Wind farm and corn field

Reports & Publications

We aren't afraid of the weeds. The people living in rural America deserve a serious and in-depth look at the issues and forces impacting their communities.

Check out the latest edition of our Small Business News packed full of resources for entrepreneurs, those looking to own their own business, and small business managers.
  • Lending
Early in September, the Center held a celebration for our 50th anniversary. At events like these, I look around and realize our organization’s impact. Attendees ranged from 3 months to near 90 years. I heard laughter, conversation beginning with “do you remember when…,” shrieks from kids (who found new friends and kittens), and best of all, received hugs and heard stories from all of you.
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
The USDA is offering funds for the development of community facilities in rural areas. Projects must provide substantial community support and be located in rural areas with fewer than 20,000 residents. Application Tips Priority will be given to small communities with populations of fewer than 5,500...
  • Small Towns
Noticias sobre Pequeñas Empresas del Center for Rural Affairs, incluyen historias seleccionadas de éxito de empresarios de Nebraska asistidos por nuestros programas e información que puede necesitar para iniciar o expandir su negocio.
  • Lending
Writing the 50-year features has been very fulfilling. For those of you who don’t know me very well, I love local history. Wherever I travel, I read all the interpretive boards and brochures and pick up random facts. The more unique, the better. This project has been right up my alley.
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
The DOT is offering funds for early-stage infrastructure project development. This includes legal, technical, and financial assistance to advance infrastructure projects that may continue to be supported through DOT credit or grant programs.
  • Small Towns
Farming and ranching involve inherent risks. Unpredictable weather, market trends, disease, and more can all affect a producer’s income and livelihood. Crop insurance can be an important tool in managing these risks. Crop insurance protects agricultural producers in cases of crop, livestock, or revenue loss.
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
La agricultura y la ganadería implican riesgos inherentes. El clima impredecible, las tendencias del mercado, las enfermedades y más pueden afectar los ingresos y el sustento de un productor. El seguro de cultivos puede ser una herramienta importante para manejar estos riesgos.
  • Farm and Food
Check out the latest edition of our Small Business News packed full of resources for entreprenuers, those looking to own their own business, and small business managers. In this edition: Restaurant owner serves Nebraskans and Iowans an authentic taste of Mexico City : With a dream to open a business...
  • Lending
From vouchers to education savings accounts and tax credits, school choice incentives come in many forms. After years of failed attempts, Nebraska passed its first “school choice” legislation in 2023. The Opportunity Scholarships Act (OSA) created a tax credit program for donors who give to...
  • Small Towns
  • Policy
Emily Paulsen and her husband, Nathan, moved to a 15-acre farm from 6 acres, where they couldn’t access rural water and their well wasn’t very deep. They needed more water to start farming to grow food that people would eat. They began with pasture-raised livestock and vegetables. The couple grows...
  • Small Towns
Matt Johnson and Tiffiny Clifton decided to buy a farm in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was an idea that was always in the back of their minds. Tiffiny grew up on a farm, often doing chores for the neighbors. Matt would have loved to have been a farmer, but his family did not own land. They...
  • Small Towns
Wind energy was introduced to Iowa in the early 2000s and has been a feature of the landscape since. In 2021, the state was the second largest producer of wind energy and led the nation in net electricity generation at 58%. Wind development poses a number of economic benefits in job creation and...
  • Policy
Wind energy has been part of the Iowa landscape for decades. Today, the state is the second-largest wind power producer in the nation and has the highest share of net electricity generation, with 58% of production coming from wind in 2021. As demand for renewable energy continues to rise, Iowa’s...
  • Policy
Solar at all scales is a growing opportunity in Nebraska. From immense growth in residential solar to the emergence of utility-scale and community projects, solar energy in Nebraska is forecasted to increase considerably. Counties presented with the opportunity for large-scale solar projects should...
  • Policy
With the help of Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), has implemented multiple practices that add value and longevity to his farm in Greene, Iowa. His whole-farm approach to conservation has led to a diversified operation where row crops, livestock, and native plants and animals are all...
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Through his enrollment in CSP, Will has implemented a number of conservation practices on his operation—Tri-C Farms Inc. in Hardy, Nebraska—to increase the profitability of his farm and become a better steward of natural resources. Over the years, these practices have made a significant contribution...
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Katlyn Dupris and her brother began ranching in 2014. They manage a 5,000-acre operation—Maynard Dupris Ranch—in Cherry Creek, South Dakota, and understand the importance of conservation. Now in their eighth year participating in CSP, conservation is a staple of their ranching practices. "I'm...
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Have you heard about our Academies? This is just one type of event we offer to entrepreneurs. Academies are multi-day, industry-specific trainings for construction, child care, restaurants, cleaning, trucking, and salons.
  • Lending
  • Small Towns
  • Farm and Food
  • Policy
Theo and Bonnie Ramsey assumed ownership of what was formerly Cheese’s Food Center in April 2015, transforming it into Ramsey’s Market in Lenox, Iowa. In 2017, Ramsey’s ACE Hardware opened adjacent to Ramsey’s Market. Bonnie and Theo started a new technology grocery service called Fresh Out of the...
  • Small Towns