Iowa Faces Population Aging and Rural Decline
Iowa State University economist Ken Stone warns that rural Iowa suffers a double whammy from the 1980s recession followed by the rise of large confinement farming. He cites aging residents, shrinking farms, and shrinking main street commerce as the state struggles to fund schools, colleges, and health facilities. The state leads in residents 85 and older and ranks high for those 65 plus.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rick Smith
Ken Stone
Iowa
Stone
Iowa State University
Grinnell Service Club
Corbett urges end to rural urban split in Iowa policy
Ron Corbett president of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce argues for a unified Iowa. He warns state government may cut small town offices and asks counties to help keep services and parks, noting uneven road funding since 1949. He stresses one Iowa with diverse communities.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ron Corbett
Cedar Rapids Area
Rick Smith
Ihe
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
Corbett
Palisades-Kepler State Park
Mount Vernon
Linn
Linn County
Ringgold County
Farm consolidation feared as few farmers run larger operations
Neil Hart notes his Iowa great grandfather raised 11 children on 80 acres and now he owns two area farms, one once supporting six farmsteads. University economist Hari predicts farms will continue to enlarge with fewer workers, raising concerns over packer dominance and regional economic tradeoffs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rick Smith
Neil Hart
Iowa
Hart
Iowa State University
Hari
Ames
Also Mentioned on This Page
Sazette Photo
Kevin Wolf
Washington
Ken Stone Lowa
GRMN
Bre
Rener
Johnson
Muscatine
Black Hawk
Winneshiek
Fayette
Lowa City
Coralville
Marion
Kalona
Iowa City
Solon
Center Point
West Liberty
Oxford Junction
Marquette
Arlington
U.S. Census Bureau Gazette
Ron Corbett Chamberhead
Neil Hari
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!