Much of rural Idaho is experiencing economic hardship. According to the Idaho Department of Commerce, the income gap between Idaho's rural and urban dwellers is wide and widening. In 1996, per capita income in Idaho's rural areas was a quarter lower than in our urban areas. Especially hard hit are counties heavily dependent on timber, mining, or agriculture.

This is not unlike what has been happening around the United States. While four of every 10 rural counties nationwide have captured a part of the nation's long-running expansion, the rest have been left behind.

Mark Drabenstott, vice president and director of the Center for the Study of Rural America at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, argues that land-grant universities need to take a major leadership role in helping rural communities survive. I agree.

One original intent of land-grant universities was to assist in the development of rural communities. The college has a long-standing relationship with rural communities, and we are in an excellent position to help these communities adjust.

Helping agriculture to retain or regain profitability through research and extension programs in production, processing, and marketing is one role. In addition, I believe that we are in a position to assist communities in three major ways: by contributing to local community planning; by providing formal and informal education, including technical assistance to businesses; and by training leaders.

We continue to have extension offices in all but two of Idaho's counties. These offices can be sources of essential research, education, and training.

To support community planning, each county office maintains a county economic profile, and many have developed a community needs assessment in conjunction with local advisory groups. But in addition, we need people specifically charged with helping rural communities stay vital.

We have recently started a pilot rural community development project in Idaho County. Mary Schmidt, extension educator in the county, is working with local leaders to help them plan for their future and achieve their visions. Already, she has pulled together the county's three school districts and six communities to apply jointly for federal funding to set up after-school and summer programs for children. Their successful effort is bringing $1.2 million a year to the county over the next three years for programs that should eventually be self-sustaining.

Delivery of educational programs to meet local needs is another important step. Besides traditional agriculture and consumer programs, it will involve business and technical assistance for new businesses, often in partnership with other colleges and universities within the state.

We are also expanding our capability to train higher-skilled workers in or near their communities and to stimulate local entrepreneurs. We now offer for-credit courses or complete degree programs at Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Parma, Rexburg, and Twin Falls.

To help rural communities learn to take advantage of the Internet, we are developing a volunteer Internet Masters program patterned after the popular Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver programs.

Development of strong local leaders may be the most important of our programs for the future. We have done an excellent job of training leaders through 4-H. I am impressed that a number of 4-H leaders gain skills that they apply in other areas of their communities. But I think we need to go further. We need to be training leaders who can organize and lead local economic development associations. It will be essential that we have local governmental officials, business leaders, and educational officials all working together for the common good of their communities.

I believe the college will be an important partner with other private and public groups in assuring a bright future for Idaho's rural communities.