This is something smaller towns need to be addressing quickly, because yes, the new economy will kill small towns. (And I believe that if we all get herded into big cities, the country itself will die) One thing they can do is bring back some manufacturing to these towns, including value added food production like packaging or bakeries, rather than shipping commodity crops.
High-tech vertical farming facility taking shape in north Pasadena (Texas)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3278268/posts