Blog Posts & Stories

At the Barreras Family Farm, just a few miles north of Omaha, Nebraska, co-owners and co-operators Lt. Col. Anthony and Mariel Barreras work hard alongside their children.

The current farm bill will expire on Sept. 30. Congress has a handful of days to make an important decision, and they have three options: to pass a final farm bill, extend the 2014 farm bill, or let the farm bill expire.

This is the second year the Center for Rural Affairs has worked to establish a community garden at the Third City Community Clinic in Grand Island, Nebraska. Together, in partnership with CHI Health St. Francis, and Central Community College, we have been able to turn a piece of otherwise unused land into an urban garden.

The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP), a sliver of the farm bill, is at risk. Alongside small businesses across the country, we’re asking Congress to support and restore funding of RMAP in the final farm bill.

Hilda Moreno and Carlos Alvarado, of Fremont, Nebraska, provide a model for innovation, stewardship, and community development. Because the couple has gone above and beyond to become leaders in the Latino farming community, they have been chosen as the recipients of the 2017 Bob Steffen Pioneer Award. They were recognized at an award ceremony on March 9 in Red Cloud, Nebraska.

When it comes to economic development tools, wind energy has paid off for rural areas. Whether it be new employment opportunities, additional revenue for counties, or direct payments to landowners, wind energy has brought significant benefits to rural communities.

At the Center for Rural Affairs, we know the strength and vibrancy of rural communities. We also know that public policy is a key element for the health of rural communities. When our public policies neglect rural communities, quite simply, they suffer.

Experience in community economic development and agriculture has helped Ross Knott draw out the benefits of wind energy. In the process, he has helped transform one small town’s story into that of a strong voice in support of rural development.

Las comunidades necesitan ser inclusivas ya que todos formamos parte de este mundo. Un poco más de comprensión y voluntad basta para crear comunidades más inclusivas y diversas. El mes pasado en Norfolk, Nebraska, se consiguió avanzar un poco más hacia este objetivo de crear una comunidad más unida.

In 2012, Iowa released a strategy to reduce nutrient and sediment loading in surface waters. However, the best plan forward remains uncertain. This lack of clarity leaves farmers feeling frustrated.

The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP), a sliver of the farm bill, is at risk. In advance of conference negotiations, a letter from 11 small businesses across Nebraska asked Congress to support and restore funding of RMAP in the final farm bill.

Eleven Nebraska small businesses, in support of the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) in the 2018 farm bill, signed and sent a letter to Nebraska Congressional Representatives and Senators this month. The letter asks Congress to support and restore RMAP funding in the farm bill. The small business program did not receive direct mandatory funding by either the House or Senate versions of the farm bill.

Inclusion needs to be part of every community, as we all are part of this world. A little bit of understanding and willingness makes each community more inclusive and diverse. Last month in Norfolk, Nebraska, a few steps forward were taken toward achieving this goal; a more united community.

The top need for small businesses in South Dakota is finding quality employees, according to a report recently released by the Center for Rural Affairs and South Dakota State University. Owners also...

The Women’s Business Center Entrepreneur of the Year Award is presented annually to an individual or individuals who have utilized the Center for Rural Affairs Women’s Business Center services and are successfully operating and growing their business. The award exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit so crucial to women-owned businesses and the rural Nebraska communities they call home.

On Aug. 8 in O'Neill, Nebraska, that sense of community was shaken when 133 agricultural workers were taken from their places of employment and transferred to a detention center more than 100 miles away in Grand Island, leaving their families and children to wonder if their loved ones would ever return.

August is National Water Quality Month and, as we celebrate, lawmakers are negotiating the 2018 farm bill. Members of the farm bill conference committee have the ambitious charge of reconciling the stark differences between the House and Senate proposals.

Small rural businesses are the lifeblood for many rural communities. Such locally-owned businesses generate greater economic returns for their communities than their larger counterparts. They also employ more people per unit of sales, an incredibly valuable service in rural areas where jobs are often scarce.

For more than 30 years, legislation has been in the farm bill to sensibly limit farm program payments. Congress set a payment limit of $125,000 per “person or legal entity” to help rein in farm program expenditures. The payments most individual farmers receive do not even come close to that limit, but the largest operations far exceed it.

What started as a passion for writing, and a desire to help others in her community, has led Norma Cell Marquez, of Grand Island, Nebraska, to become a successful, award-winning business owner.