Blog Posts & Stories

Three Midwest farmers recently met with their legislators in Washington D.C., to discuss conservation and beginning farmer policy in the next farm bill. On March 7, farmers Mariel Barreras, Cameron...

Last week, Congress passed its spending bill for this year, which funds the federal government through Sept. 30, 2018. We were very glad to see that it provides support for rural America. First...

Rural places are close to my heart because I have seen the value of them firsthand. I am from Monticello, Iowa, which is a town of about 4,000 people, three stop lights, and one grocery store.

Recently, small business owners alongside alumni of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, at Iowa State University, met at the Iowa capitol to advocate on the Leopold Center’s behalf.

Many issues surrounding conservation are decided at the time of farm bill renewal. Working lands conservation programs in the farm bill offer an important opportunity for farmers and ranchers to...

The most effective development strategy for rural communities is small entrepreneurship – locally-owned and operated small businesses. The first step in creating a small business is having a great...

The Center for Rural Affairs stands for rural communities, and we, too, believe that an essential foundation for vital rural communities consists of a healthy economy and diverse farming models. Many...

LB 1084, Sen. Tom Briese’s combined property tax relief and school funding bill, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Let me explain this bold statement.

During the past two decades, Iowa’s wind energy industry has created 8,000 to 9,000 jobs, spurred billions of dollars in investment, and provided Iowa landowners with $20 to $25 million in annual land lease payments.

Property taxes have more than doubled in the past decade. The price of cattle has not. This has created significant challenges for those of us in production agriculture.

While Nebraska’s economy remains reliant upon agriculture, the broader economy, following national trends, has moved away from a dependence on manufacturing and goods to knowledge and service. Nebraska’s tax code does not reflect that decades long trend.

Unlimited crop insurance premium subsidies are a loophole that allow the largest farmers to reap the greatest benefits from government subsidy. That is why we support capping crop insurance premium...

​​​​​​​A veteran’s sense of service and work ethic draws a distinct parallel to the skills and dedication required for successful farming and ranching.

In our state’s rural communities, where the food that feeds the world is grown, food insecurity is endured by thousands of children, seniors, and hardworking Nebraskans. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps stave off hunger for 1 in 11 Nebraskans.

Blair Nelson, a student who works part-time, is one of more than 2.6 million American adults who are unable to access health insurance because they fall into a health insurance coverage gap.

During the last six years, nearly 90,000 Nebraskans have fallen into the health insurance coverage gap, as the legislature stood by and failed to extend Medicaid coverage to these seniors, parents, and hard-working residents.

The Center for Rural Affairs first examined consolidation in the banking industry in a 1978 report, “Where Have All the Bankers Gone?”. We have long understood the critical link between credit, who...

​​​​​​​The quest for the reform of Nebraska’s tax system has seemingly hit a pinnacle in 2018, with a number of tax reform bills being introduced.

Do you know what happens in September 2018? The entire federal farm bill expires.

Wind turbines are multiplying across the U.S., and most are installed in rural areas overlooking crops, cattle, timber, and lakes. Rural communities receive several benefits from the development of wind energy, but the growth of the industry has also presented a challenge in the form of local regulations that may be insufficient or out-of-date.