Blog Posts & Stories

In what brings to mind the ashes-to-rebirth legend of the mythological Phoenix, statutes prohibiting corporate farming in North Dakota and meatpacker ownership of livestock in Nebraska are both fighting for survival.

The final report of a Center for Rural Affairs Task Force on Nebraska tax reform is as relevant today as when it was published in January 1992. In fact, when Traci Bruckner testified to the Nebraska Legislature Revenue and Education Committee in November on changes to the state's tax system for the Center, she referenced the task force report.

Wow, $10,335 in one week. Newman’s Own Foundation matched $10,000 of that, so $20,335 was raised for the betterment of rural America. This is the most successful online fundraiser we’ve ever held, and...

Internet access and a high speed connection is crucial in our schools. But according to a new report by Education Week, rural and small-town school districts are frequently charged 2.5 times their urban counterparts for Internet.

Calling all foodies, farmers, school food service professionals, chefs, and anyone who loves all things food related. Have you discovered Barnraiser? It's the "#1 crowdfunding community for good food & healthy living,” according to their website.

In November, the Center for Rural Affairs REAP Women’s Business Center hosted a local InnovateHER Challenge for the state of Nebraska. The Challenge, sponsored by the Small Business Administration (SBA), recognizes entrepreneurs with innovative products or services that impact women’s lives and their families.

Food trucks are a fairly new way to dine in the Norfolk, Nebraska, area. Eight years ago, Arcadio Zepeda wanted to start his own restaurant. He had been working at Michael’s Cantina, a popular Norfolk restaurant, and knew how to make food that people would enjoy eating.

The Center for Rural Affairs ranked #7 in the U.S. for the number of Small Business Administration microloans placed. The Center was #21 for the dollar value of microloans closed.

What was your least favorite school lunch growing up? Mine was salisbury steak. It was a strange textured mystery meat, coated in slick, salty gravy, and served with instant mashed potatoes- a true...

Recently a farmer in California emailed, looking for ideas for high-value crops or livestock suited to a small amount of land. I began as I normally do, with an upbeat, "Congratulations on considering...

Thanks to your donations and support, we were able to grow our Farm to School effort to reach a total of 49 districts, in Nebraska alone. Farm to School is a national movement that encourages schools to serve locally grown food from partnering farmers. You should be proud of your support.

Today, Nov 19, is National Rural Health Day. The organizers describe this as, “an opportunity to celebrate the Power of Rural by honoring the selfless, community-minded, can do spirit that prevails in rural America.” It’s also a chance to relate the unique health care challenges we face as rural citizens.

Pollinators are insects and animals that transport pollen from plant to plant to fertilize the plant so it produces fruit or seeds. There are more than 1.000 different plants grown for spices, foods, beverages, and medicine that are dependent on pollinators.

The final of our Farm to School webinars brings you three experiences of connecting farmers and schools.

I don’t usually reflect much on the abundant amenities of where I live. Generally I take the wide open spaces, fresh air, breathtaking sunsets, and a million other things (all of which I deeply cherish) for granted.

From August to October, the Center for Rural Affairs organized and co-hosted a series of town hall events that connected about 120 Nebraskans with their elected officials. These events were designed to engage Nebraska state senators in discussions with their constituents over struggles over 240,000 Nebraskans who live below the poverty line face in their daily lives.

Giving Tuesday is a one day, worldwide online fundraiser. It’s a day of giving back after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We had great success during last year’s Giving Tuesday, and this year we’re...

Preliminary census data is out on Farm to School, and the news is good! Figures for school year 2013-2014 show strong farm to school programs mean:

There’s another Husker season to get ready for – the reconvening of the 2016 Nebraska Legislature, which takes place on January 6, 2016. Important issues to be debated include closing the health care coverage gap, reforming taxes, protecting independent livestock producers, and developing renewable energy.

We are putting a stake in the ground on federal crop insurance and the need for reform. One of our greatest concerns is land access, based on what we’ve heard for years across the Midwest and Great Plains.