What's happening with the Center for Rural Affairs? Find the latest on rural America and our work here.
04.03.2016
In late March, Central Iowa Power Cooperative - the largest generation and transmission cooperative in Iowa - announced it will work with six member cooperatives to install 5.5 MW of solar power generation. For perspective, the entire state of Iowa installed about 6 MW of solar power generation in 2015.
- Policy
04.01.2016
Greg and Kristy Parr of Norfolk, Nebraska, have been chosen as our Entrepreneur of the Year Award recipients. They were honored for their efforts to establish and grow their business Custom Sports, as well as their integrity and leadership.
- Lending
03.31.2016
Last September, we mailed an opinion survey to our paper newsletter readers. We heard back from over 300 of you, a 23% return rate. Here are a few highlights.
- Small Towns
03.30.2016
We are pleased to announce Bill Hedges of Lyons, Neb. is the recipient of our 2015 Bob Steffen Pioneer Award. Bill was honored for his integrity, leadership, and extraordinary efforts in community...
- Small Towns
03.30.2016
On March 29, 2016, a bracket motion to LB 1032 - the Transitional Health Insurance Program Act - successfully doomed any chance of closing Nebraska’s health coverage gap in 2016.
- Policy
03.28.2016
The Center for Rural Affairs has chosen Matt Connealy as our Citizenship awardee. Matt was honored at a special awards banquet in Columbus, Nebraska.
- Small Towns
03.25.2016
I was really excited to attend the Midwest Farm to School Conference. Not only to learn more about Farm to School in general, but particularly getting local beef into my kids’ own school lunch, especially since my family raises beef.
- Small Towns
03.24.2016
The Sandhill & Sun Ranch is located on just over 2600 acres in northwestern Brown County, Nebraska. Al and Lois Steuter, along with their four kids, developed a family cattle business where simplicity...
- Farm and Food
03.23.2016
On March 23, the Center for Rural Affairs along with Mike Duffy, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Iowa State University, released a report that explores the impact subsidized crop insurance places on land values.
- Farm and Food
03.22.2016
I am delighted to announce Betty Sayers, co-founder of Nebraska Rural Living, is the recipient of the Center's 2015 7th Generation Award. Betty was honored for her integrity and leadership at a...
- Small Towns
03.18.2016
The Switzer Ranch is a 12,000-acre diversified cattle ranch near the Calamus Reservoir in Loup County that has been in the family since 1904. Today four generations live on the land that, along with...
- Farm and Food
03.18.2016
Living in rural and small-town America is not a challenge, or a burden. I love living in a small town, having the ability to know my neighbors, and a genuine feeling of connectedness to the land and natural world.
- Farm and Food
03.17.2016
Transmission systems across the country are being upgraded to improve grid security, efficiency, and access to local energy sources such as wind. We’ve found that public input is the key to maximizing benefits and reducing unwanted impacts from transmission lines.
- Policy
03.17.2016
On March 2, 2016, more than 150 people from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri gathered in Nebraska City, Nebraska, to celebrate and learn how to bring Farm to School to the Midwest. Read on for five top moments shared with us by educators, ranchers, parents, school food service staff, and more.
- Small Towns
03.16.2016
“I think each generation of our family has learned new ideas and new methods to help improve the productivity and health of the land,” said Homer Buell, who owns and manages Shovel Dot Ranch along...
- Farm and Food
03.11.2016
At the Center for Rural Affairs, we often talk about the financial consequences of Medicaid expansion from the perspective of the greater community. We focus on savings to hospitals, businesses, and state and local budgets. But how does it affect the bank account of those paying the bills?
- Policy
03.10.2016
Sitting in the office of his auto body shop, Max Wilson brings up satellite photographs of his land on Google Earth. Clicking through a decade of images, a dramatic change unfolds. “We’re getting back...
- Farm and Food
03.09.2016
Wind energy has grown a lot over the last few years. Energy produced from wind farms has become competitive with fossil fuels, and development of new wind projects continues across the country.
- Policy
03.08.2016
The Nebraska legislature voted in February to end the state’s ban on packer ownership of hogs. Long-time readers will remember that legal challenges led the courts to strike down Nebraska’s broader...
- Farm and Food
03.08.2016
On March 8, the Center for Rural Affairs released a Rural Policy Brief examining the basic economic and income issues for all Nebraskans connected to expanding Medicaid.
- Policy
