rural america

After the Farm Bill extension expired at the end of September, there was hope across farm country that a new piece of legislation would be crafted and approved before the end of the year.  At this point, it doesn’t appear the lame duck Congress will address the Farm Bill before breaking for Christmas.   Chis H...

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin as well as Iowa's Joni Ernst recently announced their “Access to Capital Creates Economic Strength and Supports Rural America Act” unanimously passed in the Senate.  The ACCESS Act expands rural broadband access by easing the burden of regulatory costs for smaller broadband providers that rural communities rely on.  Baldwin said access...

It might be the first thing you think of when you hear the word cooperative, as in a cooperative business; Rural Electric Cooperatives.    “Other entities just didn't want to go into rural America and provide the power,” noted Andy Burke, administrators of the USDA’s Rural Utility Service.  “So, President Roosevelt ...

It’s only been a year since Chris Hamp was elected President of the National Grange, but in that time, she’s worked hard to share with the farming community why the Grange is important in the 21st century.  Hamp noted that the Grange is there to encourage children, and young adults to be individuals and advocate for themselves.   “Long before...

According to the U.S. Census, American producers saw moderate improvement in internet access from 2017 to 2022.   Across rural America, the percentage of farm operations or operator residences with internet access increased from 75.4% i...

The top scams of 2022 targeted rural and urban Americans alike.  No matter where you live, scammers are constantly trying to find ways to con you out of your money.   “Scammers don’t care where you are from," said the AARP's Sean Voskuhl.  "They will tailor their ...

Formal educational attainment in rural America has grown, but still lags behind urban communities.  USDA’s Economic Research Service data shows the share of adults ages 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased in rural areas from 15% to 21%.  In the same time sp...

Earlier this week, senators Tammy Baldwin and Susan Collins introduced the bipartisan Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act, or The Healthy H2O Act.  Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat and Collins, a Maine Republican, say the bill will provide water testing and treatment technology grants directly to individuals and non-profits in rural communities.  Current...

Last week, USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small unveiled the Rural Data Gateway.  The effort is a new resource to make the Department's data for rural projects easier to access for its partners and people living in rural communities.  ...

Rural economies require innovation for economic development, job creation of financing that according to Jon Monson of Compeer Financial.  He added innovation comes from need-based opportunities.   “We’re in some communities and seeing that there's not a lot of local pharmacies they got to travel 20-30 miles.  What about mobile pharma...