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Agriculture

Nevada marijuana sales hit $27 million in first month

Nevada took a gamble on recreational marijuana, and it’s paying off.  Dispensaries sold $27.1 million of pot in Nevada, in July alone. That's almost double what both Coloradoand Oregon sold in their first months. It's almost seven times what Washington sold. Banking on weed, Nevada made $10.2 million off the fledgling industry during the first month of sales in July, according to the Nevada Department of Taxation. Of that, $6.5 million came from industry fees and $3.68 million came from tax revenue.Gov. [node:read-more:link]

Government jobs sprouting as legal pot looms in California

Scientists. Tax collectors. Typists. Analysts. Lawyers. And more scientists. Recreational marijuana use becomes legal in California in 2018, and one of the things to blossom in the emerging industry isn’t green and leafy - it’s government jobs.The state is on a hiring binge to fill what eventually will be hundreds of new government positions by 2019 intended to bring order to the legal pot economy, from keeping watch on what’s seeping into streams near cannabis grows to running background checks on storefront sellers who want government licenses. [node:read-more:link]

Censky, McKinney Confirmations Praised

USDA’s offices continue to fill up as two more key leadership positions were confirmed by the U.S. Senate last night. Stephen Censky was confirmed as USDA’s deputy secretary and Ted McKinney as undersecretary of trade and foreign agricultural affairs. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue praises the Senate’s confirmations, issuing the following statement.“I commend the Senate for confirming these two experienced, prepared and capable nominees, who will provide the steady leadership we need at USDA. [node:read-more:link]

Farmers for America Documentary

The documentary traces the extraordinary changes coming to America’s food system as more and more consumers flock to farmers’ markets, embrace farm-to-table lifestyles and insist on knowing where their food is coming from. At the center of the film are the farmers, young and old, who provide the spirit and energy to bring urban and rural America together over what both share in common:  our food. These farmers reflect nothing less than the face of America. [node:read-more:link]

2016 National Beef Quality Audit shows room for improvement

After years of trying to improve beef cattle, have we made enough progress yet? That question was asked and answered in the 2016 National Beef Quality Audit, the most recent since 2011.For those waiting for the answer, it’s still “no,” Mark McCully said. The Certified Angus Beef brand’s vice president of supply grants cattle are better, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. The NBQA cites a lost opportunity of $15.75 per head in quality grade alone. A glance at actual beef grades vs. [node:read-more:link]

WI:Proposed changes offer a soul-searching moment for co-ops

A packed legislative hearing in Madison last week was a good reminder of what is beautiful about cooperatives. It also revealed a lot about what is broken. The topic of that hearing was Assembly Bill 353, a bill that would allow co-ops to make some fairly un-democratic changes to their bylaws – provided that co-op members vote democratically to do so. [node:read-more:link]

Producer optimism about the future wanes in September report

Producers’ optimism about the future of the agricultural economy fell in September, according to the Index of Future Expectations, a sub-index of the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The overall barometer held steady from August to September with a reading of 132 as its two sub-indices – the Index of Future Expectations and the Index of Current Conditions – shifted in opposite directions. The Index of Future Expectations fell seven points to 130 in September, while the Index of Current Conditions climbed from 122 in August to 135 in September. [node:read-more:link]

Goodlatte Officially Introduces the Ag Guestworker Act

On Monday, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced his Agricultural Guestworker Act of 2017 Bill, which would replace H-2A with an H-2C program. Rep. Goodlatte introduced the bill to the House Judiciary Committee, which he chairs. During his address at United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference in mid September, Rep. Goodlatte said he intends to move the bill through on a tight timetable. And that is exactly what he is doing. Rep. [node:read-more:link]

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