Impact of New Industry on an Iowa Rural Community, Part I, Farming and Farm Living, April 1964

(1964) Impact of New Industry on an Iowa Rural Community, Part I, Farming and Farm Living, April 1964. Iowa State University

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Abstract

During the past two decades, forces associated with national economic growth have induced a rapid decline in demand for labor in farming. In many predominantly rural areas, nonfarm labor demands have not expanded fast enough to provide atti-active employment opportunities for the manpower released from farming and for the natural increase in labor force. As a result, incomes have been depressed, and people have migrated to areas with more and better job opportunities. In a high proportion of rural communities, out-migration has been so heavy as to cause substantial losses of population. Strong adjustment pressure has been exerted on business firms, schools, churches and other private and public organizations. While out-migration has helped to temper the relative decline in per-capita income, wide income disparities continue to characterize many of these communities.