About the Center for Rural Affairs

We are unapologetically rural. We stand up for the small family farmer and rancher, new business owner, and rural communities.
2019 Annual Report
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For more than 40 years, we've been a leading force engaging people to build a better rural future. We live this work. Welcome to our rural revolution.

Join our newsletter list to learn about what's happening in rural America and at the Center!

We have offices in three main locations: Lyons, Nebraska, at 145 Main St., PO Box 136; Nevada, Iowa, at 1400 Fawcett Parkway, Suite D2; and Hartington, Nebraska, at 106 N. Broadway, PO Box 736; as well as in-home offices throughout Nebraska.

It Starts...

We breathed fire and ran on unrefined youthful energy. It was 1973. Our founders, Don Ralston and Marty Strange, captured our early history here (recommended reading!).

We knew that if we wanted federal policy to work for rural Americans, we had to raise our voice. So we opened shop in an old storefront in rural Nebraska and put nose-to-grindstone. We grew a rural grassroots community. We spoke up about corporate wrongs against family farmers. We took rural voices to Washington. 

We believed we would succeed. It was hard work, but our passion kept us standing strong for rural Americans. And now, we’re over 30,000 and growing across the nation. We’re proud of our track record of successes. See a timeline with some of our major accomplishments here.

As long as rural advocates are needed for health care, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and community development, you can bet we’ll be in the front lines, building a bright rural future.

Make yourself at home and take look around! We look forward to working with you for rural Americans. 

                     

About the Center for Rural Affairs Notes

 

Center for Rural Affairs November and December 2019 newsletter

At the Center for Rural Affairs, all of our work ties into our set of values. One value that fits our front page story is “STEWARDSHIP of the natural environment upon which all of us—current and future generations—rely.”

Last March, I had the opportunity to visit south central Kansas where I met Gene Albers who is starting to transition his farm to the next generation.

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PDF icon Center for Rural Affairs November and December 2019 newsletter
More publications

Staff spotlight: Studying abroad reinforces love of rural communities

By Andrea Hartman on January 15, 2020 - 12:30pm

Growing up on an acreage outside of Firth, Nebraska, my responsibility was to take care of the cattle—from the bottle-fed calves to the big bull we knighted Sir Loin. I broke the ice for them in winter and stuck them with needles when the time came for vaccinations. My summers were spent detasseling, hunting down thistles in my grandpa’s pasture, and swimming in creeks when they swelled with rainwater (after making sure my tetanus shot was up-to-date).

Staff spotlight: Raúl passes on knowledge to Nebraska business owners

By Liz Daehnke on January 8, 2020 - 12:15pm

After years of acquiring business knowledge, Raúl Arcos Hawkins now has the opportunity to share everything he’s learned with aspiring entrepreneurs throughout Nebraska.

Recently hired as a Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) business development specialist at the Center for Rural Affairs, Raúl is no stranger to the organization. Initially hired as a contractor for REAP, Raúl spent more than a year assisting business owners before taking on his new role.

Civity and Center staff connect to create welcoming communities

By Liz Daehnke on December 9, 2019 - 4:00pm

The Center for Rural Affairs strives to help create vibrant, rural communities through its work. But, what does that mean to those who live outside of rural America?

Recently, Center for Rural Affairs community organizers Gladys Godinez and Jordan Feyerherm joined host and Civity communications consultant Gina Baleria on the podcast “This is Civity.” Their discussion focused on the work done at the Center to encourage inclusion and connection in rural communities.

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