Author

April Simpson

State Property-Tax Systems Make Little Sense to Struggling Farmers

April Simpson · Jan 16, 2020

Taxes on farmland bear little to no relationship to productivity and other economic measurements. Farmers in Nebraska, which ranks third in farmland tax revenue nationally, push back.

Healthy Soil Can Combat Climate Change from the Ground Up

April Simpson · Sep 17, 2019

Good soil holds more moisture, reduces pollution from runoff, and stores carbon. But farmers already affected by bad weather will have a harder time enacting soil conservation improvements.

Rural By Choice

Smithsonian to Rural Regions: Your Wealth Is in Your Culture

April Simpson · Sep 10, 2019

A traveling exhibit will visit up to 165 rural cities across 28 states.

Rural By Choice

Wanted: Lawyers for Rural America

April Simpson · Jul 1, 2019

States experiment with ways to attract young lawyers to rural settings. The perks include pay bonusses, free tuition, and special training.

Agriculture

Farmers Wash Up ‘in a Fragile Place’ After Historic Midwest Floods

April Simpson · Apr 29, 2019

Experts say the mental-health needs of farm families will increase because of devastation from this spring's flooding. State and local groups gear up while the U.S. Department of Agriculture has yet to start the mental-health program…

Agriculture

Despite Risks, Farmers Hope for a Big Payoff from Hemp

April Simpson · Feb 28, 2019

Forty-one states now allow the growing of industrial hemp, which was previously restricted by federal law. Farmers are looking for a new cash crop, but a lot of questions remain about the product’s economic viability.