JANUARY 2007 NEWSLETTER
INSIDE
CSP Draws Farmers to Capitol
Court of Appeals Rules on I-300
Making Most of Natural Amenities
Meeting the Challenges of 2007
Micro Business Boost Awards
Nebraska Microenterprise Tax Credit
Notables this Month
ESSAY: Risks with Ethanol Economic Boom
FEATURE: Center’s 2006 Annual Report
LINKS
CSP Draws Farmers to Capitol
Top USDA staff visit with farmers about their support and their suggested changes for the Conservation Security Program
Farmers from Nebraska, Iowa, and Maryland met with USDA’s Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Arlen Lancaster and other NRCS staff on November 27, 2006 to discuss the Conservation Security Program
(CSP).
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss farmers’ concerns with CSP implementation and ways the program could be strengthened. But, just as importantly, it was a chance for farmers to share their experiences, both positive and negative, with the program and their support for
CSP.
Our report, The Conservation Security Program: An Assessment of Farmers’ Experience with Program Implementation released in fall 2006 provided the basis for the visit. Through that report we examined the issues impacting the effectiveness of CSP by looking at the program through the perspective of farmers and ranchers.
A major concern of the visiting group was the nature of declining enhancement payments over the life of their contracts.
Dave Welsch, a farmer from Milford, Nebraska, told NRCS that declining enhancement payments need to be eliminated because they disadvantage farmers who have always practiced conservation. Under this regulatory provision the best are not being compensated, so the CSP motto of “Reward the Best and Motivate the Rest” is not holding true.
The farmers also lobbied members of Congress on Capitol Hill on the need for increased funding for CSP. They want to see the program fully funded, citing problems with the current watershed rotation. It is unfair when a farmer on one side of the road receives CSP payments and the neighbor across the road doesn’t because he or she isn’t in the chosen watershed.
They believe it puts the recipient of the CSP payments at an unfair advantage because they have extra funds to buy or rent more land. The other farmer who cannot enroll in CSP is at a disadvantage because she or he can’t compete.
CSP’s intent was not to provide a competitive advantage to one farmer over another, and thus it is critical that the Conservation Security Program be fully funded. Congress, in the 2002 farm bill, intended for CSP to be a program for farmers and ranchers demonstrating good stewardship across the nation. But budget cuts have drastically restricted the program to select watersheds, impeding the ability of many conservation-minded farmers and ranchers to participate.
Congress must make CSP funding a priority in the 2007 farm bill and voice their clear conviction that they will remain committed to CSP in the long run. For a full copy of the report see:
http://www.cfra.org/pdf/CSP_Report_farmerperspective.pdf.
Contact: Traci Bruckner, tracib@cfra.org
or 402.687.2103 x 1016 for more information.
Court of Appeals Rules on I-300
Federal appeals court upholds ruling that Initiative 300, Nebraska’s prohibition on corporate farming, is unconstitutional
In 1982, by a vote of the people, the constitution of Nebraska was amended to include a provision which prohibited corporate farming in Nebraska – Initiative 300.
Twenty-four years later, on December 13, 2006, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion affirming U.S. District Judge
Laurie Smith-Camp’s December 2005 decision that declared Initiative 300 in violation of the United States Constitution.
Judge Smith-Camp never held a trial to discern the evidence in the case. She ruled that Initiative 300 is unconstitutional on its face, essentially because it is inconvenient for out-of-state interests to comply with the provision in Initiative 300 that requires that a family member live on or operate the farm or ranch to qualify as an allowed family farm or ranch corporation. The three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals concurred.
“This is a flawed ruling. This is what happens when the courts make crucial decisions without holding a trial and hearing the facts of a case,” said
Chuck Hassebrook, Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs. “Initiative 300 should have its day in court,” argued
Hassebrook.
The circuit court’s decision compounded another problem with the district court’s ruling: it’s wrong on the facts. Initiative 300 does not distinguish between in-state and out-of-state corporations. For example, a Montana rancher who works everyday on his Montana ranch could qualify his operation as a family ranch corporation just as easily as a Sandhills rancher, and having done so could place cattle in Nebraska custom feedlots just like Nebraska ranchers.
Moreover, the legal precedent established by this ruling is broad and dangerously expansive. It could undermine a wide range of state laws and dramatically diminish the power of states to control corporate power and excess.
In his appeal to the 8th Circuit Court, Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning argued, “Initiative 300, Nebraska’s ban on corporate farming, does not violate the commerce clause, nor does it discriminate against out-of-state individuals or corporations.”
He was right – and since he will decide whether to continue the battle to protect Initiative 300 and the right of Nebraskans to choose family farms and ranches over corporate farms – we urge him to reaffirm his commitment to Initiative 300 and what the law has meant to family farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and the economic and social well-being throughout Nebraska for the last 24 years. We urge him to continue the fight.
Contact: John Crabtree, johnc@cfra.org
or 402.687.2103 x 1010 for more information.
Making the Most of Our Natural Amenities
Private landowners and community developers could benefit by talking about shared economic and resource management benefits that come with expanded recreation
In the work of community development, some conversations remain elusive. Using private and public lands to gain access to and take advantage of natural amenities is a prime example.
Community developers ask questions such as:
- How do we improve the quality of life opportunities?
- How do we encourage the kind of economic development that makes sense?
- How do we protect the community’s natural assets which are already present?
- How do we increase recreational areas to attract families?
We often think that recreational activities mean swimming pools, golf courses, walking trails, ball fields, and other venues. The discussion that ensues is nearly always limited by artificial boundaries created by town lines.
Imagine this recreational development path as a railroad track. Community developers are focused on one side, following and pursuing opportunities for community growth and development. Walking the other side of the railroad track is another group pursuing the same questions mentioned above. Most of the people in that group are environmentalists, conservationists, and others seeking to protect and enhance the natural amenities an area provides.
Until recently, it has been rare for the two groups to talk with each other. Each side feared the other was pursuing different goals, often at their expense. Farmers and ranchers fear that naturalists, environmentalists, and others seek to limit their ability to control what goes on with their private lands. Landowners see this group as trying to buy up private lands to create refuges and protected wildlife preserves.
Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a tremendous opportunity for the two groups to walk together and create genuine opportunity for both in terms of economics and management of the resources we have been given. Next month we’ll examine the economic impact potential this dialogue may create for small rural communities.
Contact: Michael L. Holton,
michaellh@cfra.org or 402.687.2103 x 1015 for
details.
With Your Help, We Will Meet the Challenges of 2007 Head-On
Farm bill debate begins in earnest this month; congressional committees face daunting task of debating future of rural AmericaAs I write this, 2006 is drawing to a close. And it is important at this time of year to take a moment to recognize how important your contributions and your voice have been this past year, and how important they will be in meeting the challenges of 2007.
When you receive this newsletter, the debate over the next farm bill will be beginning in earnest. The 110th Congress will convene in early January. New Agriculture Committee chairmen and committee members, new and old, will face the daunting task of debating the future of rural America.
Because so much is at stake, we have set ambitious goals for our work this year. In 2006 our annual fund-raising campaign was a tremendous success.
Collectively, individual donors, just like you, increased our total donations from individuals by fifteen percent. This year, our goal is to increase that 2006 total by another 50 percent.
With your help, we are making the voice of rural America heard across the nation – in over 400 newspapers and on over 1,200 radio stations last year. We will continue to work tirelessly to preserve past public policy victories and win new ones.
In Nebraska, our support for rural entrepreneurs – on farms, ranches, and rural main streets – will continue to provide a model for rural development elsewhere.
In a larger sense, we cannot claim these victories because they belong to all the courageous men and women who have dedicated themselves to this cause. These victories belong to you, and to all who seek justice for rural America.
We cannot do this work without you. Please join with us by sending your gift today or, if you prefer, by
donating online – $500, $250, $100, $50 … whatever you can afford because every donation and every dollar makes a difference.
And you can make your voice even louder by helping us recruit more people to stand up for rural America by sending us five names with addresses to join the National Rural Action Network, or share our
Strengthen Rural America petition with friends, family, or even a Christmas card list.
With the dawning of a new year, we are all given a chance to ask what we can do for our community and our nation. I humbly ask that you join with us in making rural America, and all of America, a better place for all who live there.
Contact: John Crabtree,
johnc@cfra.org, 402.687.2103 x 1010 for information about development and outreach at the Center.
Center Chosen as Partner in Women and Company Equity Awards
A boost of cash and specialized assistance will help low and moderate-income women entrepreneurs develop their businesses
The Center’s Rural Enterprise Assistance Program (REAP) will again participate as a local partner of the Women and Company Microenterprise Boost Program®. This program provides cash awards, business training, and technical assistance to low and moderate-income women microentrepreneurs to help boost their chances of business success.
REAP was selected based on several program criteria including its maturity as a microenterprise program and its demonstrated strong track record of excellence and continued strong support from local, state, and national funders. In 2006, for its work with this program, REAP received the first place award, “Excellence in Microenterprise Work with Women Award” from the Association for Enterprise Opportunity.
To be eligible for one of the equity awards, an applicant must be a woman business owner who has participated in REAP through an association, attended REAP-sponsored training, worked with a Business Specialist, or received a loan for her business. REAP women business owners will be receiving an application in the mail with more details.
The equity award funds may be used for marketing, inventory, technology purchases, website development, advertising, professional services, or hiring additional employee(s). Funds are not to be used to reduce debt.
The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) will manage the program. REAP is a member of AEO. Funds for the Women and Company Microenterprise Boost Program are provided by the Citigroup Foundation, parent company of Women and Company.
Equity awards will be determined by a REAP staff committee and will be dispersed on or before April 10, 2007. We will make every attempt to disperse the equity awards regionally throughout Nebraska. No Center for Rural Affairs employees, board members, or relatives are eligible to receive equity awards.
Applications from women entrepreneurs must be received at the Center for Rural Affairs REAP Women’s Business Center office by Thursday, March 15, 2007.
Contact: Monica Braun, Women’s Business Center Director, at 402.643.2673 or
mbraun@alltel.net for more information.
Nebraska Tax Credit for Starting or Expanding a Micro Business
Department of Revenue has up to $2 million available in tax credits for qualifying applicants, awarded on a first-come, first serve basis
As 2007 begins, we turn our attention to that important annual ritual … filing tax returns. Not as fun as celebrating the holidays, but crucial nonetheless. While it’s generally too late to change your outlook for 2006, January is an excellent time to begin planning for the new year.
In Nebraska, there is a tax credit you may not know about – the Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise Tax Credit. This initiative provides investment tax credits to individuals for creating or expanding microenterprises (businesses with five or fewer employees). The business must contribute to the revitalization of economically depressed areas by creation of improved income, self-employment, or other new jobs.
If you plan to start or expand a small business in a qualifying area, you can file an application for the Microenterprise Tax Credit with the Nebraska Department of Revenue. You must supply a description of the business and several other pieces of information.
Projected income and expenditures, market reach, projected investment increase, projected improvement in income or creation of new self-employment or other jobs in the distressed area, and the applicant’s role in the micro business are required for the application. You must be able to show personal involvement on a continuous basis in the daily management and operation of the business.
Approved applicants will be entitled to a refundable investment tax credit equal to 20 percent of the taxpayer’s new investment (up to $10,000 lifetime tax credit) in a microenterprise located in a community that qualifies based on local unemployment, per capita income, population loss, and other criteria. The department’s website lists eligible communities; check
www.revenue.ne.gov and select the Tax Incentives/Microenterprise options.
The Department of Revenue will authorize tentative investment tax credits to approved applicants. Applications will be considered on a first come first served basis, so it pays to apply early. Those receiving benefits under the Employment and Investment Growth Act, the Employment Expansion and Investment Incentive Act, or the Nebraska Advantage Act are ineligible.
The Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise Tax Credit will expire on January 1, 2011 and is limited to $2 million annually. The clock is ticking for 2007.
Contact: Kim Preston, kimp@cfra.org
or 402.687.2103 x 1022 or get in touch with the Nebraska Dept. of Revenue, 402.471.5790.
Notables this Month
>> A new organization dedicated to sustainable agriculture education has been formed. The Sustainable Agriculture Education Association (SAEA) is an association of faculty, staff, students, administrators, and practitioners dedicated to post-secondary sustainable agriculture education. The organization will also sponsor an SAEA conference, July 11-14, 2007, at Cornell University.
An initial steering committee has identified the SAEA mission as promoting and supporting development, application, research, and dissemination of best teaching and learning practices in post-secondary sustainable agriculture education and curricula.
The 2007 conference is being organized by a separate steering committee of students, faculty, and administrators from Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University, UC Davis, Mercyhurst College, Delaware Valley
College, and the Rodale Institute.
For more information on the new organization, please contact outreach subcommittee chair,
Katie Monsen (kmonsen@ucsc.edu ). For conference details, please contact
Kathi Colen Peck (kscp@turbonet.com
), conference staff.
>> Noted Nebraska humorist, rural celebrity, and author Roger Welsch has written a new
book, Forty Acres and a Fool: How to Live in the Country and Still Keep your
Sanity.
What’s inside? “Welsch elaborates the principles of feng shui for the farmhouse, barn, and farmyard. And he draws on a lifetime’s worth of experience to counsel prospective immigrants to rural America on what precisely not to do. Learn from the mistakes of a master and laugh harder than you thought possible while doing it.”
The 288-page hard cover book, published last October, retails for $21.95 and is available at bookstores and through
www.voyageurpress.com. Roger has been a good friend to the Center, entertaining at our annual meeting and narrating materials for us. He is the self-claimed second most prominent citizen of Dannebrog, Nebraska.
Ethanol Economic Boom Carries Risks along with the Opportunities
Ethanol is poised to have a dramatic impact on the rural economy, creating quality jobs, raising corn prices, and rekindling hope in rural communities. And it is not a flash in the pan. As long as oil prices remain at current levels, ethanol plants can buy corn at nearly double the price of recent years and remain profitable.
But like every economic boom, this one entails risks and choices that must be considered now while we can still shape its direction.
Beware of putting all community development eggs in the ethanol basket – Effective community development is well rounded. It includes businesses that provide quality jobs and bring in revenue from outside the community like ethanol plants. But it also includes developing new owner-operated small businesses and farms, building local leadership, engaging youth, enlisting people in giving back to their community, and making communities more attractive places to live.
Building local ownership and wealth is critical. Locally-owned plants contribute far more to the local economy than absentee investor-owned plants. And creating other opportunities for local people to become self-employed adds to quality of life, builds local leadership, and strengthens our communities.
It would be a tragedy if the new farm bill pours the bulk of rural development resources into ethanol. It does not need subsidies with petroleum prices at record highs. Rural development resources are better invested in small business development, leadership development, and other local initiatives.
The excesses of the good times often plant the seeds of the crash – Over-reacting to the economic opportunities in ethanol production will cause economic ruin.
The ethanol plants operating, under construction, and under consideration in Nebraska would use the entire current corn production of the state and leave nothing for livestock production. Nebraska is not alone in this regard. Building all or even most of the plants under consideration would lead to widespread failure of ethanol plants and livestock farms and ranches.
Restraint is also needed in the land market. Ethanol-induced corn price increases have set off increases in land prices and cash rents. Some increase is justified. But if farmers bid all the benefits into higher land prices, the higher corn prices will do little to increase their incomes. And high land prices plant the seeds of a future financial collapse in the event circumstances change and corn prices fall.
High oil prices are setting off a surge in efforts to develop new energy sources and technologies. As they come online, they may prove competitive with ethanol and reduce fuel prices, ethanol profits, and corn prices. Farmers and ethanol producers must be prepared.
Rural communities rely on their land and water resources. Degrading them for short-term profit sows the seeds of ruin – Higher corn prices are creating powerful incentives to bring marginal land into production and fertilize heavily for top yield. When cellulose-based ethanol production comes on line, there will be incentives to strip every acre of plant residue.
We need public policy to prevent the excesses. We degrade the land on which future generations depend at the peril of the world, our community, and our family. If we pour on too much fertilizer, pollute the rivers, and kill ocean life, it does not serve the common good. It will come back to haunt farmers.
It is a critical time to think clearly about how our individual decisions and public policies can enable rural America to take advantage of the opportunities presented by ethanol production while avoiding the pitfalls. Now is the time to shape ethanol development to serve the common good. With opportunity comes peril. We must choose wisely.
Agree or disagree? Send your opinions or comments to Chuck Hassebrook, 402.687.2103 x 1018 or
chuckh@cfra.org.
FEATURE ARTICLE:
Building Hope for a Better Future in a Challenging Age
Center for Rural Affairs 2006 Annual Report
The past year at the Center was spent developing the strength to build stronger communities and social and economic justice in rural America.
We built our network to engage fellow rural Americans in taking control of our destiny. We built greater capacity to bring the voice of rural America to the nation through the media. We worked smarter at delivering critical development services to rural people and communities. And we produced thoughtful analyses that secured our place at the table in setting rural policy and a course for rural America.
Engaging People to Influence Policy Change
We began building the National Rural Action Network to engage tens of thousands of rural people who care about their communities in speaking out to policymakers. Thirty years of policy advocacy has taught us a fundamental lesson. Our success in winning policy change is directly tied to how effectively we engage rural people in demanding a new direction. Ordinary citizens are powerful when they act together with commitment.
We launched an on-line petition – The Strengthen Rural America petition – as a tool for committed citizens to reach out to friends and neighbors to build the network and its power. Other organizations have used similar techniques to grow their membership by millions. We believe there are millions of rural Americans who care about their communities, and we are committed to inviting them into our network.
The network is the means by which we – rural people – can create the power to take control of our future. When asked, please do your part to bring in other people. We are counting on you. We’ll soon add a new staff person, in part to help push it out.
Preparing for the Farm Bill Debate
We added a new staff organizer to hit the road in preparation for the farm bill debate. We held listening sessions throughout the country to share ideas for the rural development title of the next farm bill and get feedback. We’ve focused on the states of key policymakers in the farm bill debate, including Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Utah.
We worked with farmers in Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Oklahoma to build support for closing loopholes in the farm program payment limitation. Efforts have ranged from educating the public on the need for reform to building support for reform within existing farm and commodity organizations.
We also did our homework for the farm bill by developing detailed policy options for investing in the future of rural America. We called for an historic one-half billion dollar investment – a four-fold increase – in local entrepreneurial strategies that work in revitalizing rural communities. We put together air-tight proposals for closing loopholes in the farm program payment limitations. And we refined options for strengthening sustainable agriculture research and conservation programs.
Policy Proposals Rely on Levelheaded Analysis
We back up our policy proposals with solid analysis. Last year we analyzed the failure of existing USDA programs to adequately serve small and mid-size farms. We analyzed the impact of the President’s budget proposal on rural America and the potential of the proposed federal New Homestead Act to revitalize rural communities.
We published a report on the implication of Nebraska school finance policy for rural schools and of a proposed state spending lid for both educational quality and property tax burdens. We completed an analysis of the potential for rural small businesses to band together to become suppliers of goods and services to large metropolitan based companies in our region.
Improvements in Federal and State Policies
We also won some victories last year. We won increased federal funding for the Value Added Producers Grants program. It makes grants to farmers and ranchers for value added projects, about half directly aimed at sustainable agriculture and family-size farms. We helped secure $5 million for research to strengthen small and mid-size farms and sustainable agriculture.
Our Conservation Security Program Hotline counseled farmers enrolling in the federal Conservation Security Program, which pays them to manage their land to protect the environment. We used what we learned from farmers and ranchers to persuade USDA to fix several problems in the
program.
In Nebraska we won an expansion of the USDA organic transition incentives program to the entire state. And we worked with farm and education groups to help defeat Initiative 423, a rigid anti-state tax measure that would have weakened education and shifted the burden of financing schools onto the property tax.
Helping Rural People
We also worked on the ground with rural people to help them build better lives and stronger communities. We launched the “Windmills Across Nebraska” project. It will support community art projects in rural America that beautify communities and raise money for rural development.
The windmill is an important symbol of our past and future. As one artist put it, “The windmills sometimes occupied very lonely and desolate regions of Nebraska, but their vision was one of hope, life, and beauty.”
Our work with 12 Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota producers to establish the Family Farms and Ranches Meats cooperative reached a milestone. It achieved full legal status in three states and began negotiations with a major retailer to provide natural hogs and cattle produced humanely on family farms and ranches. It is poised to attract new members and make sales.
We advised four new farmer-owned value added marketing groups this past year, helping them develop legal structures, business goals, and financial plans.
There are great opportunities in value added agriculture. Over half of consumers say they’ll pay premiums for food produced on socially responsible small farms and ranches. That is an opportunity for family operations, but it won’t fall in our lap. It takes work and organization to build the supply chains and the relationships to turn consumer preference into genuine opportunity and better income for family farmers and ranchers.
The future of family farming and ranching lies in entrepreneurship. So we’re working to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit and build entrepreneurial skills in beginning farmers and ranchers. We helped convene a Farm Beginnings training that enabled young farm families to put together farm business plans to improve their profitability and success.
Supporting Small Micro Businesses
Our Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) keeps supporting the entrepreneurial dreams of rural Nebraska. REAP provides loans, training, and technical assistance for rural microenterprise – generally businesses with five or fewer employees.
Last year REAP placed 40 loans and worked with lenders to leverage additional loans, together totaling nearly $2 million. REAP counseled 1,300 businesses and helped prepare 219 business plans. REAP launched an online lending system to supplement its standard system and help us extend its services into every corner of rural Nebraska.
Our new REAP Hispanic-Rural Business Center served over 100 Hispanic entrepreneurs and our Women’s Business Center hosted over 200 hours of training sessions for women entrepreneurs. REAP was recognized with the “Excellence in Microenterprise Work with Women Award,” which provided equity funds to 14 women entrepreneurs.
We expanded our efforts to engage rural people in strengthening their communities. We partnered with the Nebraska Community Foundation, Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, and Heartland Center for Leadership Development in HomeTown Competitiveness to support local communities in building new leadership, engaging youth, supporting entrepreneurship, and mobilizing local charitable giving to support community development. We spearhead efforts in Knox County and brought together six communities, including our home base of Lyons, in a joint development effort called the Logan Valley Initiative.
Carrying the Rural Story to America
These efforts on the ground are critical to our national effort to create federal rural policies that invest in rural America. They give us the insight to develop realistic policies. These projects demonstrate practical strategies that work to revitalize rural communities – strategies worthy of federal investment.
We bring that message to all Americans through the news media. The Center was featured in two Associated Press stories run in hundreds of publication across the nation and numerous other stories in national publications including
The New York Times, Washington Post, Farm Journal, Successful Farming, USA
Today, and American Prospect.
We published scores of stories and guest opinions in influential regional publications including
The Denver Post, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Des Moines Register, Omaha World Herald, Daily Oklahoman, Fargo
Forum, and others. We dramatically increased our coverage by the nation’s radio stations, with three national stories carried on 2,100 stations. These stories bring the voice of rural America to the nation and frame the debate over its future.
Unified and Committed Staff
All of these efforts depend on a committed and talented staff. The expertise and quality of Center staff is demonstrated by the variety of board and advisory bodies on which they have been asked to serve.
Members of the Center staff serve on the USDA Beginning Farmer Advisory Board, USDA Sustainable Agriculture Network Steering Committee, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Coordinating Council, National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture Board, Farm and Food Policy Project Coordinating Council, Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Research and Extension Committee, Rural Committee of the National Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Nebraska Microenterprise Partnership Fund Advisory Board, Nebraska Enterprise Opportunity Network Executive Committee, Nebraska Cooperative Development Center Board, Nebraska Carbon Sequestration Task Force, and the Nebraska Rural Development Commission.
Each of our staff makes a vital contribution to our work. The behind-the-scenes performance of our administrative department ensures we all have what we need to do our work well. They have taken the lead in upgrading computer and communications technology to enable us to work efficiently.
At the drop of a hat, they pull out the stops to get thousands of action alerts out quickly, so you can act effectively on critical issues before the Congress. And they provide the financial controls to ensure that every dollar we spend is spent appropriately. Strong financial controls and flawless audits are essential in demonstrating to funders that we are worthy of their investment.
In many respects we rely on each other to do our work well. A unified staff is a more effective staff. The staff Unity Council has fostered cohesiveness within the staff and between Board and staff. It has enhanced our morale and the vigor with which we attack our work.
Dedicated Board of Directors Guide our Work
We depend on a dedicated board of directors to guide our work – 20 Nebraskans with a deep commitment to our mission and work. Last year the Board was chaired by
Don Reeves of Central City, Nebraska, who brought a wealth of experience including farming, work as a policy analyst in Washington for Bread for the World and Interfaith Action for Economic Justice, and administrative experience as Interim General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee.
With board leadership, we are undergirding the long-term financial strength of the Center. We are in the planning stages of a new fundraising effort to build the Granary Foundation through charitable gifts from supporters. The Granary holds and invests major gifts, with income used to support Center programs. Its assets currently stand at $6 million, sufficient to potentially contribute earnings of $300,000 annually toward the Center’s $2.4 million operating budget.
Building a Better Rural Future
We are asking our supporters to work with us in building a better rural future by helping however they can best help – with their time, money, and influence. We ask with the conviction that our cause is just and right.
America is strongest when all of its communities are strong and all of its people have access to genuine opportunity. Rural America is a valuable part of America, but many rural people and communities are not sharing in the nation’s prosperity. The place of rural communities in the nation’s future is at risk.
When rural America is a risk, all of America is at risk. So we are building the capacity of the Center, with you who embrace its values and vision, to set a new course that offers a better future.
Contact: Chuck
Hassebrook, chuckh@cfra.org or 402.687.2103 x 1018. Audited financial reports are available on request.
Revised: January 23, 2007
Editor: Marie
Powell, mariep@cfra.org
