Blog Posts & Stories

It's official! The first day of 2022 is here. We present our most viewed blog post of 2021, authored by Kayla Bergman in January. Featuring one of our board members, this piece takes a look at a...

In our second highest viewed post of 2021, we feature details on applying for forgiveness on the Paycheck Protection Plan loan, a loan that was offered to small business owners as part of COVID-19...

Today, we share number three in our top five posts countdown, one of our executive director's essays. Brian Depew writes about economic development in rural communities, taking a look at discount...

The year in review countdown continues with a blog featuring two entrepreneurs who have worked to open an exercise center with the help of a Center loan. Coming in at number four is a blog on Megan...

The end of 2021 is near, and what better way to celebrate than to review the top blogs of the year. Starting today through the end of the year, we'll review the five best Center stories of the year...

With the Biden administration focused on addressing climate change, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced plans for the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Partnership Initiative.

On a chilly September afternoon, a flock of Targhee/Rambouillet cross sheep quietly wander the grounds of an 18-acre solar garden site in southwestern Minnesota. The sheep are fulfilling a duty known as “solar grazing,” which uses livestock to manage vegetation at solar sites.

En una fría tarde de septiembre, un rebaño de ovejas cruzadas Targhee/Rambouillet se pasea tranquilamente por los terrenos de un jardín solar de 18 acres en el suroeste de Minnesota. Las ovejas están cumpliendo un deber conocido como "pastoreo solar", que utiliza el ganado para manejar la vegetación en los sitios solares.

​​​​​​​Advocates for independent rural farmers are urging state lawmakers to beef up mom-and-pop meat processing and storage capacity using American Rescue Plan dollars.

Farmers around the U.S. are eligible for up to $5,000 in grants to use on projects to grow their operations or to protect farmland.

The Iowa Solar Energy System Tax Credit is expiring at the end of the year, and the state has decided that it will not pay out the credits to applicants currently on the waiting list for residential projects. Applicants, many of whom have waited more than a year, invested in these systems with an expectation of receiving this tax credit, and the state is failing to uphold its side of a deal.

Nearly every Nebraskan is now served by an electric utility committed to supplying clean, sustainable energy.

Southwest Minnesota has always been the heart of Molly Malone’s family. Born and raised in the same area as her parents and grandparents, Molly grew up in the small farming community of Currie.

In today’s world, having access to the internet has become just as important as other utilities South Dakotans have come to rely on, such as electricity, water and sewer. It is critical to business, farms and ranches, the education of young people and health care services.

Small businesses face challenges on a daily basis and the holiday season is no exception. With the stress that comes with the holiday season, some small business owners become vulnerable to predatory lenders who target them with loans that seem too good to be true.

Lyons, Nebraska, is not only home to the Center for Rural Affairs, it’s also the hometown of Rhea Landholm, the Center’s brand marketing and communications manager.

Solar energy has been on the rise for years. The industry has attracted massive amounts of investment, and the costs associated with the generation and distribution of solar energy have plummeted.

My parents owned and operated a small-town grocery store in Decatur, Nebraska, and I spent my early childhood roaming the aisles, "helping" and raiding the candy section when no one was looking. I remember how dedicated my parents were, both to the community and their own personal success.

The proposed Build Back Better bill is getting attention for a host of funding possibilities, including one area flying under the radar: sustainable agriculture.

Students with culinary aspirations had an opportunity to link food and culture in a week-long course this summer. Among sessions on kitchen safety, they prepared dishes featuring traditional Indigenous ingredients and flavors such as buffalo, elk, squash, and wild rice.