New data are showing that an economic sector once thought secure from recessionary pressures is beginning to feel the pinch of the nation’s economic woes. Data from market research firm IMS Health show that people are beginning to cut back on basic health care needs as a result of economic pressures.

You are forgiven if you missed an important vote for rural America on November 4th. Another vote overshadowed it. In addition to an historic presidential vote, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to authorize the use of unlicensed “white space” for broadband internet development.

The gap between rich and poor in the U.S. is growing and is greater than in all but two of the world’s 30 richest market-based democracies (Mexico and Turkey), according to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Have you ever dreamed about being your own boss? If you have, you know it takes more than just a creative idea to build a thriving small business. Entrepreneurs need accounting and marketing skills, a business plan, access to capital and a knack for customer relations. However, not everyone has access to the education needed to develop these skills.

As reported here and on the Blog for Rural America (www.cfra.org/blog), A.J. Bos, an industrial dairy owner and developer from California, has been seeking to build an 11,000 cow mega dairy that could be expanded to 22,000 cows within two years with virtually no additional permitting. A preliminary court injunction has halted the project.

Iowa: The ethanol maker POET provided farmers with a glimpse of technology for harvesting corncobs and other biomass from companies like Deere, Case-IH, and Claas at its Emmetsburg facility.

Whether a business owner is in their 20s or 60s, they should be thinking about how to exit the business. According to a recent survey done by the Center’s Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP), a number of rural Nebraska business owners are within 10 years of exiting the business.

The third in a four-part series on leadership and what it means to our communities
After the first two articles in this series came out, I was asked how leadership traits are modeled and what that looks like. Probably the best way to answer that question is to give a concrete example and introduce you to two community leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with recently.

When the Center for Rural Affairs received a note from Tom and Ruth Neuberger from Canistota, South Dakota, and I heard about their “Goosemobile” for the first time, I knew they were a couple I wanted to visit.

We must offer a future vision. We must be the entrepreneurs. We must volunteer our time.

The key to changing the course of history in rural America is winning the hearts and minds of our fellow rural people, and working with them to take control of our future. That is one of the most critical lessons of the 35-year history of the Center for Rural Affairs.

The Center for Rural Affairs is like a big family, and like many families this time of year, we like to reminisce and thank the special people in our lives. And you are one of them.

The Center for Rural Affairs is seeking two individuals to engage in grassroots organizing, online organizing and policy advocacy to build a better future for rural America. These positions will address federal rural policy, entrepreneurial rural development, and especially federal health care reform. Find out more on our website, http://www.cfra.org/announcements/jobs.

The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC), an alliance of farm, food, conservation, and rural organizations, is hiring a Senior Policy Associate to work on policy development, research, advocacy and communications. The Center for Rural Affairs is a member of SAC. Find more details on our website at www.cfra.org/announcements/jobs (scroll down below the Intern information).