It’s an opportune time to shape state policies to ensure that wind energy development provides lasting benefits to rural communities and wealth to ordinary citizens.

We’re often asked how best to support beginning farmers and ranchers once they’ve accessed land. We’re always on the lookout for ideas, but the following advice is a good starting point.

Health reform legislation pending before Congress begins to address the challenges faced by self-employed Americans in securing affordable insurance, but it does not get the whole job done.

Generation Y is top-of-mind for rural community leaders. They’d like to know how to draw these young individuals and families back to their communities. Once they’ve done that, they’d also like to figure out how best to involve them in leadership roles.

Keeping our rural communities strong is vital to the renewal of rural America. With that in mind, the Center for Rural Affairs has devoted a new section of our website to providing resources, news, and information on how to revitalize our communities.

The winter months seem long this year in the Midwest. Here around Lyons, Nebraska, we have more snow than we have received in years. Many people are ready for a spring that brings rebirth and new growth.

USDA issued proposed rules for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program for public comment late last fall. The Center for Rural Affairs submitted detailed comments on the proposed rules. We were also joined by more than 40 other rural organizations on a joint letter to USDA commenting on the rules.