Niobrara Nebraska from nearby hill

Blog Posts & Stories

What's happening with the Center for Rural Affairs? Find the latest on rural America and our work here.

In everything she does, Dr. Karletta Chief strives to build a better future. Raised on the Navajo Nation, Dr. Chief learned strength and endurance from her parents and grandmother. The first person in her family to attend college, Dr. Chief is now the director of the Indigenous Resilience Center at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, and leads efforts that lift up Indigenous scholars and trains the next generation of researchers and leaders.
  • Small Towns
As November begins, so does the busiest shopping season of the year. We’re all familiar with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but let’s not overlook Small Business Saturday—a day dedicated to supporting...
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
Sandro Lopes describes his farm, Huerto Regenerativo NaTerra, as a place where nature and agriculture work in harmony. Located in David City, Nebraska, the operation is rooted in Indigenous practices...
  • Small Towns
  • Farm and Food
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is now accepting applications for the Rural Workforce Housing Fund. This vital program supports the development of affordable housing in rural...
  • Small Towns
For many years, the Center for Rural Affairs has worked alongside active service members and military veterans. Whether coming back to their agricultural roots or starting out as beginning farmers...
  • Farm and Food
Transparency is essential to effective policy making and is the cornerstone of earning stakeholder trust. When people understand the reasoning behind a policy, they are much more likely to accept the...
  • Small Towns
  • Policy
Access to renewable energy promotes rural resiliency, enables economic development opportunities, and can lead to lower energy costs. With a recent award funded through the federal Inflation Reduction...
  • Small Towns
  • Policy
When Daryl Obermeyer first cross-fenced his pasture for rotational grazing in 1975, he noticed a significant shift. Not only could his cattle graze later into the year, but they were fatter with...
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Schuyler, Nebraska, has hosted a farmers market for many years, but a change in location this season led to an uptick in attendance and a vast assortment of new vendors. Previously found outside of...
  • Small Towns
  • Farm and Food
For small business owners, identifying a target market is helpful. Whether you’re selling handcrafted products, offering professional services, or running a local shop, knowing who your potential customers are—and how to reach them—can make all the difference in your business’s success. Here are some approaches to help you identify your target market.
  • Lending
Para los propietarios de pequeñas empresas, identificar un mercado objetivo es útil. Ya sea que estés vendiendo productos artesanales, ofreciendo servicios profesionales o administrando una tienda local, saber quiénes son sus clientes potenciales y cómo llegar a ellos puede marcar la diferencia en el éxito de su empresa. Aquí hay algunos enfoques que le ayudarán a identificar mejor su mercado objetivo.
  • Lending
From serving as a leader and educator in the local food system to working as an agronomist with farmers from the South, Northeast, and Midwest, Nancy Williams has shown true dedication to furthering...
  • Small Towns
Yvette Arellano is an example of how lived experience and perspective in one’s work can increase its impact. Prior to founding Fenceline Watch, Yvette was a dedicated environmental justice advocate for several years.
  • Small Towns
As a teenager, Corinne Kolm wanted to live in a big city and have nothing to do with her family’s farming legacy. With time, her strong agricultural roots took her back to the land, and she’s glad it...
  • Farm and Food
Los emprendedores de pequeñas empresas trabajan arduamente para crear proyectos desde cero, a menudo sacrificando tiempo con la familia para construir bases sólidas para las futuras generaciones. Mujeres y hombres, líderes comunitarios, dueños de negocios y profesionales de diversas industrias del noreste de Nebraska se reunieron en Fremont para la cuarta Conferencia Anual de Negocios de Mujeres Latinas, organizada por el Center.
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
Small business entrepreneurs work hard to create ventures from the ground up, often sacrificing time with family to build strong foundations for future generations. Women and men, community leaders, business owners, and professionals from industries throughout northeast Nebraska met in Fremont Oct. 8 for the fourth annual Latina Women's Business Conference, hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs Women's Business Center and conducted in Spanish.
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
Farm to School is a win for students, a win for farmers, and a win for communities. It strengthens our food system and our local economies, and it provides opportunities for students to develop new...
  • Farm and Food
Combining row crops and solar energy has been relatively uncommon, but in Olivia, Minnesota, forward-thinking farmers, John Baumgartner and Rolly and Larry Rauenhorst, are demonstrating how solar...
  • Policy
Growing up, Teresa Otte didn’t always enjoy working on her family’s farm near David City, Nebraska. But as the farm evolved, so did her interest and dedication. What started as an 80-acre farm in 1980...
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Visitors to Red Oak, Iowa’s, historic downtown district are in for a treat. Impressive buildings, many built before 1900, line all four sides of Fountain Square Park. Other historical monuments can be...
  • Small Towns