America’s vanishing rural grocery stores

According to Reuters News Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently gave the town of Cody, Neb., two US$90,000 grants to buy land, set up and run a grocery store.

Cody is on the border with South Dakota. The old store closed 10 years ago. It’s a 40-mile drive to Valentine to buy groceries and 170 miles, north or south, to the nearest sizeable city.

Better Farming - February 2011