Comments on: As Wal-Mart Stock Rises, Rural America Falls http://ruralpopulist.org/2007/08/04/as-wal-mart-stock-rises-rural-america-falls/ Rural News and Views Mon, 21 May 2012 16:47:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Julie Ardery http://ruralpopulist.org/2007/08/04/as-wal-mart-stock-rises-rural-america-falls/#comment-32531 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:02:00 +0000 http://ruralpopulist.org/2007/08/04/as-wal-mart-stock-rises-rural-america-falls/#comment-32531 Dear Brian, Thanks for all of this, and for expressing your view on the Daily Yonder about how the success of these companies may be at odds with the fortunes of people living and owning businesses in small towns. Having tracked the Yonder 40 companies for 1/2 year, some interesting stuff is emerging: http://www.dailyyonder.com/agriculture-and-energy-thrive-rural-consumers-lag Companies that focus on ag and energy have done pretty well, and those that own retail stores in small towns are doing poorly - indicating that within rural, there are some big twists. Everyone's not up and down at once. I agree with you-- that the point is to track how the fortunes of national companies (and shifts in government policy and much else) are tied into the well being on people living in rural places. That's what we're trying to discern. I'm for continuing with the Yonder 40 because I think it may be able, in the longer run, to reveal part of the picture. Dear Brian,

Thanks for all of this, and for expressing your view on the Daily Yonder about how the success of these companies may be at odds with the fortunes of people living and owning businesses in small towns.

Having tracked the Yonder 40 companies for 1/2 year, some interesting stuff is emerging:
http://www.dailyyonder.com/agriculture-and-energy-thrive-rural-consumers-lag
Companies that focus on ag and energy have done pretty well, and those that own retail stores in small towns are doing poorly - indicating that within rural, there are some big twists. Everyone’s not up and down at once.

I agree with you– that the point is to track how the fortunes of national companies (and shifts in government policy and much else) are tied into the well being on people living in rural places. That’s what we’re trying to discern. I’m for continuing with the Yonder 40 because I think it may be able, in the longer run, to reveal part of the picture.

]]> by: Liz http://ruralpopulist.org/2007/08/04/as-wal-mart-stock-rises-rural-america-falls/#comment-32503 Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:15:05 +0000 http://ruralpopulist.org/2007/08/04/as-wal-mart-stock-rises-rural-america-falls/#comment-32503 This post reminds me of Michael Pollan's description of "supermarket pastoral" big organic companies in "The Omnivore's Dilemma." To measure things like the health of rural America, we want to be able to look at 40 companies. Just like supermarkets want to get the bulk of the food they sell from few distributors. So in the end you have to go with big names. That being said I guess that the health of rural America is a subjective standard. You want to see vibrant local communities, the Daily Yonder wants to see a large number in the production column. I've always sympathized with Jefferson, too, I'm with you. But maybe the majority will always be with the other guys? This post reminds me of Michael Pollan’s description of “supermarket pastoral” big organic companies in “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” To measure things like the health of rural America, we want to be able to look at 40 companies. Just like supermarkets want to get the bulk of the food they sell from few distributors. So in the end you have to go with big names.

That being said I guess that the health of rural America is a subjective standard. You want to see vibrant local communities, the Daily Yonder wants to see a large number in the production column. I’ve always sympathized with Jefferson, too, I’m with you. But maybe the majority will always be with the other guys?

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