2025 in review: Our top 5 blogs of the year

By Center for Rural Affairs on
A green and white graphic with a light green box at the bottom that says "TOP 5 OF 2025" There is a picture of a man in a long sleeved black shirt and a red apron standing in front of a meat cooler in a grocery store.
Lending
Small Towns
Farm and Food
Policy

By Jessie Eby, former staff member

The Center for Rural Affairs’ work in 2025 reflected many of the priorities rural communities continue to raise: access to essential services, locally owned businesses, innovative approaches to agriculture and energy, and most importantly, the people who hold rural America together.

Our most-read blogs of the year reflect those themes, highlighting the challenges rural areas face, alongside the creativity, resilience, and determination communities bring to meet them.

As we move into 2026, these stories continue to guide our work. They remind us that strong rural economies depend on stable public programs, community-driven solutions, and forward-looking ideas. We’re proud to look back on these impactful blogs from 2025 and look ahead to another year of advancing a resilient rural future.

Photo taken from outside of a USDA Service Center. There is a white sign with "USDA" in blue, a green hill graphic, and the words "USDA SERVICE CENTER" below. We see a blue sky and the roof of the building in the background.
#5: Local USDA offices face uncertainty due to funding freeze, terminations

By Kalee Olson, March 27, 2025. This piece examines how the early 2025 federal funding freezes and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff terminations impacted essential USDA programs and, ultimately, rural communities. Read on.

A dark-haired woman wearing a black hair net, black t--shirt, and black apron smiles at the camera while holding a cardboard box of Mexican sushi.
#4: Running a home-based business helps entrepreneur engage with her community

By Liz Stewart, Feb. 11, 2025. This story highlights Sushis Wendy LLC, a unique small business in northeast Nebraska. Click here for more.

Three white women stand next to a grocery store cash register and smile at the camera. The woman in the back, to the left, has short brown hair and wears a blue long-sleeved shirt. The woman in the middle has brown hair pulled back into a pony tail and wears a teal top with a long black cardigan over it. The woman in the front and to the right has light brown, shoulder-length hair, blue glasses, and a blue floral top.
#3: Rural grocery store in Iowa celebrates five years of community ownership

By Kelsey Willardson, March 20, 2025. When faced with the possibility of losing their grocery store, Gowrie, Iowa, residents came together with a unique solution. More here.

Several cows graze in a pasture under solar panels. There are trees in the background.
#2: Harnessing the power of cattle voltaics: Huwa Enterprises combines solar with cattle grazing

By Mallory Tope, published in March and updated on July 22, 2025. This blog explores “cattle voltaics,” an innovative approach to renewable energy that allows farmers and ranchers to integrate solar energy with grazing lands. Keep reading.

A man stands in front of a grocery store meat cooler with his left hand raised, appearing to be speaking. He wears glasses, a black long sleeve shirt, and a red apron.
#1: Logan Super Foods plans for the future while serving the community

By Kelsey Willardson, June 9, 2025. Our most popular blog of the year highlights the important role locally owned grocery stores play in keeping rural communities healthy and connected. This story shows how a single business can serve as both an economic anchor and a social hub, especially in small towns with limited access to essential services. Read more here.

Black-and-white historical photo of a group of farmers and community members gathered in a crop field, sitting and standing on farm equipment and a tractor while one man gestures as if speaking to the crowd.
Bonus: Bringing back the bullsh&% stamp: entering 2026 with a renewed determination

By Brian Depew, Dec. 22, 2025. Our executive director reflects on 2025 and looks ahead to the future. Keep reading here.

Thank you

Thank you for reading our blog in 2025. We are so proud to bring you these stories of rural tenacity, and we look forward to championing rural America this year and beyond.