Economic growth in rural areas of the US appears to be migrating to places close to metropolitan areas or to places with enough scenic amenities to attract retirees, tourists, or footloose entrepreneurs. Due to their leadership role in their communities, agricultural bankers are well-positioned to take steps to foster economic growth in their communities. To be effective, these steps must take into account the new realities of the rural economy. Four strategies that agricultural banks can use to enhance economic growth prospects are: 1. exploiting agriculture's value, 2. encouraging emerging industries, 3. building new financial alliances, and 4. spurring change in rural institutions.
