Data Opener winners tackle rural Minnesota

Thirty four percent of rural people would serve in a community leadership position if asked. The huge loss of farm land in the metro area in the last two decades poses a challenge to the local foods movement. High school kids in rural and metro areas show about the same level of interest in attending college.

These are some of the findings that came out of the second Minnesota Data Opener, hosted by the Minnesota State Demographic Center and Minnesota Public Radio News' Michael Olson, with support from the state of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Extension and the Blandin Foundation.

The task put to the public was to submit a visual entry illustrating a problem or challenge facing rural Minnesota. Entrants created a number of interesting depictions and three winners were chosen. The winning entries will be featured in a gallery at the capitol during the upcoming legislative session.

We discussed the entries today in a lively online chat. You can view the graphics and read the conversation here.

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