U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday that new USDA investments in broadband should help businesses in rural America.

"It's a chance for us to give America a wake-up call about the challenges faced by rural America," Vilsack said.

More from the Associated Press:

James Young, mayor of Philadelphia, Miss., said simple investments can change the future of small communities. Young tries to recruit new employers to his 8,000-person town, and he said having high speed Internet access is a must in landing jobs. Without better infrastructure, rural youngsters will continue to leave for bigger cities, he said. "The thought process is to survive," Young said. "But every now and then, we need a little help."

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