INDEPENDENT MORVING DL41LY GRAND ISLAND, NE Circulation= 22792

01 105/2009

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El - ,---*-- -I Million-dollar farms dominate agricultural landscape I

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A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that while small farms still dominate the nation's agri-

According to the USLIA, small farms with annual sales of less than $250,000 represent 92 per- cent of all U.S. farms, but they account for only 23 percent of total farm sales.

What the TllSnA sladg found as that lnajor shifi:, occurred

1 FARMS

contracting livestock produc- tion (including poultry) out

sales between the 1982 and 2002 Censuses of Agriculture.

According to the stud3: farms with sales of $1 million or more doubled their share of total U.S. farm sales from 23 percent in 1982 to 48 percent in 2002.

Some of these million-dollar farms Ire relatively recent en- trants io farming, while others existed as far back as 1978, the study found.

And the study said the shift in production to million-dollar farms is likely to continue.

As average operating profit margins increase along with sales, reflecting economies of

size in farming, the larger farm- ers with sales of more than $1 million annually have a compet- itive advantage relative to smaller farms, according to the study

The shift in production nlay eventually slow, the study said, once m~ondo l l a r farms' shares of the commodities most ame- nable to large-scale production reach their upper limits.

According to the study, the shift in farm production to mil- lion-dollar farms reflects a "long- term concentration of farm pro- duction on fewer farms that has been under way since the begin-

- ning of the 20th century" - -

However, the study said there are still too many million-dol- lar farms -- more than 35,000 - for any single farm to dominate agriculture or the production of specific commodities.

The study also found that mil- lion-dollar farms receive a small share of government payments.

What the study found is that relatively few million-dollar farms - particularly those with sales of $5 million or more - specialize in crops covered by comn~odity programs.

turn to FARMS, page 2-A

NEI\IUHA CO. HERALD FRIDAY %%EKLk' AUBURN, NE

Obama Team Moves Ahead on Ag Issues

America Online Presiclent-elect Barack Obama

of groups interested in conservation,

session on cornmadity programs, says Katy Zicgler Thomas, vice president for gov;niment relations at National Fanners Union. Besides NFU, the ses- sion included the American Farm Bu- reau Federation, commodity groups

and R-CALF USA, were there. Implenlentation of the 2008 Farm

r- Bill "was the most common thread" i! among all of the groups, she added.

IJSDA has already missed some deadlines for putting programs into effect and new programs like ACRE (Average Crop Revenue Election)

don't have rules yet. On the other and children (the WIC program) are ; hand, Country of Origin Labeling included in the next economic stimu- (COOL) rules are nunored to be in the lus package, the new administration final form, ready for release around could be forced to spend less on con- the Christmas holiday, even though servation and rural development. s a six-month education process on the Some USDAprograms such as corn-! program isn't completed. modity payments and food stamps are' - Also, Farmers Union is concerned _entitlements and get funded no matter' about decreasing competition among what the budget is. But the WIC pro-, agricultural businesses and lack of gram colnpetes with other ag-related coordination between USDA and programs in each year's annual ap- the Justice Department on enforcing propriations process in Congress. Wit antitrust laws. rising unemployment and poverty'

Other groups want the Obama Ad- WIC will cost more than $7 billio

recovery plans. billion, Hoefner said.

1 ministration to remember agriculture this year. The entire agricult~lral ap- and rural America in its economic propriations bill will be around $20

I "Rural America needs to be a part At a Dee. 11 press conference,[

of that, in particular family farms and Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the rural small businesses," said Chuck Senate Agriculture Committee, said he Hassebrook, Executive Director of expects Congress to do exactly that. the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, The stimulus bill is likely to be passed Nebraska. in January before Obama takes office,

The Center wants to see Obama's Harkin said. The Bush administration USDA press for more funding from has asked for about $6 billion for WIC,b Congress for relatively small farm so Congress will need to add only a , bill programs such as value added little more than $1 billion to meet the 1 producer grants and assistance for program's needs. That's a small part of rural microenterprises. It also favors a package that could cost $500 billion a 20% tax credit, up to $10,000, for to $700 billion or more, Harkin said. 1 rural microenterprises and for begin- At least two other Senate commit- I ning farmers. tee chairmen who will have to lead

Ferd Hoefner of the Sustainable confirmation of other cabinet choices Agriculture Coalition was one of haven't heard from Obanla, either, he eight people asked to present ideas at said. a session on conservation.

Hoefner warned that unless funds I

for food assistance for women, infants I

Assoc~ated Press resident-elect Barack Obama looks on at left as former lswa Gov. Wrn Vilsack, Agriculture secretary-designate, s66aks-Wednesday a news conference in Chicago. -

Environment, farm groups like ex-1 owa governor

By ED TIBBETTS Lee News Service W r ~ l e ~ -

Amid widespread praise for the nomination of for- mer Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as secretary of agriculture, farm, nutrition and environ- mental groups said Wednes- day they have high hopes for meaningful change in U.S. policy toward renew- able fuels, nutrition pro- grams and farm subsidies.

President-elect Barack Obama announced Vilsack's selection at a Chicago news conference Wednesday. He also said he had picked U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., to be interior secretary. Both nominees must be ion-

by the Senate. "Tom understands that

Decatur '=.

Herald & Review 1 [I' -

. * 34323'- _& - - _ -- --- --

the solution to our energy crisis will be found not in the oil fields abroad but in our farm fields here at

Salazar

home, " Obama said.

Vilsack, who spoke briefly, said he expected to lead an Agri- culture Department that was

"innovative and creative in all its work in a time of eco- nomic anxiety and limited resources." And he said that, as a small-town lawyer from Mount Pleasant, he understood farmers.

"America's farmers and ranchers deserve a secre- tary of agriculture that respects them for the contri- butions they make to all of us every day," he said. "I hope to he that secretary."

Major farm groups

The main ethanol lobby

praised Vilsack's selection, too, saying he understands getting to cellulosic ethanol doesn't mean abandoning corn.

Obama and Vilsack "know that to get to ethanol 2.0, you've got to make sure ethanol 1.0 is a success," said Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Asso- ciation.

Like many Iowa politicians, Vilsack has backed limita- tions on farm subsidies, even though the state is a major recipient of payments.

Advocates for reform said Wednesday they've got a friend in Vilsack.

"That encourages me," Cox said.

Few Iowa farmers have

praised the nomination. Vilsack, who was Iowa's

governor from 1999 to 2007, will head up an organization with a nearly $100 billion budget and more than 110,000 employees. By com- parison, the state of Iowa's budget is jusl over $6 billion.

Renewable fuels are expected to get a big boost from the Obama adminis- tration, and Vilsack's selec- tion will give him a promi- nent role in the debate.

In a newspaper opinion article in October, Vilsack called for another "Industri- al Revolution" to reform the country's energy use. He called it the key to battling a global economic melt- down.

Rural advocates say the ex-governor's emphasis on encouraging ethanol and wind energy while he was a two-term governor and his push for economic develop-

ment are good signs for the future.

Cb~ck Hassebrook, execu- tive director of the Center fo~Rura l Affairs in Lyons, &b., called Vilsack a good selection, saying he would seek out the truth in putting together good policies. He noted that in addition to encouraging renewable sources of energy, such as wind, rural communities need benefits that go beyond just the construction jobs they create.

"The Department of Agri- culture needs to take the lead in developing strategies that turn that into lasting wealth," he said.

Critics of corn-based ethanol -- and what they called Salazar's obstruction of oil and gas projects on federal land - were among the few critics of the picks -

VILSACKICL j -

large enough operations that they would be significantly affected by most past pay- ment limitation proposals.

U.S. farm subsidy policies and ethanol incentives have been criticized for hurting farmers in developing coun- tries and the availability of food there. But advocates for changing farm subsidies say they've gotten positive signs from Obama.

Recently, the president- elect complained about waste- ful spending, citing a report detailing farm subsidy pay- ments going to people making more than $2.5 million per

government relations for Bread for the World, a group that fights hunger in the Unit- ed States and overseas.

In Iowa, the state's secre- tary of agriculture, Bill Northey, said he hopes Vil- sack will be a voice for more open trade policies.

We went overseas and pro- moted (trade as a governor). I would hope that he'd be that kind of a voice in the admin- istration," Northey said.

During the presidential campaign, Obama was criti- cal of some trade deals, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement. Also, con- gressional Democrats have

year. gecome more aggressive "The signals we're getting is toward free trade.

that everything's on the table," - .-

said Monica Mills, director of etibbetts@qctimes.com1(563) 383-2327 - e k J t

STANDARD

OXFORD, Nebraska

Date Thursday, January 1,2009 Frequency: WEEKLY ggs Circulation: 81 9 Cllp Size: 19.69 sq. inches b @A; Ad Rate. $3 73 PageISect~on 6 F~%ll I = -

Center adds Organizer, Development specialist

Two new rural advocates have recently joined the &n-- kr for Rural M a i r s staffing Lyon, Ne.

The Center welcomes Steph Larsen ae a new rural policy organizer and Stepha- nie Fritz as a rural commu- nity development specialist.

Larsen will be working on health care, rural develop- ment, a n d f a m i a a u e ~

Before coming to the Cen- ter Steph lived in Washing- ton, DC for three years, di- recting the policy program at the Community Food Secu- rity Coalition.

"I'm thrilled to be back in the Midwest, and hope to get people excited about partici- pating in our democracy," Larsen said.

Fritz will be working closely with communities to assist them with develop- ment needs. Stephanie has a degree in education and has

vast experience working in rural communities. She has taught a t a rural school near Bassett, NE and then had a career a s a communication consultant in rural Nebraska. Most recently she was a so- cial service worker in nort1:- ern Nebraska.

"I'm excited about this opportunity. In the short time I have been with the G-irs, I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful peo- ple and learn many new things about rural Nebraska. The first lesson I learned as a community developer is' the value of learning more about the communities we travel through when getting from Point A to Point B. There are adventures to be had and his- tory to be ].earned from the rural communities that are all around us" said Stephanie Fritz.

Universal Information Services, lnc. http://news.universal-info.com Profile: 111 - Center for Rural ARairs Recipient: John Crabtree

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GARDEN CO. NEWS WEDNESDAY WEEKLY ' OSHKOSH, NE Circulation = 1384

If you have not yet heard Curtis to examine possibili- bout our high school's new Ues for them following high chool-based business, school. They were accompa- ech and Torch", please nied by Rex Miller, Grow

k out our school web- Garden County leader. We are excited about These initiatives and events

new venture and exten- indicate our district's com- ion of our district's cur- 'cuhlm into the real world. R

k hree departments have oined to make this initiative

ssihle. Our art depart- t (Sheila Litke), busi-

department (Bernie ohn), and industrial ology department

o StokeyJ are working oratively to launch

this project. Local founda- tions have contributed to

mitment to preparing our youth for the real world and boosting our local economy.

A census report released last Tuesday revealed that smaller communities in Nebraska and the nation have fared better since 2000 in areas such as. income, home values, and owner- ship (Omaha World Herald, 10/9/08]. How might all of this information tie togeth-

make this possible. er? In shaky financial times Entrepreneurship and and this high speed techno-

rowth are directly linked in 's economy (T. Hoenig,

Entrepreneurship cononlic growth by

innovation. (NE on Economic

ucation, Winter 2008). ddition of an entrepre- class a t our high

1 is intended to spur economic growth, particu-

logical age, many young- sters may undoubtedly like to return to Garden County to raise their families and earn an honest living. Traditional farming and ranching opportunities or local businesses often can- not support their - desires. Their dreams will more like- ly become realities through

larly in rural areas. It seems innovation, collaboration, i : I that too often our best and and inspiration.

brightest leave Garden County to pursue vocations.

A November rural develop- ent conference in Kearney ealed the need to include

oung people in local ions about economic

and development enter for Rural Affairs, 08). While there are no

concrete answers about how

As a rural community, we must join hands and get involved in ways to diversify our economy. We must lis- ten to our youth and engage them in local decision-mak- ing, whenever possible. Garden County's education- al system is top notch; we must invest energy in get- ting a positive return on this asset. Never before has com- munication among all stakeholders been a s criti- cal. Our future depends on positive partnerships among all constituencies to GROW GAKDEN COUNTY!

lub students, along with -Dr. Paula Sissel, Superintendent/

Elementary Principal

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CITIZEN EVENING DAILY HOLDREGE, NE Circulation = 2993

01/05/2009

Dear Members and Friends,

Thc Holdrege Area Chamber wants to thank our loyal members who helped make 2008 a

crease by 26 new me~libers since March of 2008. We are optimistic that 2009 should be an even bet- ter year, and your Chamber wants to continue our teamwork and awesome successful track record in the years to come. It is our hope that all of you will at one time or another participate in our

During our annual Christmas prorriotion, the people of Holdrege and our surrounding coli~munities spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in our member businesses. This 2s ilr.ror~1111~ to ozlr colrlplrted 6,000 cnr,ds receiaed strzlrzpfor t l l e ~ r $200 ill~il/i , .

l'his Chamber is one of the core components of the vibrancy of our communities. I see this every day as we are in close contact with the boards of many county and regional organizations. This 1s just part oi what we do every day, in our ongoing efforts to keep our local business in- formed on all development in our community. As you know, the Chamber is involved in and supports many local organizations and various clubs. Wlieii you think of what the Chamber does for you, we can look back just this year cmcl see significant accomplishilicnts in support to our business. We can sce this via our Board of Directors, Committees, Events and Promotions.

l'he Chan~bers significant support-b Education, through our exceptional Education Com- mittee and the great success of the Career Fair last March (The next one is March 25t'l 2009). The Chambers Participation in PK Partners as a lead agent and supporter of Entrepreneur activities. We plan to support a tourism and marketing campaign for all of Phelps County, by late March 2009. With our Members support u7e are able to create additional programs to better support our Busi- ness Community. January, 2009, We, The Chamber of Commerce will be swearing in the new board members for 2008 and saying farewell to some that have served our community for many years. I want to thank all the current and new board members for their support and dedication in 2008. A proactive board certainly makes my job a little easier, and we really appreciate everything you do for the community. Our winter retreat is scheduled for January 20th, and I am looking forward to finalizing our strate- gic plans and sharing our future strategic plan with our members and the community. So look for our progress in the upcoming newsletters.

I am excited to be starting a NEW YEAR. Two Thousand and nine will bring us many exciting opportunities. Starting with the I&E Club January 19th.The First meeting will be in Minden, we have the Founder of the original I&E coming all the way from Wisconsin to speak, Terry Whipple. Dena Beck, REAP business specialist states, "according to the Center for Rural Affairs' statewide small business needs assessment conducted earlier this year, 88% of people surveyed were interested in a networking organization. The PK Partners committee for lnnovator and Entre- preneur Club is the avenue for our business and individuals". Please mark your calendars and plan to come and get excited about this terrific opportunity to make your dream a reality. Lastly, The Holdrege Animal Shelter is having a fundraiser and I hope our community comes out to support their efforts. January 15'11. Please check our calendar for the details.

Your Chamber, Your Voice,

Susan Dier Graf Executive Vice President

L

V o l u m e V I s s u e I 1 J a n u a r y 2 0 0 9

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CLARION THURSDAY WEEKLY CAMBRIDGE, NE Circulation= 1124

1211 812008

Building Entrepreneurial Communities in the i : New Year By Brian Depew, briand@cfra.org, Center for Rural Affairs

I .. ;,When the Nebraska Legislature convenes in January they will make important decisions about the future of rural Nebraska.

One program up for debate is the successful Building Entre- preneurial Communities Act. The program makes grants to rural communities to support entrepreneurship, leadership development, youth engagement and local philanthropy - four proven strategies of rural colnmunity revitalization.

j In this time of economic downturn there is no better way to in- Ivest our limited state dollars than programs that look towards the 'future and build a more robust and resilient economy in our small 'towns. ; Albion and Fullerton are two communities that have primary 1 goals for successful long term development to attract and retain youth for new businesses and small business transition.

Both towns used Building Entrepreneurial Communities funds to send 30 high school students to the 2008 Nebraska Marketplace, an event focused on energizing snlall businesses and rural commu- nities. These students gained valuable knowledge and tools needed to improve or start their own business successfully. They were able to take what they learned at Marketplace and utilize that knowledge in their communities. -

Our Nebraska Senators made a wise choice in 2007 when they =

doubled funding for this program to $500,000. Still, in 2008 the de- ; mand for the program far exceeded the limited funds available even :with that increase. i With demand growing for the program, a growing need and demonstrated success, Nebraska Senators should act proactively to continue support for this program at 1 east $500,000 annually.

'. . For further information: www.cfra.org 1 I

KEITH CO. NEWS Date: Frequency:

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r Cuflighl2009 All Rights Rcsavd

Monday, January 5,2009 WEEKLY 4005 38.71 sq. inches $7.75 6

WCNDD receives grant to aid small businesses with technical assistance

LINCOLN - Thc Nebraska Enterprise Fund recently announced the award of $597,750 in state funds to 10 Nebraska micro-enterprise programs.

West Central Nebraska De- velopment District was among the 10 entities to re- ceive a grant, with the orga- nization receiving $43,000 to assist with providing funding support for technical assis- tance to existing snlall busi- nesses and those looking to start up in the area, accord- ingto Dave Jibben, economic development financial spe- cialist.

These programs provide lending, pre- and post-loan technical assistance, and t ra in ing to self-employed businesses (five or fewer em- ployees) in urban and rural areas of Nebraska. This fund- ing is made possible through the Nebraska Micro-enter- priee Development Act, which was enacted by the State Legislature in 1997.

"Small businesses and new business need technical as- sistance on an ongoing basis," Jibben said. "This is very helpful for us to identify and provide ongoing services to existing small businesses as well u s sl.art-up businesses."

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development works with NEF, a private nonprofit corporation, to ad- minister the Micro-enter- prise Dcvdopment Act funds. In addition to this public funding the Nebraska Enter- prise Fund will make loan capital available to programs for use in making loans to micro businesses. NEF's loan funds come from a variety of sources, including US Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, First Na- tional Nebraska CDC, Great Western Bank, the Commu- nity Development Financial Institutions Fund of the US Treasury, U.S. Small Busi- ness Administration and the state of Nebraska.

NEF lends to micro-cnter-

prise programs and commu- nity development loan funds that provide capital in help- ing people grow or sustain their businesses.

Micro program fund recipi- ents will provide a minimum of 25 percent match for the $597,750 from public and pri- vate funds (not including other state funds). In addi- tion, NEF provides a 25 per- cent match. Because of this two-tiered matching, the state's investment is being multiplied several times.

Gov. Dave Heineman said, "Entrepreneurship continues to be an important part of our ewnomic development efforts in Nebraska. Micro and small business development is a way for entrepreneurs to be- c o ~ e business owners. These micro-enterprise programs are important tools that help individuals develop assets, generate income and support their local economy."

The 10 award recipients

and contacts are: Catholic CharitiesIJuan

Diego Center, Omaha Genk.r ... fn.r-Bur811 ... Mairs

BEBg Conlnlurlity Develop-

ment Resources, Lincoln GROW Nebraska Ho Chunk Community

Development Corporation . Midland's Latino-Com- muniLy Development Corpo- ration

Midwest Center for Women Entrepreneurs

Nebraska EDGE-Center for Applied Rural Innovation

Northeast Economic De- velopment, Inc.

West Central Nebrhska Development District

Rose Jaspersen, NEF ex- ecutive director, said, "Micro programs provide excellent services to businesses across the state. These state dollars make this work possible."

Businesses i n need of loans, training andtor techni- cal assistance are encouraged to contact these programs.

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HERALD-JOURNAIJ DAILY

CLARINDA, 1.4 Circulation = 4000

0111 512009

Rural Americans are less fit + a"&- . I

k and more obese than urlbsa~ ' ' Americans according to study , I ---..7"-*-. " .

Report examines the effect of r~rrul li$estyles on the lzealth of rural Anzericans i

Rural peoplc were once better off in terms of pllysical activity.

and Obesity in Rural America." first in a series of rt,port:, analyze\ available research relating to nutrition. physical ac~ivity anil obcsitv and their impact on the health of rural residents relative to tht-ti'

* Exercise - t'orty years ago, half of all stutlcnts walked or bicy - clcd to school, today less than 15 percent do.

:* Availability - rural residents have limited access to healthy lbod

.I *.Pernographics !- rural residents arc oicler, less educated aiid poorer than urbanL?esidents - all contributing to incrcaxcd ohciity

way to reli~rtn the health care system is to help create hcaltilicr peo- plc and healthier comtnunities," comtl!cr~ted Jon Kailcy wit11 tht: Center for Rural Affairs.

The rcport comes as the Center prepares to share signature\ nnii comments gathered from an online pcti~io!i (l1ttp://www.cfra.org/O8/health) calling 011 the Oha~nri Administration to address our failing hcalth care policic. The petl- tion, initiated by the Center has gathered o\.er X O O sign:aturc\.

"Everyone has a stake in creating a healthier society and ~1vc1.j- one has responsibility to do so. As this report \how\, rural pcoplc and rural corn~nunities havc significant health and wcllt~ess ch:~i

including policy issues. and how congrcssion:~l I-cf'ol-m propos;ti:. address rural health care, will soon be released i n the cvn ing week.;. 2

www.cfi-a.org/policy/bealth-care. The Center f ix Rural Affairs was established in 1973 ;IS an unaf-

filiated nonprofit corporation under IRS code 501(c)3. l ' he Centcr for Rural Affairs was formecl by rural Nebrask:tn.s conccl.ncd abiwi family farms and rural cornmunities. and we work to stre~igtl~en

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HUB EVENING DAILY KEARNEY, NE Circulabon = 12743

b 01/14/2009

A politically independent newspaper in its 121 st year of service

h + + + i

- "Our mission is to perform in a way that helps

I our customers excel and our community thrive" 1 + HUB OPINION +

y

F L Plumper rural I.: folks point to 6

E

:,: health reform

P eer into the mirror and you might be looking at one of the rural Americans described in a study by the Center for Rural Affairs on physical activity and health.

The stucly identified many of the factors that we know can contribute to unhealthy lives and that are

:. increasingly prevalent as rural America's economy and I

the technology of agriculture evolve. In the past. rural Americans had plenty of physical

;,- . activity. M:zny- pe,qp!e jived and worked on farms, so , activity began-Early with daily chores and usually didn't

I

let up until suppertime or later. Performing the assort- ment of tasks that were part of farming was hard work

. and it often involved every member of the family.

CONTRAST THE PAST with today. Farming still is hard work. but much of it has been mechanized. Additionally, members of some families might not per- form tasks on the farm, but instead work at less strenu- ous jobs in town to supplement farm income.

The Center for Rural Affairs found that rural people, who at one time were better off physically, now face challenges with activity, nutrition and weight control. ; The Center reports more rural residents are obese than urban Americans.

In collaboration with Dr. Joe Blankenau, professor of

outlined several crucial findings:

I politics at Wayne State College, the Center's study has

I

Exercise: 40 years ago, half of all students walked i

or bicycled to school. Today fewer than 15 percent do. Z Employment: Fewer rural residents are employed !

in rigorous occupations. 1 Nutrition: Rural residents have limited access to -

healthy food choices. r Demographics: Rural residents are older, less edu-

cated and poorer th?~ urban residents, al~contribu~ing to. increased obesity.

THE CENTER'S STUDY brings up significant 1 findings as the new Congress and President-elect l3as:!>k Obama's health czar, Tom Daschle, begin debat- ing i~calth care reform. People across rural America, especially the Midwest, can look into the mirror. And, as the study has found, many of them reflect the kinds of health issues cited in the study.

Farmers make up just 2 percent of the U.S. popula- , tion, but the obesity problems are not restricted to farms and ranches. Every American has a stake in the impend- ing reforms. We in rural America must actively join the debate, but we also must accept personal responsibility twexercise more and eat healthfully. :

REPUBLICAN

IMPERIAL, Nebraska

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11

January REAP office hours in McCook

Dena .Beck, central and south- west Nebraska Business Specialist with the Center for R u r a m Rural Enterprise Assistance Proi- =REAP) will hold office hours in McCook on Jan. 30. Hours will be 10-11:30 a.m. then 1:15-3 p.m. CT. McCook Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) will handle the ap- pointments at (308) 345-1200. The MEDC office is located at 301 Nor- ris Avenue, Suite 200.

T h e ~ ~ u r ~ s ' B ~ - riil Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) and its services are avail- able to rural communities across Nebraska. HUP offers technical assistance, educational and net- working opportunities, and a loan program for small businesses. BEAP is desigried to assist all

types of small businesses, includ- ing businesses with five or fewer employees, self-employed full-time, part-time, home-based, farm- based, start-up, and store-front businesses.

REAP has six regionally based Business Specialists across Ne- braska. These Business Specialists can get involved in assisting entre- preneurs at various stages of their business progress.

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REPUBLICAN

IMPERIAL, Nebraska

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Chew - -, We have all heard our parents or

grandparents bragging about walking uphill both ways to school. Though it may be a bit exaggerated, evidence shows that rural people were once better off in terms of physical activity, nutrition and weight.

A report by found that rural Americans today, are more obese and less fit than urban Americans.

Numerous issues contribute to this situation. Forty years ago half of all students walked or bicycled to school. Today less than 15 percent do because of trafiic safety concerns.

Employment has affected our health as well. Fewer rural Americans are employed in rigorous occupations such as farming, fishing and forestry Also the percentage of multiple in- come families has a w n . With their jobs, along with school and commu-

the fat nity activities, rural people struggle to find time to exercise and prepare nutritious meals.

Even if individuals and families try to make better eating decisions, the availability of nutritious foods is often limited.

Many of the factors involved in worsening conditions regarding diet, activity and obesity can be ad- dressed through individual, family and community action.

As the new administration and the new Congress begin to debate health care reform, they need to keep in mind that the best long-term way to reform the health care system is to help create healthier people. Everyone has a stake in creating a healthier society and ev- eryone has responsibility to do so. The full report is available online at: http:// www.cfra.org/O9/0l/healthreport.

ElI.h. aroeloy &nml C.nt.r for Rural Affairs

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TRI COUNTY NEWS Date: Wednesday, December 24,2008 Location: HERON LAKE, MN Circulation (DMA): 926 (15) Type (Frequency): Newspaper (W) Page: 2 Keyword: Center For Rural Affairs

A Reasonable Hope By John Crabtree. johnc@cfra.org,

The Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 prohibits price discrimination by meatpackers against smaller, family farmers and ranchers. Specifically, the Act makes it unlawful for packets to "...make or give any undue or unreasonable prefer- ence or advantage to any par- ticular person or locality in any respect whatsoever."

But. for decades. the law has

deals" for large volume pro- ducers have become common- place,.but no less a violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act.

Six cents per pound may not sound like much of a discount, but, for a family farmer with 150 sows in a farrow-to-finish operation it amounts to receiv- ing $56,000 less annually for hogs of the same quality. just because he markets fewer hogs.

However. the 2008 farm bill

to level the playing field for family farmers and ranchers and for. large,, .industrial live; st& prtklucers' -"sweeihea'h: deals" to end.

USDA has begun the process of writing the rules that are required under this farm bill provision. Now is the time for all of us who pre- fer to see livestock production on family farms and ranches to make sure USDA gets this right (www.cfra.~rg/competi- tion).

not been effectively enforced. contained a provision requir- me C e d e r P R-lM*irs cs-k I;.lmd in IY73 os ran umuflliwtrrl onun&

For example, packers pay 5 , 6 ing USDA to define the term ,,,,-,,,t;m R, , , or even 10 cents w r pound (or "unreasonable oreference". ceit~ Rural Mairs "WS fd by

a .

rural ~@hraikanr i.~r~i.crn@d obuur funilv more) in purely volume-based allowins for more aggressive ur,druml ctlIIIII, UIIiriCsS wrt premiums to the largest hog enforcement and, ultimately, rcr s r n ~ r h r n ~mrrllbuslncsn~farnllyf~n~u producers just because they more competitive livestock u n d m n ~ u n ~ r ~ r a r r m m u r l i r i C S -

are large. These "sweetheart markets. The time has come

hmrllle Cwnty Date Thursday, December 25,2008

Star Farmer News Locabon: OLIVIA, MN C~rculat~on (DNA), 1,600 (1 5) Type (Frequency) Newspaper (W) Page. Pi4 Keyword Center For Rural Affairs

My view of Vilsack PnsIdent-clect

Obrrma's choice of former 1wa Gavel-nm Tm Vila& as Seer* d Agdwlturc hiM gottm as much or awe ~tte.ridan as my cabinet txppoht- mat.

nlere bave been Vrtwck r l e - ~ , the mat vigom~~, fbm among t)le La of lgricul~d bin*+ bad mltlrt fWn t#@tfPzatiotlr expressed cowern, khind the scenes, .ab<wt ViacL's dcsire to ref^^^

XPJt month I stuck my I& out andaidthat1 think Vilsackisagoad &ice ( w w w . & o r g ~ ~ . He d 1 don't always agree, but b8s anart *odheZttena W e ~ ~ ' o dew on nformiag fan# p m g r w imsting the 3avings h corwemtiion and r d Mapnlent, and an the nted Ibr I i w s d c d e t reforms, w ~ c h a i i ~ p a c l t e r a w a c r s h i p o f ~ o c ! l c snd ending dwe-hascd pr;cc *ation.

Vilxack's biggest challenge will be bringioghis sm aiKi intcltipnce to thc task of supporting the Prddent and implementing their aimed &ion. Tovjaid that end,

the Gentcr receatly launch& a gmsnms letter to Secmmy

Vick (www.ofip.org/08/ grass- d t t t ~ ) . We 4 dcl;w the Wer, with and conjfncnts, to S c c r e ~ V i e k p e r 0 ~ Over 1,100 have 1gacd and mmy have added their thoughts oa needed dam.

At the Center, we will continue v r k i ~ g t~ enswe that President Oban*r and Seerttary Vileack jive up to th& potendal and their pranks to rural herig. We will keep fret- jng for a & b e t i c a that o@en p u i n c opportunity to all who live there. We will f@t alonvide Obama and Viack when we can, but we'll also rake them un whea we have to. We've &m it befm.

tdghf ( I l o ~ t ~ &IU~IUI~- Thursday. December 25,2008 BUFFALO. MN

Clrculatcon (DMA) 6 500 1151 Type (~requencyj. ~ewsdaper (w) 1 Page. 28 Ksyword Center For Rural Affairs

biotech. And. as governor. he was 8 tireless ethanol Prom@er, While he Backed Sen. Hillary Clinton ,in the caucus and prinlary, \I(ilsack really jumped on the Obama bandwagon dur- ing the general election campaign. Obama likes ethanol, too, It's a match!

08 the mainstream dial was a comment about - - - - - - .

Vilsack will be*a mixed bag Vfl"ck'"~pointment from Dave Nomsen, vice presi-

forward and status auo dent of Pheasants Forever in St, Paul, Illinn.

Some Folks wanted Chuck Hassebrook af the

(or others aninfls) to

be selected as ~ecret&y of Agriculture. From President-Elect Barack Obama they got, instead, fortnet Iowa Gov. Tom Wlsack, king af the moder- ates.

Obama reportedly looked at scveral people for the post. ranging from far-left anti-production ag guys to Mr. Vilsack. who under- stands production agrlcul- ture, but also has an open mind and is quick study, with interests in renewable fwls and the USDA's his- toric social role in American life.

Desprte the fact that Vilsack has been lauded by the Iowa Farm Bureau president, and is tonsid- ered a moderate Democrat by mbst standards, he shares views ,with Obama en many ag tssues, most especially the need for reaeweble fuels and biotechnolo He wants to use his cons!&erable execu- tive ability to gush these programs along.

Hbwever, a man like Ron

Rosman, an organic farmer near Harlan, Iowa, and closely allied with U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, powerful chairman of the Senate AgricuIture Committee, said he! ~btould have pre- ferred Hassebrook. IIe feels Vilsack does not get the connection between family farms and rural com- munities.

With his background as a small-town mayof, state leg- lslator and governor, Vilsack does seem litcel to have at least some d e r - standing of the family farmer, though, and be gets good marks h m commodi- ty and agribusiness leaders across the Upper Mldwest.

Wh~le V~lsack does not have a farmlag background, which two of the last five ag secretaries have had. he does see the lrnportance of soil and water conServation programs and, as a former presidential candidate. he has the breadth to under- stand the USDA's historic role as a social agenty wit11 its MC, Food Stamp, and school lunch programs. revered all over the nation.

Additionally, Vilsack was seen as one of the first gov- ernors to see the future fur

Notnsen sald Vilsack udderstands how to encour- age use of ]ants that can soak up DOll!tion and make for good upland bird popu- lations. (Take that, Ann Yeneman!) He also under- stands. Nornsen said, the need for ethanol roduc- tion to become rebulosic. ulllizlng cailchgrass and other crops to make the alternative bsl.

UllimateIy, Vilsatk also understands something else - global warming as a concept, Tbat puts him at odds pith many cornse~tt- tives, but it lines up well with thbama's viers an the subject. VJsaek is expected to find ways famers can profit off of being green -by sinking carbon into their soil as they plant. How, tbat's a decidedly un-mod- orate notion by today's standards.

Whateyer Vilsack brings to the job, be *ill also be subject to the views of his

resident - and the Ofice of k anpgement & Budget. Sta tuned.

tiare a aonderful Nbl idq Season, and, I'll see ga!

1 3 U NIVERSAL'

Information Serv~ces, Inc

JOURNAL THURSDAY WEEKLY PLATTSMOUTH, NE Cwulanon = 4379

- - ----- - - - - - - -

urial Communities needs support

Nebraska F BY BRIAN Legislature f convenes in

c A~~~~~~ decisions f about the

-- - . --- - . future of rural

One program up for debate is the successfi~l Building

h Entrepreneurial Communities

The program makes grants to rural communities to sup-

! port entrepreneurship, leader- ship dcvclopment, youth engagement and local philan- thropy - four proven strategies of rural community revitaliza-

tion. In this time of economic

downturn there is no better way to Invest our linrited state dollars than programs that look towards the future and build a more robust and resilient economy in our small towns.

Albion and t.'ullt.rton are two communities that have primary goals for successful long term development to attract and retain youth for new businesses and small business transition.

Both towns used Building Entrepreneurial Communities funds to send 30 high school students to the 2008 Nebraska Marketl'lace, an event focused on energizing small businesses and rural communities.

Thesc students gained valu-

able knowledge and tools needed to improve or start their own business successful- ly. They were able to take what they learned at Marketplace and utilize that knowledge in their communities.

Our Nebraska senators made a wise choice in 2007 when they doubled funding for this program to $500,000. Still, in 2008 the demand for the program far exceeded the lim- ited funds available even with that increase.

With demand growing for the program, a growing need and demonstrated success, Nebraska senators should act proactively to continue sup- port for this program at least $500,000 annually.

For further information: www.cfra.org

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Thursday. December 25,2008 LAKE CITY, MN

Type (~requencyj. ~ewspa&r (W) Page: 4 Keyword: Center For Rural Affairs

Vilsack will be a mixed bag of forward and status quo

I A & . it; I

By PETER GRAHAM I

Somc folks \\anted t'hi~ck Httsschrt~di of the Dnter f c ~ b . i l L Aft& (or othen more Ict'tisl I n Lanings) 10 be selected n.; Scs~rlur) of Agric~~ltun.. From I'rc.;idcnl-Elwl Harack Ohma the} yc~t, ins~rad, li~rmer lo\\:t Gov. 'lum Vilsnck Ling of tl~e moderates.

Oboma repc~r~edl) Iru~hcd at se\ era1 people for the pc>s~, ranying from far- left anti-production ag guys to Mr. Vilsack, who understiands production agriculture, but also has an ope11 mind and is quick study. with interests in rcnew:ihfc fuels and lhe USDA's Iiisioric scxial rolc in American life.

Dcspitc the fact lhal Vilsack has k e n InuiJrd h) 11-1~ lo\ttl Farm Hureau prcsidcnl. and is considercd 3 moderae Demtwrat bj ttiosl

sta~dards, he shares rie\vs with oh am;^ a1 man} ag issues, most especiall) the necd for renet\-able fuels and biotcchnolog}. He %ants to use his consfderable executive ability to push thew programs along.

Hoivevcr, a m&n like Ron Rosman, an organic fnrrndr near Harlan, Iowa, and closely allied \\41h 1J.S. .Sen. Tom Harkin. powerful chairman of the Senate Agriculture Commiticc, said he would have preferred Hnsschrocsk. He fttcls Vilsack does not get the connection bet~seen family farms and rural communities.

With his background as a small- town mayor, state legislator and got ernor, Vilsach ioes seem likel} to have at least some understanding of the family fanner, though, and he gets good marks from cotnmoelit~

and agribusiness leaders across the Upper Mid\\.est.

While Vilsack does not have a farming background, which two of the last five ag sccrctaries have had, he does see the importance of soi I and water conservation ptogmtns and, as a former -presidential candidate, hc has the breadth to undcrxtnnd the USDNs historic role as a social agency with its WIC. Food Stamp. nnd school lunch programs, reveied all o\er the nation.

Additionally, Vilsack secn as one of the first $overttars lo swo the future for biolrch, And. as governor, he $was a tirclcss ethanol promoter. While he k~cAed Sen. H i l l a ~ Clinton in the caucus and prima^, Vilkdck rcnll! jumped on the Obama band~tagon during the general election campaign. Obrna likes elhanol, too. It's a match! .

Off the mainstrc,?m dial was a cumnient aboufVilsack's appointment from I):I\ s Ncr~nscrt, t icc prt<idclil t t l

I'hcitr;unts Fore\ cr ill St 13;iul, hIi an Ntmisrn said,Vil?r.~cI\ urrdcr \t.rrlil \

hrn\ la enco~~ra$c tt,c of pl;~nl, 111,if

can soak LIP p ) J l ~ ~ ~ i c l n :IIIJ n 1 , l L t S

firr g o d upl;lnJ hird ~ x t p u l ~ ~ t i r ~ ~ ~ , (1-alc 1hitl, Anti \'crlcirr,~t~') Ilc. nlsn undetstaircl\. Kurn\cn \inti. t 1 1 ~ ~ need for e t l~ l~ i~ r l ~~~i~tlucfiijri tu kcotnc c l ~ t l s i . ulili/in;

st\ ituhgrw; und oltrer crcqi\ I ( \ ~ ~ r : t h v the a l lc rn~~l i~e fucl

Illtimntel>, Vil>ac.L :r l \ , t

undcrbtand, ?;ornt*thingr cl \c-~l~~f~,r l warming as a conc.cpt '1'h;lr ptrh 111 ill

at cdds I\ ith m,ln) ci>n.cri ,!ti\ ck. Ixii

a , , , # * L O ..,, . - .

on thc subject. Vils~cR ih c \ i ~ r ~ ~ ~ r l 'lo find wajs fi~m~crs can 11rr11i1 <>/'I' 154'

being green-b\ sinking c;irh\n intrl their soil as the!. plnul. Ncn!. 111,1t'\ it dccidedl> un-n~crcleraic n o t i i r n I)) today's standilrds.

Whixtever Vilsach brings t c r tiit job, hc +\.ill alco trc subject t ~ l 1 1 1 ~ ~ 1 iews of' his president and Ihc (liliic of Managenicnt and 1fii~Iyc.t. SIX! tuned.

Hit\ c it \\ ondcrrul ht?liJit! sc:r>o1\. and. I'1I see >.a!