While it takes far less manhours to feed a family than it did in the past, there is still a considerable economy based around that. Rural areas also experience modern carpet bagging because of the many otherwise unemployed that can't, or won't, move into urban areas where there are more and better paying jobs. The midwest was "call center" capital until the natural evolution of such labor sent those jobs overseas as well. I believe most of those workers have moved on to meth production and sales.