by Julie Tesch, President At the heart of the Center for Rural Policy & Development are our staff and board of directors.  While we the staff do the research, our board members are also vital to the success of this organization. CRPD’s board is made up of thirteen members appointed by the Governor, one each ...

By Julie Tesch, President The weather is hot and steamy in Minnesota, so that must mean it’s county fair time. Growing up, the county fair was my favorite place on earth. It was the place where I got to see my friends, who I hadn’t seen since school let out, ride some rides at the ...

By Marnie Werner, Vice President, Research & Operations The beating heart of what we do here at the Center for Rural Policy and Development is our research—research pure and simple on policy issues that matter to rural Minnesota. It’s the beginning of the fiscal year for us, which means a new start to not just ...

EXCERPT: “For the past several years, manufacturers and other large employers throughout Greater Minnesota have been dealing with a shortage of workers – a scenario that has only found staying power in a strong economy with low unemployment. MinnPost chronicled the issue two years ago, noting that many companies were either operating short-staffed or holding ...

EXCERPT: “Cities, counties and townships that charge building fees on new homes banked $78 million more than what they needed for inspection costs over the last five years, a study released Tuesday, Aug. 20, showed. The fees are supposed to offset the cost of the inspection expenses at the municipal level. But affordable housing advocates ...

EXCERPT: “The latest monthly survey of bankers in parts of 10 Plains and Western states indicates a shrinking rural economy, and three-quarters of bankers said President Donald Trump’s trade policies are having a negative effect on their local economies. The Rural Mainstreet survey released Thursday shows the its overall index falling from an already anemic ...