Blog Posts & Stories

Gene Albers joined his family’s tradition of farming in south central Kansas in the 1970s. After working the land with their father, Gene and his two brothers became farmers. Now, with years of experience behind him, Gene is beginning to retire from his 1,200 acre cattle, wheat, and soybean operation.

Demonstrating best practices for improving soil health and water quality has been front and center for many Iowa farmers this summer.

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.

​​​​​​​Across the country, kids are reaping the benefits and heading back to school with local foods on their plates.

Local food and the arts are emerging market opportunities for rural communities, and the Center for Rural Affairs is hosting a one-day conference on October 10 in Pender, Nebraska, designed to offer aspiring entrepreneurs a leg up.

The most effective and desirable economic development strategy for many rural communities is small entrepreneurship. This is based on locally-owned and owner-operated small businesses. Approximately 24 percent of Nebraskans are employed by these enterprises and 74 percent report a microbusiness as their sole source of income.

The Midwest has experienced a renewable energy boom. Renewables have provided the region with clean, low-cost energy and created new economic development opportunities for communities.

Every year, the Center for Rural Affairs recognizes an individual or organization that demonstrates outstanding support for the Latino community. This year, that honor goes to Jessica Campos, of Grand...

More than a bed and breakfast, more than a hunting lodge—Whitetail River Lodge, outside of Niobrara, Nebraska, is a home away from home for its guests. The lodge offers deer and turkey hunting on 6...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture soon will release new regulations that livestock and poultry producers hope will better protect them from what they see as unfair competition in the highly consolidated meatpacking industry.

The U.S. is home to one of the largest and fastest-growing wind markets in the world, and many states are taking advantage of that by developing wind farms to generate clean, renewable energy.

Mark Tjelmeland can trace his interest in conservation back to his childhood. When he was a young boy, Mark’s mother peaked his curiosity in natural resources by taking him to a field that was being tiled. She showed him the topsoil, subsoil, and explained why topsoil depth differed between locations on their farm.

With U.S. wind and solar capacity expected to grow by 6 percent and 14 percent, respectively, in 2019, a new report says it would be cheaper for many electric cooperatives to retire their existing coal plants in favor of renewable energy generation. The report, authored by the Center for Rural Affairs, CURE, and We Own It, was released in June.

Let me tell you a story. It’s a story of a little program called RMAP. Sounds wonky, right? It’s the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, which is part of the larger farm bill. The story...

Registration is open for the Food + Art Conference: Growing Rural Businesses and Communities, hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs. The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p...

On a July morning, the sky shone blue with puffy white clouds. Sand hills rushed past the windows, and a dust cloud collected behind our car as we made our way through central Nebraska. We found the...

There’s no place like home, especially when home is rural America. Just ask Justin Carter. Though his travels have taken him all around the world, Justin recently found his way back to his home state...

​​​​​​​As more renewable energy is developed across the nation, regulators and policymakers must prepare for the changing electric power landscape.

The 102nd meridian and 41st parallel separate Colorado and Nebraska. When crossing this artificial barrier, you will not see a big change in the landscape, people, or towns. However arbitrary these borders may be, your place on either side can greatly change your access to one important service: Medicaid.

​​​​​​​Access to reliable transportation is essential for rural residents, especially for those who must travel significant distances for work, school, or medical services.