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
Check out accomplishments you helped us achieve

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: Preston finds his passion in finance

By Liz Daehnke on February 7, 2020 - 11:30am

Preparing bills and invoices, and processing payroll, deposits, and accounts payables—most people wouldn’t know where to begin if charged with these tasks. Preston Peters, however, shines when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of numbers.

After time spent as an accounting tutor at Northeast Community College, and logging banking experience in Kearney, Preston recently joined the Center for Rural Affairs as an accounting assistant.

Staff spotlight: Howard looks forward to helping entrepreneurs in central Nebraska

By Liz Daehnke on January 23, 2020 - 8:45am

With decades of experience under his belt, and a strong desire to fight for the little guy, Howard White now holds the entrepreneurs of central Nebraska in his very capable hands.

The Center for Rural Affairs recently brought Howard onto the team as a loan specialist, a position he’s excited to be in, with an organization he holds in high regard.

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).

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