I’m just back from Netroots Nation in Austin, America’s premier blogging conference, where I sat in on an interesting panel on Rural America.

The focus was the issues that our citizens who live in rural areas deal with daily. Here’s a summary of what those are:

• The need to expand the rural economy: Folks in the more rural parts of our country did not benefit as much from the technology boom and are being hit harder by the current rise in oil prices.
• The lack of sufficient broadband access: there is insufficient broadband coverage outside the large and mid-size cities in the country which affects both the ability of rural America to access information and develop businesses
• Increasing price of gas: The increases in the price of gas and food disproportionately impacts rural America which has fewer alternatives to driving and longer distances to go to reach needed services
• The Iraq War and healthcare for vets: Since 44% of people in the military come from rural America, they die in disproportionate numbers and many come back injured. They then have to travel a lot way to get healthcare.
• Preservation of rural character and rural landscapes: Rural America is concerned about the damage done by mining and huge feedlots placed in their midst and the environmental degradation that results.

A few additional notes from the panel:

Deb Kozikowski, who helped organize the Rural American panel and also co-founded the website, Rural Votes, elaborated on the need for expanded bus service in rural areas as a way for people to use less energy. Most states have not focused on bus service in rural areas but the time is ripe.

Jim Slattery, a Congressman from Kansas, said that people have to talk straight with rural people and not be afraid to give them the facts. He routinely let’s people know that the federal government pays 80-90% of all healthcare costs in rural America, something most people don’t realize.