Blog Posts & Stories

Small business owners in Nebraska in search of financial assistance need look no further. The Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act (NSBAA) Program is now available to support individuals looking to...

Local farmers markets, direct-market farmers, and farm stands that are not registered to accept benefits or vouchers from customers might be leaving money on the table. Three of these benefits are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).

The 2024 South Dakota legislative session is coming to a close. Monday was the last day for bills to pass both houses. The 38-day legislative session will officially conclude on March 25, which is reserved for gubernatorial vetoes.

Samantha Goodbird has a reputation for building strong relationships, managing projects, and helping others succeed. She recently brought her talents to the Center as the Center's humna resources manager. Some of the main roles in human resources management include hiring and training people, and developing policies and strategies to retain them. But the position is much more than procedures and paperwork.

The expansion of wind generation has been, and continues to be, a boon for rural development. Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity across the nation. A handful of Midwest states like Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota are leading the charge in its development, according to recent reports from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Over the past couple of weeks, Iowa legislators have spent hours debating bills on the floor. Week nine of the 2024 session will look the same as we approach the second funnel, the March 15 deadline by which bills must pass through one chamber and out of a committee in the opposite chamber to remain alive.

Effective communication between patients and health care providers is a key ingredient to ensuring all Nebraskans receive vital services. For some residents, establishing that relationship is difficult because of a language barrier.

Sandro Lopes feels the most important thing people can do when farming is to care for the soil and environment. Originally from Brazil, Sandro now lives and farms in David City, Nebraska. His speciality is growing microgreens, and he enjoys sharing his methods with others so they can try their hand at growing their own crops.

Sandro Lopes considera que lo más importante que la gente puede hacer en la agricultura es cuidar el suelo y el medio ambiente. Originario de Brasil, Sandro ahora vive y cultiva en David City, Nebraska. Su especialidad es el cultivo de microvegetales y le gusta compartir sus métodos con otras personas para que puedan intentar cultivar sus propios cultivos.

Happy Statehood Day! It was on March 1, 1867, that President Andrew Johnson signed the proclamation to admit Nebraska as the 37th state in the Union. Since our last update, hearings for legislative bills introduced this session have wrapped up, and the Legislature will begin full-day floor debate next week. Much of the focus before the session’s adjournment—tentatively set for April 18—will be on priority bills.

Growing up, I spent most of my time outdoors, whether at my grandparents’ small farm, camping, participating in Girl Scouts, or at various other conservation advocacy activities. From a young age, I had a strong passion for environmental stewardship and working to mitigate climate change.

The path of a small business owner is full of ups and downs, but few things are as satisfying as being able to look back and see how far your business has come and what you’ve built. Making the decision to retire is not easy for most, and it comes with many questions that need to be answered. Namely, what will happen to the business?

El camino del propietario de una pequeña empresa está lleno de altibajos, pero pocas cosas son tan satisfactorias como poder mirar hacia atrás y ver hasta dónde ha llegado su negocio y lo que ha construido. Tomar la decisión de jubilarse no es fácil para la mayoría y conlleva muchas preguntas que deben responderse. Es decir, ¿qué pasará con el negocio?

Farm bill negotiations that began in 2023 are now on Congress’ to-do list for 2024, and an unclear path toward passage remains. However, even as lawmakers will be required to divide their attention among a number of issues in the coming months, the Center will continue to focus on advocacy for its farm bill priorities—specifically, protecting conservation program funding.

Erin Schoenberg is no stranger to the Center for Rural Affairs. With a history that goes back to fall 2012, Erin has taken on roles ranging from working with Latino farmers to establishing community...

Nebraska's public power districts provide some of the most reliable and cost-effective energy in the country. Our state’s residential utility electricity rate is nearly 30% lower than the national average, and Nebraska was recently named the top state in the country for power grid reliability by the U.S. News and World Report.

We are in the seventh week of the 2024 Iowa legislative session, and the first funnel deadline is now behind us. Bills that did not pass out of their respective full committee last week are now...

It has been a busy few weeks at the Capitol. Tomorrow is Crossover Day, which is the last date for bills to be passed through their house of origin. All bills must pass both houses by March 4, with...

We are at the midpoint of the busy 2024 legislative session. Mornings have been dedicated to full floor debate with hearings scheduled in the afternoons. Contention from last year’s session has thus...

Dirigir un negocio es más que un trabajo para Alberto Castillo; Es un estilo de vida. Poco después de establecerse en Nebraska en el año 2006, Alberto tuvo una experiencia desagradable al preparar sus impuestos. Decidió aprender a preparar sus propios impuestos para evitar los mismos problemas en el futuro.