The 2008 census numbers were released today.Between July 1st of 2007 and July 1st 2008 Nicollet County is up 9-tenths of a percent.Blue Earth is up 8-tenths of a percent.It's not as good for rural counties such as Faribault and Watonwan losing over one percent of their population during the year.News 12's Erick Lind explains why both metropolitan and rural communities need populations to grow, in order to continue to thrive.Many of the latest census numbers are showing rural communities are still getting smaller.Brad Finstad from the Center for Rural Policy and Development says that has been caused by the lack of jobs and opportunities, to bring youth back to those areas, but he says it can be changed.Finstad says, "We need to build upon the assets that we have. You know for years we've known that Southern Minnesota can produce the heck out of number two yellow corn and soybeans. That's not really bringing a lot of people back home is it? The question needs to be, well, can we use that asset and take it to a whole new level?"Finstad says converging the agriculture industry with bioscience will help.He says the thinking has to change from individual communities worrying about themselves, and changing the focus to the entire region.Greater Mankato Growths' Jonathan Zierdt agrees, because as much as Blue Earth is growing, that could die off without rural support.Zierdt says, "It doesn't do us any good as a regional community to have a concentration point right at the very center, and then nothing on the ring. We need vitality from the center, all the way out."Zierdt feels Mankato will grow even faster in the upcoming years after receiving a metropolitan status.Finstad hopes that the right jobs happen to make the surrounding communities grow as well.Finstad says, "With those answers, hopefully then will become solutions and opportunities to bring people back home and farm or work in a different industry that's never existed."Erick Lind, News 12.