Why Roundtables?

Rural communities throughout the western U.S. are rapidly changing and facing important challenges in their quest to remain strong and vibrant. Certainly, some of these challenges are outside the capacity of rural communities to control. However, many other challenges present opportunities that can be successfully tackled when local people and organizations work in partnership on the high-priority issues they share in common.  

The question is this: “What are the crucial rural development issues in our region that deserve serious attention in the months and years ahead?” One of the important avenues available for gaining important insights on these issues is by convening a “roundtable.” The roundtable represents an ideal mechanism for discussing, digesting, debating, and deliberating on the challenges and opportunities existing (or emerging) in the rural communities of our region.

The roundtables are being co-hosted by the WRDC and the land-grant institution in each state. Additional funding has been provided by the Farm Foundation and they are actively involved in each roundtable.