Rural Economy

Missouri Proposition A on the November ballot would boost the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026 and require paid sick leave. Rural and urban areas might see different economic results from the changes.

Kansas farms have expanded their operations and are now bigger than ever, which has led to an economic boom. But that also means fewer farmers, and that has contributed to depopulation in rural parts of the state that were socially isolated to begin with.

Got an old instrument collecting dust in your basement? One Kansas City fundraiser enlists regional artists to turn them into reclaimed works of art. Plus: Business owners in rural areas are struggling to find younger buyers.

Many small businesses owners are planning on retiring soon, but finding buyers to keep the businesses going can be a challenge, especially in rural areas.

Produce auctions, which have been around for hundreds of years, allow farmers who need to travel via horsepower to sell into a larger, more profitable market.

Western Kansas is projected to see large population declines in the coming years, but immigration may be the key to stemming the losses. The communities that have embraced their diversity have seen their population stabilize and the local culture shift. Plus: To stay open, rural nursing homes across the Midwest are prioritizing nurses.

For seven decades, Kansas City’s Latino men’s basketball tournament has connected the region’s Hispanic diaspora. Meet the coaches and players who use sport to keep kids out of trouble, create community and broaden horizons.Also, Schwan’s, often associated with yellow trucks, ice cream treats and customer service, recently changed its name and stopped deliveries in many states. How the changes affect the company’s place in the food industry.

Since 1952, Schwan’s yellow trucks and friendly drivers have been delivering frozen food to households. The industry has become more competitive and crowded and the company has responded, rebranding and halting deliveries in most states.

The U.S. has lost more than 2,800 newspapers since 2005, many of them in rural areas. Now some journalists are redoubling their efforts to provide local news and trying new models in a difficult industry.

One of the best restaurants in Kansas opens four days a week on the wind-swept plains, an hour beyond the nearest stoplight. In a county that’s lost more than half of its population, Fly Boy Brewery & Eats offers a renewed sense of hope — and a cheeseburger worth driving for.

Towns in the path of the total eclipse could see millions of dollars flow into their communities to witness a few minutes of darkness when the moon passes in front of the sun.

Despite the fact that more women are going into veterinary medicine than ever before, some female practitioners in rural areas still face discrimination and pay gaps — problems experts say the industry will need to overcome to fill a shortage of animal care in those communities.