Rural / Public News Service

Microgrids can provide up to 10 megawatts of power, enough to power approximately 2,000 homes, and can be equipped with batteries for storage. (Oulailux/Adobe Stock)

Landmark microgrid legislation boon for rural Oregon

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has signed into law the first set of statewide policies in the country supporting community-owned microgrids. Microgrids are …

A march for immigrant rights in Spokane, led by student leaders and supported by the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane and other community organizations. (PJALS)

WA joins national Families First protests on Saturday

This Saturday is a National Day of Protest in response to the Trump administration's recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cuts funding …

Accurate climate and hydrologic data are essential to managing the Colorado River Basin and forecasting drought. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado officials urge congressional delegates to support public lands

On Tuesday, 20 Colorado officials sent a letter to the state's congressional delegation protesting six cuts to public lands management in the new tax …

An agroforestry project is a partnership between the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Savannah Institute and The University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish four publicly-accessible, educational demonstration sites across southeast Wisconsin. (Michael Fields Agricultural Institute)

Wisconsin nonprofit looks to expand agroforestry project

A Wisconsin nonprofit is working with farmers in Southeast Wisconsin to educate communities about the importance of agroforestry, with plans to …

Nebraska farmers harvested 1.89 billion bushels of corn in 2024, ranking it third highest in the nation, according to the Nebraska Corn Board. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska farmers benefit from tax incentives for corn-based fuel

Despite the elimination of a handful of alternative energy tax incentives in the new federal budget, Nebraska corn farmers will benefit from one that …

Iowa farmers produced 2.63 billion bushels of corn in 2024, making the state the nation's number one corn producer, according to CropProphet. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa corn farmers stand to gain from tax breaks

Despite the elimination of a handful of alternative energy tax incentives in the new federal budget, Iowa corn farmers will benefit from one that was …

Most local public broadcasters cover an average of about 20% of their annual budget through government funding but in smaller states and tribal nations, the figure can be as high as 50%. (Adobe Stock)

Public broadcasting funding cuts could hurt rural Utah communities

State officials are concerned congressional cuts to funding for public broadcasters could hurt dozens of rural communities across Utah. House …

April's Clean Water Lobby Day was held by Oregon Rural Action and the Stand Up to Factory Farms Coalition in Salem. (Oregon Rural Action)

Environmentalists: OR's new groundwater law too diluted to be effective

Environmental groups say Oregon's new groundwater law, meant to curb pollution, has been diluted to the point they can no longer support it. …

In 2022, Iowa exported $1.2 billion worth of corn, ranking the state as the nation's number one corn exporter, according to the U.S. Office of the United States Trade Representative. (Adobe Stock)

Tariff uncertainty rattles Iowa farmers, small businesses

The Trump administration's unstable tariff deadlines and looming trade deals have left Iowa farmers and small businesses feeling uncertain about their…

Northern pike spawning habitats require roughly a foot of water in grassy marshland. (Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Assoc.)

Green Bay collaborations help restore wildlife, wetlands

An effort to restore Northern pike habitat in Green Bay is also benefiting other wildlife species and raising local awareness about the effects of cli…

The shift to cage-free eggs has accelerated after 11 states, including Colorado, set regulations on so-called conventional eggs, and the recent bird flu crisis, which led to the loss of more than 125 million U.S. hens. (Adobe Stock)

'Compassion Calculator' helps CO meat eaters offset animal welfare effects

A new "Compassion Calculator" launched by the charity portal FarmKind aims to help Coloradans who eat meat improve their animal welfare footprints by …

As of 2022, the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in Taos, New Mexico, has reached 100% daytime solar energy, something operators say would not have been possible under their contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Colorado electric co-op goes independent

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

A seed drill used by New Mexico farmers to plant cover crops causes minimal disturbance to the soil. (photo: courtesy NMhealthysoil.org)

Building NM's soil for future farmers a marathon, not a sprint

New Mexico farmers finding it more difficult to grow historic crops are taking up conservation techniques to meet the challenge. Drought, water …

Places like rural Dutch Harbor, Alaska, rely heavily on diesel powered generators for a majority of their power production. (Adobe Stock)

Federal cuts threaten already challenged Alaskan power grid

Despite last-minute concessions in the Trump administration's budget, which removes alternative energy tax incentives, rural Alaska power providers …

Some Pennsylvania farmers benefit from carbon markets or improved efficiency, such as savings on bedding from manure separators or reduced fuel costs from no-till farming. But owners of some smaller farms question the practicality of

PA farmers calculate return on climate-friendly ag practices

By Carolyn Beans for Lancaster Farming.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Keystone State News Connection reporting for the Lancaster Farming-MIT…

More than 85% of the land in Iowa is dedicated to farming. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Iowa farmers diversify crops for future success

Iowa is the nation's number one corn and soybean producer and federal polices are designed to keep it that way but more farmers are moving away from t…

New Mexico homeowners planning to install solar will have to act quickly to take advantage of tax credits soon to be phased out under the

NM renewable energy advocates decry 'herky-jerky' policies

Renewable energy got short shrift in the budget bill passed by Congress last week and a New Mexico trade association said companies and their employee…

Residents along the Guadalupe River say it will take years for the area to recovery from the deadly flooding event on July 4. (Photo courtesy Casey Claiborne)

Texans grieve victims of deadly Hill Country flooding

Tributes and memorials are pouring in for victims of the deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. The storm stalled over the Texas …

In rural America, 3.7 million residents do not drive, making access to such services as medical care especially challenging. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio project helps older adults access medical care beyond county lines

A new AARP grant is helping older adults in Marion County access medical care they cannot find close to home. The $15,000 award is part of AARP's …

Utility providers in rural Alaska are using sources of alternative energy production to overcome the geographical and logistical challenges to getting electricity into some of the most remote parts of the state, seeking to reduce reliance on traditional power distributions systems. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Alaska village banks on alternative energy as economic driver

Despite debate in Washington over ending incentives to help Alaska's smallest places move away from traditional oil and gas-based power generation in …

As the nation's farmers retire, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers could fill the void but their input is needed in developing support programs. A Minnesota group said it was trying to create awareness before a federal grant was abruptly canceled. (Adobe Stock)

MN ag group, promoting local food systems, sues feds over canceled grant

Farm-linked organizations, including one from Minnesota, are ratcheting up legal pressure over canceled federal grants, saying projects designed to …

The Montana Nurses Association said the decision from Providence Health Services to close St. Patrick Hospital's maternity center lacked

Negotiations begin next week on Montana maternity center closure

The multistate Providence Health System announced it will close the maternity center at one of its Montana hospitals in October. Opponents are …

Meals are free to kids in Texas during the Summer Food Service Program. They are paid for by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

TX summer meal programs keep kids fed while out of school

Statistics show one in five children in Texas struggles with hunger. Approximately 10,000 students a day are getting a nutritious meal through the …

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WI solar project invests in rural youth, community

A 100-megawatt solar project in rural Polk County set to begin operating this year has a unique focus on investments in youth. Developers said the …

Nebraska's food insecurity rate of 12.2% is a percentage point higher than the national average, according to an October 2023 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Social service cuts would hobble Nebraska food banks, families

Pending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit cuts could mean large reductions to services that provide meals to Nebraska's most vulnerabl…

The study found 51% of Medicaid recipients connected to small businesses are children of owners or employees. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV small business labor force at risk from Medicaid cuts

A new report says cuts to Medicaid will weaken the small business workforce nationwide, potentially shrinking local economies in rural states like …

In 2023, the Iowa Food Bank provided meals to more than 661,000 families. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed SNAP cuts threaten Iowa families, food banks

Congress is debating a budget bill that could result in significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Those …

Ethanol sales bring in nearly $3 billion to Indiana every year, according to the industry watchdog group, Growth Energy. (Adobe Stock)

IN ethanol industry is robust but criticism is surfacing

A new report questions the sustainability of biofuels. Biofuels, or ethanol, are produced from fermented sugars and starches found in corn and …

Fire is a natural event on landscapes and indigenous people have used prescribed burns to keep forests and grasslands healthy for hundreds of years. (Adobe Stock)

CO aims to reduce catastrophic wildfire risks through prescribed burns

A new Colorado law aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by providing financial protection for trained and certified individuals to safely…

In Wisconsin, 300 farmers participated in the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which funded $4.2 million worth of food to more than 250 pantries. (Adobe Stock)

WI communities grapple to make up for fresh food grant cuts

By Olivia Herken for the Wisconsin Independent.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Wisconsin Indep…

Utilities have invested nearly $700 million in renewable energy projects throughout the last decade across Alaska, from small rural villages to Anchorage, according to The Nature Conservancy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tax incentive cuts could stall rural Alaska deployable power

Potential cuts to alternative energy tax incentives could slow alternative energy distribution in the rural parts of Alaska. Lawmakers in Congress …

A clean energy project in Cuyahoga County will leverage $60 million in federal tax credits and create over 250 jobs, including retraining coal plant workers for solar and battery storage roles, according to Power a Clean Future Ohio. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio groups: Reconciliation bill threatens jobs, schools, energy future

Ohio union and clean energy leaders are urging their U.S. Senators to reject a sweeping reconciliation bill they said would devastate families and …

Among respondents in a Pew Research Center poll who have experienced a major wildfire, 58% made a link to climate change. (Neil Lockhart/Adobe Stock)

Most Americans want assistance after severe weather, but FEMA is under threat

As the Trump administration considers a major overhaul of the nation's leading disaster relief agency, a new poll finds the majority of Americans …

Prairies once covered a significant portion of Wisconsin, but today less than 0.1% of original prairies remain, making them one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. (Adobe Stock)

WI group empowers women to restore prairies, pollinators

June is National Pollinator Month and a local agricultural group which aims to empower women in conservation is bringing awareness to how prairie rest…

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Arkansas farmers sell almost $14 billion in goods annually. (Pawel/Adobe Stock)

Nonprofit: Budget reconciliation bill could affect AR farming

More than 37,000 farmers in Arkansas could be affected by the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" before Congress, according to a sustainable farming …

The University of Minnesota and The Land Institute are among those leading research into developing an earth-friendly grain which can be used for beer. (Adobe Stock)

MN raises a glass to a powerful and sustainable grain

CLARIFICATION: In the initial release of this story, the photo caption included a typo that resulted in an unintentional racial slur. In discussions …

As passed in the House, the tax-cut and spending legislation filed in Congress as the

Utah weighs cost of repealing clean-energy tax credits

The tax-cut and spending proposal known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" would mean big changes to federal policy - changes that, in Utah…

New Mexico's peak fire season is still a week away, but firefighters already are working round-the-clock shifts to battle blazes in the southern part of the state. (swfireconsortium.org)

Forest fires in Southwest NM force evacuations, emergency orders

Forest fires have broken out in parts of New Mexico that state forecasters had already warned would see an elevated wildfire risk this summer due to h…

A parklet is an elevated public space, usually converted from a parking space and used to enhance community experience and support local businesses. (Adobe Stock)

AARP grant funds help enhance WI communities

Eight Wisconsin cities, including four rural communities, will receive improvements to help make their communities more livable. Eleven grantees …

Lawmakers have recently introduced legislation to compensate chicken farmers more fairly as they work to contain avian flu. (Nipawan/Adobe Stock)

Trump’s plan to lower egg prices, explained

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Nutrient management planning has been around for more than 30 years, traditionally developed for farmers by private sector farm co-ops and agronomists. (Adobe Stock)

WI farmer education collab helps save money, environment

A joint effort is helping Wisconsin farmers protect water quality in their communities by learning more about how to prevent manure and fertilizer spi…

Helper, Utah, is a historic coal mining and railroad town in Carbon County. (Sue Smith/Adobe Stock)

Rural Utah mayor advocates for clean energy tax credits

The mayor of a rural Utah town said the clean energy investments and tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act are helping drive economic gro…

If the House budget reconciliation bill becomes law, annual cuts to Medicaid would average more than $70 billion in coming years, the same amount people earning $1 million or more per year would gain in tax cuts each year. (Adobe Stock)

Policy expert warns MO hospitals could suffer under federal cuts

As Congress debates what's being called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, new Congressional Budget Office analysis estimates 16 million Americans - …

Christina Eastman, a fifth-generation farmer who is a co-founder of Farmers Against Foster Farms. Her farm is located next to a proposed CAFO site which has now been blocked. (Kendra Kimbirauskas)

OR farmers block construction of new factory farm

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Oregon News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

In Fiscal Year 2024, Ohio's state-funded food programs created or sustained 292 jobs, supported $11.3 million in income and generated $38.4 million in economic output. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio foodbanks: Funding needed for fresh food with local roots

Ohio food banks are urging state lawmakers to approve what they said is a modest budget increase needed to get more fresh, local produce into the …

Most U.S. states have CAFOs, typically ranging from 100 to 1,000 animals, although a few have fewer than 10. (Lost_in_the_Midwest/Adobe Stock)

CAFO v. factory farm: What’s the difference?

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Missouri News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

Ohio has more than 74,500 farms, about half of which have livestock and the industry provides one of seven jobs in the state, according to the Ohio Livestock Association. (Adobe Stock)

OH farmers consider adopting 'regenerative agriculture' practices

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboratio…

Local leaders from small farming towns often report a dilemma: They want to rebuild local roads to attract businesses and residents but lack the tax base to help fund improvements. (Adobe Stock)

ND eyes improvements for crumbling roads in farming towns

It is not just the weather or commodity prices farmers have to worry about. Many rural communities struggle to keep their roads and bridges in good …

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