Rural Sociology Commons^™

Living In Rural Nebraska: Quality Of Life And Financial Well-Being, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Agriculture in Nebraska: Perceptions on Policy Alternatives

Charitable Contributions In Rural Nebraska: A Culture Of Giving, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Restructuring the Farm Bill: Opinions of Rural Nebraskans

Restructuring The Farm Bill: Opinions Of Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Nebraska’s Rural Communities: Current Views and Strategies for the Future

Retailing In Rural Nebraska: Buying Locally And Electronically, John C. Allen, Rebecca J. Vogt, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Retailing activity in small rural communities has declined over the past few decades. More and more retail sales are occurring in the state’s larger retailing centers. In addition, the use of the Internet to purchase goods and services also has the potential to change the retailing activity of these communities. Given that, are rural Nebraskans purchasing the majority of their household goods and services in their own community or are they spending more of their money in larger retail centers? Have rural Nebraskans begun to buy and sell goods and services using the Internet? Does their purchasing behavior differ depending …

Agriculture In Nebraska: Perceptions On Policy Alternatives, John C. Allen, Rebecca J. Vogt, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Agriculture in Nebraska has been changing dramatically during the past few decades. In the 1999 Nebraska Rural Poll, rural Nebraskans were asked what they would prefer to see for Nebraska’s agriculture in the next 20 years. The majority of the respondents indicated they would prefer to see a family farm ownership structure in contrast to a non-family corporate ownership structure. Yet, less than one-third expect to see that occur in the future. Given that, what types of agricultural policy options or development strategies do rural Nebraskans believe would be effective in reaching the objective of a strong traditional family farm …

Alternative Development Strategies For Rural Communities: Views From The Great Plains, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

In the past, rural economic development policies have traditionally taken one of two forms: direct aid (various forms of financial incentives granted to individual firms) or the provision of infrastructure, such as buildings or roads. However, some argue that these policies have become less efficient and that new alternatives should be considered. These new alternatives include indirect aid to businesses (improved access to capital and business services) as well as active labor market policies (which seek to help match demand and supply in the labor markets). Which policies would be most successful in promoting economic development in rural areas? This …

Nebraska’S Rural Communities: Current Views And Strategies For The Future, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Results from the 1999 Nebraska Rural Poll indicated that the future of Nebraska’s rural communities is of continuing concern and interest. When asked their preferences for the future, the majority of rural Nebraskans indicated they would prefer to see the smallest communities continue to exist, an evenly dispersed rural population, and the traditional variety of businesses in rural communities. Yet, less than one-half expected these trends to actually occur in the future. Given that, how do rural Nebraskans feel about their community and the services available? Which economic development strategies do they feel would be effective in their community? Do …

Quality Of Life Of Rural Nebraskans: 1996 - 2000, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska’s economy has shown growth during recent years. However, the agricultural economy has not been faring as well in recent years. How have these changes affected rural Nebraskans? How do they perceive their quality of life? Do their perceptions differ by the size of their community, the region in which they live, or their occupation?

This report details results of 4,536 responses to the 2000 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fifth annual effort to take the pulse of rural Nebraskans. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their general well-being and their satisfaction with specific aspects of well-being. Trends are …

Urbanization Of Rural Landscapes Ii: Second Syllabus And Teaching Materials From A University Course, Spring 2000, Charles A. Francis, David Mortensen

CARI Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

Editors' Introduction and Executive Summary 2

Table of Contents 3

Other Volumes in Series and Ordering Information 4

Syllabus, Spring 2000 5

Principles of Planning for Lincoln and Lancaster County, Student Reports, 2000 9

Recommended Amendments to the 1994 Comprehensive Plan, Student Report, 1999 35

Course Evaluations, Spring 2000, by students and faculty evaluators 45

Resource Materials, some with Student Summaries (with permission of the publishers) 50

Stevens Creek study heralds new era for city, Lincoln Journal-Star 50

Developer, city closer on north Lincoln project, Lincoln Journal-Star 51

Study outlines new vision for Lincoln-Omaha corridor, Lincoln Journal-Star 53

Smart growth …

Social Disorganization Outside The Metropolis: An Analysis Of Rural Youth Violence, D. Wayne Osgood, Jeff M. Chambers

Center on Children, Families, and the Law: Faculty Publications

In order to extend the study of community social disorganization and crime beyond its exclusive focus on large urban centers, we present an analysis of structural correlates of arrest rates for juvenile violence in 264 nonmetropolitan counties of four states. Findings support the generality of social disorganization theory: Juvenile violence was associated with rates of residential instability, family disruption, and ethnic heterogeneity. Though rates of poverty were not related to juvenile violence, this is also in accord with social disorganization theory because, unlike urban settings, poverty was negatively related to residential instability. Rates of juvenile violence varied markedly with population …

Retailing In Rural Nebraska: Buying Locally And Electronically, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Quality of Life of Rural Nebraskans: 1996 - 2000

Quality Of Life Of Rural Nebraskans: 1996 - 2000, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraska Tomorrow: The Gap Between the Preferred and Expected Future

Nebraska’S Rural Communities: Current Views And Strategies For The Future, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

The Charm and Challenges of Living in Nebraska’s Rural Communities

Agriculture In Nebraska: Perceptions On Policy Alternatives, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Educational Quality and County Government Services: Rural Nebraskans' Perceived Impacts of Recent and Proposed Legislation

Educational Quality And County Government Services: Rural Nebraskans' Perceived Impacts Of Recent And Proposed Legislation, John C. Allen, R. Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Many changes have been occurring in rural Nebraska in the area of local finances. Recent school finance legislation has changed the formula that distributes state aid to schools (LB 806) and also imposed new property tax levy limits on school districts (LB 1114). Discussions have also arisen about consolidating county offices and services. Given all these changes, how do rural Nebraskans feel about these issues? How do they feel the new school finance legislation has affected the quality of education in their local school district? Do they support the consolidation of certain county government offices and services with a neighboring …

The Charm And Challenges Of Living In Nebraska’S Rural Communities, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska’s rural communities have experienced many changes in recent years. Depopulation and pressures to consolidate some of their services and government offices are only some of the challenges they are currently facing. How have these changes affected rural Nebraskans’ perceptions of their communities and the services available? Do their perceptions differ by the size of their community, the region in which they live, or by their occupation?

This report details results of 3,036 responses to the 1999 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourth annual effort to take the pulse of rural Nebraskans. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their …

Rural Nebraska Tomorrow: The Gap Between The Preferred And Expected Future, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Many changes have occurred in rural Nebraska in the past twenty years. Globalization, centralization of agriculture, and an increase in telecommunication technologies have prompted many adjustments for rural Nebraskans. Given all these changes, what do they prefer to happen in the next twenty years? What do they prefer agriculture, their communities, their family structure and local government to look like? Also, are the futures they prefer similar to those they expect to see?

This report details results of 3,036 responses to the 1999 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourth annual effort to take the pulse of rural Nebraskans. Respondents were asked …

Predicting Community Satisfaction Among Rural Residents: An Integrative Model, Rebecca Filkins, John C. Allen, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Community satisfaction has often been linked to the level of satisfaction with a community’s infrastructure, job opportunities and social support networks. Yet, most empirical analyses of community satisfaction have focused on only one aspect of the available theory to predict community satisfaction. In this paper, we integrate multiple models to analyze community satisfaction of almost 4,000 rural Nebraskans. The integrated model indicates that social ties may have a greater role in predicting community satisfaction than had been previously thought.

The Quality Of Life Of Rural Nebraskans, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska’s economy has shown growth during recent years. However, the agricultural economy has been experiencing a decline in market prices for most commodities. How have these changes affected rural Nebraskans? How do they perceive their quality of life? Do their perceptions differ by the size of their community, the region in which they live, or their occupation?

This report details results of 3,036 responses to the 1999 Nebraska Rural Poll, the fourth annual effort to take the pulse of rural Nebraskans. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their general well-being and their satisfaction with specific aspects of well-being. …

The Charm And Challenges Of Living In Nebraska’S Rural Communities, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Nebraska’s Changing Agriculture: Perceptions about the Swine Industry

The Quality Of Life Of Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Community Life in Rural Nebraska: Trends and Comparisons

Educational Quality And County Government Services: Rural Nebraskans' Perceived Impacts Of Recent And Proposed Legislation, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

The Quality of Life of Rural Nebraskans

Rural Nebraska Tomorrow: The Gap Between The Preferred And Expected Future, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans’ Perceptions of Tax Restructuring and Local Schools

Leaving The Good Life: Predicting Migration Intentions Of Rural Nebraskans, Rebecca Filkins, John C. Allen, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Much has been written about the population turnaround in the nonmetropolitan United States in the 1990's. While only 45% of the nonmetropolitan counties experienced population growth during the 1980's, it was estimated that nearly 74% of the these counties grew between 1990 and 1994 (Johnson, 1996). However, over one-half of Nebraska’s nonmetropolitan counties have continued to experience population declines between 1990 and 1997 (Population Estimates Program, Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC). The question then remains, “Why are people moving from nonmetropolitan counties in Nebraska?” This paper attempts to answer that question by analyzing the migration intentions …

First-Class Versus Pre-Canceled Postage: A Cost/Benefit Analysis, R. Filkins, John C. Allen, Sam Cordes

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

This paper examines the costs and benefits of using first-class postage compared to non-profit, pre-canceled postage in inducing response to a self-administered mail questionnaire. An experiment was conducted with the outgoing postage for the 1998 Nebraska Rural Poll. Twenty-five percent of the outgoing questionnaires were mailed with first-class postage, with the remaining seventy-five percent having non-profit, pre-canceled postage affixed. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in response rates between the two groups, there were no differences in demographic characteristics between the two postage groups, and the use of non-profit, pre-canceled postage resulted in substantial cost savings.

Nebraska’S Changing Agriculture: Perceptions About The Swine Industry, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes, Eric Jarecki

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

The livestock industry has been restructuring during the past several decades, resulting in fewer and larger farms as well as some vertical integration. One particular livestock sector, hogs, has received much attention in Nebraska during the past year. An increase in the applications for new hog confinement facilities has caused concern for some rural residents. Some are worried about environmental damage, while others are concerned about economic implications for smaller farms. However, supporters of these facilities point to additional jobs and other economic benefits they can bring to a community. Given these issues, how do rural Nebraskans feel about large-scale …

Rural Nebraskans’ Perceptions Of Tax Restructuring And Local Schools, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes, Eric J. Jarecki

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

School finance in Nebraska has been altered dramatically in recent years. School districts have been required to reduce their property tax levy to $1.10 per $100 in valuation this year. In addition, the formula for state aid has been changed. Many schools are scrambling to make changes to reach this levy lid. Some are considering cutting programs, cutting staff or even consolidation to deal with the limited funding. Many of these changes in school funding have resulted from a demand by Nebraskans for lower taxes and controlled government spending. Given these issues, how do rural Nebraskans feel about the current …

Community Life In Rural Nebraska: Trends And Comparisons, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes, Eric Jarecki

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska’s rural communities have undergone many changes in recent years. The development of a global economy and pressures to consolidate services and government offices are some of the challenges that rural communities are currently facing. How have these changes affected rural Nebraskans’ perceptions of their communities? Do their perceptions differ by the size of their community, the region in which they live, or by their occupation?

This report details results of 4,196 responses to the 1998 Nebraska Rural Poll, the third annual effort to take the pulse of rural Nebraskans. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their community …

Rural Nebraskans’ Quality Of Life: Trends And Contributing Factors, John C. Allen, Rebecca Filkins, Sam Cordes, Eric J. Jarecki

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Nebraska’s economy and population have shown growth during recent years. Agricultural producers are experiencing change as well with the implementation of a new farm program. How have these changes affected rural Nebraskans at a local level? How do they perceive their quality of life? Do their perceptions differ by the size of their community, the region in which they live or by their occupation?

This report details results of 4,196 responses to the 1998 Nebraska Rural Poll, the third annual effort to take the pulse of rural Nebraskans. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their general well-being and …

Nebraska’S Changing Agriculture: Perceptions About The Swine Industry, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans’ Quality of Life: Trends and Contributing Factors