On July 25, NADO President Tim Ware, Executive Director of the Mid-East Commission in Washington, North Carolina, participated in a White House Rural Council meeting led by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, White House Office of Public Engagement Director Jon Carson, and White House Domestic Policy Council Senior Policy Advisor for Rural Affairs Doug McKalip.

Last month, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Rural Council which was formed to provide recommendations on investments in rural areas.  The Council is focused on economic development, job growth and quality of life improvements in rural America by increasing opportunity and access to investment capital in rural areas and promoting innovation including broadband and renewable energy development.  The Council is also working to streamline and improve federal program delivery to better engage rural stakeholders.

During the meeting, Secretary Vilsack outlined the upcoming Rural Roundtables where Administration officials will travel across the country to hear from residents in rural America about what the Administration and specifically, the Rural Council, should be addressing and how they can improve services.  Additional information on the Council and the roundtables is available here (http://www NULL.whitehouse NULL.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/09/obama-administration-establishes-white-house-rural-council-strengthen-ru).