Blog Posts & Stories

Megan Gewecke’s desire to understand the inner workings of the human brain began well before she opened her own business as a Licensed Psychologist. As a young child, science was always her favorite...

Residents of the Great Plains are no strangers to windy conditions, or to the potential to use this resource to generate clean energy. While solar has boomed, wind energy continues to be the leading renewable energy industry in the region.

The Center for Rural Affairs strives to help landowners utilize their property to its best potential—how to care for the land so it is fruitful for generations to come. Landowners today are faced with...

The U.S. is coming off the wettest year on record, seen most dramatically in this spring's massive flooding. And Nebraska farmers are looking to age-old conservation practices to help them adapt.

At the Center for Rural Affairs, we have done a lot of research over the years on the economic benefits of renewable energy development for rural communities. The facts and figures on tax revenues, leases, and job creation tell some of the story on how wind and solar development has impacted the Midwest. But, it only tells one part of the story.

At the Barreras Family Farm, just a few miles south of Blair, Nebraska, co-owners and co-operators Lt. Col. Anthony and Mariel Barreras work hard alongside their children. The couple’s love of farming...

A community garden is a way to grow delicious, fresh produce and to bring together neighbors and community members. A community garden also requires buy-in from the community, proactive planning, and ongoing maintenance.

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.

A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture examines the impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in rural America. Widely viewed as a program that helps combat urban poverty and food insecurity, SNAP has seen a greater percentage of utilization in rural areas since the late 1990s.

Rural America hosts a growing number of small businesses, many owned by Latino entrepreneurs. One way residents of small communities can show support for their neighbors is by simply visiting these...

Living in the Loess Hills of Iowa most of my life, I’ve witnessed a variety of conservation concerns. With an increase in weather extremes, including heavy rain events, our land, and land in Nebraska, is highly erodible and prone to increased erosion. This erosion often presents in the form of ephemeral gullies.

Your rural voice is a collection of testimony, official comments, appropriations requests, and other formal communications from the Center for Rural Affairs to government departments, officials, and...

Nancy Cochran-Jones never thought she’d make a living through cleaning services. Then, an opportunity to take over a tile cleaning business changed everything for Nancy and her husband, David Jones...

Sen. Grassley (IA) and Rep. Fortenberry (NE) are standing up for family farmers in very tough times. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced they plan to release regulations this...

While Nebraska’s overall economy remains reliant upon agriculture, recent trends show a move away from a dependence on manufacturing and goods and to a knowledge and service-based economy. Nebraska’s tax code does not reflect that decades-long trend.

​​​​​​​The renewable energy industry continues to exceed expectations, rapidly creating demand for a qualified workforce. As the industry continues to grow, parts of the country with significant natural resources will continue to benefit.

The U.S. is coming off the wettest 12 months on record, and Iowa farmers are being encouraged to boost conservation practices to help them adapt.

In 2018, the Iowa Legislature passed a law that gives $282 million for water quality projects over the next 12 years. While these funds help initiate new projects and build up existing efforts, more money is not the only way to improve water quality. Instead, lawmakers should put a premium on encouraging local control.

When Nebraska voters expanded Medicaid coverage last November, they recognized not only the health benefits of expanded insurance coverage, but also the economic impact of it.

The number of Americans receiving their electricity from renewable wind energy grew rapidly in 2018, with enough installed capacity to power more than 30 million homes.