Several states are now taking applications for a new high risk health insurance pool. These insurance plans cover people who have been without health insurance for at least six months and have been denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

This summer, we asked you to show us what renewal looks like in your community through the Renew Rural America photo contest. It was a lofty goal, but one you reached handily. Read more about the winners (tough choices!) in each category.

Over the last year, we organized to build support for renewable energy legislation to spur investment in wind and other new energy generation. Investing in renewables makes sense for rural communities, where we stand to benefit from new jobs in manufacturing, construction and maintenance and additional tax base to support our schools and local services.

On July 24, I attended the Nebraska Renewable Energy Fair, held in my hometown of Lyons, Nebraska. That morning, as I drove through Lyons, I couldn’t help but notice the buzz of people throughout town. There was a new energy about Lyons on that Saturday morning.

Family farms and businesses need some predictability in the estate tax, but we should be wary of proposals that make deep cuts in the tax on big estates.

On August 4, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced legislation, The Rural America Preservation Act, to establish more stringent farm program payment limits and close legal loopholes that render current limits meaningless.

I hate to say I told you so, but I did. In June USDA published a draft rule regarding how meatpackers must deal with farmers and ranchers in the procurement of livestock and poultry (see the rule at www.cfra.org/competition).

Patricia Kaminski, a Nevada City, California, farmer and microentrepreneur, wrote about the media coverage of the Shirley Sherrod firing. Kaminski wrote she had hoped the media coverage might turn to Sherrod’s actual work – “helping poor rural families no matter what their skin color.”

Drawing people to action, whether it is to improve their business, conserve scarce resources, or advocate for fair policies, has always been a central goal and purpose of the Center for Rural Affairs. With decades of research and study backing up our work, we have given people tools to improve Rural America.

Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Wally Herger (R-CA) have introduced the “Rural Microbusiness Investment Credit Act of 2010.” The Act would cut taxes of rural microbusinesses and beginning farmers and ranchers by 35 bucks for every $100 dollars of eligible investment – up to $10,000 lifetime tax savings. For those who owe no taxes in the current year, the credit could be carried back to get a refund of taxes paid in the prior five years.

Montana: Bozeman Business Finds Value in Damaged Wood
Forestry experts estimate that at least 1 million acres of Montana forests have succumbed to the mountain pine beetle, leaving enormous amounts of standing dead trees. Finish carpenter Neil Wilbert finds the distinctive blue streaks caused by a fungus introduced by the pine beetle beautiful.

I recently had a question from someone trying to get her town council to purchase a small van to transport people about town as needed. The primary population for the van was to be the community’s seniors, but it would be available to all.

Connect, promote, and network! At 2010 Kansas MarketPlace, opportunities to expand and grow your business or organization are numerous. With a little over two months until the big day, it is now time to figure out how you can make the most out of this year’s conference!

This month we welcome Juan Sandoval to the Center for Rural Affairs’ staff. Juan is the new director of the REAP Hispanic Business Center. The Hispanic Business Center has shown remarkable growth since its inception in 2004, serving over 1,000 rural Hispanic entrepreneurs with loans, training and technical assistance.