any41890 or 1862 CRD program
that did not have a training packet or needed additional sets,
and more than 20 packets were sent to other individuals making
requests.
Several hundred additional student texts were
printed for use by the South Carolina CRD program in
cooperation with the Governor's Leadership Conference.
11.
18
15
6.
Conference Proceedings:
The Center has published -the
following proceedings during the 1984 fiscal year:
13.
Nonmarket Valuation:
Current Status and Future Directions,
Feb. 1984
b.
Rural Crime in Florida:
A Victimization Study of the Rural
Nonfarm Population, Feb. 1984
Proceedings of the 2nd Annual 1890 CRD Program Leaders
Workshop, March 1984
c.
d.
Proceedings of the Joint Workshop on Computer Applications
Southern Land Grant Institutions, Nov. 1083
e.
Increasing the Involvement of Minorities and Women in
Renewable Natural Resources, July 1984
f.
Retention of Farmland
(in progress)
7.
Other Publications:
a.
Directory of Rural Development Researchers in the South(
.March 1984
b.
Southern Rural Development Research in the Land Grant
System tince 1970, Jan. 1984
c.
1983 SRDC Progress Report
d.
Education iri a Changing Environment:
Impact-of Population
and economic Change on the Demand and Cost of Public
Educatito Tn Rural America, Pe6. 1984
e.
Estimating the Effects of CRD Upon Count
Quality of Life,
bec. 1983
f.
SRDC Brochure, Dec. 1983
g.
Building Inkout/Output Models Using Non-Survey Techniques:
ifpplicatton to Kentucky, July 1984
h.
Ministering to Troubled Families:
Evaluation of a Multi-
State Workshop, Sept. 1984
i.
Toward an Americar* Rural Renaissance (in progress)
.s
19
-74;114,volts
The SRDC is one of four regional rural development
centers in the nation. It coordinates cooperation
between the Research 4Experknent Station) and
Extension (Coopeiative Extension Service) staffs et
land-grant institutions in the South to provide tech-
nical corwultation, research, training, and evaluation
services for rural development. This publication is one
of several published by the Center on various needs,
program thrusts, and research efforts in rural develop
4
ment. For more infometion about SRDC activities
and publications, write to the Director.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
(
Southern Rural Development Center
Box 5406
Mississippi Stated:MS 311762
4
The Southern Rue* Devolopmern Center is an Equal Opportunity °limitation provaling reieerch, educational informetion, and
Malt Nevins only to indieithulds and institutions that function without regent to race color, sem or national origin. SRDC is an
Equal Opportunity Employer.
November 1984
SAM Series No. 715
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