Blog Posts & Stories

The recent dismissal of Black Hills Energy’s proposed “buy all, sell all” renewable energy tariff exemplifies South Dakota’s need to examine the benefits provided by residential solar to the electrical grid and determine a fair compensation rate for that energy.

The holiday season is upon us, and for many people that means making purchases for gift exchanges and planning the menu for family and work gatherings. But, for our nation’s small business owners, preparing for the biggest and busiest time of the year can take months of hard work, and involves more than just inventory on the shelves.

Solar energy is now the cheapest form of new energy production, according to recent industry analysis. To leverage this opportunity, the Biden administration recently announced a blueprint to increase...

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides nutrition assistance payments to one in every eight Americans each month. Formerly known as food stamps, we often misunderstand the program to favor urban residents. The facts state otherwise.

The newly-passed infrastructure package approved by Congress last week promises to reach every corner of the country, and for rural America, funding for water and sewer, broadband internet, and electrical projects could have the most impact.

Hay muchas noticias y especulaciones sobre la falta de mano de obra, pero a menudo se pasa por alto una solución a la escasez de mano de obra: los inmigrantes que esperan una autorización de empleo.

The Shell Rock River Watershed Management Coalition (SRRWMC), located in the northeast part of Iowa, met for the first time this summer.

Timing is everything for Cait Caughey. A long-time supporter of the Center for Rural Affairs, Cait always hoped to become part of the organization, though she wasn’t sure in what capacity. After gaining a decade of nonprofit experience as well as several years of agriculture education teaching for schools, colleges, and adults, Cait’s wish has come true.

A large number of America's military veterans have returned home to civilian careers and often want to continue the service mission they committed to in the Armed Forces. Many veterans from rural...

In April, President Biden announced a proposal that caught the attention of farmers and ranchers across the country. To help fund his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, Biden suggested eliminating...

Locally produced honey, artwork and handmade scarves and sweaters will not be stuck on a container ship this holiday season, and small businesses are counting on a strong showing on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 27.

There is ample news and speculation about the lack of workforce, but one solution to labor shortages often gets overlooked: immigrants waiting for employment authorization.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently published a comprehensive list of application deadlines for its conservation programs, including the...

Creating a safe environment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic often means additional expenses for farmers, farmers markets, food processors, and distributors. A new U.S. Department of Agriculture...

Across the country and throughout Nebraska renewable energy is taking off as more municipalities, utilities, and companies make commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

The Center for Rural Affairs recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on how internal policies and protocols can be changed to better advance racial justice and equity...

Farmers and ranchers interested in implementing conservation on their operations can get valuable technical and financial support from programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Investing in soil health on the farm through implementation of conservation practices helps build resiliency in the face of our changing climate. These investments can range from in-field management practices to retiring marginal land in perennials or wetlands.

Ask any beginning farmer or rancher about the greatest challenge to starting an operation, and the most common answer is access to land and operational assets.

Small cities have been the backdrop of my entire life, on a technicality. While both Iowa and Minnesota classify incorporated municipalities as cities regardless of their population, my hometown—Marshalltown, Iowa—and the town where I went to college—St. Peter, Minnesota—may be cities in the eyes of their respective states, but, to me and the residents who live there, they are rural in nature.