A Quarterly Publication of Iowa State University Extension

Spring 2000 -- Home, Spring 2000 --

 

Alliance addresses rural banking issues

The Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development, that helps groups of agricultural producers identify potential value-added business opportunities, has joined forces with a number of entities including Iowa State University Extension, the ISU Department of Economics and the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development to work on a new project called "The Geography of Rural Financial Intermediation."

Officially started last November and funded through November 2001, this project aims to conduct new scientific research and help rural citizens develop ways to improve their access to debt capital through their local community banks. The project also hopes to determine, among other things, where rural savings go to, where rural investment comes from and whether or not rural credit market participants are disadvantaged relative to people in urban settings.

"The need for venture capital for new producer-based, value-added processing ventures prompted this project," stated Jill Euken, an ISU Extension specialist working on the project. "So we eventually hope to identify new ways for rural communities, and banks, to support new business development."

The Wallace Foundation Learning and Outreach Center is located in Pottawattamie County.

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