• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

Rural entrepreneurship news – legislation and innovation

By Becky McCray

You’ve heard of The Creative Class? Meet The New Rural Business Class

“Gone are the days when the local farmer was the mainstay of the community, as cheap imports and rising costs make traditional farming less and less viable. Rural business people – often former farmers themselves – have taken on the mantle, and are adapting to meet the demands of new consumer trends.”

Read the full profile in The Independent (UK)

[Photos of a rural business person, Jeanne Hepner, meeting new consumer trends with the Sage and Saddle B&B, in nearby Freedom, Oklahoma. ]

USA proposing new legislation by SBS Friend
Our Friends at the Center for Rural Affairs are supporting a new bill to provide financial and technical assistance to US entrepreneurs in rural areas. The bill was introduced by Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, patterned on the Nebraska Microenterprise Partnership Fund.

“This program has been a success in Nebraska, but there is much more to be done and for that, we need federal support,” said Nelson. “My legislation will give entrepreneurs and microenterprises a leg up, creating new jobs and new economic opportunities. I’ve often said that when it comes to rural America, Washington just doesn’t get it. My bill will begin to address that problem.”

The proposed law would invest $50 million in microloans, grants for technical assistance like marketing, and providing support to organizations that support entrepreneurs. Read the story in the Southwest Nebraska News.

Idea: Rural Innovation Forum
Borrow this idea from the Loudoun County, Virginia, Department of Economic Development:

The third annual Forum for Rural Innovation will showcase ingenious ideas, projects or programs that enhance farm or rural business profitability conserve farm land and natural resources develop new approaches to rural prosperity.

For details, visit www.LoudounFarms.org. Found in a news brief from the Loudon Times.

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • 3 Major factors in rural remote work: incentives, flexible workspaces, and a sense of community - June 6, 2022
  • How to recruit new residents, remote workers, or remote entrepreneurs - June 2, 2022
  • How cooperatives improve small town economies - May 8, 2022
  • Metaverse business idea: virtual world tour guide - April 15, 2022
  • Make extra money from extra workspace: co-working and 3rd workplaces in small towns - March 28, 2022
  • Trade show booth design trend: hand drawn visuals - March 21, 2022
  • New business sign design? Don’t use cursive script - February 14, 2022
  • Way more people prefer rural than urban, new Pew Research study finds - February 1, 2022
  • Top 5 Rural and small town trends 2022 - January 3, 2022
  • How to start a real small small business - December 17, 2021

February 19, 2007 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, ideas, rural Tagged With: news

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2022 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in