Blog Posts & Stories

Your rural voice is a collection of testimony, official comments, appropriations requests, and other formal communications from the Center for Rural Affairs to government departments, officials, and...

Nancy Cochran-Jones never thought she’d make a living through cleaning services. Then, an opportunity to take over a tile cleaning business changed everything for Nancy and her husband, David Jones...

Sen. Grassley (IA) and Rep. Fortenberry (NE) are standing up for family farmers in very tough times. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced they plan to release regulations this...

While Nebraska’s overall economy remains reliant upon agriculture, recent trends show a move away from a dependence on manufacturing and goods and to a knowledge and service-based economy. Nebraska’s tax code does not reflect that decades-long trend.

​​​​​​​The renewable energy industry continues to exceed expectations, rapidly creating demand for a qualified workforce. As the industry continues to grow, parts of the country with significant natural resources will continue to benefit.

The U.S. is coming off the wettest 12 months on record, and Iowa farmers are being encouraged to boost conservation practices to help them adapt.

In 2018, the Iowa Legislature passed a law that gives $282 million for water quality projects over the next 12 years. While these funds help initiate new projects and build up existing efforts, more money is not the only way to improve water quality. Instead, lawmakers should put a premium on encouraging local control.

When Nebraska voters expanded Medicaid coverage last November, they recognized not only the health benefits of expanded insurance coverage, but also the economic impact of it.

The number of Americans receiving their electricity from renewable wind energy grew rapidly in 2018, with enough installed capacity to power more than 30 million homes.

Wyatt Fraas’ first job was in agriculture. He spent summers bucking hay bales as the wagon he rode on swayed and creaked across the field, trying to pitch him, and the bales, to the ground. Throughout...

Business owners in O’Neill, Nebraska, are lucky to have Darby Paxton working on their side. Since 2016, Darby has served as the Holt County Economic Development director, and in that time he’s provided entrepreneurs in the area with countless opportunities for business growth. Darby says he’s gotten invaluable guidance and assistance through the Center for Rural Affairs.

As a result of devastating flooding this spring, many Nebraska farmers are unable to participate in this planting season. The floodwaters have significantly damaged thousands of acres across the state, leaving farmers with financial burden and fields filled with sand and debris, rather than rows of marketable crops.

Living in the Loess Hills of Iowa most of my life, I’ve witnessed a variety of conservation concerns. With an increase in weather extremes, including heavy rain events, our highly erodible land is prone to increased erosion. This erosion often presents in the form of ephemeral gullies.

Todo lo puede hacer Enriqueta Martínez—desde fabricando hamacas artesanales, diseñando vestidos para bodas y quinceañeras, hasta realizar su pasión actual que es la agricultura.

Rural Nebraska, home to many diverse people, is now being showcased in a new book created by students and faculty at Hastings College.

​​​​​​​As nearly 40 percent of Iowa’s energy needs are met by wind, communities that host renewable energy projects are generating millions in tax revenue.

La tenacidad de Justino Borja viene de raíces profundas. Originario de agricultores Mexicanos con experiencia de cultivar la tierra. No cabe duda que ahí es donde Justino desarrolló su amor por la familia y determinación por la tierra.

The Center for Rural Affairs believes that strength and resilience is rooted in rural communities with diverse economic opportunities. Farmers and ranchers with diversified operations and strong environmental stewardship are an essential element of strong rural communities.

Danelle Nutt has loved jellies and jams her whole life. Little did she know one day she’d make a living preparing and selling them to eager customers all over central Nebraska. “Growing up, I had to...

Since 2012, the state of Iowa has invested approximately $541 million to improve water quality, an estimated $4 to $6 billion problem in the state. Meanwhile, the federal government has paid Iowa farmers more than $2.76 billion for on-farm conservation practices over the past two decades.