The California Economic Summit is undertaking efforts to help increase opportunities in rural areas of the state. The network of leaders from the public, private, and civic sectors are coordinating initiatives aimed at spurring economic growth of communities, ensuring environmental quality, and enhancing overall opportunities for Californians.
“One of the things we really started digging into these last few years there, as part of our Working Landscapes Action Team and the summit as a whole, is this concept of there’s two California’s here,” said Vice President of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Glenda Humiston. “You’ve got predominately coastal, large, urban areas here that are doing pretty well. But then you’ve got the rest of California that’s still really hurting. High poverty, high unemployment, not the economic opportunities that they ought to have.”
Humiston explained that at last year’s summit they were able to launch the Elevate Rural California initiative, with a goal of addressing three specific areas over the next few years. “Water infrastructure, biomass, high-value biomass opportunities I want to qualify that strongly, and then the broadband, particularly rural broadband,” Humiston noted.
California Economic Summit Looks to Elevate Rural California
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