Blog Posts & Stories

Traditions have anchored me and generations of my family. Rooted in the importance of traditions made and new ones sought, I learned at a young age how to use them as I navigate triumphs, challenges, and changes.

Las guarderías ofrecen un servicio crítico a las familias trabajadoras y ayudan a mantener girando la economía de nuestras comunidades. Existe una gran necesidad bien documentada de cuidado infantil para servir a los padres trabajadores de las zonas rurales de Estados Unidos. Abrir una guardería, ya sea en el hogar o en un centro, es una oportunidad comercial emocionante que conlleva desafíos únicos.

Day cares offer a critical service to working families and help keep the economic wheels of our communities spinning. There’s a well-documented need for more child care to serve rural America’s hardworking parents. Opening a day care, whether in-home or a center, is an exciting business opportunity that comes with unique challenges.

Last week, the Legislature approved budget bills in Legislative Bills 1011, 1012 and 1013. On Monday, Gov. Pete Ricketts signed and made line item vetoes to all three of them. The Center’s two general budget priorities in LB 759 and LB 1090 were not a part of the governor’s line-item vetoes.

This week marks the 13th of this year’s legislative session. There are rumblings at the capitol that the end is in sight—but probably not just yet. We expect the session to last a few more weeks before things wrap up.

On March 29, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts vetoed Legislative Bill (LB) 1073, which would require the state to accept the $120 million in federal funds already set aside for Nebraska to extend the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) into the year 2025.

Every county has a U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center that houses Farm Service Agency (FSA) and National Resource Conservation Services (NRCS). This is where farmers and landowners go to access their programs. As a renter you can still work with these agencies.

Time sometimes creeps up on Kent Wiese, who has been working in the meat processing industry in Des Moines, Iowa, since 1976.

Iowa is in danger of losing momentum for local coordination of flood prevention projects. That's the prediction of groups with ties to Watershed Management Authorities, whose funding request fell short at the State Capitol this session.

Nebraska’s public power districts provide some of the most reliable electricity in the country. According to the Energy Information Administration, Omaha Public Power District, Lincoln Electric System and Nebraska Public Power District all rank in the top 30th percentile for reliability among all utilities nationwide.

When Bruce Willems of Correctionville, Iowa, set out to address an erosion problem on the family farm, he didn’t realize he was beginning a lifelong conservation journey. What started out as a one-year contract to plant cover crops is now a decade-long commitment to the overall health of his farm through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

La guardería, Karime Child Care ubicada en Grand Island, Nebraska, ha estado abierta desde abril del 2017. En esos pocos años, la propietaria Carime Ruvalcaba ha visto éxito y crecimiento en su negocio. Sin embargo, cuando cerró indefinidamente en abril de 2020, debido a la pandemia, la emprendedora decidió tomarse el inesperado tiempo libre para desarrollar sus habilidades como propietaria de un negocio.

Karime Child Care, located in Grand Island, Nebraska, has been open since April 2017. In those few years, owner Carime Ruvalcaba has seen success and growth in her business. Though, when it closed indefinitely in April 2020, due to the pandemic, the entrepreneur decided to take the unexpected time off to grow her skills as a business owner.

Debate on state budget adjustments began on March 15. Both Legislative Bill (LB ) 1011, the mainline budget bill and LB 1012, which provides for fund transfers, advanced to select file. One notable change to the budget is an increase in Medicaid nursing facility reimbursement rates, which are intended to help rural nursing homes that are facing a workforce shortage.

We’re in the 11th week of the Iowa legislative session. Last Friday was the second funnel deadline, which means legislation needed to pass its committee in the alternate chamber from which it was introduced to remain viable. The deadline does not include tax and spending bills.

In Iowa and across the Midwest, farmers are investing in conservation practices such as cover crops, extended rotation, and nutrient management thanks to the support of programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As Congress looks to set priorities for the 2023 farm bill, it must focus on supporting conservation programs.

Federal programs that invest in rural America have a significant impact on small communities. As resources are made available to local businesses and farmers, they are better equipped with the tools they need to succeed.

Pipeline proposals can be contentious when economic, environmental, and landowner interests are at odds. With two proposed pipelines intended to facilitate carbon capture and storage across the upper Midwest, it is important there is an understanding of the facts, as well as the relevant questions and concerns surrounding the projects.

A devotion to her community and a dedication to bringing people together brought Alexandra Dillon to work alongside the Center for Rural Affairs, and that partnership has resulted in helping those she...

Many Nebraska schools are struggling to find and serve locally grown food to their students. Some schools have greenhouses, but they’re often underutilized or used only to grow flowers for fundraisers. These greenhouses can produce food for school cafeterias, and they can be school-based enterprises that teach students leadership and entrepreneurial skills.