A report commissioned by the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Foundation identified challenges for rural parts of the state and suggested measures to help solve some of the bigger challenges. Specific problems for rural Wisconsin listed in the report included workforce shortages, limited broadband coverage, housing shortages, limited access to affordable health care, and stresses on manufacturing industries.
The report includes input from close to 145 leaders in the private, academic, and government sectors and recommends stepping up efforts to attract workers, expanding rural broadband, lowering the tax burden on businesses, encouraging new housing developments, and attracting medical professionals to strengthen rural health care.
