The 2002 Governor’s Summit on Rural Economic Development held at Basin Harbor on June 11th and 12th was particularly timely. With the difficulties facing the wood products sector, the dialogue about long-term agricultural viability, concerns about the regulatory climate and loss of IBM jobs, and the opportunity to integrate marketing across sectors to visitors to the state, Vermont’s rural economic agenda are at a historically significant juncture. The Summit was structured this year around the challenges to four sectors of the rural economy: Forest products, agriculture, high tech/new economy, and tourism. Participants at the Summit came up with Action Steps for practical work in the short term and as cross-agency recommendations for priority action by the next administration.