Blog Posts & Stories

My memories of the first days of the Center for Rural Affairs are less detailed than they should be. I am over 90 years old. In 1973, I knew nothing of the Goldenrod Hills Community Action Agency, Marty Strange, or Don Ralston.

Danelle Myer's curiosity about getting into the world of retail and knowledge from attending a small business workshop combined to help her form the idea of opening a seasonal pop-up market, which later became a year-round local foods store.

Lori Bergman, owner of Double Dips Ice Creamery, in North Platte, was recently recognized in her community with the 2023 Women of Achievement in Business. She was among six area women who were honored...

Nicci Chitwood’s experience in the business world, is helping people energize small towns all across the Nebraska Panhandle.

Developed by central Iowa Watershed Management Authorities (WMA), state agencies, local governments, and collaborators, a unique approach to installing conservation practices is inspiring additional...

Growing up in Decatur, Nebraska, Steele Valenzuela has known about the Center for Rural Affairs for most of his life. The Center, with a home office in the neighboring town of Lyons, became even more...

El marketing de boca en boca (o corre la voz) siempre ha jugado un papel fundamental en el marketing de los negocios, especialmente en las comunidades rurales más pequeñas donde las noticias viajan rápido.

Word of mouth marketing has always played a pivotal role in marketing for businesses, especially in smaller rural communities where word travels fast.

The end of the Nebraska Legislature’s 2023 session is fast approaching, with only 12 days remaining. Since it is a budget year, one of the top priorities of the Legislature is approving the biennium budget. Last week, the budget bill—Legislative Bill (LB) 814—advanced to its final reading.

Approximately every five years, the U.S. Congress passes a package of legislation with a consequential impact on rural America: the farm bill. The current farm bill was enacted in December 2018, and is set to expire on Sept. 30.

Small businesses play a critical role in creating jobs, driving economic growth, and contributing to the overall well-being of rural communities. In many areas, they are the backbone of the local...

In Iowa and other Midwest states, agricultural excellence, robust soils, and ample outdoor recreation are points of pride. All of these elements relate to water, and depend upon healthy watersheds.

Meg was hired recently as a local foods associate. She spends most of her time working on the Center’s newest lending initiative: Meat and Poultry Processing Loans.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced a $50 million funding opportunity for Tribal clean energy projects, continuing its efforts to promote clean energy development in Native American...

Students and faculty at Central City High School, along with Central City FFA, in Central City, Nebraska, have spent the past few years building their greenhouse program to the point where they’re now able to provide their cafeteria with fresh vegetables throughout the school year.

On May 4, the 2023 Iowa legislative session came to a close. In the last days of the session, lawmakers passed a series of budget bills and final priorities, including items we believe will have...

The Center envisions a vibrant future with strong rural communities and robust local economies. We work hard to ensure that everyone who calls rural America home will have the opportunity to fully...

Last week, Legislative Bill (LB) 84, which would keep the gross income eligibility requirement for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at 165% or below of the federal poverty level, rather than reverting back to 130%, was unanimously voted out of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee. The bill was then added as an amendment to the committee’s priority bill, LB 227, which was advanced to final reading.

Through her mother’s example, Cesia Madrigal Góngora and other family members are learning to fight for their dreams. “I like to teach her and my grandchildren that we are in a country where we have...

We are in the 17th week of the Iowa state session, and the end appears to be in sight. This week, lawmakers are working to wrap up final business—including passing the state budget for the upcoming...