As certain agricultural markets are globalizing, many small farming communities from South Dakota to Mississippi to Australia are facing a strong decline in population that shows little sign of rebounding.
"On the margins of the Australian outback, in the empty states of the US, in the prairie provinces of Canada, and on the remote edges of New Zealand, population centres so enthusiastically developed in the 19th century are now yielding their residents, as well as their vitality."
"The globalisation of wheat pricing, the mechanisation of farming processes, as well as the different expectations of younger generations are all combining to reduce the critical mass of people living in parts of what was once known as the New World."
"The hurt is felt in many small communities located within a broader wheatbelt, where the pressure for farm aggregation, as well as the process of farm mechanisation, has reduced the need for labour. The crop yield per hectare in both communities will have improved over the past 30 years, but the labour required to achieve that output has reduced."
FULL STORY: Farming on edge of New World risks fall into no-man's land

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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