Blog Posts & Stories

With states across the Midwest continuing to embrace the economic potential of renewable energy, project developers and landowners have the ability to work together to explore opportunities for investments in conservation, according to three new reports released by the Center for Rural Affairs.

A new president takes office today. A new Congress is seated. There will be a new leader at the Department of Agriculture. Ten months into a pandemic, change is everywhere in Washington.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses have encountered a great deal of conflict, particularly those that are new or relatively new. Even without a global health crisis, not many people...

Iowa is among the top states when it comes to the number of organic farms in operation, but producers have long struggled to obtain crop insurance that can better protect them from losses. A new initiative aims to help close these gaps.

Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill to provide some relief for meat supply chains by allowing consumers to purchase smaller ownership shares of livestock. Aunbrea Zeleny with the Oakland Meat Processing Plant said Legislative Bill 324 would help more Nebraskans who have struggled to find meat at grocery stores during the coronavirus pandemic access food from trusted local sources

There are a whole host of risks involved with farming and ranching; from weather conditions, to market changes, to all of the surprises that 2020 had in store. Managing risk has never been more important, and for many, crop insurance is a central risk management tool.

Dentro de las plantas de empaque en toda nuestra nación, los trabajadores continúan sin suficiente equipo de protección personal o PPE; no tiene suficiente espacio para cumplir con el distanciamiento social; y siguen preocupándose por lo que les pueda pasar.

Inside packing plants throughout our nation, workers continue to lack enough personal protective equipment, or PPE; don’t have enough space for social distancing; and continue to worry about what is going to happen to them.

2020 was a difficult year for everyone, for a multitude of reasons. Of the many challenges that came to national attention throughout the year, perhaps the most apparent was the lack of civil discourse among those with different identities, beliefs, and political affiliations.

The Unicameral convened its long, 90-day, session on Jan. 4, and is scheduled to adjourn June 10. This week, bills began to be introduced and committee chairpersons named.

Welcome to the Pierre Review! Jan. 12 was the first day of the 2021 South Dakota legislative session. The Center for Rural Affairs will be monitoring policies that affect the rural quality of life and...

On Monday, Jan. 11, the Iowa Legislature gaveled in for the 2021 legislative session. As we have done for years, we remain committed to providing you with objective, fact-based updates on the legislation that will impact the lives of rural Iowans.

Beginning and established farmers alike have long sought out assistance from the Center for Rural Affairs. With a variety of programs directed at starting and maintaining small family farms, the...

In 2019, an enormous influx of painted lady butterflies found their way to northeast Nebraska. They covered roadways, fields, and gardens. Driving through a kaleidoscope of painted ladies, sometimes...

Many of us have seen the front page headlines detailing data breaches of huge corporations such as Twitter or Uber resulting in millions of dollars in settlements or fines. These examples of cyber attacks can make it seem like only large companies should be concerned with protecting themselves from hackers.

President-elect Joe Biden ran on a platform that promised to “Build Back Better” while also pledging to take the steps needed to address the harsh realities of a changing climate. For rural Americans, the level of investment required to secure the goals promised by the president-elect and his new team is long overdue.

On Oct. 9, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a final rule for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). This rule follows an interim rule published on Nov. 12, 2019, for which the USDA sought public comment.

We are deep in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. At this point, keeping track of the challenges we’ve faced is difficult. Everyone knows someone who has been ill with COVID-19. Too many know...

​​​​​​​Elected representatives in Nebraska will debate a host of issues during the 2021 legislative session, including budget and tax, economic development, energy and environment, family and economic security, and food and agriculture.

​​​​​​​Our priority issues in Iowa include renewable energy and water quality.