RMJ Full Archive

Download past issues of the Rural Minnesota Journal or individual chapters by clicking on the links below. You can also request a hard copy by contacting the Center.

RMJ: Volume 1, Issue 1, released Winter 2006

RMJ: Volume 1, Issue 2, released Fall 2006

RMJ: Volume 2, Issue 1, released Spring 2007

RMJ: Volume 2, Issue 2, released Fall 2007

RMJ: Volume 3, Fall 2008

RMJ: Volume 4, 2009

RMJ: Volume 5, 2010

RMJ: Volume 6, 2011

RMJ: Volume 7, 2012

RMJ: Volume 9, 2014


RMJ: Volume 1, Issue 1, released Winter 2006 (complete issue, file size 2.8 Mb)

RMJ: Volume 1, Issue 2, released Fall 2006 (complete issue, 2.4 Mb)
“Educating Rural Minnesota’s Children ”

Table of Contents
(Click the links to download individual articles.)

Foreword: U.S. Senator Norm Coleman

Acknowledgments
Reinventing Rural Minnesota
Former Congressman Tim Penny, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

Spatially Separated Neighborhoods and Ruralplexes,
or Rural Minnesota is not Lake Wobegon!

Dr. Tom Stinson, State Economist, University of Minnesota
Tom Gillaspy, State Demographer, Minnesota Dept. of Administration

The Economics of Minnesota’s Ruralplexes
Dr. Tom Stinson, State Economist, University of Minnesota

The Demographics of Ruralplexes
Tom Gillaspy, State Demographer, Minnesota Dept. of Administration

Minnesota Agriculture in the New Millennium
Dr. C. Ford Runge, Professor, University of Minnesota

Challenge Helps Promote Creativity
Dr. Joe Nathan, Senior Fellow, University of Minnesota, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs,
Center for School Change

Representation and Legislative Power:
Overcoming Rural Minnesota’s Representational Deficit

Dr. Christopher Gilbert, Professor, Gustavus Adolphus College

Minnesota County Government:
A History of Accomplishment, A Commitment to the Future

James A. Mulder, Executive Director, Association of Minnesota Counties

Trends and Tsunamis: Rural Higher Education
Dr. Linda Baer, Senior Vice Chancellor, Minnesota State Colleges & Universities

Rural Minnesota Health Care
Raymond G. Christensen, M.D., University of Minnesota-Duluth School of Medicine

About the Authors

Table of Contents
(Click the links to download individual articles.)

Editor’s Note: Dr. Jack Geller, President, Center for Rural Policy and Development

Foreword: Commissioner Alice Seagren, Minn. Department of Education

Acknowledgments

Rural Education in Minnesota
Martha McMurry & Barbara Ronningen, Minnesota Demographic Center

Small-Town Education: A Personal Perspective
Kathryn Peters, Student Presidential Scholar, Minnesota State University, Mankato

The Minnesota Miracle Abandoned? Changes in Minnesota School Funding, 2001-2007
Dr. Gregory R. Thorson, University of Minnesota, Morris

Risk and Resilience in Rural Minnesota: Helping Our Youngest Citizens Succeed
Dr. Martha Ferrell Erickson & Michele Fallon
Center for Early Education and Development, University of Minnesota

Harvesting the Talents of Minority Students: A Look at Achievement Disparities in Rural Minnesota Schools
Dr. D. Paul Dona, Dr. P. Hoffman & Dr. L. DeLong, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Minnesota’s K-12 Schools: How Chartered and Other New Ideas are Opening Up the Public School System
Doug Thomas, Executive Director, EdVisions Inc.

Expanding and Enhancing Rural Education Through Agricultural Education
Julie Tesch, Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council

About the Authors

About Minnesota’s Center for Rural Policy and Development

 

 

RMJ: Volume 2, Issue 1, released Spring 2007 (complete issue, 3.5 mb) “Examining Rural Health Care”

RMJ: Volume 2, Issue 2, released Fall 2007 (complete issue, file size 3.5 Mb)”Institutional Change: Possibilities for the Future”

Table of Contents (Click the links to download individual articles)

Editor’s Note
Dr. Jack Geller, President, Center for Rural Policy & Development

Foreword
Liz Quam, The CDI Institute, Minnesota Rural Health Association

Acknowledgments

Simple, Elegant and Flexible: Why I Chose to Be a Rural Family Doctor
Sarah Sprengeler, Medical student
University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Duluth campus

Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among
Rural and Urban Minnesotans

Dr. Kathleen Call & Jeanette Ziegenfuss
University of Minnesota School of Public Health

MinnesotaCare: Key Trends and Challenges
Julie Sonier, Minnesota Department of Health, Health Economics Program

Rural Minnesota’s Health Care Workforce:
Demographic, Geography and Strategies

Jay Fonkert, Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care

Telehealth in Minnesota: At a Crossroads
Karen Welle, Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
Dr. Stuart Speedie, University of Minnesota School of Medicine

The Main Street Pharmacy: Becoming an Endangered Species
Dr. Andrew Traynor, Dr. Todd Sorensen & Dr. Tom Larson
University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy

Long-Term Care in Greater Minnesota
LaRhae Knatterud, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Measuring and Improving the Quality of Care in Rural Minnesota Hospitals
Michelle Casey, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center

Small Fish in a Big Pond: EMS Issues in Greater Minnesota
Gary Wingrove, Gold Cross/Mayo Medical Transportation
Aarron Reinert, Lakes Region EMS

About the Authors

About Minnesota’s Center for Rural Policy & Development

About the Atlas of Minnesota Online

About Rural Minnesota Radio

Table of Contents (Click the links to download individual articles)

Editor’s Note (Includes Table of Contents, Chairman’s Note and Acknowledgments)
Marnie Werner, RMJ Editor and Program Manager,
Center for Rural Policy & Development

Institutional Change in Local Governance
Dr. Anthony Filipovitch, Urban and Regional Studies Institute
Minnesota State University, Mankato

The Road Not Taken
Gail Miller, Renville County Recorder

The Rural Education Dilemma
Joe Graba, Education|Evolving

Questioning Conventional Wisdom About Minnesota’s Public Schools
Dr. Joe Nathan & Laura Accomando, University of Minnesota,
Center for School Change

Performance Management: Improving and Sustaining Performance in Rural Hospitals
Terry J. Hill, Rural Health Resource Center

A Chicken in Every Pot and Broadband for Every Loon:
Are Ubiquitous Broadband Connections Necessary for Prosperity in Rural
Minnesota?
Katie Johnson, Park Region Telephone Co.

The Potential for Open Access Networks in Minnesota:
A New Community-Based Approach

Bernadine Joselyn, Blandin Foundation & Gary Fields, Development Strategies and Resources Inc.

What Needs to be Done About Big Broadband
Dr. Milda K. Hedblom, Augsburg College

About the Authors

About Minnesota’s Center for Rural Policy & Development

RMJ: Volume 3, Issue 1: Fall 2008 (complete issue, file size 3.3 Mb)
“Women in Rural Minnesota”

RMJ: Volume 4, 2009 (complete issue, file size 1.8 Mb)
“The Agriculture and Forestry Issue: Looking to the Future”

Table of Contents
(Click the links to download individual articles)

Editor’s Note (Includes Table of Contents and Acknowledgments)
Marnie Werner, RMJ Editor and Research Manager,
Center for Rural Policy & Development

The Demographics of Rural Women: Now and the Future
Martha McMurry & Dr. R. Thomas Gillaspy
Minnesota State Demographic Center

An analysis of data shows that rural women are still behind in several social and economic areas, such as education and earnings, but are catching up.

“I Always Put Myself Last”: Rural Women and the Challenge of Work-Life Integration
Madeleine Alberts
Children, Youth and Family Consortium, University of Minnesota

Rural women face particular difficulties in three areas of their day-to-day lives: finding adequate child care, the distances necessary to travel just live their daily lives, and the lack of options in finding a satisfying job.

Walking in Two Worlds: Helping Immigrant Women Adjust in Rural Minnesota
Cecil Gassis & Anne Ganey
YWCA of Mankato

Women coming to America face special challenges, but they are choosing rural America – and rural Minnesota – for particular reasons. This program is helping them adjust to their new lives.

Strengthening Social Capital to Tackle Poverty
Donna Rae Scheffert
Center for Community Vitality, University of Minnesota

Women have a higher chance of winding up in poverty, especially if they are single mothers. But can moving to a rural area help? And are there simple ways communities can assist families in poverty to give them a hand up?

The Changing Role of Women in Minnesota Agriculture
Doris Mold
Sunrise Agricultural Associates

Women have been involved in agriculture since agriculture began, but often behind the scenes. Today women are receiving formal recognition as leaders on the farm and in the farming community.

Women’s Work: Productive Aging in Rural Minnesota
Jan Hively
University of Minnesota Senior Fellow (Retired)

It is well known that rural MinnesotaÕs population old and getting older faster than the urban areas of the state. There are many ways that the senior population can and are contributing to the welfare of their communities and themselves.

Women’s Health: Reproductive Health Services in Rural Minnesota
Kristen Tharaldson & Angie Sechler
Office of Rural Health & Primary Care, Minnesota Department of Health

Among the many issues facing health care in rural Minnesota is the access to reproductive health care services for women. Ready access to these services involves everything from cancer screenings to prenatal check-ups to teen health.

Choosing Place First: Remembrances and Observations About Entrepreneurship
Mary Mathews
Northeast Entrepreneur Fund

Starting one’s own business is growing increasingly popular in rural Minnesota. Mathews discusses her experiences as president of the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund and her experiences as an entrepreneur herself.

About the Authors

About Minnesota’s Center for Rural Policy & Development

Table of Contents
(Click the links to download individual articles)

Editor’s note (includes Table of Contents and Acknowledgments)

Marnie Werner, RMJ Editor and Research Manager
Center for Rural Policy & Development

Will New Technologies Preserve Minnesota’s Ethanol Industry?
Dr. Douglas G. Tiffany & Dr. Steven J. Taff
University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics
A discussion of how emerging political and technological developments may affect this important industry and, consequently, Minnesota communities.

Minnesota Agriculture in the Global Market
Kurt Markham, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Minnesota agriculture has developed a significant role in global trading. Maintaining that role requires understanding the markets and keeping an eye to the future.

The Future of Forestry in Minnesota’s Economy
Jim L. Bowyer, Responsible Materials Program, Dovetail Partners, Inc.
Forestry and the forest products industry has taken drastic turns over the decades and is doing so again, making new roles for the state’s abundant natural resources apparent.

Can We Find a 21st Century Approach to Agriculture and Water Resources Policy?
Warren Formo, Minnesota Agriculture Water Resources Coalition
Water quality policy is intrinsically tied to agriculture practice. While past policies have tackled some of the issues of wate quality, are new policies required to tackle the rest?

Expanding the Effective Use of the Rail System in Rural Minnesota
Matthew Pahs, Minnesota Department of Transportation
The railroads were a vital part of Minnesota’s economic development, and it appears now they are poised for a revival if particular crucial issues can be addressed.

Trapping Greenhouse Gases: A Role for Minnesota Agriculture and Forestry in Climate Change Policy
Cheryl Miller, Minnesota Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Initiative
Climate change policy is the next big debate in Washington. There are several ways Minnesota, with it’s significant natural resources, can play a role.

Landowner Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Wildlife Benefits of the Conservation Reserve Program
Martin D. Mitchell, Minnesota State University Mankato,
& Richard O. Kimmell, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

While the Conservation Reserve Program began as a means for keeping land idle to improve commodity prices, participants and non-participants of the program have also come to recognize its value for wildlife protection. More uses may lie on the horizon.

In Pursuit of a Cure: Searching for Food-Based Cancer Therapies and Preventions at the Hormel Institute
Ann M. Bode, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota
One of the most exciting industries emerging in Minnesota is bioscience, especially as it intersects with agriculture. One of the leading researchers at The Hormel Institute in Austin, Minn., discusses the research happening there.

About the Authors

About the Center

 

 

 

 

RMJ: Volume 5, Issue 1: 2010 (complete issue, file size 4.5 Mb)
“A Letter to the Next Governor of Minnesota “

RMJ: Volume 6: 2011 (See Current Issue)
“Taking the Helm: How rural Minnesota’s next  generation sees the future”

Table of Contents
(Click the links to download individual articles)

RMJ: Volume 5, 2010 (complete issue)

Title, Table of Contents, Acknowledgments

Editor’s note
Marnie Werner, RMJ Editor and Research Manager
Center for Rural Policy & Development

Foreword: Greater Minnesota Can Make Minnesota Even Greater
Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Success doesn’t happen overnight or by accident. It’s the result of good ideas,hard work and strong values.

Toward a Logical, Equitable and Successful Learning Experience for All
Lee Warne, Minnesota Rural Education Association
Education in rural Minnesota has been a model for the state, but there are circumstances and trends that threaten that success.

Making the Old Economy the New Economy
Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers’ Union
Agriculture is one of the foundations of Minnesota’s economy, but while it holds great histroical value, it also has great potential for the future if we pay attention to world trends.

What the Next Governor Needs to Know About Minnesota Agriculture
Chris Radatz, Minnesota Farm Bureau
Minnesota’s agricultural sector can remain strong if government and ag can work together.

Minnesota’s Rural Health Care: There is no 911 to Call
Steve Perkins, Minnesota Hospital Association
Health care in rural Minnesota is in crisis, especially in its smallest towns, but there are measures that can be taken to ensure safe and healthy communities into the future.

Rural Minnesota Cities at Risk: State Leaders Can Take Steps to Curb the Trend
Jim Miller, League of Minnesota Cities
Deep budget cuts are putting rural cities at risk for even the most basic services, but this doesn’t have to be the future.

Rural Minnesota and the Great Recession: A Look at St. Cloud and Beyond
King Banaian & Rich MacDonald, St. Could State University
St. Cloud and the surrounding counties are something of a microcosm of Minnesota. The authors look at the results of their annual survey to examine how the economies of St. Cloud and the communities around it fit together.

Memo to the Next Governor of Minnesota: Greater Minnesota is Valuable, Vulnerable and Worthy of Public Investment
Dane Smith, Growth & Justice
While Greater Minnesota may cost more in public funds, the metro area — and rural residents themselves — should not be in such a hurry to write rural areas off as expensive and needy.

There are Laws and There are Laws
Brad Finstad & Marnie Werner, Center for Rural Policy & Development
In a state the size of Minnesota, with as diverse and dispersed a population as we have, policies set in St. Paul can have unintended consequences, but we can do something about it.

About the Authors

About the Center

Volume 6 of the Rural Minnesota Journal is the most recent issue available. To see the current publication go here.

 

 


Request a Hard Copy

To receive a copy of RMJ by mail, click here to download, print and fill out an RMJ order form and mail or fax it to:

Center for Rural Policy and Development
Attn: RMJ
PO Box 3185
Mankato, MN 56002

Call the Center at (507) 934-7700.

The cost is $3 per copy to cover postage and handling (for larger orders, we’ll calculate actual postage, plus a small handling fee). Or you can pick them up for free at our office.