Blog Posts & Stories

Jorge Velásquez pasó años trabajando en plantas empacadoras de carne y como instalador de pisos antes de decidir convertirse en propietario de un pequeño negocio. Pero enfrento algunos desafíos a lo largo de su camino hasta convertirse en propietario de George Flooring, con sede en South Sioux City, Nebraska.

Jorge Velasquez spent years working in meatpacking plants and as a flooring installer before deciding to become a small business owner. But he has faced a few challenges along his journey to being the owner of George Flooring, based in South Sioux City, Nebraska.

The holiday season is right around the corner and it comes with great news. According to a Gallup survey, 74% of holiday shoppers said they expect to pay about the same amount or more on holiday gifts this year compared to last. Moreover, 23% of shoppers said they choose one retailer over another because they want to support small and local businesses in their community.

In southwest Iowa, local foods are often overlooked more than in the rest of the state. With that in mind, the Southwest Iowa Local Foods Summit, held Nov. 10 in Avoca, was meaningful for the 70-some...

For the Prairie Island Indian Community, taking advantage of renewable energy is a way to preserve its way of life for future generations. Tribal leaders have been interested in the opportunities renewable energy could bring the community for several years, and in 2020 they moved from interest to action by becoming one of the first Tribal Nations to set a goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions.

Small Business Saturday is Nov. 25 and there are plenty of Nebraska small business owners hoping for your business. In 2022, shoppers across the country spent nearly $18 billion at small shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. In addition to funding the U.S. government, the legislation includes a significant measure for rural communities—an extension of the 2018 farm bill.

Throughout my last essay I wrote about why access to capital—who can get money and what they are able to do with it—is central to rural communities and central to the Center’s work. Close followers of...

Rural communities in Nebraska and across the Midwest have a new resource for assistance in addressing environmental challenges: the Heartland Environmental Justice Center (HEJC), a Thriving...

With support from the Center for Rural Affairs, two Nebraska communities are on the path to reviving a once proud tradition of growing their own food, and, in turn, improving their local businesses and offering residents a place closer to home to purchase groceries and other necessities.

​​​​​​​In recent weeks, farm bill progress was limited as other developments in Congress took priority. Lawmakers elected a new Speaker of the House, and now face a Nov. 17 deadline to reach an agreement on spending or shut down the government.

Cuando se trata de determinación, disciplina y un compromiso inquebrantable con la excelencia, pocos grupos ejemplifican estas cualidades, como los veteranos de nuestra nación. A medida que pasa del servicio militar a la vida civil, puede embarcarse en una nueva misión: el espíritu empresarial. Iniciar y administrar una pequeña empresa es un viaje que requiere dedicación, ingenio y una caja de herramientas bien equipada.

When it comes to determination, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, few groups exemplify these qualities like our nation's veterans.

There’s a strong belief in honoring the sun in the Lakota culture. “If you don’t have the sun shining, you can’t have plants and flowers and photosynthesis,” said John Red Cloud, a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. “It’s responsible for all of life.”

When the Center for Rural Affairs was founded in 1973, its focus was on federal policy. Today, the organization’s work includes capital access, community development, and small business and clean energy policy, in addition to rural federal policy.

Luis Franco has a passion for encouraging entrepreneurs and supporting rural economies. He began his career in the retail industry, working in accounting, payroll, and financial planning. That experience led him to the Nebraska Business Development Center, where he served three years as a business consultant supporting entrepreneurs.

When Katie Jantzen left her home state of Nebraska to attend college in Virginia, she had no idea she’d return several years later to start her own farming operation on her family’s land. On this small, diversified, family farm, Katie operates a CSA and raises vegetables, melons, herbs, berries, and honeybees.

Coming from a fourth-generation farm family, one of Jenna Sutterfield’s top priorities is finding ways to help maintain strong small communities, to sustain the rural lifestyle she knows and loves. Recently, Jenna brought her love for rural America to the Center for Rural Affairs, where she was hired as a local foods associate.

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš used to catch fish for a living. Now, she dedicates her life to saving them and the ocean they live in. She started California-based Azul, a grassroots organization working to conserve marine resources and to bring Latinx perspectives and participation to ocean conservation.

If you are a farmer or rancher, there has never been a better time to apply for popular conservation programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Iowa and South Dakota, the deadline to submit initial paperwork for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is Nov. 3. The deadline in Nebraska is Nov. 17.