UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN 3rd DISTRICT, NEBRASKA TOM OSBORNE

Washington Round-up | Week of May 16, 2005

Accentuating the Positives

Entrepreneurship can be defined as a strategic tool to create new businesses, add jobs, improve incomes, and generate additional revenue in communities. In Nebraska, entrepreneurship can be defined as one of the most critical ingredients necessary to secure economic prosperity for rural Nebraskans and provide additional opportunities for our youth. Rural Nebraskans certainly face some very real challenges, but each of those challenges presents a unique opportunity. Highly productive land, good resources, safety, a good standard of living, caring and trustworthy people, and a unique sense of community all play to Nebraska’s advantage. And above all, Nebraskans—known for their resourcefulness, ingenuity, and independence— have what it takes to successfully develop an entrepreneurial atmosphere.

Among the many possibilities for entrepreneurship in Nebraska is agri-tourism. Agri-tourism is a growing industry in the United States and presents a number of opportunities for rural Nebraska. It provides a means of attracting outside dollars to local economies while educating our urban neighbors on the value of ecological stewardship and farms. Rural Nebraska can offer various experiences from working ranches to hunting to stargazing and wine tasting.

To help set the stage for positioning Nebraska as a tourism destination, on June 2, 2005, I will be hosting an agri-tourism forum in Arthur, Nebraska, from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. I encourage people from all walks of life to attend—farmers, ranchers, landowners, interested citizens, lenders, community leaders, elected officials, and local, state and federal agency personnel. The agenda is as follows (mountain daylight time):

9:00 – 9:30 Registration

9:30 – 9:45 Welcome
Congressman Tom Osborne

9:45 – 10:30 Opening Comments
Dan Curran, Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism

10:30 – 11:30 Keynote Address
Doug Russell, Broken Arrow Wilderness

11:30 – 12:30 Lunch

12:30 – 2:30 Panel Discussion / Open Forum
Moderated by Connie Francis, Nebraska Rural Initiative

Panelists:
Agritourism Enterprises/ Issues
- Jeff Pribbeno, Open Country Adventure / managing private lands
- Mike Kesselring, Northwest Nebraska High Country / grouping events, attractions
- Renee Seifert, Grand Island Visitors Bureau / community partners
- Carol Ringenberg, UNL Cooperative Extension / Nebraska Vineyards

Nebraska Resources
- Mark Broman, Nebraska Game and Parks / update on liability issues
- Ritch Nelson, NRCS Wildlife Biologist / conservation programs
- Dan Curran, Nebraska Travel and Tourism / marketing Nebraska
- Bob Broweleit, Nebraska RC&D / technical assistance

2:30 – 3:00 Closing Comments, Q & A
Congressman Osborne

The agri-tourism forum will be held at the Haythorn Ranch in Arthur at the Figure Four Traditions Event Center. If you are interested in attending, please pre-register before May 23, 2005, by contacting my Rural Initiatives Coordinator, Lory Cappel, at 308-340-5193. The cost of attendance, with lunch included, is $12.00. You can register by mail by sending your check along with your name and address to Congressman Tom Osborne, 203 West First Street, McCook, NE, 69001. Please make checks payable to Figure Four Traditions.

I believe in the future of the Third District and I hope you will join me in fostering entrepreneurial activities across our state. In an effort aimed at that very goal, I have updated and reprinted my Entrepreneurship Handbook first released in December of 2003. The 2005 Entrepreneurship Handbook and Resource Guide addresses many issues related to entrepreneurship, including education, technology, networking, financial resources, and business ethics. It also incorporates Nebraska success stories and a resource guide. The Entrepreneurship Handbook is a companion to the Rural Economic Development Handbook released in 2002 and updated in 2004. Both handbooks can be found at http://www.house.gov/osborne/publications.htm. It is my hope that these tools will serve as a springboard in your planning and implementation of entrepreneurial endeavors.

Rather than focusing on economic and social benefits the Third District might not currently enjoy, we must shift our focus to all the good things that rural Nebraska offers and fine tune those that can be developed to enhance Nebraska’s competitive edge.