Small towns across the United States are short on people, money and a younger workforce, which leaves many older rural residents doing the work of two or three people. When older residents retire, rural communities are hard-pressed to "find and afford" new workers for a range of public-sector positions.
We now know what rural cheesemakers used to develop cheese is pure science, writes John A. Lucey for The Conversation, a journalistic platform for academics. Lucey, a food scientist who has studied cheese for 35 years, takes readers through the cheese-making process from milk to mozzarella. A few edited steps are shared below.
After almost 20 years advocating for rural and community journalism in the College of Communication and Information, Al Cross is leaving the University of Kentucky as the Director Emeritus of the Institute for Rural Journalism (IRJ). Cross, who also served as an extension professor for the School of Journalism and Media, officially retires July 31.
For many farming families, more than a year of planning and work can go into having their farm animals compete at summer fairs. Adults and children look forward to getting their animals all gussied up and judged with excitement on par with a major holiday. But this year's showings are a bit different, with vets and animal farmers sharing concern over bird-flu, or H5N1, spreading from lactating cattle.
To address family needs and provide a response to high infant and mother fatality rates, the state of Oregon implemented an evidence-based program called "Family Connects" that makes life with a newborn better for everyone.
California declared clean drinking water a human right in 2012, but that promise remains a work in progress as residents in more rural or underserved counties still drink contaminated water.
Across western federal lands, some renewable energy expansion is going at such a frenetic pace that rural county officials in Nevada can't keep up with the requests.
In the news, but not necessarily on everyone's radar--here are some of July's quick hits.
As saltwater intrusion occurs more frequently along U.S. coasts, regional farmers are losing part of their livelihoods to ground that is too salty for many traditional crops. In seeking out a solution, some farmers are working to bring back a native hay species that thrives in salt.