Blog Posts & Stories

​​​​​​​This October marks the culmination of two and a half years of hard work by advocates, partners, and the Center for Rural Affairs to expand Medicaid in Nebraska. In summer 2018, we started by asking Nebraskans to sign the ballot initiative. Now, implementation has finally arrived.

​​​​​​​When the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the U.S., farmers and ranchers faced financial challenges because of market prices. However, farmers are resilient, and Ron Spicka is no exception.

They’ve been chronicling the people, places, and events of small towns for decades—some even 100 years or more. However, as social media, the internet, and other sources of information have come on...

Small businesses continue to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. While they are doing their best to keep the doors open, they are hurting. That is especially true in our rural towns.

​​​​​​​The derecho storm that hit central and eastern Iowa on Monday, Aug. 10, left a devastating swathe of damage that has residents still reeling. Many people have lost their homes, millions of acres of crops have been destroyed, and tens of thousands are still without power as Iowans work to recover from this storm.

The derecho that stormed through central and eastern Iowa on Monday, Aug. 10, left many farmers reeling. Damage spans crop destruction, equipment and building damage, and prolonged power outages. Most...

Nebraska lawmakers took significant steps to improve rural broadband with the passage of Legislative Bills 992 and 996 in the final weeks of an unusual 2020 session, which adjourned Aug. 13.

Like many locally-owned businesses in small towns, Old Cottonwood, in Utica, Nebraska, is more than just another store—it’s the hard work, dedication, and dreams of the owners coming to fruition. From...

For almost four years, Anna Johnson has been the leader of the agricultural policy portfolio at the Center for Rural Affairs. Recently, she shared her thoughts on the Center’s agricultural policy...

For farmers and ranchers who sell to local markets, crop insurance options are limited. This leads many operations to forego crop insurance as a risk management strategy, or to only insure a portion of their crops. If you are a local foods producer who would like to offer feedback or ideas about your crop insurance options, consider attending an upcoming virtual listening session.

Many parts of Nebraska, from the Omaha metro to the panhandle, are faced with slow and unreliable connections. For those left offline the missed opportunities continue to build. Here, we've mapped some of the issues facing rural residents and communities.

To say that we live in a challenging time is quite the understatement. For the past several months, almost everyone’s “normal” has been upended. Many of us are spending much more time at home than we ever have before. However, for people of color in this country, the spectra of widespread, systemic, and institutionalized racism remains a steadfast constant.

Community responsibility is an often cited virtue in small towns. It is a value rooted in a commitment to neighbor and community. We witnessed it in barn raisings of past generations and in volunteer...

As a child, Megan Gewecke never missed an opportunity to help others in need. Her desire to assist people eventually led Megan down the mental health career path. She is now a licensed psychologist...

With the national focus on the widespread impacts of the coronavirus, the normal order of things has been thrown in disarray. Annual appropriations for agricultural programs is no exception. However...

Growing up, Dusty VanRenan and Amanda Meier knew a thing or two about processing their own livestock.

The Center for Rural Affairs joined 25 organizations in signing a letter on July 23 requesting members of the Nebraska Legislature to establish clear and enforceable COVID-19 temporary protections for...

Former and current Center for Rural Affairs staff members contributed to this blog. Paul Olson suffered a massive heart attack at age 31 and lived. “I thought, heck, I’ve got a lifetime ahead of me,”...

After a nearly four month recess due to COVID-19 concerns, the Nebraska Legislature reconvened its 2020 session on Monday. Lawmakers returned to the legislative chambers with several safety measures in place, including plexiglass dividers and restrictions on who could be on the floor during the proceedings.

Businesses across Nebraska can now get help navigating challenges during the coronavirus pandemic through new online classes offered by the Center for Rural Affairs.