Deb Brown offers programs on various small-town challenges and has traveled extensively through rural America helping communities on their path to vitality. Her keynotes, webinars and workshops help small towns figure out what to do with empty buildings, improve marketing and economic development, and overall become more innovative and idea-friendly. She has helped all … [Read more...]
Episode 33: Overcoming Challenges in Rural Healthcare
Michelle Rathman is the founder of Impact! Communications based in Geneva, Illinois. She started her business in 1989 as a Chicago-area public relations, advertising, and marketing firm. The company represented clients from a variety of industries and provided high-level PR services. This included booking published authors on national television shows, like the Oprah Winfrey … [Read more...]
Dairy farm finds way to thrive amidst tough market
Zero dollars. When they read the number on the check, their hearts sank. After a month of physically exhausting work, the owners of Duivenvoorden Farms received absolutely no money in return. That was thirteen years ago, when the northern California dairy farm participated in the “conventional market” – selling its milk to a co-op-owned creamery. “That’s a pretty … [Read more...]
Opinion: Upswing in direct purchasing brings challenges for small meat processors
By Johnathan Hladik, policy director, Center for Rural Affairs One of the great benefits of living in a rural community is our ability to enjoy food grown locally. Families appreciate easy access to high quality nutrition. Many farms and ranches depend on these local sales. Like so much of our daily life, this system was disrupted by COVID-19. When work is … [Read more...]
Legislation would extend loan forgiveness to rural businesses
The Center for Rural Affairs announced that months after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law, Congress is considering legislation that would include rural businesses and communities initially left out of the stimulus package. The Rural Equal Aid (REA) Act, a bipartisan measure led by U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA), will provide … [Read more...]