Rural Business: Recent Episodes
Rural Business
It’s been a while since we’ve recorded an episode of The Rural Business Show. It’s been a year of change for our business, Nevada Central Media, as we went from publishing one rural weekly newspaper to four.
This episode of the Rural Business Show focuses on the business of small-town news. The challenging environment has seen thousands of rural newspapers close their doors in the last decade. However, community news is not dead, and many publishers have successfully navigated this rapidly changing landscape.
One of those is Vernon Robison, former publisher of the Mesa Valleys Progress. Vernon owned the Progress from 2004 until we purchased it from him just a few months ago. In our conversation, Vernon reflects on his time running the Progress, why he decided to move on after 20 years and the challenges and rewards of the newspaper business.
The post Episode 52: The Rural News Business appeared first on Rural Business.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden announced that USDA is inviting applications for grants to strengthen rural cooperatives that serve and are made up of people who are part of socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas.
USDA is making the $3 million in grants available under the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program to help new and existing cooperatives strengthen their hands-on assistance, like leadership training and strategic planning, to small business owners and agricultural producers. This program is part of USDA’s commitment to ensuring that people of all backgrounds have the resources they need to thrive.
Rural cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers are eligible to apply for grants to provide assistance to rural small business owners and agricultural producers from socially disadvantaged groups. The maximum award is $175,000.
USDA is particularly interested in applications that will advance the Biden Administration’s priorities to:
- Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
- Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects; and
- Help rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
Additional information on these key priorities is available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
Electronic applications must be submitted to grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 3, 2024.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their local USDA Rural Development State Office well in advance of the application deadline to discuss their project and ask any questions about the program or the application process. Contact information for state offices can be found at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
Additional information on how to apply is available on page 22979 of the April 3, 2024, Federal Register.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden announced USDA is accepting applications until May 21, 2024, for funding under the ReConnect Program.
This is the fifth round of funding under the program, which provides loans and grants to bring high-speed internet to the most remote and difficult-to-serve rural and Tribal communities in America.
A total of $700 million is available under four funding categories:
- Up to $200 million is available for loans.
- Up to $200 million is available for loan/grant combinations.
- Up to $150 million is available for grants.
- Up to $150 million is available for grants serving Alaska Native corporations, Tribal governments, colonias, persistent poverty areas and socially vulnerable communities.
USDA is making several program improvements for this round of funding. For instance:
- USDA will award priority points to applications proposing to serve areas in states with
the highest concentrations of Unserved Broadband Serviceable Locations (UBSLs). - Organizations, including Tribes, that can meet robust financial tests will have increased
ability to streamline the required elements in a ReConnect application. - At least 90% of households within a proposed service area must lack sufficient access to high-speed internet, which is now defined as fixed, terrestrial high-speed internet speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload.
Applications must be submitted electronically through the application system at usda.gov/reconnect by 11:59 a.m. ET on May 21, 2024.
More information is available in the Federal Register and on Grants.gov.
The post USDA accepting applications for ReConnect Program appeared first on Rural Business.
Through REAP Technical Assistance Grants, USDA Rural Development offers hands-on assistance to agricultural producers and small business owners applying for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding, which aims to lower energy costs and make energy efficiency improvements in rural areas.
This assistance is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.
Eligible recipients for these grants include state, Tribal or local governments; colleges and universities; electric cooperatives and utility companies; and nonprofit organizations.
Recipients may use the funds to:
- Help rural agricultural producers and small business owners apply for REAP funding.
- Provide information on how business owners and agricultural producers can improve the energy efficiency of their operations and use renewable energy technologies and resources.
- Conduct required energy assessments and audits.
- Help agricultural producers and small business owners with planning construction and development of renewable energy or energy efficiency projects.
- Assist with the completion of environmental reports and/or documentation required for submittal of applications.
Contact Laura Chavez at laura.chavez@usda.gov to learn more or ask further questions.
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Housing continues to be a difficult challenge for rural communities. Often, jobs are unfilled because of a lack of adequate and affordable housing. Attracting builders is a challenge as is an increasing number of units being used as vacation properties.
Rikki EppersonCommunity Rebuilds based in Moab, Utah addresses these challenges by building energy-efficient, affordable homes. The organization has created an innovative social enterprise, building affordable housing by taking several steps to reduce the cost of construction and lowering utility costs.
Rikki Epperson is Community Rebuilds’ Executive Director. She recently joined me to talk about rural housing, what we are getting right or wrong with providing it, and how her organization is contributing to positive change in this important industry.
Photos courtesy of Community Rebuilds
The post Episode 51: Rural Housing appeared first on Rural Business.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that USDA is accepting grant applications for community-driven programs that will help create high-wage jobs and new businesses in underserved rural communities.
The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) program encourages regional, innovation-driven approaches to economic development by funding job accelerator partnerships in low-income and underserved rural communities.
For fiscal year 2024, the program is making approximately $2 million available to partnerships of local governments, investors, industry, institutions of higher education, and other public and private entities in rural areas. The funding may be used to support innovation centers and job accelerator programs that improve the ability of distressed rural communities to create high-wage jobs, form new businesses, and identify and maximize local assets.
USDA encourages applications that serve the smallest communities with the lowest incomes. USDA is particularly interested in applications that will advance Biden-Harris Administration priorities to:
- Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
- Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects; and
- Help rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
The deadline to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, April 1, 2024. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. Potential applicants may submit a concept proposal for review by the agency to Grants.gov no later than 4:30 p.m. local time Feb. 1, 2024.
The minimum award amount per grant is $500,000. The maximum award amount per grant is $2 million.
For additional information, see page 43 of the Jan. 2, 2024, Federal Register.
Applicants are encouraged to contact their nearest USDA Rural Development State Office ahead of the application deadline for more information about the program or the application process.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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With the loss of local news media, rural perspectives are at risk of fading away. Several groups in Minnesota are banding together to change that.
The United States has lost more than two newspapers per week since 2005, according to Northwestern University’s “State of Local News 2023.” Over 200 counties around the country do not have a single news source, and most of those communities are rural. Not only does this make critical information more difficult to access, but it also means rural voices are less likely to be heard on both local and national stages.
Recognizing this threat, communities in Minnesota are working together to host Rural Voice, a series of town halls designed to spark conversation and elevate rural perspectives. At each event, residents convene to discuss rural issues in a conversation moderated by Minnesota Public Radio’s Kerri Miller.
“The exciting thing is the communities come together, and there’s camaraderie there. There’s problem solving. There’s sharing of ideas,” said Teresa McFarland, founder of McFarland Communications, and a creator of Rural Voice. “When we leave, we’ve heard from these communities that the town is still buzzing from what happened.”
The Rural Business Show recently welcomed McFarland and Rural Voice co-creator Tim Penny, president and CEO of Southern MN Initiative Foundation, to get an inside look at the series and find out what they’ve learned after two years of rural conversations.
Building a Platform for Rural Voices
Rural Voice started as a direct response to the need to create dialogue and better understand how today’s issues affect rural populations. “I think rural residents feel undervalued,” Penny said. “A lot of people don’t know about rural and don’t appreciate the degree to which Minnesota isn’t Minnesota without everything that rural brings to the table.”
To get the concept off the ground, Penny approached the state’s rural foundations to join the effort, as well as a handful of funding partners, including Otto Bremer Trust and Compeer Financial. Today Rural Voice partners also include Cherry Road Media, the Center for Rural Policy and Development, and Minnesota Public Radio, which helps broadcast content from the discussions to a broader audience.
“Truth be told, a lot of the listenership for Minnesota Public Radio is metro, and so it’s really getting the rural voice into a metro audience,” Penny said.
The topics are chosen in part by the rural foundations, with input from major funders and partners, as well as series creators. The only requirement is that the discussions highlight issues in which rural communities may have a distinct point of view or face distinct challenges and opportunities. Now in its second year, recent themes for Rural Voice were affordable housing, mental health, workforce issues and entrepreneurship.
“These are not partisan discussions,” McFarland said. “These are real discussions about real issues that are affecting people.”
Conversations that Resonate
The series has proved rural residents have an appetite for discussion and plenty to share. “We’ve learned that communities really appreciate the opportunity to come together around these issues,” Penny said. McFarland added: “The after effects of that I don’t think are going to stop because we left.”
This year, the conversations highlighted how healthcare and broadband access remain among the most pressing challenges faced by rural communities. However, residents also brought an immense amount of creativity, energy and entrepreneurial spirit to address those challenges and others, according to Penny and McFarland. Many of the events highlighted local entrepreneurial efforts and emerging business needs.
“This new economy and the ability to work remotely, it gives some hope for even the smallest of towns,” Penny said. Future discussions may elaborate on how to diversify rural economies, especially as populations grow and change.
And it seems Rural Voice is just getting started. Many other communities have reached out to host their own town halls, and the series has plans to expand beyond Minnesota in future seasons. “There’s lots of things going on outside of metro areas that we need to hear about,” McFarland said. “And it’s exciting for [rural communities] to be able to share their stories.”
Learn More
To tune into past town hall discussions and learn about future events, visit ruralvoice.org.
Listen to the full interview here and connect with listeners of the Rural Business Show on X and Facebook.
The post Capturing America’s Rural Voice: Town Hall Series Empowers Rural Communities appeared first on Rural Business.
A community-based organization called the Arkansas Human Development Corporation (AHDC) is bridging resource gaps in rural communities to help small business owners access resources, grow and innovate.
AHDC was founded 52 years ago to provide workforce development services to farm workers displaced by industrialization. Over the years, the organization has expanded into housing development, entrepreneurship resources, health outreach and more. Today it hosts conferences throughout the state to bring rural business owners together so they can network, learn from each other and access local financial resources and opportunities.
“A lot of times, small business owners just don’t have the time to run their businesses, take care of their employees and products and then go out of the area to seek those resources,” said Clevon Young, executive director of AHDC, on the Rural Business Show. “Community-based organizations stepped in [to close] the gap for them in many instances.”
Young has been with AHDC for nearly four decades. He grew up in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas (population: 9,149), a small rural community on the Mississippi River, where he witnessed rural depopulation in real time. This motivated Young to get involved with community-based organizations making positive change in rural towns like AHDC.
“I now see it as part of my mission and calling,” Young said.
The Power of Collaboration AHDC’s mission is rooted in collaboration and that’s what has made the organization so successful, according to Young. “We try to make certain that we are interactive, that we’re participatory, that we reach out to our community partners and other nonprofit organizations,” he said.
Most recently, the agency hosted the Northwest Arkansas Hybrid Rural Business Development Conference, in partnership with the Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), the Arkansas Business Navigator Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration and FORGE Community Loan Fund. The event brought 20 cross-sector organizations together to share strategies, resources and opportunities with local business owners, who can then bring those ideas and resources back to their communities. After the event, AHDC also provided follow-up media to help generate additional interest.
The conference included a lenders roundtable, featuring a full range of lenders, from traditional to micro to SBA specialty. Representatives discussed strategies for business owners to approach lenders and build relationships, as well as unique, under-the-radar opportunities for funding. “Our whole effort there is to try and build relationships and connections, so that people lose that fear of approaching financial institutions,” Young said.
AHDC events also serve as a platform to help business owners connect, exchange ideas and amplify their reach. For example, the owners of Delta Dirt Distillery, a family-owned vodka distillery in Helena-West Helena, spoke at a past AHDC conference to share their story and best practices with other entrepreneurs. The event helped facilitate new connections for the distillery, which resulted in more foot traffic and tourism around the distillery, local media coverage and more. Now the business is expanding and adding a restaurant next door.
Strategies for Success in Rural Arkansas Based on his experience working in rural communities around the state, Young told listeners the most effective way to empower local businesses is by forming a core team of community leaders who can work on local issues, attend state meetings and seek out resources. This strategy has helped rural communities address infrastructure issues, crime, resource development and community engagement.
“Being collaborative, and being innovative, creative and willing to venture out and bring resources back into the community is a big plus,” he said.
Learn More Visit arhdc.org or call 501-374-1103 to learn more about AHDC’s work in Arkansas and upcoming events.
Listen to the full interview here and connect with listeners of the Rural Business Show on X and Facebook.
Photo Credit: Roberto – stock.adobe.com
The post Bridging the Gap: Connecting Rural Business Owners to Opportunity appeared first on Rural Business.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will host a series of listening sessions this winter. The agencies invite perspectives on the benefits and challenges of the rapidly increasing levels of clean energy being sited on agricultural lands and in rural communities.
USDA and DOE seek feedback directly from a diverse set of stakeholders about what the agencies can do through their leadership, program guidance, or research and information sharing to encourage positive clean energy siting outcomes that benefit farmers, rural Americans, the renewable energy industry and others.
Stakeholders can register to participate in public listening sessions that are available virtually by clicking on the selected date and time:
- Government permitting and policy representatives at state, county, and local levels on Jan. 12, 2024, at 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. ET Government Permitting and Policy Representatives, Register Here
- Agricultural producers on Jan. 16, 2024, at 10 – 11:30 a.m. ET. Agriculture Producers, Register Here
- All stakeholders and members of the public on Jan. 16, 2024, at 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. ET. All Stakeholders, Register Here
- Rural electric coops and clean energy developers on Jan. 17, 2024, at 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET. Energy Organizations, Register Here
Stakeholders may submit written comments by Jan. 20, 2024, to CleanEnergySiting@USDA.gov.
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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced today that it is accepting applications to advance economic development and create jobs for people in rural America.
USDA is making this funding available under the Rural Business Development Grant program to support business opportunities or business enterprise projects in rural communities. Organizations eligible to receive funding include rural towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally recognized Tribes, public colleges and non-profit cooperatives.
Projects must be consistent with local community and economic development strategic plans. They must also support other economic development activities in the surrounding community.
Funds may be used to establish business support centers or to finance job training and leadership development in rural areas. They may also be used to repair or modernize buildings; finance feasibility studies or business plans; or purchase equipment to lease to small or emerging businesses.
In fiscal year 2024, USDA anticipates that part of the funding may be set aside for:
- Federally recognized Tribes.
- Rural Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities/Rural Economic Area Partnerships.
- Projects located in persistent poverty areas.
- Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) projects.
Eligible applicants for the persistent poverty and SECD set-aside funds must demonstrate that 100% of the benefits of an approved grant will assist beneficiaries in the designated areas.
The Department expects to invite applications in winter 2024 for set-aside funding to enhance the operation of rural transportation systems.
USDA is particularly interested in applications that will advance Biden-Harris Administration priorities to:
- Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
- Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects; and
- Help rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
Applications must be submitted to the nearest USDA Rural Development state office where the project is located by 4:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 28, 2024.
For more information, visit Grants.gov or see page 84123 of the Dec. 4, 2023, Federal Register.
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The National Rural Grocery Summit Planning Committee is seeking presentation proposals for the National Rural Grocery Summit on June 24-25, 2024 in Montgomery, Ala.
The summit, held every two years, is billed as “the premier networking and resource-sharing venue for independent grocers and rural food access stakeholders.”
Past presenters have included grocers, researchers, community leaders and many more. Relevant presentations may include stories of partnership to support rural grocery, innovation in rural food access, approaches to building resilience in a small town store, and more.
View more details and instructions to submit a proposal at www.ruralgrocery.org/summit/proposals. All proposals must be submitted online by February 2, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
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WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden traveled to Northfield, Minnesota on Nov. 1 to highlight federal investments in Rural America.
During the visit, Biden announced over $5 billion in new investments from his “Investing in America” agenda – including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Biden, cabinet members, and senior administration officials are visiting rural areas across the country as part of the Investing in Rural America Event Series to highlight how the administration’s investments “are bringing new revenue to farms, increased economic development in rural towns and communities and more opportunity throughout the country,” according to a recent press release.
The over $5 billion in new investments in rural America include $1.7 billion in investments in “climate-smart” agriculture, $1.1 Billion in infrastructure, $2 billion in investments to partner with rural communities to create jobs and support rural-led economic development, $274 million to expand critical rural high-speed internet infrastructure and $145 million to expand access to renewable energy and lower energy costs for rural Americans.
To learn more visit the White House Fact Sheet.
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The bill that decides how America eats is on the table again. Up for renewal is the Farm Bill, a $1.5 trillion package of laws that governs everything from agriculture to rural community development, to nutritional assistance, renewable energy and more. The Farm Bill is reauthorized every five years, with the 2018 version set to […]
The post Farm Bill 101: Inside the Legislation appeared first on Rural Business.
Trevor Bruan of the Elmore Community Trust shares a remarkable story of how the small town of Elmore, Vermont, which has about 850 residents and no stoplight, rallied to save its only General Store and preserve the town’s identity. The Elmore Community Trust also found innovative ways to fund the project and has a hopeful […]
The post Episode 47: A Small Town’s Fight to Save Its Historic General Store appeared first on Rural Business.
Kalee Olson is a policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs and joins Ben Rowley in this episode of the Rural Business Show to discuss some of the Center’s top priorities for the 2023 farm bill and how it will impact rural communities.
Kalee OlsonThe Farm Bill comes up in Congress every five years for renewal and is a comprehensive package of laws that provides funding for agriculture, food, nutrition, rural development, and related programs. It has a significant impact on rural areas and provides funding for a variety of programs that support rural communities.
The Center for Rural Affairs wants to make sure farmers, ranchers, and rural communities have access to farm bill programs and understand how they work.
The post Episode 46: Impact of The Farm Bill appeared first on Rural Business.
The mission of RuralBusiness.com is to prove meaningful content for all those involved in the essential work of building rural economies.
As we look ahead to the new year and determine the best way to deliver on that mission, we need your input. Please take a few minutes to complete our reader survey. Your answers will help us know what topics to focus on and how we can make this website sustainable over the long term.
Take the survey.Thank you for your help and for following RuralBusiness.com!
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The lack of resources — despite billions of dollars available to help — is a familiar paradox for many rural communities. Federal funds have flowed to rural areas since the start of the pandemic, thanks to the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funding […]
The post The Cash Conundrum: How to Make the Most of Government Funding in Rural Communities appeared first on Rural Business.
The American Rescue Plan set aside $7.5 Billion in relief funds for rural healthcare providers. Even as the money was made available, however, many towns across the U.S. were rejecting this and other Federal Relief Funds, “because they couldn’t think of a way to spend it.” Others knew how they wanted to spend it, but […]
The post Episode 45: Rural Strategies for Utilizing Federal Funding appeared first on Rural Business.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is kicking off an effort this month to improve access to billions of dollars of federal funds for rural economic and community development. By the end of May, the Rural Partners Network will station federal field staff in over 25 rural communities to help local leaders secure federal funding for […]
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Homeownership can help break the cycle of poverty, but for many families, it’s just out of reach. In Perry County, Kentucky, where the poverty rate is near twice the national average, a nonprofit called the Housing Development Alliance has set out to close the gap. “We know people all the time succeed in life without […]
The post Housing Development Alliance: Building a Home for the Future of East Kentucky appeared first on Rural Business.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small announced this month that USDA is accepting applications for grants to help farmers and ranchers maximize the value of the items they produce. USDA is making the grants available under the Value-Added Producer Grants program. The grants help agricultural producers […]
The post Grant applications open for farmers and ranchers to access markets appeared first on Rural Business.
Scott McReynolds is the executive director of the Housing Development Alliance (HDA) in Hazard, Ky. The HDA’s programs have helped more than 2,900 low-income people in rural southeastern Kentucky become new homeowners, make home-improving repairs, and break free of debt. The organization builds homes, provides housing counseling to prepare people for homeownership, offers home repair, […]
The post Episode 44: Housing Development Alliance appeared first on Rural Business.
As most entrepreneurs know, starting a business isn’t all that glamorous. The reality is much scrappier — and it often starts with “ugly” reasons, according to serial entrepreneur Meredith Gernigin. Gernigin developed commercial properties in small towns, started and operated three ecommerce businesses, and crowdfunded a small town coffee shop — which she operated for […]
The post Big Start Business: How to Attract an Audience From Anywhere appeared first on Rural Business.
A part-time physical therapist, a plant-based cheese company and an outdoor education program for children may not have much in common on the surface — but all three businesses have benefited from a growing ecosystem of entrepreneurship in rural New Hampshire. The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship has supported entrepreneurs like these in their efforts […]
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Meredith Gernigin is an independent lead generation strategist focused on building small and mid-cap businesses into legacy assets. How? She creates demand with curated, done-for-you marketing tailored to each client’s geographical needs. Her goal? To make businesses worth selling (or passing down) by increasing project leads so they can book and charge more. In the […]
The post Episode 43: Rural Marketing appeared first on Rural Business.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh announced on Jan. 26 that USDA is investing $1 billion to build and improve critical community facilities in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Guam (PDF, 449 KB). This infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and building […]
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A four-day event in Nashville, Tenn. is being billed as “the first major gathering of Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem following the pandemic.” LanchTN’s Innovation Week will include exhibitions of startups, special keynotes, breakout sessions, investor meetings, and legislative meetings. The gathering will be held from March 21st through the 24th and registration is free. The schedule […]
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Rock band Jethro Tull and the Covid pandemic planted the seeds for a budding micro farm in Pittsburg, Kansas (population: 20,646) that is meeting a longstanding need for healthy food access. Leafy Green Farms was founded by Brad Fourby, a Navy veteran and California transplant drawn to opportunity in the Kansas plains. But in a […]
The post This Veteran-Owned Farming Startup Is Building a Food Oasis in Kansas appeared first on Rural Business.
When a rural grocery store owner is ready to move on from the business, finding the right person to take over can often be a challenge. This puts grocery stores, which are often anchor businesses in rural communities, at risk of closing. The Rural Grocery Initiative out of Kansas State Research and Extension is hosting a webinar to discuss this common problem and provide guidance on succession planning.
In an announcement released on Jan. 12, organizers said the webinar “will provide an overview of the succession planning process, including key benchmarks and milestones along the journey.” Presenters include Regena Lance, a grocer who transitioned into a business and is already planning ahead for a future transition. Karl Klein with the Washburn University Kansas Small Business Development Center will also speak. Klein has spent twenty years owning small businesses in western Kansas, which includes the successful transition of two businesses.
The webinar will be Thursday, Jan. 20 at 1:30 p.m. Central time. More information and a registration form are available at https://www.ruralgrocery.org/events/Rural-Grocery-Succession-Planning.html.
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The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship provides the space, tools and connections that innovative entrepreneurs need to build strong businesses, thriving local economies and vibrant communities.
Julianna Dodson is the organization’s Radically Rural Director, and she has gained a wide array of knowledge in some of the struggles that exist in rural communities as well as many of the intricacies that make rural life amazing. Radically Rural builds sustainability and success for rural life through a network that connects people to each other and to new ideas. This effort is headlined by the Radically Rural summit in the early fall that brings together rural entrepreneurs from throughout the United States.
Julianna joins the Rural Business Show to share her experiences as a rural-based professional and how the Center for Entrepreneurship and Radically Rural are impacting rural businesses and entrepreneurs.
Courtesy Photo – A band plays at the Radically Rural conference in Keene, New Hampshire. The post Episode 42: Radically Rural appeared first on Rural Business.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA is deploying $100 million under the new Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program to make available nearly $1 billion in loan guarantees; these loan guarantees will back private investment in processing and food supply infrastructure.
The funding is available through the American Rescue Plan Act.
“The program is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to address food system challenges dating back decades and further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the USDA stated in a news release adding that the investments will help essential processing and supply chain infrastructure that will ultimately deliver more opportunities and fairer prices for farmers, give people greater access to healthier foods, and eliminate bottlenecks in the food supply chain.
“The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities and created extreme disruptions in America’s food supply chain. The reduction in meat processing capacity is just one example of the supply chain bottlenecks that affect small and midsize farmers,” Vilsack said. “Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is investing in ways to improve America’s food supply chain.”
Vilsack added the funding will leverage approximately a billion dollars in public and private-sector investments “that will significantly expand meat and poultry processing capacity and finance critical food supply chain infrastructure.”
Through the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program, USDA will partner with lenders to guarantee loans of up to $40 million to help eligible entities expand meat and poultry processing capacity and finance other food supply chain infrastructure. Lenders may provide the loans to eligible cooperatives, corporations, for profits, nonprofits, Tribal communities, public bodies and people in rural and urban areas.
USDA Rural Development (RD) will administer the loans. Funding may be used to:
- start-up or expand food supply chain activities such as aggregating, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling or distributing food.
- address supply chain bottlenecks.
- increase capacity and help create a more resilient, diverse and secure U.S. food supply chain.
USDA is accepting electronic applications from lenders through the Food Supply Chain Online Application System until funds are expended. Paper applications will not be accepted. To access the online application system, lenders must submit a request to rdfoodsupplychainloans@usda.gov. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/foodsupplychainloans or see the notice published in the Dec. 9 Federal Register.
USDA Rural Development encourages applications for projects that advance the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, promote equitable access to USDA programs and services, and reduce the impacts of climate change on rural communities. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
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Brad Fourby is the Founder of Leafy Green Farms based in Pittsburg, Kansas.
The farm uses shipping containers and vertical hydroponics to deliver hyperlocal vegetables and herbs to area businesses and residents. The farm grows and harvests weekly all year long. Climate does not affect the farm as it grows many specialty herbs and vegetables not normally available to this region of Kansas.
In this episode of the Rural Business Show, Fourby talks about his background and his journey into establishing Leafy Green Farms, including relocating from California to southeast Kansas. We discuss the concept of micro-farming and how it can benefit rural areas. We explore challenges the business has faced and how Brad sees it progressing over the next few years.
Courtesy Photo – A look inside one of the shipping containers owned by Leafy Green Farms. The post Episode 41: Leafy Green Farms appeared first on Rural Business.
Just off the San Juan Highway — a stunning loop through Southwest Colorado — is a cider works on a mission to change the future of hard cider by digging into its past.
EsoTerra is nestled next to the river in Dolores, Colorado (population: 825) in the heart of orchard country. The surrounding area is home to an estimated 6,000 apple orchards, many of which were first planted to feed miners in historic towns like Silverton and Telluride. EsoTerra draws on this heritage by harvesting the regional fruit to produce artisanal, wine-like hard ciders. The cider works features a taproom for customers to learn about and try its unique blends, as well as an onsite food truck with freshly made cider pairings. Located just 30 minutes from Mesa Verde National Park and a two-hour drive from Moab, EsoTerra is quickly becoming a destination for locals and travelers alike.
EsoTerra is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Jared Scott and Elizabeth Philbrick, who took a leap of faith two years ago to combine their passion for cider making with their desire to bring the orchards of rural Colorado back to life. Philbrick recently joined the Rural Business Show podcast to discuss what it’s been like to build a business during the pandemic and how EsoTerra is reviving what it calls “rural America’s drink of choice.”
“We have groups of people that come in and say, ‘Oh man, that cider tastes like what apple juice used to taste like when I was a little kid and grandpa used to press it in the backyard,’ and that’s a lovely feeling … to know you’re making a product that spurs fond memories and is creating new ones,” Philbrick said.
Courtesy photo – An employee at EsoTerra working an apple press. EsoTerra’s ciders are an homage not only to the region but also more broadly to a bygone era before Prohibition, when fermented apple cider was the most consumed adult beverage in rural America, according to Philbrick. With the dawn of industrialized agriculture and centralized production, cider took a backseat to beer for almost a century. Now hard cider is experiencing a resurgence and is one of the fastest-growing adult beverages in the country, alongside hard seltzer. But Philbrick is careful to distinguish what EsoTerra is doing from many of the prominent ciders today, which are often sweet and highly carbonated like soda. Instead, she says EsoTerra’s products are more akin to a traditional American cider, similar to what today’s drinkers would consider wine.
“EsoTerra focuses on the regional apples, the varieties of those apples, and making each apple sing with the right backup dance of yeast,” Philbrick said. The region’s diverse varieties of fruit mean EsoTerra can make a high-quality, flavorful beverage without shipping in fruit, using juice concentrate or relying on artificial flavors. This simplicity is what makes cider a rural beverage, according to Philbrick.
The reality of rural entrepreneurship Philbrick and her husband founded the business to celebrate the heritage of rural Colorado and to build a life that would allow them to spend more time with their two young sons. Scott leads the fermentation process while working a full-time job, and Philbrick runs the business. Despite romanticized ideas of entrepreneurship and breweries, getting the business up and running — while parenting two children under the age of two during a pandemic — has been no small feat.
“People romanticize alcohol,” Philbrick said. “The fun brewery atmosphere with music playing in the background and everyone having a beer at lunch, or the winemaker romantically strolling through the orchards — that is definitely part of the gig, but that’s 2 to 3 percent of the gig.”
Courtesy Photo – EsoTerra co-owner Jared Scott. Since launch, EsoTerra has faced no shortage of challenges. COVID-19 requirements from the governor’s office required EsoTerra to change course just as it was opening its doors to the public for the first time in September 2020. Establishments serving alcohol were also required to serve food. So they partnered to launch a second business.
“We pivoted like a tango dancer late at night and got all sorts of things put in place, and there is now a permanent food truck on our site,” Philbrick said.
They had a few months of solid business, but eventually the pandemic caught up with them. Customers didn’t want to gather indoors, and patio weather in Dolores eventually ended for even the most rugged residents. EsoTerra’s taproom shutdown again in January 2021.
“There was a moment of, ‘Oh my goodness what have we done?’ We put all of our life savings [into this], every credit card is maxed out, money has been borrowed and promised to be given back, we’ve remodeled a building we don’t own, and now we don’t have any customers. And that’s mortifying,” she said.
EsoTerra pivoted yet again and got licensed to ship cider to other states. Philbrick learned how to attract customers online and quickly started shipping nationwide. They used the lull of in-person business as an opportunity to regroup and assess what went well and what could be improved. Philbrick says they have been “bustling ever since” they reopened this spring, crediting the success to their pause last winter.
Advice for Rural Entrepreneurs Despite the challenges, Philbrick still calls it “110 percent worth it” and encourages others who want to start their own businesses in rural areas. She believes now is the time to succeed in rural America, particularly as more people begin to see that they can live in the places they like to vacation, thanks to the expansion of broadband internet and remote work during the pandemic.
Her advice: “Be humble and open your mind to all the things you do not know.”
For Philbrick, the learning curve included everything from SEO optimization to community networking. She credits the mentors from a local business accelerator program for helping EsoTerra get over these hurdles and make the connections necessary to succeed.
Courtesy Photo – EsoTerra co-owners Jared Scott and Elizabeth Philbrick in the tasting room. “We have been extremely lucky in that our community was very supportive,” she said, down to a nearby brewery owner, who shook their hands and welcomed them.
She noted that new business owners in rural areas can come up against a scarcity mindset — the idea that new businesses will crowd out old ones or they will raise the cost of living — but it’s not a zero-sum game, and more businesses attract more people and improve the local economy. Rather than competing with existing businesses, Philbrick encourages business owners instead to focus on how they can contribute to building a local culture that makes their community stand out as a destination.
“If you focus on creating a culture of what’s unique in your area, your business will be unique. Sure you may be selling coffee. You may be selling cider. But if you’re selling cider in Dolores, it’s very different from selling cider in Seattle,” she said.
Learn More To get a taste of the Southwest, visit EsoTerra’s taproom in Dolores or order a bottle online at esoterracider.com.
Listen to the full interview here and connect with listeners of the Rural Business Show on Twitter and Facebook.
The post EsoTerra Cider: Reviving Rural America’s ‘Drink of Choice’ appeared first on Rural Business.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $21 million next fiscal year in water conservation and drought resilience projects in 13 Western states through the WaterSMART initiative.
Farmers, ranchers and communities in Western states continue to face significant drought-related challenges. WaterSMART is a collaboration between the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation that seeks to address these challenges through coordinated investments in drought resilience projects. Since 2011, WaterSMART has helped water users balance water supply and demand by updating aging infrastructure, improving agricultural water conservation and raising awareness about water conflicts.
“Drought is a complex challenge, and our collaboration on WaterSMART is part of our strategic approach to help producers conserve water and build resilience while also bringing important partners to the table. Bringing as many like-minded individuals and groups as possible to innovate together is our best solution for water management in the West,” NRCS Chief Terry Cosby said in a press release.
The $21 million investment will help fund projects in 15 new priority areas and 25 existing priority areas across California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Learn more here.
The post USDA to Invest $21M in Drought Resilience Projects in 2022 appeared first on Rural Business.
Developer Justin Forde often drove through Mapleton, North Dakota, thinking, ‘Here is a town without a downtown.’ The bedroom community has nearly doubled in size over the last decade and is now home to about 1,500 people. It has an 18-hole golf course, and it’s a short drive from Fargo, where many residents commute for work. Yet there was nowhere to grab a cup of coffee. One day, Forde realized: Why not build a town square in Mapleton from scratch?
With that, the Maple River Town Square project was born. The aim of the 6.5-acre development is to create a central gathering space where small businesses can thrive and people can gather, lending to a greater sense of community in Mapleton.
Forde recently spoke about the ongoing project and what it’s like to develop commercial real estate in rural America on the Rural Business Show podcast. “Everybody really embraces it — and that really changes the dynamic — when you look at doing a project in a more rural setting,” Forde said.
Growing up in Tolna, North Dakota (pop: 166), Forde learned to appreciate rural living at a young age. He sees a lot of opportunity in small towns, where services are lacking but entrepreneurial ideas are abundant. “People are in these rural communities that want to start their own businesses and run them, but they need a place to put them,” he said. That’s part of the reason why Forde loves working in small towns — there’s just so much opportunity. It’s also usually easier to navigate zoning rules and regulations, and the cost of land is more affordable. However, rural real estate development certainly isn’t easy, and many factors aligned to make Mapleton the right place to invest.
Courtesy Photo – A look at Phase I of the Maple River Town Square development. Communities Are Built on Relationships and Hard Work One of the most important factors in the success of a rural real estate development is ensuring there is enough local interest and foot traffic to support several small businesses. In the case of Mapleton, Forde was confident the interest was there — the population was growing steadily, it had attracted many young families and it was close to the interstate. But because no downtown buildings existed, the Maple River Town Square had to produce its own foot traffic. Location was crucial. Luckily, Mapleton had a 6.5-acre plot of land available off the main thoroughfare that was both walkable to residential areas and near the interstate.
Beyond finding the right opportunity, Forde says success in rural real estate is contingent on relationship building and hard work. He has been highly involved in getting to know the Mapleton community, including its residents, business owners and local governments. This has not only helped with infrastructure development — Forde is working at the local, county and state levels to get more walking paths, bike trails and roads to the square — but also with recruiting tenants to fill the space. This strategy has helped Forde find the first business tenant, and Mapleton will finally be getting its coffee shop. The first building in the town square is complete, and Muddy Boots Coffee House is set to open soon.
“It’s a different clientele that you’re recruiting,” Forde said. “You have to take time to visit with people and spend more time answering their questions. A lot of times this might be their first small business.” Rural real estate development is as much about construction and financing as it is about finding the right people to “take that leap of faith” with you, according to Forde.
Advice for Rural Commercial Developers Forde gave the following advice to fellow rural developers:
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Find a place with potential. Look for signs of growth or unique benefits that others have overlooked, like an easy commute to a city or natural attractions.
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Prepare for a longer runway. Especially during the pandemic, it can take longer to source materials, get approvals and find tenants.
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Keep rent affordable. Many small business owners are also first-time business owners, and the benefit of locating a business in a smaller community is finding more affordable real estate.
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Lastly, don’t forget the value of relationships and hard work. It goes a long way toward capital raising and understanding what kinds of businesses will be successful in a community. “Nothing that’s going to be great in a small community is going to be easy,” Forde said. “It’s still a challenge. It still takes relationships and hard work — all of those qualities that we love about rural America.”
Learn More
To follow Forde’s progress, connect with the Maple River Town Square Project on Facebook or visit mapletontownsquare.com.
Listen to the full interview here and connect with listeners of the Rural Business Show on Twitter and Facebook.
The post Meet the Developer Building a Rural Downtown From Scratch appeared first on Rural Business.
The U.S. Department of Energy on Sept. 15 launched a pilot program that aims to help up to 36 communities transition to clean energy, improve local environments and create jobs.
The Communities: Local Energy Action Program, or Communities LEAP, will provide $16 million in support services to low-income communities with ties to fossil fuel industries or environmental hazards. Participating communities will work with DOE experts to identify and develop economic pathways for clean energy development. Support is earmarked for communities seeking assistance with one or more of the following:
- Large-scale clean energy projects
- Microgrids, or backup power sources for grid emergencies
- Job creation in fossil fuel communities
- Clean transportation
- Building energy efficiency
- Clean energy supply chain improvement
Applications for Communities LEAP are due December 17, and winners will be announced next March. Learn more about the initiative and how to apply here.
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