The Rural Blog

A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire, require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to benjy.hamm@uky.edu.

The Rural Blog

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New study helps explain why rural Americans die younger: chronic ills, food deserts, health-care access, outmigration

Forest Service will close 57 of 77 research facilities. Critics warn closures threaten wildfire research.

Silicone wristbands can monitor exposure to 'forever chemicals' over time

USDA can remediate 'forever chemical' pollution on U.S. farmlands, new study shows

Most stakeholders, lawmakers don't support USDA restructuring plan

The cicadas are here. Their emergence is the 'biggest insect event on the planet.'

Retelling the history of land-grant universities and sharing their contributions is key to their survival

Rural elders are estimated to endure much more abuse than what is reported. Protecting them comes with speaking up.

Rural round-up: USDA plan to lower egg prices; cuts to rural education research; relief payments to farmers; USFS firings

Less for more: Grocery prices have increased 25% since 2019, according to an NPR analysis

Drinking raw milk can cause humans to contract diseases and infections, but the risks may not tell the full story

How to support rural education: Rural researchers explore challenges and address solutions

Rural Mirages: Shattered newspapers and ‘ghosts’ with little local news, but some communities have spunky startups

Young heavy drinkers are more likely to carry handguns

News-media roundup: Ark. sunshine; Okla. local-news study; week-long series on Neb. paper's role in community

Chronic absenteeism in schools in 2021-22 was nearly twice as high in 2018-19, the last year before the pandemic

Many rural communities need more than a fast download connection; they need more upload speed, study finds

Texas A&M study, supported by Texas Pecan Board, says pecans help prevent obesity and many other health issues

Excess deaths, those above the expected numbers, grew in pandemic Year 2 despite vaccines; rural vax rate blamed

Are current heatwaves evidence that climate change is speeding up? The Economist tries to answer the question