AI, high borrowing costs and rising infrastructure demands are testing resilience and creating opportunities across the rural economy.
Knowledge Exchange
Special reports
Signature outlooks and commentary, including The Year Ahead, The Takeaway and The Quarterly, focusing on topics relevant to rural America.
The Quarterly
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Key issues for rural America
CoBank CEO Tom Halverson shares five key themes that he is focused on as a member of the Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity — and as the CEO of a financial institution that lends exclusively to rural industries.
The Year Ahead: Forces that will shape the U.S. rural economy
A forward‑looking analysis of the key forces shaping the U.S. rural economy in 2026, including interest rates, farm financial conditions, commodity markets, labor challenges, and macroeconomic trends influencing rural industries and agribusiness.
Other reports
Addressing unsustainable public debt levels—before it’s too late
While the problem of public debt is certainly not new, it has taken on heightened urgency over the last two years as the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates, making federal borrowing much more expensive than it was previously.
Opportunity for rural America
In 2020, the pandemic changed how millions of Americans did their jobs. Lockdowns forced many people to work from their homes and ushered in a brand-new era where remote work is commonplace. For rural communities around the country, this revolutionary change created a golden opportunity. CoBank explores the opportunity for rural communities to attract new residents and achieve new growth.
Demography and destiny: Population trends in rural America
A CoBank special report on the changing population trends in rural America.
The importance of off-farm income to the agricultural economy
CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division recently partnered with the University of Missouri to study the economic fabric that supports rural and agricultural communities.
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Get relevant and actionable insights from CoBank's industry-leading Knowledge Exchange research team.
Stay ahead of the game in your field. Subscribe today.
Get relevant and actionable insights from CoBank's industry-leading Knowledge Exchange research team.