Niobrara Nebraska from nearby hill

Blog Posts & Stories

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Rural living has shaped me into the person that I am today. Growing up on my family’s cattle ranch in northwest Missouri, my mother jokes that I was literally “raised in a barn,” as countless hours were spent there doing chores and riding my horses.
  • Small Towns
  • Policy
Rural leaders working with two Iowa Watershed Management Authorities (WMAs) are taking an important step to improve the state’s water quality by developing comprehensive watershed management plans. The plans enable buy-in from regional leaders and initiate efforts to understand the watershed’s current situation and identify potential solutions to quality concerns.
  • Policy
Sabino and Maria Hernandez share their journey from starting their own food truck business to preparing for a permanent location.
  • Lending
Sabino y María Hernández han enfrentado una buena cantidad de pruebas y tribulaciones a lo largo de su trayectoria empresarial, desde reubicaciones hasta permisos de zonificación y la construcción de un nuevo edificio. Pero la palabra “rendirse” no está en su vocabulario.
  • Lending
Since childhood, Magdalena Barrios has dreamed of having her own farm and running her own livestock business. Through years of hard work, she is now living the life she always wanted. Magdalena and her husband, Vicente Acevedo, own land outside of Lexington, Nebraska. Even when they were first starting, the couple went above and beyond to tend to their tiny herd of cattle, and their dedication did not go unnoticed.
  • Farm and Food
Desde pequeña, Magdalena Barrios ha soñado con tener su propia finca y administrar su propio negocio ganadero. Después de años de arduo trabajo, ahora vive la vida que siempre quiso. Magdalena y su esposo, Vicente Acevedo, poseen tierras en las afueras de Lexington, Nebraska. Incluso cuando recién comenzaban, la pareja hizo todo lo posible para cuidar su pequeño rebaño de ganado, y su dedicación no pasó desapercibida.
  • Farm and Food
It took a year studying international relations in Sydney, Australia, to make me realize just how much I love Nebraska, my home state. I grew up in several small Nebraska towns before graduating from high school in Cedar Rapids, a community I’m still proud to claim as my hometown. The countryside is beautiful, and the people are kind and hardworking.
  • Policy
El préstamo predator es un problema grave que puede devastar a los prestatarios, especialmente en las comunidades vulnerables. Comprender qué es, por qué es perjudicial y cómo evitarlo puede ayudarlo a protegerse a usted mismo y a otros de sus efectos dañinos. Aquí está lo que necesita saber sobre las prácticas crediticias abusivas, su impacto y lo que puede hacer si se ve atrapado en uno de estos préstamos engañosos.
  • Lending
Predatory lending is a serious issue that can devastate borrowers, particularly in vulnerable communities. Understanding what it is, why it’s harmful, and how to avoid it can help you protect yourself and others from its damaging effects. Here's what you need to know about predatory lending practices, their impact, and what you can do if you find yourself ensnared by one of these deceptive loans.
  • Lending
Education, representation, and conversation all mean a great deal to Cynthia Alarcón, and she strives to offer opportunities to explore each of them to her fellow residents of Columbus, Nebraska.
  • Small Towns
Recently, the Center for Rural Affairs was awarded $62 million to provide technical and financial support to community, rooftop, and multifamily affordable housing solar projects. The Nebraska Solar...
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
From California to Nebraska, Catherine Medina and her husband came a long way to live out their retirement dreams. The couple made a trip each year to see family in Schuyler, Nebraska and decided they wanted to retire nearby on an acreage. On one such trip, an opportunity presented itself.
  • Farm and Food
Desde California hasta Nebraska, Catherine Medina y su esposo recorrieron un largo camino para hacer realidad sus sueños de jubilación. La pareja hacía un viaje cada año para ver a su familia en Schuyler, Nebraska, y decidieron que querían retirarse y vivir en un terreno cercano. En uno de esos viajes se presentó una oportunidad.
  • Farm and Food
A degree in general agriculture and a desire to explore his options brought Charles Shapiro from New York to Nebraska in 1975. His passion for the practice kept him here to further his education, and...
  • Small Towns
An expansion of a statewide farm-to-school program that brings Nebraska local food products to classrooms across the state is offering students and teachers an opportunity to learn about and try Indigenous foods.
  • Farm and Food
The Center for Rural Affairs is one of 60 recipients of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Solar for All program. The announcement came in late April, with an award of $62.4 million going to...
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts are set to expire on more than 500,000 and 150,000 acres in Iowa and Nebraska, respectively, before the end of 2026, leaving landowners with the decision of what to do next. One option to consider is a unique program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency—the CRP-Transition Incentives Program (CRP-TIP).
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Clean energy progress is happening in the Fergus Falls and Sherburne County, Minnesota, communities where Hoot Lake and Sherco solar projects are adding substantial renewable energy to the grid to replace coal generation. As Minnesota utilities look to achieve 100% clean electricity generation by 2040, projects like these are vital to the transition.
  • Policy
Los grandes movimientos a menudo requieren grandes inversiones. Cuando estás iniciando o expandiendo un negocio, el costo puede ser desalentador. Pero no dejes que eso te impida perseguir tus sueños. Esta guía lo ayudará a superar su primera experiencia crediticia.
  • Lending
Big moves often require big investments. When you’re starting or expanding a business, the cost can be daunting. But don’t let that deter you from pursuing your dreams. This guide will help you get through your first-time lending experience.
  • Lending