Roundup: June 19, 2026
A regular feature of the Rural Review, these roundup posts collect notable recent research, analysis, and related rural news and commentary. Feel free to email us your suggestions for future roundups and visit the Rural Review contributor guidelines for other ways to get involved.
The Review will be taking a brief summer break to accommodate summer schedules and to welcome our newest research assistants to the team. We’ll be back in a few weeks with more rural-centered research, news, events, and commentary!
Recent Publications
Chen-Ti Chen (Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, Ohio State University), Gabriel E. Lade (Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State University), John M. Crespi (Economics, Iowa State University), and David A. Keiser (Resource Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst) published Size-Based Regulation and Water Quality: Evidence from the Iowa Hog Industry in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. The article explores the effects of the 2003 Clean Water Act regulations.
The study, Public Transit Supports for Food Access: 2021 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living, was published in Preventing Chronic Disease. Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, and Heidi M. Blanck (all National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC) investigate how transit planning can improve access to food, especially in rural municipalities.
The Journal of Rural Social Sciences published Developing Leadership Capacity in a Rural, Farm-Dependent Community by Taylor J. Shackelford (Whitesboro Independent School District, Texas), Lauren L. Cline, and J. Shane Robinson (both Agricultural Education, Communication & Leadership, Oklahoma State University). The article explores how outmigration of high school graduates in farm-dependent counties leads to a lack of future leadership in rural communities.
News & Commentary
An article in Farm Journal shared insights from a recent poll of readers reacting to the federal policies from the last year. The poll revealed concerns stemming from rising input costs (especially fuel), trade uncertainty, and mounting worries about the future of rural communities.
The Associated Press reported on how the global oil bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz has generated a financial windfall for New Mexico, whose crude oil production is second only to Texas. The state’s revenue from taxes, royalties, and lease sales helps cover the cost of college tuition, school meals, health insurance, and childcare.
An article in The Independent covered the race between online retailers Walmart and Amazon to speed up deliveries to small, rural areas previously considered too remote or unprofitable. Changes in demographics and the retail landscape are fueling interest in underserved communities.
The Nebraska State Bar Association released a report following a series of “Rural Listening Sessions” to better understand the challenges facing lawyers, courts, and communities in rural Nebraska. The report summarizes the feedback gathered and shares recommendations.
Events & Recordings
The National Association of Community Health Centers is hosting an online livestream event, “Exploring the Power of Collaboration: Pathways to Transformative Rural Health Partnerships”, on Monday, June 22, 2026. The moderated panel discussion will convene leaders from rural hospitals and health centers across three states to share how their partnerships have prepared them for rural health challenges and opportunities.
Rural Assembly Everywhere, a free virtual gathering on July 23, 2026, will welcome rural leaders, community members, advocates, and allies to imagine new ways of building a thriving rural America. The broadcast will feature conversations with leading voices in rural life and culture, spotlight inspiring communities across the country, and include a live chat allowing participants to connect in real time.
