Land use decisions are shaping the future of rural America—from the rapid growth of data centers to new opportunities for producing food and renewable energy on the same land.

In Part One of this episode, A Conversation about Land Use and Powering Rural, Michelle Rathman talks with Custer County Commissioner Jason Strouf and Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer about data center development in their communities. They explore the economic opportunities these projects can create, along with questions about land use, water, infrastructure, private property rights, local planning, and the importance of involving rural residents in decisions with long-term impacts.

In Part Two, Michelle is joined by Rebekah Pierce, Owner and Operator of J&R Pierce Family Farm, as well as a freelance writer and author of Agri-Energy: Growing Power, Growing Food. Pierce shares how her family farm uses sheep and cattle to manage vegetation on community-scale solar sites, allowing the same land to support both food and energy production. She discusses solar grazing, farm economics, land preservation, animal health, renewable energy policy, and why farmers need a meaningful voice in conversations about the future of agricultural land.

Two different approaches to land use. One larger conversation about powering rural communities while protecting the people, land, and livelihoods that make them rural—and ensuring rural voices help shape that future.

In this episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman sits down with Leslie Dach, Founder and Chair of Protect Our Care, for a conversation about what these policy changes mean for rural communities and why the impact extends far beyond insurance coverage.

Leslie explains why rural Americans are particularly vulnerable to changes in Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. With rural hospitals already operating on extremely tight margins and many communities having lost services such as maternity care, reductions in coverage can have consequences for both patients and the healthcare infrastructure they depend on.

Michelle and Leslie also explore the connection between healthcare access and the broader rural quality-of-life picture. When people cannot afford preventive care, medications, or insurance, or when the nearest hospital, clinic, pharmacy, or provider becomes harder to access—the effects can ripple through families, healthcare organizations, employers, and local economies.

The conversation also examines the role of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. While the program represents a significant federal investment in rural health, Michelle and Leslie discuss whether transformation funding can achieve its intended purpose when healthcare organizations are simultaneously confronting substantial losses elsewhere in the system.

This episode was made possible by our partner, The National Association of Rural Health Clinics.

Join the National Association of Rural Health Clinics in Louisville, Kentucky, September 28 through October 1, for the NARHC Fall Institute, the only national conference designed exclusively for Rural Health Clinics.

Whether you're new to the RHC world or a seasoned leader, you'll gain valuable insights, make meaningful connections, and discover practical strategies to help your clinic thrive.

Register today at NARHC.org.

In this episode of The Rural Impact, host Michelle Rathman is joined by Heather O’Loughlin, Executive Director of the Montana Budget and Policy Center, to explore the policies and economic decisions affecting healthcare access and rural quality of life across Montana.

Their conversation examines Montana’s implementation of Medicaid community engagement and work reporting requirements, including concerns that additional administrative requirements could contribute to coverage losses. Michelle and Heather also discuss how state budget decisions can impact rural providers, workforce retention and access to essential services.

The conversation underscores just how interconnected the policies shaping rural communities truly are. From Medicaid coverage and workforce shortages to sustainable funding, maternal healthcare and essential public services, decisions in one area can create ripple effects across an entire community. As Montana moves forward with new rural health investments, the discussion highlights the importance of considering the broader policy environment necessary to create meaningful, sustainable improvements in rural health and quality of life.

This episode was made possible by our partner, The National Association of Rural Health Clinics.

Join the National Association of Rural Health Clinics in Louisville, Kentucky, September 28 through October 1, for the NARHC Fall Institute, the only national conference designed exclusively for Rural Health Clinics.

Whether you're new to the RHC world or a seasoned leader, you'll gain valuable insights, make meaningful connections, and discover practical strategies to help your clinic thrive.

Register today at NARHC.org.