Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs

Talking About Sustainability

Rich Egger — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:55:58 +0000

This week on Emphasis, Rich Egger’s guest is Timothy Collins, Assistant Director, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs. They talk about sustainability and the upcoming series of Sustainability Brownbaggers at Western Illinois University.

Rural Development at Risk Due to Fiscal Cliff

Scott Stuntz — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:22:50 +0000

Rural communities face possible cuts to the assistance they receive from the federal government. The House version of the currently-stalled Farm Bill makes deep cuts to some rural development programs.

New Survey Looks at Using Bio-mass to Heat Homes

Scott Stuntz — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:06:34 +0000

Bio-fuels are usually associated with cars. But a grant could help promote other uses for it.

Rural Residents Concerned About EMS

Rich Egger — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:19:06 +0000

Rural parts of Illinois do not have adequate access to emergency medical services. That's the conclusion of a state panel assigned to study how the state can better serve its farm communities.

After months of surveys and meeting with people around Illinois, representatives from the Governor's Rural Affairs Council say they repeatedly heard from people worried about "the fragile nature of rural EMS."

The Wide-Ranging Impact of the US Farm Bill

Bill Knight — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:59:59 +0000

There’s more than one drought choking the country. On Capitol Hill, there’s a drought of ideas – and compassion – about farmers, rural America and the needy.

Students Studying Wind Power

Rich Egger — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:44:09 +0000

Winds farms are dotting the landscape across Illinois, and now wind energy is working its way into school curriculum.

A new Illinois Wind Energy Program is being offered in three Central Illinois school districts, including Cuba Middle-Senior High in Fulton County. The program is free of charge through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Sustainability Brownbaggers at WIU

Rich Egger — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:05:54 +0000

This semester's Sustainability Brownbaggers at Western Illinois University will begin by focusing on food-related issued.

Timothy Collins, Assistant Director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at WIU, helped organize the series. He said the first brownbagger is titled “Local Food Possibilities and Issues.”