It’s about improving the quality of life of those living throughout rural Indiana. That’s why the Vice President of Indiana Farm Bureau recently testified before members of Congress about the help lawmakers can give by providing support to small businesses in rural communities.
“When you collaborate together and have folks in your community who want to find an answer to a problem—and you pool your resources and work together—you can come up and find some of those solutions,” says Kendell Culp, Vice President of Indiana Farm Bureau. He’s also a State Representative for District 16 in northwestern Indiana, which covers much of Jasper, Starke, Pulaski, and White counties. In addition, Culp is also a farmer based out of Jasper County.
Culp told lawmakers last week before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business about the many challenges facing rural communities.
“Fifty-three percent of our counties in the 2020 census lost population, which mirrors the number nationwide,” according to Culp. “I think the 2020 census really identified the dire need that we have in rural America—that we’re declining in population and we’re declining in workforce, which means we’re probably declining in assessed valuation, which is how you collect your taxes. That financial support for some of these small rural communities is not there. It’s really important that we work hard work together to help sustain those communities as we go forward.”
Culp says as rural areas are losing population, they’re also losing important services such as licensed daycare centers. However, Culp told lawmakers there are solutions to support rural small businesses. He told members of Congress how folks in Rensselaer united to help solve that issue by setting up the Appleseed Childhood Education and Franciscan Health Rensselaer. The partnership brings a non-profit organization together with Franciscan Health, as well as federal assistance through Child Care and Development Fund vouchers for those families in need.
“We had a young family that came up with a business plan and partnered with other members in the community. They also partnered with local business and local government and opened a childcare center with 70 slots,” says Culp. “Now, those folks that need that child care service don’t have to travel 30 minutes away. They have it right there in their hometown. That’s really good for business too, because if one of your children are sick, a parent has to stay home and take care of them. That means the parent isn’t going to work, which means that business where they work is losing efficiency—and it’s just a spiraling snowball.”
Culp urged lawmakers to help rural communities by continuing to provide incentives to small businesses in those areas. He says the best way Congress can help is to pass an on-time Farm Bill with funding for rural development.
“It’s really important because there are programs within the rural development title that help support those communities and get them started on some of those quality-of-life issues that are important to them,” says Culp. “There are also some grant programs available—and if there’s a will in the community to see that through, there is some help through government entities. Now, the locals are going to have to buy into that and they’re going to have to be all in, just like the Jasper County community was with a child care, but it can be done. I asked them to support the Farm Bill and get it passed this year, so we don’t lose out on those benefits.”
Culp also urged lawmakers to expand broadband access for rural communities and actively address workforce issues that are impacting rural businesses.
Click below to hear C.J. Miller’s radio news report for Hoosier Ag Today.
Click below to watch Kendell Culp’s testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business.
