July 2007 Newsletter

This is the third in our continuing series of articles about successes in rural America — this time sharing Elkader, Iowa’s story

If rural communities mattered as much as they should, not more, not less, but just as much as they deserve, there would be a wholesale shift in how rural economic development gets done in rural America. Donelle Eller’s recent Des Moines Register article (Businesses help spark rural revitalization – Iowa’s Rural Economy: Increased Investment Brings Optimism, June 10, 2007) discusses at length the progress that Elkader, a community of 1,500 in Northeast Iowa, has had with rural revitalization.

Eller reports that Elkader has attracted new residents and businesses from across the nation.

New poll shows over three-fifths of Americans believe qualified students won’t be able to attend college because of rising tuition rates; improved tax credits would help

As our students look beyond high school, many will undertake some form of higher education. A recent national poll and report released by Public Agenda and the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education indicates widespread concern that the opportunity to go to college may not be available to all qualified students.

The report, Squeeze Play: How Parents and the Public Look at Higher Education Today, reveals that the public sees higher education as essential for success in the workplace. But tuition is rising too fast, and 62 percent agree that many qualified students will not have the opportunity to obtain a college education.

New study shows that art and culture events not only enhance rural living, they also bring visitors who spend about twice as much as the locals ($40.19 compared to $19.53) while they are in town

The nation’s nonprofit arts and culture communities provide a large source of revenue for their regions. Arts-based communities have seen revenue skyrocket over 24 percent from 2000 to 2005, according to a study done by Americans for the Arts. Many arts-based organizations also strive to make their communities more enjoyable places to live and, by doing so, have become economic drivers as well.

Research in the rural mid-south shows that not only do community colleges provide a direct economic boost, they expand a community’s social and cultural identity

Through nearly 100 interviews in three case study communities in the mid-south, rural community colleges were found to be major instruments in creating a higher quality of life in their towns. Aside from bringing some economic advantage to these communities, the rural colleges served as major tools in defining a community’s sense of character. The study found three benefits community colleges offer their communities.

Every workplace, church, hometown has a number of people who are known for their excellent food. Our office is blessed with incredibly good cooks who can turn a meal into a feast on any occasion. Our chief accountant, Hayley Hallstrom, from Pender knows that when we have something to celebrate (we celebrate often) that the first thing out of at least one person’s mouth is, “Great, have Hayley make a Red Velvet Cake!”

I am not sure when the first Red Velvet Cake was made, but I am guessing sometime in the ‘40’s or ‘50’s. My mother, one of those women the town looked to for the best of the best when it came to covered dish suppers, loved to make a Red Velvet Cake for the 4th of July. We had homemade vanilla ice cream on it and gained about 5 pounds per slice.

Recently I saw Paula Dean make Red Velvet Cupcakes on her cooking show, and they reminded me again of how delicious Mother’s recipe was. Here is her recipe from our hometown church cookbook. Enjoy! — Barbara Chamness, 402.687.2103 x 1009, barbarac@cfra.org.

This month’s poem celebrates the windmill as a sustaining source of water and hope for cattle and for the hard working ranchers and their families who make sure they run

The Center for Rural Affairs’ Winds of Life: Windmills Across Nebraska celebration is in full swing. Communities across Nebraska are taking part in this celebration by hosting windmill art contests, windmill themed events, and literary events.

As a child I spent many hours helping my dad repair our windmills. It was a daunting task, but crucial. Cattle can’t go very long without water. Windmills might seem like a remnant to some people, but for us it was the only way to get water to our livestock.

This poem isn’t just about windmills that still remain on the prairie, but it’s symbolic for the hard working people who still remain on the land.

Their payment limit reform can be evaded; closing other loopholes is essential to stop the subsidized destruction of family farming

The farm bill being developed by the House Agriculture Committee is wrong on the two central issues.

It includes no meaningful payment limitation reform. Thus it would subsidize the destruction of family farming for another half decade. Second, it fails to invest in the future of rural America and its communities.

Livestock market reforms considered in House Agriculture Committee; we’ll keep pressure on as the full House debates the farm bill

The Center for Rural Affairs has made the point many times – farmers, ranchers, and rural communities want, need, and deserve livestock market reforms that restore competition and ensure access to equitable markets for all livestock producers.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced the Competitive and Fair Agricultural Markets Act of 2007 earlier in the year and seems intent on including it in his “mark” or draft farm bill as a competition title. There is support on the Senate committee, but also stern opposition. But the outcome is uncertain.

There are flickers of hope that the House Agriculture Committee will find the courage to bring livestock market competition issues into the farm bill debate.

After months of posturing, political rhetoric, and backroom Washington negotiations, the 2007 farm bill is finally being drafted. In the past several weeks, we have slowly seen the House Agriculture Committee’s version of the farm bill take shape. Five of the six subcommittees have “marked up” their titles of the farm bill, sending them on for full Agriculture Committee consideration, which is scheduled to begin June 26 (as of this mid-June writing, only the Commodity Subcommittee had not completed their work).

Much of the work the Center for Rural Affairs has done over the past months and even years is reflected in these initial drafts of the farm bill titles. There are significant successes to celebrate, along with some disappointments that need to be fixed as we move through the rest of the farm bill process. Most importantly, none of this could have happened without your help, and the entire Center for Rural Affairs staff thanks you.

Building the power to shape the future of rural America

The National Rural Action Network brings your voice together with those of tens of thousands of rural citizens to contact key policymakers on critical rural issues before Congress. It is a vehicle for those who care about the future of their communities to build the power to fight for genuine opportunity for rural people and a better future for their communities.

What’s New. The National Rural Action Network is gaining momentum. In the past year, 5,000 people joined! Part of that growth is due to a new and stronger web presence. Please visit www.cfra.org/action to catch the excitement online.

Support for community entrepreneurial development, microenterprise, and community-based energy development were high points

As we reported in the May issue, the 2007 Nebraska Legislature had the makings of a very successful session for rural issues. The legislative session has adjourned, and we are pleased to report that several of our rural development priorities received favorable treatment.