More women veterinarians are needed to fill gaps in rural care, but they face issues with sexism and gender pay gaps

Dr. Bailey Lammers courtesy photo

Like many rural workforces that were once male dominated, female veterinarians face sexism and salary discrepancies even though they are now filling many of the shortages in veterinary care. Dr. Bailey Lammers "started her veterinary career nearly a decade ago in her home state of Nebraska where she joined a minority of women practicing in rural areas. At first, Lammers said clients were hesitant about her ability to care for their livestock," reports Lilley Halloran of Harvest Public Media. Lammers told Halloran, "There would be times where they would call in and be like, 'I don't want the female.'"

"Being part of a traditional family and a veteran of the Air Force, Lammers said she hardened herself to criticism from men and eventually built a list of supportive clients," Halloran reports. "Lammers' experience as a veterinarian reflects a national trend. In 2009, the number of women practicing veterinary medicine grew to outnumber men and has only risen since. . . . But experts say rural veterinary spaces are still largely dominated by men."

Clint Neill, a veterinary economist at Applied Economics Consulting, said, "Farming and ranching is a male-dominated field, and as a result, women veterinarians are unlikely to locate in rural practices and even less likely to own them," Halloran adds. "Neill also pointed out a pay gap among veterinarians who own their practices, with male owners making up to $100,000 more than their female counterparts."

Dr. Tamara Hancock, an assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine, believes that "discrimination based on gender is the only explanation for the lingering gap in wages," Halloran reports. "Experts warn more veterinarians are needed across the board. . . . Lammers anticipates even rural industries are bound to be dominated by women soon, given the high number of women entering veterinary schools."

Lammers told Halloran, "Whether the older generation likes it or not, we're going to need everybody to help, you know, raise animals and keep them healthy and keep our food supply healthy."

Florida lawmakers work to ban local governments from implementing temperature protections for outdoor workers

Summer temps in Florida are regularly in the 90s.
(Photo by Xavier Coiffic, Unsplash)

Some Florida lawmakers are working to pass a bill that removes temperature protection regulations for employees. That same bill also would ban local "living wage" ordinances, which create higher minimum wage standards than the state requirement. "A measure that will ban local governments from passing heat-protection ordinances inspired strong emotions from the public . . . ," reports Mitch Perry for the Florida Phoenix. "The bill also eliminates living wage ordinances that require companies that receive government contracts to pay their employees more than the state's minimum wage (currently $12 an hour)."

This past fall, the Miami-Dade County Commission had planned a vote on a local ordinance that "would protect outdoor workers in the agriculture and construction industries, which, if passed, would be the first law of its kind in the South," Perry adds. "That proposal was introduced after at least two farmworkers died from excessive heat in South Florida earlier last year."

The Florida chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors pushed back against the local heat protection ordinance, saying regulation "inconsistencies" could cause more accidents. Meanwhile, local businesses "lined up behind the provision that would prohibit cities and counties from creating 'livable wage' ordinances for their contractors and subcontractors," Perry explains. "[These] ordinances are now in effect in 11 local governments in the state to combat higher living costs."

North Miami-Dade County Democratic Rep. Dotie Joseph "blasted the proposal, saying that her GOP colleagues were being negligent in taking away Miami-Dade's or any other local government's ability to protect outdoor workers," Perry reports. Joseph told reporters, "When local governments try to do something about it so that it doesn't happen again, here we show up at the state level and say, 'no, we don't mind a couple of more people dying.' That's basically what we're saying, functionally. So we're okay with workers dying."

Opinion: Decreasing the junk food U.S. kids eat might be as simple as bold warning labels on front of packaging

Photo by Markus Spiske, Unsplash

Want American children to eat less unhealthy food? Put big warning labels on it. "The U.S. can learn from Chile, another high-income country that grapples with nutrition and health problems. In 2016, as part of a comprehensive law to prevent further increases in childhood obesity, Chile became the first country to implement warning labels on foods high in nutrients of concern, including most ultra-processed products," writes Lindsey Smith Taillie in her opinion for The Wall Street Journal. The front of the package warning label is shaped like a stop-sign and includes "text cautioning consumers that the product is high in sugar, sodium, saturated fat or calories."

Once put on store shelves, the bold black and white labels produced striking results. "Calories consumed from consumer purchases of products with warning labels dropped by 24%, with similar results for sugar and other ingredients," Taillie writes. "The law also spurred the food and beverage industry to reduce the amount of sugar and sodium in many of their products, leading to a healthier food supply."

Other South American countries have adopted similar labeling regulations. In addition, countries such as Chile and Peru "restrict the use of cartoons, characters, or other techniques that appeal to kids on any product carrying a warning label," Taillie explains. 

The U.S. food industry has rejected labeling as redundant, expensive and bad for business, but Chile's results do not support those claims. "A team of researchers found the laws had little to no effect on wages, employment, or profits in the food and beverage industry sector," Taillie writes. "Importantly, researchers found the law also had no effect on food prices, even for products that were reformulated."

Norman Lear's success removed rural America from mainstream TV; 'All in the Family' marked the end of an era

Photo via The Daily Yonder

Rural American life once played center stage for network TV shows, but as the 1960s drew to a close, a new type of comedy -- built around cities and more urban characters -- took rural TV's place at the top, reports Jeffery H. Bloodworth of The Daily Yonder. "Fifty-three years ago, Norman Lear's breakout hit, "All in the Family," aired on CBS. It touched an immediate nerve. An instant hit, the program became the nation's most-watched television show of its era. But Lear's legacy is more complicated for rural Americans. His 1971 rise signaled the demise of rural America on network television."

Lear's "All in the Family" used more topical humor that poked fun at the country's post-1960s culture wars. Lear followed up his 1971 success with shows like "Good Times," "The Jeffersons," and "Sanford and Son," all of which "were defined by their urban settings, realism, and topical humor," Bloodworth writes. Rural-themed shows such as "Hee Haw" and "Green Acres" were canceled in the" 'rural purge'. . . . Norman Lear marked the end of an era."

In the 1960s, U.S. cities grew exponentially, as did the popularity of rural TV comedy. Explaining why country humor was so popular, Sara K. Eskridge, a historian who authored Rube Tube: CBS and Rural Comedy in the Sixties, told Bloodworth, "I think they provided a sense of soothing. They were set in contemporary times. But they were focused on friendships. You don't see conflict. . . . Nostalgia works great for this. The future was in the city, and when people think 'rural,' they think of the past."

Despite efforts to end it, daylight saving time begins in most states on March 10; having an adjustment plan helps

Photo by Lukas Blazek, Unsplash

U.S. states are still trying to decide if daylight saving time is a needed ritual, reports Claire Moses of The New York Times. "Oregon's state senate failed to advance a bill that would have abolished daylight saving time in most of the state. . . . In Idaho this week, a bill was introduced to get rid of daylight saving time, and there is a similar bill in front of California's Assembly."

Although manyAmericans feel daylight saving time is a nuisance or even harmful, the practice has been hard to uproot. "According to polls over the years, most Americans don't like changing the clocks twice a year, and the days after the switch can be a turbulent time for public health," Moses writes. "Daylight saving time still has some supporters, especially among business advocates who argue it helps bolster the economy."

Debates aside, most states still observe daylight savings time, with 2024's spring switch on Sunday, March 10. Studies show the days following the spring bump forward an hour are riddled with short-term increased risks of heart attacks, stroke, traffic accidents, emergency room visits, and mood disturbances," reports Eric Suni for the Sleep Foundation. "A lack of sleep caused by the time change can affect thinking, decision-making, and productivity."

Preparation can help mitigate some of the risks and health struggles caused by moving our clocks an hour ahead. "These problems arise because the switch to and from daylight saving time alters your normal pattern of daylight exposure," Suni explains. "This change can throw off your body's circadian rhythm, the internal clock that helps control sleep and many other biological processes. Developing a plan to cope with the time change can reduce its impact on your sleep and overall wellness."

Suni's coping plan suggestions are outlined below.

• During the week of the time change (next week), move your wake-up time a bit earlier, inching toward your new "wake-up" hour. Move exercise and meal time as you gradually change your schedule.
• Get the best and the most sleep you can in the days before March 10. Meditation and relaxation techniques may help you go to bed earlier and still sleep well.
• Before heading to bed on March 9, move your watches and clocks ahead an hour. That way, you'll wake up at the correct time, which can prevent morning frustrations like showing up to brunch an hour late.
• Once you've "sprung" forward, do your best to get the most sunlight possible. More sunlight will help your internal clock reset to the new time.
• Should you need help to adjust to the change, don't pack your schedule on the week following March 10. Avoid long drives, and consider sneaking in a nap. Eat a healthy diet and avoid caffeine products in the evening.

Farming quick hits: Native Americans are regaining access to land; the best wire cutters; two sisters run this sawmill

Landback.org image

Alongside American colonial expansion during the 1800s came the decimation of many Native Americans' lands and food sources. "Native peoples fought off settler and military encroachment of their hunting, fishing, and gathering territories. Their lifeways — and foodways — were hugely altered and restricted," reports Kate Nelson of Civil Eats. "The Land Back movement is helping communities regain access to both food and land. . . . In Montana, for example, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes now oversee 18,000 acres where bison roam once again. In Nebraska, the Ponca people have been growing their sacred corn on farmland signed back to them in 2018."

Farmer Mahoney liked the strong
cuts and comfy grips.

Doug Mahoney raises sheep, cows and pigs and spends a lot of time fixing fences. "This can mean days at a time of snip, snip, snip," Mahoney writes. "I tested 13 pairs of wire cutters for Wirecutter. . . . I used them to make hundreds upon hundreds of cuts through wire, hardware cloth, and even nails. At the time, I chose the Channellock E337CB Diagonal Cutting Pliers as the best. . . .Since then, they have become one of the most important tools I own."

Meatpacking industry concentration increased during the 1980s and 1990s as producers shifted to larger plant operations. The industry's consolidation "raised questions about competition, particularly as it related to prices paid for cattle and hogs," writes James M. MacDonald in his essay for Amber Waves. "With fewer firms competing with one another, would packers be able to reduce the prices they paid to farmers and ranchers compared with a world with more (and smaller) competing firms? On the other hand, those fewer firms also had lower processing costs, which they could pass on to beef and pork consumers."

Sisters Mary Haag, left, and Nancy Kieffer took over
the sawmill 28 years ago. (Photo by Jacob Moyer, LF)

Sisters Mary Haag and Nancy Kieffer have been operating Moyer's Sawmill in Bernville, Pennsylvania, for 28 years. "The pair took it over from their father, Ray Moyer, whose father and uncle started the business around 1903," reports Dan Sullivan of Lancaster Farming. "The sisters set about running the place, eventually with help from their spouses, initially doing their own logging and cutting everything from 1-by-4s to large custom pieces — up to 34 feet (though they don't necessarily like to advertise that) — for timber-frame homes, barn restorations and the like." 

Known as twilight farmers, some agricultural operators lack an heir, leaving them wondering who will manage their land, equipment and animals once they're gone. But farmers can work to settle out agreements before they pass, reports Lisa Foust Prater for Successful Farming. Forming a corporation and a select type of trust is one answer, but planning is the biggest key to keeping the farm operating.

UNMC CS-Cash photo via Farm Progress

ATVs, UTVs and even golf carts can be farmland workhorses. But like all farming machinery, driving vehicles on a busy farm requires extra care around buildings, animals and workers. "In 2023, there were 291 ATV and 27 UTV fatalities in the U.S., with many of these related to work in agriculture," Ellen Duysen of Farm Progress reports. "In 2019, ATV incidents resulted in an estimated 95,000 emergency room visits." To reduce the risk of injury, death and possible liability, read her guidelines here.

U.S. dairy herd growth hits a 22-year low; breeding for beef operations offers significantly higher profit margin

Amid worldwide cheese and beef consumption increases, there's a hiccup in the American supply chain -- beef production is hampering dairy growth because there aren't enough heifers. "Dairy herd expansion is unlikely to occur quickly as the beef industry continues to bid up for young stock and dairy heifers remain in short supply," reports Fran Howard of the Daily Herd. "Dairy producers can make more money breeding for beef operations than they can producing heifers for their own farms or their neighbor's operation, according to Sarina Sharp, an analyst with the Daily Dairy Report."

Dairy producers profit from raising crossbred bull calves.
(Photo by Maureen Hanson via Dairy Herd)

The profit margins on livestock reflect the shortage. Howard reports, "At a late-January livestock auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, cattle feeders paid an average of just over $414 for newborn Holstein bull calves, the highest price in eight years. But dairy-beef crossbred calves brought a whopping $675/head at the same auction, and crossbred heifer calves commanded a similar price."

For dairy-cattle producers, the profit difference is dramatic. Sharp told Howard, "If this margin holds, a 1,000-cow dairy that produces crossbred bull calves can expect to earn about $100,000 more in 2024 than it would selling Holstein bull calves. High beef calf prices are sending a clear signal to the dairy industry to make more beef calves and fewer dairy heifers. And the industry is listening."

The Department of Agriculture estimated that on Jan. 1, there were 4.059 million dairy heifers. "While that was only a 0.35% drop from 2023's steep decline, the decline still marks the smallest heifer inventory in 20 years, according to Sharp's calculations," Howard explains. "Sharp noted that just 2.59 million heifers are likely to calve and enter the dairy herd in 2024, by far the lowest inventory in USDA's 22 years of projections."

Sharp told Howard, "Waning heifer inventories will ensure that growth in the U.S. dairy herd will be slow and costly. If the industry develops an appetite to expand, already lofty heifer values will shoot upward, raising the cost of filling a new barn. The increasing popularity of crossbreeding suggests that the heifer shortage will continue for years, reducing how quickly the industry can respond to high milk prices." 

Wealthier, more metro residents have access to local news, while lower-income communities often live in news deserts

Medill Local News Initiative map, from Local News Initiative data

As local news outlets dwindle, lower income residents are more likely to live in a news desert than wealthier residents, who are more likely to live near or in a metro area. "The State of Local News Project at Northwestern University documents the changing local news landscape across the country. Our latest report shows that where you live and how much money you make affect whether you live in a news desert or a news oasis," reports project director Sarah Stonbely for The Conversation, a journalistic platform for academics. "This divide is related to other factors affecting the health of our democracy, as analysis of our data by the nonprofit Rebuild Local News showed."

The expansion of news deserts means areas have no outlets reporting on local news or civic meetings that help residents stay informed and involved in the democratic process. Regional news revenue has shrunk as social media has taken chunks of advertising dollars without investing in local communities.

Without ad revenue, "Many outlets rely on audience funding, philanthropy, cost-cutting or some combination of the three," Stonbely explains."In communities with little disposable income for news subscriptions or donations and no local philanthropies, cost-cutting becomes the only option. This creates a self-reinforcing spiral of lower quality and declining readership and, ultimately, closure."

Right now, the determining factor between news haves and have-nots is money. Stonbely writes, "Wealthier communities do better sustaining local news organizations. . . . An example is the Moab Sun News, which is thriving in the rural rocky highlands of Utah, thanks in part to a robust tourism industry and retail base. Though it serves a relatively small permanent population of 5,321, the Moab Sun News has built a sustainable business model."

For some news outlets, the current market is not sustainable. "All told, 1,558 of the nation's 3,143 counties have only one news outlet, while 203 are news deserts with zero, meaning there are likely thousands of communities that simply do not have access to local news," Stonbely reports. "For example, Texas and Tennessee had four counties lose their only remaining newspaper last year. All eight papers were independently owned."

Despite the tough market, ways to help sustain local journalism -- especially in challenging markets are emerging. Collaboration is one way. "In Colorado, the national nonprofit news outlet The Daily Yonder has hired a reporter based in a rural community to write stories about life there and share them out with both local and national organizations," Stonbely reports. Another option is philanthropic support. "Public policy should also play a role. At the state level, policies to support local news have seen success in New Jersey, California and elsewhere, and more bills are working their way through state legislatures."

Americans haven't spent this much of their money on food in decades, and relief is not coming anytime soon

Wall Street Journal graph, from Department of Agriculture data

If you feel like your grocery bill is gobbling up more of your paycheck, it's not your imagination. "The last time Americans spent this much of their money on food, George H.W. Bush was in office and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" was in theaters," report Jesse Newman and Heather Haddon of The Wall Street Journal. "Eating continues to cost more, even as overall inflation has eased from the blistering pace consumers endured throughout much of 2022 and 2023. Prices at restaurants and other eateries were up 5.1% last month compared with January 2023, while grocery costs increased 1.2% during the same period, Labor Department data show."

Why is this happening, and when will it end? Food costs increased as inflation spiked up prices across the board, but even as other costs ease, food costs will likely keep their post-inflation era price tags. Steve Cahillane, chief executive of snack giant Kellanova, told the Journal, "If you look historically after periods of inflation, there's really no period you could point to where [food] prices go back down. They tend to be sticky."

To lessen pocketbook drain, "Many diners have said they are going out less frequently or skipping appetizers, while buying cheaper store brands more frequently at supermarkets and seeking out promotions or deals offered via apps," Newman and Haddon write.

Still, many food companies are seeing profits dip based on higher commodity prices for sugar, tomatoes and cocoa and increased labor costs. The Journal reports, "Companies are set to pay more for staffing after 22 states lifted the minimum wage for hourly workers in January." 

One kernel of good news is that some peak prices may come down. Newman and Haddon explain, "Although it is rare for food prices to retreat, it is also unusual for prices to skyrocket as much as they have in recent years, said TD Cowen analyst Robert Moskow. He said he expects grocery prices to decline for a period this year as food makers come under pressure from consumers and retailers."

One alternative to the housing shortage crisis is to build really small homes and reduce costs

The view from the front entrance of a small home. 

(Photo by Ivan McClellan, The New York Times)

Once relegated to the world of socks, compression has come to the housing world. "Thanks to soaring housing prices, the era of the 400-square-foot subdivision house is upon us," reports Conor Dougherty of The New York Times. "This is not a colony of 'tiny houses,' popular among minimalists and aesthetes looking to simplify their lives. . . . It's a chance to hold on to ownership."

Ten years ago, the housing market was booming, making home ownership for a roomy 3-bedroom out of reach for many people. In response, "Home builders have methodically nipped their dwellings to keep prices in reach of buyers," Dougherty explains. "The downsizing accelerated last year when the interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage reached a two-decade high, just shy of 8 percent."

The period of mega-square-foot homes might be giving way to the not-so-big house. "A move toward smaller, affordable homes — in some cases smaller than a studio apartment — seems poised to outlast the mortgage spike, reshaping the housing market for years to come and changing notions of what a middle-class life looks like," Dougherty writes. 

Some state and local governments are working to encourage the "great compression" by making construction more doable. "To reduce housing costs, or at least keep them from rising so fast, governments around the country have passed hundreds of new bills that make it easier for builders to erect smaller units at greater densities," Dougherty reports. "Some cities and states — like Oregon — have essentially banned single-family zoning rules.

All creatures: Thousands of boar hybrids; loss for Cajun cooking; the better animal spy; is too much bacon possible?

A herd of boars roaming through a forest.
(Photo by Rolf Scmidbauer, Unsplash)

With thick fur to guard against stifling cold, keen minds and tusks as sharp "as steak knives," wild boar hybrids are "raising hell on the Canadian prairies," reports The Economist. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. When Canadian pig farmers were told in the 1980s that their animals' gene pool was thin, they turned to wild boars from Britain for fortification. . . . In 2001, the boar-meat market plunged. Some farmers, unable to sell their stock, simply released their hybrid pigs into the wild. . . .Today, those pigs' descendants roam the Canadian prairie provinces, a horde some 62,000 strong."

From East Texas to Louisiana's Acadiana region beats the heart of Cajun cooking, where recipes are usually chockablock full of boiled crawfish. But this year, Procambarus clarkii, also known as the red swamp crawfish, crayfish, mudbugs or crawdads, is not affordable for most. Its price is up nearly 500%. "Drought and last winter's hard freeze forced crawfish spawn die-offs ahead of their ongoing harvest time," reports Xander Peters of National Geographic. "The shock felt throughout the U.S. crawfish market is absorbed by its blue-collar producers and restaurant owners, as well as folks working in processing plants, deshelling crawfish, and delivery-truck drivers."

Photo by Marco Ugarte, AP

Crawfish aren't the only species having a hard time surviving extreme weather. The annual survey of monarch butterflies "found the second-lowest number of monarchs on record," reports Jenny Peek of Wisconsin Public Radio. "Monarch populations are extremely sensitive to high heat and drought — both of which are becoming more common with climate change. Habitat loss is also a major contributing factor to the species' decline."

 

Understanding chicken life and egg cartons
can be perplexing. (Unsplash photo)

Do happier chickens mean better eggs? Maybe. Read here to find out what kind of "wide open spaces" chickens like and what "label" is the best chicken environment. Still, even with that information, you may need help deciphering the egg carton. Read here to decode egg carton descriptions.

We have too much bacon. Whaattt? Bacon fans might be shocked, but talk to a U.S. pork producer, who will confirm that the nation has more pork than it can eat. "From giant processors to the farmers, they've made production so efficient that demand can’t keep up with supply," reports Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. "In search of solutions, farmers and processors are looking at everything from new overseas markets to fattier, tastier pigs."

Pigeons are better spies.
(Photo by Rorhof via NG)

Not all spies are Jason Bourne or Ethan Hunt. Some have fur, and others have feathers. But which is better? "Amid the high stakes and desperation of the Cold War, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency faced a perpetual espionage challenge: access," writes Christian Elliott of National Geographic. "How do you get a spy inside the secure inner sanctum of a foreign head of state. . . .You send in a feline spy. The CIA called the operation 'Acoustic Kitty.'" Spying kitties didn't share the CIA's agenda. "To find a more promising animal secret agent candidate, the CIA needed look no further than Acoustic Kitty's natural enemy: birds. Specifically, the humble pigeon." 

Human actors might learn a trick or two from this smart, charismatic group.
(Anheuser-Busch photo, AP via The Wall Street Journal)

The Super Bowl might be over, but this herd still deserves applause for elegance, a spot-on performance, and getting beer delivered to a small town in need. It's the famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses. "Less known is their reputation as perhaps the most consummate professionals on the advertising circuit," reports Katie Deighton of The Wall Street Journal. "Industry veterans who shoot commercials consider working with the horses a career pinnacle, like a movie director who finally gets to direct Meryl Streep." 

Half of rural hospitals lose money; consultancy estimates 418 could close, citing Medicare Advantage as big issue

Map by Chartis Center for Rural Health, labeled by The Rural Blog

Rural hospitals are in more trouble than ever, and 418 of them are “vulnerable to closure,” according to a study of their finances by Chartis, a Chicago-based health-care consultancy that specializes in tracking the business of rural health. (Here's its list of top 100 rural and community hospitals.)

The Chartis Center for Rural Health says rural hospitals are entering "a startling new phase of this crisis as rural hospitals fall deeper into the red, 'care deserts' widen throughout rural communities, and the increasing penetration of Medicare Advantage could further disrupt rural hospital revenue."

The top warning signal cited in the study is that half of rural hospitals are losing money, up from 43 percent a year ago. That news is especially bad for independent rural hospitals, 55% of which are in the red, while only 42% of rural hospitals affiliated with groups are operating at a loss. "Nearly 60% of rural hospitals are now affiliated with a health system," Chartis reports.

Most people on Medicare now have Medicare Advantage, private insurance plans that get lump sums from Medicare to cover members and look for ways to attract customers while limiting claims. "Medicare Advantage now accounts for 35% of all Medicare-eligible patients in rural communities," Chartis reports, saying Advantage plans' share of rural residents has risen 48% since 2019. 

Chartis map, labeled by The Rural Blog; click to enlarge

That's a problem for rural hospitals designated as "critical access" because Medicare Advantage plans' net reimbursement to such hospitals "is often lower for similar services than that of traditional Medicare because Medicare Advantage does not follow cost-based reimbursement" as traditional Medicare does for such hospitals, Chartis reports. Insurance companies negotiate those rates with hospitals, and in many rural areas, hospitals are at a negotiating disadvantage because few insurers operate in their service areas.

Also, "Medicare Advantage may not cover all the services traditional Medicare does, including swing beds, which provide skilled nursing care for patients and are often a strong source of revenue stability for rural hospitals," Chartis notes. "Rural providers may not be equipped to efficiently navigate administrative requirements for payment introduced by Medicare Advantage, such as prior authorizations, which can lead to increased denials."

Since 2010, "167 rural hospitals have either closed or converted to a model that excludes inpatient care," Chartis says. The firm says its estimate that 418 are “vulnerable to closure” is based on "a new, expanded statistical analysis" of their finances, gleaned from cost reports they file with Medicare.

Rural sheriff and prosecutor offices in Texas are awarded $125 million to bolster staffing and equipment needs

Map of criminal legal deserts in Texas.
(SMU Dedman School of Law map)

To address law enforcement and prosecutorial staffing and pay shortages, Texas has awarded $125 million to rural offices that need more trained professionals, increased wages and new equipment to serve their communities, reports Carlos Nogueras Ramos of the Texas Tribune. Commenting on the funds, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said, "These rural grant programs will help law enforcement offices across this state get the additional financial tools they need."

The grant was made available to communities with populations less than 300,000, and once offered, "94% of eligible sheriff's offices applied for money. Nearly 86% of eligible prosecutor's officers applied, the comptroller said. The comptroller awarded grants to 224 sheriff's offices and 138 prosecutors' offices," Ramos writes. "Rural law enforcement can apply for the grant again in 2025."

In rural Texas, prosecutors' offices have struggled to compete with metro areas to recruit and retain attorneys. "The money is a start to reverse a long-term decline of prosecutors in rural Texas counties, said Pamela Metzger, executive director at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law," Ramos reports. "Less than one percent of lawyers practiced criminal defense law in rural parts of Texas."

The lack of attorneys means rural defendants wait longer to see a public defender, which can lead to more time sitting in jail. "Metzger said that an individual accused of a crime in a major city typically has a guaranteed public defender representing them in court within a day." She told Ramos, "If you live anywhere else, you'll have to wait 72 hours or maybe a weekend, just because of where you live."

Reeves County, pop. 14, 800, will
continue to face staffing shortfalls.
(Wikipedia map)

For law enforcement offices, the added funds will help but not solve their staffing woes. Michael Lazcano, a chief deputy at Reeves County, said, "Money is one part of the equation. He said that law enforcement agencies, especially rural ones, will continue to grapple with recruitment," Ramos reports.

A 2022 study by the Department of Justice "found that recruiting has been a persisting challenge for sheriff’s offices. The number of full-time, sworn officers — 174,000 — has not increased since 1997."

Rural Mainstreet economy reports negative growth for the sixth month in a row

Economic challenges have led to below growth neutral
survey results. (Photo by L. Pound, The Packer)

Last summer, the Rural Mainstreet Index showed good economic growth. But after June 2023's high point of 56.9 on the 100-point scale, the survey's 10-state region reported continued decreases, with September marking the first month below growth neutral at 49.5 -- the term used for a "neutral" growth score of 50. The downward trend has continued over the past six months," reports The Packer, which covers the fresh produce industry. 

Ernie Goss, the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University issued a press release explaining the challenges facing farming and energy-dependent regions, saying: "Higher interest rates, weaker agriculture commodity prices and a credit squeeze are having a significant and negative impact on Rural Mainstreet businesses and Rural Mainstreet farmers."

"Almost three-fourths of bank CEOs named low farm-commodity prices as the biggest risk for farms in 2024," the release said, "And approximately 44% of bankers indicated that the financial positions of farmers in their area had weakened over the past six months."

Gross told The Packer: "This is the eighth time in the past nine months that the index has fallen below growth neutral. Higher borrowing costs, tighter credit conditions and weaker grain prices are having a negative impact on the purchases of farm equipment."

About RHI methodology: Each month, community bank presidents and CEOs in non-metro regions of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming are surveyed on their unique economic conditions and projected outlook. The survey offers the most current real-time analysis of the U.S. rural economy, which gleans its data from about 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300.

A plan to restore and protect the Mississippi River is getting another chance in Congress

The Mississippi River basin, its major tributaries and the hypoxic "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. (EPA map via WJS)

After centuries as a mighty force, the Mississippi River needs planned protection to keep it viable. "Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin announced that she plans to introduce the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative in the Senate. Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota will bring the same bill forward in the House," writes Report for America correspondent Madeline Heim for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The proposal is "modeled after programs that protect other major bodies of waters across the U.S., like the successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Chesapeake Bay Program."

Over the past two decades, Mississippi waters have included record highs and lows as drought and flooding have taken a toll. Despite the river's environmental traumas, it remains a vital part of U.S. infrastructure. "Millions of Americans rely on it for drinking water, commerce and recreation, and its floodplains provide food and habitat for hundreds of fish and wildlife species," Heim writes. "But it's facing a multitude of challenges, from extreme weather to habitat loss to persistent agricultural and industrial pollution. That pollution contributes to the Gulf of Mexico's dead zone, which last year was almost as big as Yellowstone Park."

Heim reports, "Even in the past few years, the river has experienced the impacts of a changing climate, said Kelly McGinnis, the Mississippi River Network executive director. Last spring, communities along the upper river saw near-record floodwaters, book-ended by severe droughts that slowed shipping traffic to a crawl."

The Mississippi River's restoration plan would be housed within the Environmental Protection Agency, but input and problem-solving data from the 10 states the river touches would be used. Program funding "would fall into four main buckets," Heim explains. "Those include improving water quality, restoring habitats, reducing the presence of invasive species and creating natural infrastructure to protect against flood damage."

Beyond the four focus points, the program includes a "science plan," which "would create three regional hubs at universities in the 10 border states for research on the river's challenges," Heim reports. While the Mississippi plan is based on the success of The Great Lakes Initiative, it faces a far more partisan Congress for passage. "Baldwin said that she plans to have discussions with senators from across the aisle whose states border the river and that she believes bipartisan support is possible. . . . Its supporters believe that its reintroduction will help remind people of the threats the river faces."

In a surprising move, giant publisher Penguin Random House is actively fighting book bans

A wall of banned Penguin Random House books.
(Photo by Nate Langston Palmer, WSJ)

When it comes to fighting book bans, book publishers have hugged the sidelines and quietly funded industry groups that champion First Amendment rights. But for one publishing giant, stepping into the book boxing ring has meant standing up for free speech and its authors, reports Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg of The Wall Street Journal. Penguin Random House "now fully embraces the fight against book bans, entering a sensitive debate that is playing out in school boards and statehouses across the country. At risk: potentially alienating a large chunk of customers on an issue at the crux of culture wars that have polarized the nation in ways not seen in decades."

Those who push for book bans often "believe they are targeting titles that are pornographic or otherwise inappropriate for young people," Trachtenberg writes. "The publisher's stance is that teachers, librarians and school administrators, as expert educators, already make decisions about what is appropriate for young readers, and should be left to do their jobs. . . . Despite the risks, Penguin Random House's leadership said that failing to act had moral and financial costs."

To that end, Penguin Random House has used its media might to resist bans, educate consumers and share "censored" content. "Penguin Random House has started hosting anti-book-banning events, giving away several thousand copies of its most-frequently banned titles," Trachtenberg reports. "School boards and school districts removed more than 1,500 book titles from an assortment of publishers from public school classrooms and libraries in the 12 months through June 2023, according to a recent study by PEN America, a literary and free-speech organization that has been vocal in opposing bans."

Trachtenberg reports, "When Dan Novack, Penguin Random House's associate general counsel, learned the law firm Ballard Spahr was working on a book-banning lawsuit against Escambia County School District in Florida with PEN America, he called an attorney there and asked, 'Can we get in? . . . In an early victory, a federal judge ruled the plaintiffs in the Florida case can pursue their lawsuit on First Amendment grounds."

Taking a hard line against book bans has opened Penguin Random House to deeper probes by media and well-funded book ban advocates. Despite the added scrutiny, the company's leadership feels their position supports educators. Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya told Trachtenberg: "There is always the potential for people to misinterpret our actions. We aren't pushing anything on anyone. We're supporting the experts who make decisions about books."

The Institute for Rural Journalism thrives at the University of Kentucky; its outreach is for rural news nationwide

Benjy Hamm

Twenty years ago, some forward-thinking journalists began discussing the future of news in rural America. One of the more vibrant and committed conversations would take center stage at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues was created and thrives, with a continuing passion for helping "journalism work in rural areas and to provide training and other resources for small news organizations," reports Bob Miller for Editor & Publisher magazine.

Benjy Hamm serves as the new director of the IRJCI, succeeding Al Cross, who had spent 20 years developing the Institute's foundations. Hamm told Miller: "We have a mission that spreads across the country. The people who developed it at the time were well ahead of the curve and anticipated where we are today. They were interested in supporting and sustaining rural journalists and rural communities because of concerns about how things were going in those communities for local newspapers. Local newspapers were the only local news and information source in many areas."

In July 2023, The Institute's summit hosted live
and remote participants from across the country.

IRJ has hosted three national rural journalism summits, bringing reporters, editors, stakeholders and philanthropy representatives together to focus on problem-solving and share success stories while promoting a sense of community for people who are often hundreds of miles from each other.

Craig Garnett

The Institute also honors the courage, tenacity and integrity needed to do important reporting in rural communities through the Tom and Pat Gish Award. This year's award is going to Craig Garnett, the publisher of the Uvalde Leader-News newspaper in Uvalde, Texas. "The rural newspaper pushed for answers in the wake of the mass shooting at Uvalde Elementary School," Miller reports. "Hamm said the award recognizes that investigative and watchdog journalism can be more difficult in smaller communities where resources are spread thinner and the journalists may have to hold to account the very community members they see and interact with."

Why focus on rural journalism? Hamm told Miller: "One of the main reasons for that, historically and what led to the origin of the Institute, was the belief that there's a lot of great work being done in rural communities, but they don't always have the same support staff. They don't always have the same training opportunities, and they don't always have the same issues that are taking place in larger cities. So, for example, agriculture is huge in many rural communities in Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky."

Erika Engstrom

The Institute benefits from UK's vital campus and a growing School of Journalism. Miller writes, "Of the 30,000 students on campus, 719 are enrolled in journalism classes. That's larger than many small towns dotted across America. Of those, 204 are majors or pre-majors in the journalism program. . . ." Dr. Erika Engstrom, director of the School of Journalism and Media in the College of Communication and Information, told Miller that some of the program's entry-level courses have exceeded capacity.

While many news organizations across the nation have suffered setbacks and financial woes, the future for rural journalism is full of challenges and opportunities. Hamm told Miller: "With the state of local news and just how many of these smaller newspapers have gone out of business, that's one of the main reasons we're creating a new emphasis on helping us sustain the journalism in these communities. We work with newspapers, radio and online news sites, but it's still true that, in most rural communities, the primary if not the only source of independent news coverage is a newspaper."

The number of U.S. farms has shrunk to the smallest level since 1850; many of the remaining farmers are over 65

Treehugger photo by Dan Amos via SF

The decreasing number of U.S. farms and the increasing age of the country's farmers are concerning factors for a country considered an agricultural powerhouse. U.S. farmers feed America and their exports support the country's trade surpluses with other nations. "The United States has the smallest number of farms — 1.9 million — since 1850, when there were only 31 states and four territories, said the USDA Census of Agriculture," reports Chuck Abbott of Successful Farming. "Nearly four of every 10 farmers were over 65 in 2022, when the data was collected, an abrupt surge from the 2017 census, when one in three farmers was retirement age."

During the Great Depression, there were 6.8 million farms, but "mechanization, hybrid seeds, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides allowed vast increases in productivity while reducing the need for labor," Abbott explains. "Farm output is so large that one-fifth of production is exported."

While many Americans may think that farm families simply pass down land to their progeny, that is more a myth than a reality. As it becomes harder for farmers to turn a profit due to regulations, labor shortages and extreme weather, fewer of the next generation view farming as a viable profession. Abbott reports, "'The number of producers [age] 65 and over increased 12%, continuing the trend of an aging producer population,' said a highlight sheet for the census, describing changes since 2017. There was a 9 percent decline in the number of farmers aged 35-65 years."

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Abbott: "The hope would be that we would continue to encourage people to get in and remain in the farming business and that we would be able to preserve our farmland. But survey after survey continues to show a decline in the number of farms and farmland." 

The Census of Agriculture is available here.
A USDA chart of farm numbers over the years is available here.