--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is more potential for economic…" description: "\"There is more potential for economic growth in rural America than at any time in decades.\" — Tom Vilsack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/tom-vilsack-8494_america_there-is-more-potential-for-economic-gro_948872.jpg" --- # There is more potential for economic growth in rural… ![“There is more potential for economic growth in rural America than at any time in decades.” quote by Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/tom-vilsack-8494_america_there-is-more-potential-for-economic-gro_948872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/tom-vilsack-8494_america_there-is-more-potential-for-economic-gro_948872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/tom-vilsack-8494_america_there-is-more-potential-for-economic-gro_948872.jpg) > “There is more potential for economic growth in rural America than at any time in decades.” [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rural areas hold untapped economic opportunities that surpass recent decades. **In simple terms:** Rural America can grow faster than cities now. Key Takeaway Invest in rural infrastructure and entrepreneurship. Themes economic growth rural development policy investment innovation Mood optimistic strategic Type policy economic When to use this quote - community planning - small business support - agricultural tech - infrastructure projects Key Concepts regional economics resource allocation public policy Questions to Reflect On - What barriers hinder rural investment? - How can policy bridge urban‑rural gaps? A Different Perspective Rural growth may be limited by population decline and market access. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Economic growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-growth/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Growth Rural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-rural-1676239/) [Potential Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential-economic-1676240/) [Rural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rural/) [Rural america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rural-america/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Over the past two years, the Obama Administration and USDA have worked to build a foundation for sustainable economic growth in rural America. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/over-the-past-two-years-the-obama-administration-and-usda-have-worked/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [It is the potential for economic growth that provides the basis for the development of countries, for bringing to people essential goods and services,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-r-raymond/it-is-the-potential-for-economic-growth-that-provides-the-basis-for/) [Lee R. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-r-raymond/) > [Let us build a 21st-century rural economy of cutting-edge companies and technologies that lead us to energy and food security. Such an investment will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/let-us-build-a-21st-century-rural-economy-of-cutting-edge-companies/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [To keep farmers on the farm we must maintain a strong farm safety net, but we will also have to build a thriving companion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/to-keep-farmers-on-the-farm-we-must-maintain-a-strong-farm-safety-net/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [People don't understand rural America. Sixteen percent of our population is rural, but 40 percent of our military is rural. I don't believe that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/people-don-t-understand-rural-america-sixteen-percent-of-our/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [I think we have not done a good job of explaining to people in rural America what is actually happening, number one. And, number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/i-think-we-have-not-done-a-good-job-of-explaining-to-people-in-rural/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [And sometimes people don't realize that 90 percent of the persistent poverty counties are located in rural America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/and-sometimes-people-don-t-realize-that-90-percent-of-the-persistent/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [President Obama's fight for rural America is personal. He was raised by a single mom and grandparents from Kansas. He hails from a farming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/president-obama-s-fight-for-rural-america-is-personal-he-was-raised/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [I think the Democrats have - we really have failed to be in rural America, in the sense of having our leaders spending time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/i-think-the-democrats-have-we-really-have-failed-to-be-in-rural/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Sixteen percent of our population is rural, but 40 percent of our military is rural. I don't believe that's because of a lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/sixteen-percent-of-our-population-is-rural-but-40-percent-of-our/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [ Go walk the streets of Beijing. It's pretty hard to argue it isn't a modern city. Now, if you go outside \[of Beijing\], in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/go-walk-the-streets-of-beijing-it-s-pretty-hard-to-argue-it-isn-t-a/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [I wanted to tell a story about women who live in the rural part of America - what their lives were like, what their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-wanted-to-tell-a-story-about-women-who-live-in-the-rural-part-of/) [Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/) > [ The \[Democratic\] party's become an urban party, and they don't get rural America. They don't get agriculture. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/the-democratic-party-s-become-an-urban-party-and-they-don-t-get-rural/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [The levels of poverty in 1933's rural America were unimaginable to us now. The 1933 Farm Bill, which introduced unprecedented government control over agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/the-levels-of-poverty-in-1933-s-rural-america-were-unimaginable-to-us/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [“But maybe rural America isn't dying so much as it's Shucker-ing: adjusting, adapting, becoming something new, getting a new outdoor sign and adding jalapeno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-hesse/but-maybe-rural-america-isn-t-dying-so-much-as-it-s-shucker-ing/) [Monica Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-hesse/) ## More by Tom Vilsack > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Hillary Clinton was in rural America during the Iowa caucuses, but I think the nature of a campaign makes it more difficult once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/hillary-clinton-was-in-rural-america-during-the-iowa-caucuses-but-i/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [To help producers serve larger institutional customers like schools and hospitals, USDA has helped fund new regional infrastructure like cold storage warehouses, commercial kitchens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/to-help-producers-serve-larger-institutional-customers-like-schools/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [The lack of access to proper nutrition is not only fueling obesity, it is leading to food insecurity and hunger among our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/the-lack-of-access-to-proper-nutrition-is-not-only-fueling-obesity-it/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/small-businesses-are-the-lifeblood-of-our-economy/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [I can't give you a specific number today, in large part because the analysis upon which we would make that determination has not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/i-can-t-give-you-a-specific-number-today-in-large-part-because-the/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [To amplify our efforts, USDA is joining with First Lady Michelle Obama in aggressively promoting the 'Let's Move' campaign, which will combat the epidemic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/to-amplify-our-efforts-usda-is-joining-with-first-lady-michelle-obama/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [We're going to move from a commodity economy where you basically grow the same kind of crops - where a kernel of corn is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/we-re-going-to-move-from-a-commodity-economy-where-you-basically-grow/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Although they are some of the hardest working folks I know, rural Americans earn, on average, $11,000 less than their urban counterparts each year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/although-they-are-some-of-the-hardest-working-folks-i-know-rural/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [President Obama has expressed his commitment to responsible stewardship of our land, water, and other natural resources. And one way of restoring the land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/president-obama-has-expressed-his-commitment-to-responsible/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Strong communities ... embrace change. New discoveries require us to think differently and approach things differently, to think anew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/strong-communities-embrace-change-new-discoveries-require-us-to-think/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [I don't know of a Democrat - whether they're a conservative, a centrist or a liberal Democrat - that doesn't think that it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/i-don-t-know-of-a-democrat-whether-they-re-a-conservative-a-centrist/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Sixteen percent of our population is rural, but 40 percent of our military is rural. I don't believe that's because of a lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/sixteen-percent-of-our-population-is-rural-but-40-percent-of-our/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [People working together in a strong community with a shared goal and a common purpose can make the impossible possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/people-working-together-in-a-strong-community-with-a-shared-goal-and/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [There are children with dreams counting on us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/there-are-children-with-dreams-counting-on-us/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) [Explore all 80 Tom Vilsack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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