Blog Posts & Stories

What do we think of when we say cooperative? Is it the farmers’ co-op down the road, combining grains to sell? Is it a nearby co-op grocer with customer members? Is it a large company, maybe Land O’Lakes or Ocean Spray?

Rural communities often face challenges in accessing fresh, healthy, and affordable foods. Reducing food deserts, connecting farmers to consumers, and building local supply chains provides resilience our rural communities need to protect their future.

Owners of microbusinesses, sole proprietors, and farmers spend many hours developing plans and attending training sessions to educate themselves on operating a business and what to do in the face of adversity.

Aquí hay una guía para construir el negocio de tus sueños. Este es un buen punto de partida. En Nebraska, el personal del Center for Rural Affairs puede llevarlo aún más lejos. Llámenos al 402.687.2100 o envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected].

Want to start the business of your dreams and don’t know where to begin? Take a look at these steps, then let the Center for Rural Affairs staff guide you through this process. Give us a call at 402.687.2100 or email [email protected].

Tomorrow will be Day 30 of the Nebraska legislative session, which marks the halfway point. Committee hearings will continue in the afternoon until March 3. Starting on March 8 the Legislature will move to all-day debate with late-evening business expected to start sometime in mid-March.

The Iowa Legislature's 2022 session is now in its seventh week. Lawmakers have been busy with quick-moving committee and subcommittee work ahead of the first funnel deadline. If a bill did not pass out of its committee in the chamber it originated in by last Friday, it is effectively dead, with some exceptions, such as tax and spending bills.

Today is Day 26 of South Dakota’s 38-day legislative session. The Center continues to monitor bills that impact the rural quality of life. We recently offered supportive testimony on bills related to...

Most farmers have interesting stories about how they made the journey to farming. Kelsey Jones, Lyle Marotz, and their baby, Phoenix, are no different. They are in their third year of marketing...

Solar energy projects are becoming more common across Iowa, and they present an undeniable opportunity for rural communities. Solar energy generates increased tax revenue for the county and reliable lease payments to landowners.

Nebraska’s agricultural economy relies on soil and water, so when the quality of those natural resources are in jeopardy, so too is the health of our state at large. Since the beginning of modern agriculture, Nebraska has lost nearly one-third of its topsoil.

A little-known Iowa program continues to pave the way for local coordination for flood-prevention strategies, and backers of the initiative are emphasizing there is an opportunity this year to enhance funding.

Small grain producers were the focus of two roundtable discussions hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs in November. Thanks to funding from a U.S. Department of Agriculture Extension Risk Management...

Shawn Fernau began working in the construction industry long before he knew he’d make a career out of it and become a business owner.

When a parking lot in front of a small business was in desperate need of improvement, the Center for Rural Affairs was able to assist. However, due to the amount needed, the funds were split from two separate sources.

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Justice (DOJ) recently launched an online tool designed to help farmers and ranchers submit anonymous comments about anticompetitive behavior in the meat and poultry industries.

Nebraska lawmakers are set to hear a measure Friday which would tap unspent federal COVID relief dollars to help address what some are calling a health-professional staffing crisis.

Also published in the Sheridan County Journal Star Agricultural producers and rural small business owners looking to improve their energy efficiency or install clean energy infrastructure can receive...

We’re in the fifth week of Iowa’s legislative session, which so far has been busy with the introduction of bills and subcommittee work before a Feb. 18 funnel deadline.

Today is Day 19 of South Dakota’s 38-day legislative session. We have been watching bills that impact renewable energy, broadband, home processed foods, and more. The last day for bill introduction...