NERCRD research featured in Lancaster Farming

Research led by NERCRD Faculty Affiliate Claudia Schmidt was featured in Lancaster Farming on January 24, 2024. The study highlighted a paper published this month in Applied Economics Perspectives and Policy that found having more women in agriculture is associated with greater community well-being.

New How-To Guide on Engaging Communities Through Issues Forums

May 12, 2022

Several members of a team funded by NERCRD’s small-grant program in 2017-2018 have recently published a guide that builds on their NERCRD-funded project and explores the use of forums as a community engagement tool in Extension work. The comprehensive how-to guide is designed to help Cooperative Extension professionals develop issues forums in both onsite and online settings.

Using tweets to predict real-time food shortages

April 12, 2022

The sentiments and emotions expressed in tweets on Twitter can be used in real time to assess where supply chain disruptions due to a pandemic, war or natural disaster may lead to food shortages, according to researchers at NERCRD, Penn State and the Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.

NERCRD Annual Report highlights activities and impacts

March 24, 2022

We are pleased to share our latest Annual Report, which highlights the Center’s accomplishments and activities of 2021. While this was another very challenging year in many respects, we are grateful for the many opportunities to work with our regional and national partners in support of a strong and equitable rural recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges facing rural communities.

NERCRD expands its tourism and recreation economies portfolio

March 17, 2022

An exciting development in the NERCRD’s tourism and recreation economies work is the funding of two new projects, both led by West Virginia University, that will examine tourism and resiliency through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Book by UNH Extension Authors Dispels the Myth that Rural Places Don’t Innovate

February 4, 2022

Twenty-six leading community development scholars and practitioners from around the country—including over a dozen collaborators in the Northeast Region—teamed up to publish a new book that explores how innovation manifests itself in rural places and ultimately contributes to entrepreneurial development and community resilience. The book was edited by Dr. Charlie French, program leader and Extension associate professor of community and economic development at the University of New Hampshire. Funding to support this effort was provided by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development.

RRDCs kick off year-long 50th anniversary celebration with formal recognition from key partners

January 26, 2022

Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) took formal actions recently to recognize the significant contributions of the RRDCs, which are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

RRDCs Release Findings from Stakeholder Survey on Priorities and Capacities for Rural Community, Economic, and Workforce Development

January 26, 2022

The nation’s four Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) released findings this week from a national survey of rural development stakeholders. Conducted in the fall of 2021, the survey is part of a year-long Listening Session Initiative aimed at identifying key priorities and critical investments for rural communities’ recovery and growth.

Funded Ph.D. opportunity in recreation/leisure, parks, and tourism or related field (WVU)

January 19, 2022

The School of Natural Resources at West Virginia University (WVU) invites Ph.D. applications for a funded project (USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture) that aims to better understand tourism sustainability indicators as related to COVID-19 in rural gateway communities in eastern US.

Farewell to longtime NERCRD scholar, Dr. Sarah Rocker

December 9, 2021

Congratulations to former NERCRD Postdoctoral Scholar Dr. Sarah Rocker, who accepted a position as a National Program Leader with USDA NIFA, effective November 22. Rocker’s three-year tenure with the NERCRD ended on September 1.

NERCRD welcomes new members to its Board and TAC, and thanks outgoing members for their service

December 7, 2021

The NERCRD annual meeting that took place virtually November 4-5, 2021, marked a change in the makeup of the Board of Directors and Technical Advisory Committee as follows.