Food pantries essential for reducing hunger among middle-class in 2020

Archive for News

October 22, 2021

Food pantries, soup kitchens, and other community food services played a critical role in helping Americans meet their food needs, especially during the first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research by researchers at the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. They found that middle-class Americans benefited the most from these services, demonstrating a key role these programs can play in times of crisis.

Choices magazine special issue focuses on COVID-19 impacts on Rural America

July 27, 2021

Choices magazine, which covers food, farms and resource use and is published by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA), has just released a special themed issue on “Rural Development Implications One Year After COVID-19.” The issue contains eight peer-reviewed papers that explore the pandemic’s effects on aspects of rural life ranging from employment and childcare to recreational trail use and farming.

New Report: Craft Beverage Trail Collaborations in Pennsylvania—A Resource for Breweries and Destination Marketing Organizations

June 23, 2021

A new report examines existing beer trails in Pennsylvania and provides insights and considerations for those seeking to establish a craft beverage trail in their locale.

Remembering George Morse (1943-2021)

April 29, 2021

It is with heavy hearts that we share that George Morse, a longtime and highly regarded friend and colleague of NERCRD, died on March 28, 2021 at the age of 77. His wife of 56 years, Elizabeth Morse, survives at their home in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

New York Muck Onion Growers explore “Goût de Terroir”

March 25, 2021

With support from NERCRD, an intrepid group of onion growers in New York state have launched a strategic business planning project to explore collaborative promotion and marketing.

New study examines importance and unique characteristics of U.S. female farmers

March 1, 2021

While women can be drawn into farming for many reasons, NERCRD researchers have found that female-owned farms in the U.S. are more common in areas that are closer to urban markets, that engage in agritourism activity, and that offer greater access to childcare.

NERCRD researchers develop new tool for visualizing vulnerabilities in supply chains

February 11, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically exposed the economic vulnerability of U.S. businesses, primarily because they are so interconnected: when one region experiences a labor shortage or supply interruption, adverse effects reverberate throughout the global economy. Researchers at NERCRD and the Korea Rural Economic Institute have developed a model to help visualize the interconnectedness of businesses and industries over geographic space, which potentially can show supply-chain vulnerabilities to future shocks, such as pandemics or climate-change impacts.

New project to explore models for connecting healthcare organizations with local agricultural producers

December 7, 2020

NERCRD is participating in a one-year project aimed at identifying a sustainable model for connecting regional healthcare organizations with local communities and agricultural producers. The project is funded jointly by the Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and College of Medicine.

Return on investment, public value estimates, and using the “but for” attribution principle

November 23, 2020

An article recently published in Journal of Extension demonstrates how a team from University of Minnesota Extension quantified the economic benefits of one of their leadership programs using the “but for” attribution principle. This principle is described in detail in “The Impact Indicators Tip Booklet: Practical and Credible Methods for Using the ‘But For’ Rule to Document Extension Community Development Impacts,” published by NERCRD and available online. Hat tip to George Morse for bringing this article to our attention.

Researchers to create a roadmap for fostering successful agritourism enterprises

July 10, 2020

A team of researchers led by a Penn State agricultural economist will receive $500,000 over three years to study agritourism in the United States and to develop research-based information and guidance for farmers looking to diversify their incomes through agritourism activities.

Older posts

Newer posts