There is no universal approach to navigating this pandemic that would work perfectly for every state. By contrast, our states’ experiences offer collective proof that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the best way to address unique circumstances. When shaping our state plans, each of us has relied on our own public health teams, informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other national experts.

We knew it was critical, even as the coronavirus has spread, that our state economies keep moving. Agriculture, energy and manufacturing are the backbone of the Midwest and Great Plains. Our beef, pork and poultry feed the world. Our oil, ethanol, coal and wind fuel the country’s businesses.

Like other states, we did have to close pieces of our economies temporarily. To meet this challenge, our states moved quickly to cut red tape and allow private employers to pivot to new business models. Successes include restaurants selling food packaged for commercial use and loosened regulations for day care to expand access to child care for our workforces. The relationships our community bankers have built with businesses over the years helped our region lead the nation for the amount of eligible payroll funding enrolled in the Paycheck Protection Program. All of this helped mitigate the job losses that are drowning unemployment benefits systems nationwide.