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

PAGES

Pennsylvania's state farm bill could serve as a blueprint for other states

Farm-to-prison programs can provide inmates with healthier food, support area farmers and cut some state food costs

Rural communities need to find affordable child care solutions to support sustainability and growth

GOP-led N.C. legislature expands Medicaid, still may dicker with Democratic governor; other states seeing action

When teachers miss school, finding substitute teachers is an increasing challenge that needs a closer look by journalists

Teacher shortage leaves many rural and minority students without teachers, as administrators struggle to fill positions

Maine has ambitious broadband plan for fiber-optic internet service for 'everyone who wants it' by the end of 2024

States' cuts in higher-education budgets wind up limiting rural students' opportunities at small-town universities

Pandemic roundup: Shots could have prevented 234K Covid-19 deaths; decade of public preschool gains erased

Pandemic may have skewed census recounts; towns that stand to lose funding can request recount starting this week

See how far American Rescue Plan aid goes in your state

After legislature balks, Mo. governor breaks promise to back Medicaid expansion approved by 53% of voters last year

Wyoming budget hammered by coal decline, pandemic-spurred drop in oil and gas production and prices

Coronavirus slams state budgets; it's unclear how much federal stimulus will help offset reduced revenue

An aging America could present problems for rural areas

Rural and poorest states depend most on census counts for federal funding; census awareness campaigns may help

Wildfires inspire idea: charge rural folks more for electricity

Amid bumper soybean and corn crops, some Iowa farmers are looking at fourth straight year of losses

Expensive wildfire season triggers proposed budget cuts that would hurt rural Montana

Wildfires hit recreation spending in rural areas