Is America’s rural infrastructure crumbling?
In a new seven-part series on “Keeping Rural America Competitive,” Agri-Pulse set out to answer that question.
The question is more pressing than ever. The world’s population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050. That means food production in the U.S. will need to increase dramatically. That means a strong infrastructure will be necessary to deliver crops, livestock, dairy and poultry products to markets.
However, a recent survey found that most Americans believe the infrastructure has gotten worse over the past five years. A majority of voters also said roads and bridges are in “extreme” need of repair. The voters also said they believe railways, dams and water pipelines are in need of attention. Of these, roads need the most repair, according to respondents. Ninety-two percent of surveyed voters said America’s roads need fixing.