Blog Posts & Stories

The Center for Rural Affairs pursues a mission to establish strong rural communities. We have been able to provide support for rural residents to start or expand existing businesses through grant, loan and training programs, to implement conservation practices on their farms and ranches, and to access proper lines credit with the help of federal programs.

In many communities across rural America, we are beginning to ease into the new norms and routines of quarantine. Each of us is attending to the impacts of COVID-19 on our friends, families, and communities as we all reflect on these unprecedented times.

Norma Cell Marquez had a desire to ensure the Latino community was informed of current events in Nebraska. Her dream was to keep people up to date in Spanish, so no one was left out of the loop on...

The Center for Rural Affairs is committed to helping our local business partners cope with the economic impact of COVID-19. It’s part of our mission to build prosperous, healthy, and inclusive communities. And, it’s the right thing to do.

A source of comfort, a home away from home, a creative outlet, and a place to expand knowledge and enlighten the minds of young and old alike—libraries are some of our most treasured resources.

They may not be big, but small businesses are having a huge impact in your rural community. Yet, when the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law, Congress left them out.

This year’s legislative session in Iowa was unprecedented. Taking place in two separate parts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state lawmakers adjourned for the final time this year on June 14.

We have access to daily reports from public health officials about best practices and current health directives; however, attempting to fully comprehend the magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic is difficult for everyone.

Bayer settles Roundup suits Bayer, maker of the widely used herbicide Roundup, will pay $10 billion to settle tens of thousands of claims filed by consumers alleging a link between their use of...

For more than a decade, the Center for Rural Affairs and the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, in Columbus, Nebraska, have enjoyed a productive partnership. Various staff members have taken the reins...

Para los agricultores que sufrieron una reducción de precio o no pudieron vender sus cultivos o ganado debido al COVID-19, el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) actualmente está aceptando aplicaciones para el Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

​​​​​​​A recently introduced piece of legislation into the U.S. Senate is a positive step forward in addressing climate change in rural areas.

Too many times, rural Iowans have been the farmers, homeowners, and small business owners who waded the high flood waters to salvage what they could after record-breaking floods.

A nation of immigrants, the United States has a proud history of being a multicultural nation for all of those looking for a fresh start, new opportunities, and a place to build their dreams.

La pandemia COVID-19 ha estimulado el desarrollo de nuevos servicios, lo que significa que algunos agricultores y productores pueden estar interactuando por primera vez con las agencias del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por sus siglas en Inglés).

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the development of new services, which means some farmers and producers may be interacting with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies for the first time.

When COVID-19 started to ravage the economy, Congress stepped in to help. The quick action was warranted, but it left little time for thorough review. Signed into law on June 5, the Payment Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) amended many of the program missteps that time revealed.

In 2019, the U.S. reached a landmark in its wind energy capacity when 100 gigawatts — or enough to provide electricity for about 32 million homes — were produced, according to a report from the American Wind Energy Association.

When you say yes to something new, you don’t always know what you’re getting into. And, a new adventure can often be the best medicine.

For the past 14 years, Tina Biteghe Bi Ndong has witnessed the work the Center for Rural Affairs has done with the West Point, Nebraska, community. As the executive director of the West Point Chamber...