Internship Writing!

Meridian Senior Sam left for the Midwest in mid-March to work with researchers, conduct interviews, and read about small towns and their connection to agriculture in the region. Although COVID-19 certainly impacted the amount of personal interviews Sam could conduct, the paper he wrote is a wonderful showcase of his months-long journey. Please comment in the boxes below after you have read his paper.

Here is a statement from Sam about his paper:

For my final trimester, I was able to do a small research project on small town socioeconomic decline in the rural Midwest and its connection to trends in Agriculture. Issues such as population decline, drug use, and farm industrialization are covered, as are two main economic theories which describe the origin of the decline. While much of my research was done through reading, I was also able to interview many Minnesota farmers, Ag businessmen, and other figures who encounter the issues described on a daily basis. All of this was done under the guidance of Bob Rosler, a farm management instructor and former small-town mayor. As a Minnesotan, this paper helped me understand some of the issues which face my state and what the future holds for the Midwest if action is not taken.

What did you learn about small towns and their connections to agriculture in the Midwest? Do you have questions for Sam?