Presidential candidate Cory Booker unveils rural plan

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker, a New Jersey senator, unveiled a plan Friday to build "wealth and opportunity" in rural America. Here are some of the highlights:

• Ensure affordable housing by increasing the supply of affordable housing units and capping rental costs.
• Guarantee access to broadband internet service.
• Invest $2 trillion in infrastructure.
• Support rural public schools, including free pre-kindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds, more funding for special-needs students, and better pay for teachers.
• Launch the "City 2030 Project" to boost the economies of rural areas near cities.
• Help rural businesses and small family farms compete better with large businesses by blocking mergers and other practices that discourage competition.
• Expand access to credit and venture capital for rural businesses.
• Reform the "opportunity zones" tax incentives to better help rural areas.
• Develop a trade policy that holds China accountable but helps American farmers.
• Encourage rural entrepreneurship with a seed-money grant program.
• Invest in rural cooperatives.
• Expand local food systems and farmers markets.
• Reform commodity checkoff programs. 
• End abuse of small-refinery waivers for the Renewable Fuel Standard program.
• Invest over $100 billion by 2030 in existing conservation programs.
• Substantially increase funding for the Rural Energy for America program to aid in the transition to renewable energy.
• Increase the numbers of minority farmers and help farmers of color in danger of losing their land because of informal property deeds.
• Reduce the numbers of concentrated animal feeding operations. 

Read the entire plan here.

The Rural Blog reports major statements by presidential candidates about rural policy.