Reports & Publications

Solar energy development brings numerous economic benefits to the counties and local communities in which it occurs. This includes direct payments to landowners who host solar arrays and new employment opportunities during the construction and operation of a project. In addition, installations...

Renewable energy continues to be a growing industry in the U.S., especially in states like Iowa and Nebraska where wind energy accounted for 57% and 24%, respectively, of the total electricity generation in 2020. The share of renewable energy in the U.S. electricity generation mix is projected to...

Iowa’s 27 Watershed Management Authorities (WMAs) cover 40% of the state, putting local leaders in the driver’s seat to address water concerns such as flooding and water quality. Together, they have made demonstrable progress, working with landowners to install more than 1,900 voluntary conservation...

Falling equipment costs coupled with increased demand for clean energy have led to a rapid rise in solar development over the past decade, a trend expected to continue. Although solar accounted for 3% of U.S. electricity in 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that number will...

Broadband access is essential in allowing rural communities to thrive. It ensures schools and health care services can function effectively, allows businesses to expand and remain competitive, and enables farm and ranch owners to take advantage of emerging technologies. Yet, an estimated 42 million...

Every once in a while, I get to take a field trip. Or, what some of my coworkers call “Road Trip with Rhea.” One recent adventure took me to Piñon Market owned by Veronica Piñon, in Kearney, Nebraska. This grocery store is right on Highway 30, easy to find. I walked in the door and heard “Buenos Dias” from the back. I wandered back there and was greeted by Veronica. Immediately, I felt like I was a part of her community, a part of her family.

Noticias sobre Pequeñas Empresas del Center for Rural Affairs, incluyen historias seleccionadas de éxito de empresarios de Nebraska asistidos por nuestros programas e información que puede necesitar para iniciar o expandir su negocio.

The Center for Rural Affairs' Small Business News includes select success stories on Nebraska entrepreneurs assisted by our programs and information that you may need to start or grow your business.

Each year, the Center for Rural Affairs advocates for the continuation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that benefit agriculture producers and small businesses. Click through this interactive map to see how these programs have influenced farms, ranches, and rural main streets...

Due to recent glaciation, the midwestern U.S. has some of the most productive soils in the world. These rich soils contain a layer of organic matter, called the O horizon, atop a layer of topsoil, called the A horizon. Both of these soil layers contain nutrients necessary for plant growth...

The U.S. is facing an impending shortage in doctors, nurses, and other health care providers, with some models showing demand outpacing supply by as early as 2025, with a shortfall of hundreds of thousands of workers across professions and specialties, including physicians, nurses, health aides, and lab technicians.

​​​​​​​Noticias sobre Pequeñas Empresas del Center for Rural Affairs, incluyen historias seleccionadas de éxito de empresarios de Nebraska asistidos por nuestros programas e información que puede necesitar para iniciar o expandir su negocio.

We love to get out to meet you face-to-face, but due to the pandemic, some meetings haven’t been possible. So, we are reaching out in different ways such as videos on our YouTube Channel (page 1); a podcast (page 8); a Zoom gathering (page 2); and even online workshops (page 5).

Los procesadores de carne locales independientes son un componente vital de los sistemas alimentarios resilientes. Contribuyen a la economía rural, brindan un servicio necesario a los productores de ganado y garantizan la disponibilidad inmediata de carne de calidad.

The Center for Rural Affairs' Small Business News includes select success stories on Nebraska entrepreneurs assisted by our programs and information that you may need to start or grow your business.

Shawn Fernau’s business journey didn’t go how he would have hoped. He rented a building for the first couple years of his business. After purchasing a building in 2016, the building caught on fire on Christmas Eve. His tools, which were inside, were a complete loss as well as the building.

Ana Gonzalez and Veronica Ramos, sisters, are 50/50 members of A&V Enterprises, LLC. In addition, Ana owns Enchanted Bakery and Veronica owns Blossom Beauty, a hair and nail salon.

Along with the weather, broadband access is a safe topic for small talk in rural communities. It is an issue for everyone in one way or another—whether directly or via grandkids who struggle to connect to classes, employees who drop out of Zoom meetings, or simply an inability to look up a recipe on Google. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, inequity caused by lack of broadband has opened the eyes of those who have the precious asset and presumed universal access.

Letterbox Farm Collective is located was established in 2013 and is located in Hudson, New York. The collective has three farmer-owners/partners and is open to additional partners with a trial period and buy-in.

El colectivo tiene tres agricultores-propietarios/socios y está abierto a socios adicionales con un período de prueba y aceptación.