Blog Posts & Stories

The familiar and friendly atmosphere of a farmers market makes it a popular launching point for many small businesses. And, when demand grows and the opportunity to reach more customers presents itself, scaling up your operation for wholesale can be an exciting next step.

Many rural communities in Nebraska will encounter issues with water system contamination at some point. When this happens, community leaders and residents will likely be left with questions and...

Legislators adjourned for the final time of the 2025 Iowa legislative session on the morning of Thursday, May 15. For bills passed by both the House and the Senate, the governor has until June 15 to...

Last week, the Legislature approved a final $11.1 billion state budget package and sent it to the governor, who signed the budget on Wednesday, May 21. Also, LB 192, which preserves current income...

Minnesota’s legislative session concluded on May 19. However, the Legislature was unable to come to agreement on several budget bills and will need to conduct a special session to complete the...

Sikowis Nobiss (Nêhiyaw/Saulteaux) loves her people and has an innate love for the land, especially the prairie. However, she sees a lot of injustice in the world. She is taking a stand against...

Jan and Cornelia (Neal) Flora, of Ames, Iowa, were honored by the Center for Rural Affairs this spring for their dedication to rural communities across the U.S., namely for their contributions in...

If the walls could talk at 250 East Second Street in Orchard, Nebraska, they’d have more than 100 years worth of stories to share. Built in 1910, the building has housed a cafe, a liquor store, a...

Recent federal actions have placed a critical source of funding for public libraries and museums in jeopardy. Within weeks following an executive order from President Trump, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) staff was placed on administrative leave and grant processing was suspended, which has put rural communities across the country, including those in Nebraska and South Dakota, at risk of losing access to essential library services.

La frase “el trabajo en equipo hace realidad los sueños” cobra un significado especial al describir la colaboración entre el Centro de Desarrollo Empresarial de Nebraska (NBDC) y el Center for Rural Affairs Con sede en la Facultad de Administración de Empresas de la Universidad de Nebraska en Omaha (UNO), NBDC ofrece servicios gratuitos para propietarios de pequeñas empresas en todo el estado y es uno de los programas a través de los cuales la universidad llega a la comunidad empresarial.

The phrase “teamwork makes the dream work” rings especially true when describing the partnership between the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) and the Center for Rural Affairs. Based out of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), NBDC provides free services for small business owners across the state and is one of the programs through which the university reaches out to the entrepreneurial community.

Budget differences have delayed progress but spurred negotiations thus far in the 2025 Iowa legislative session. Last week, it was announced that the Senate and House of Representatives agreed on a...

A newly approved transmission line project will add thousands of megawatts (MW) to Minnesota’s energy grid, improving energy reliability and efficiency across the state. On April 11, the Minnesota...

Debate of the mainline budget bills began Tuesday as the Legislature continues to work to close a remaining $262 million budget deficit. Initially, the projected budget deficit was $433 million, so...

Today ends Week 17 of Minnesota’s legislative session. Just ten days remain until the end of session on May 19. All focus is currently on reaching a budget agreement that can pass both the House and...

A small strawberry farm in Isanti, Minnesota, received a grant to install a modest solar array to alleviate on-farm energy costs. The federal grant funds were then frozen; while money has begun...

Embracing fair trade products means more than offering quality goods. When you choose fair trade products, you support small-scale producers and appeal to a growing market of socially conscious consumers. Using or offering fair trade products in your business is a way to show your commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable economy.

Adoptar productos de comercio justo significa mucho más que ofrecer productos de calidad. Al elegir productos de comercio justo, apoyas a los pequeños productores y atraes a un mercado creciente de consumidores socialmente conscientes. Usar y ofrecer productos de comercio justo en tu negocio es una forma de demostrar tu compromiso con la creación de una economía más resiliente y sostenible.

You likely saw our 2024 donor list in the last issue, if you’re a regular newsletter reader. Did you notice the U.S. map we printed alongside the list? This map indicates that we have donors from 42 states, plus Washington, D.C. This is quite the spread! We don’t take for granted that people from around the country want to be part of our grassroots movement to build a just and prosperous rural future.

Ali and Scotty Yahnke have been farming together for the past decade, and although each season has been different from the last, they wouldn’t change a thing. The couple began their agricultural...