Allowing Wisconsin residents to smoke and sell small amounts of marijuana would reduce the disproportionate rate at which the state's black residents are arrested, Gov. Tony Evers argued. "People shouldn't be treated like criminals for accessing medicine that could change or maybe even save their lives," Evers said Monday at a news conference announcing his plan to legalize marijuana for medical reasons and decriminalize recreational use of small amounts of the plant. "But I also want to make this clear: This is not just about accessing health care," he said. [node:read-more:link]

Just as more people fly during the holidays and drive during rush hour, the demand for electricity peaks at predictable times. Flights and some toll roads cost the most when demand is highest. [node:read-more:link]

Chinese frozen food producer Sanquan on Monday recalled products that may be contaminated with African swine fever, after government-run Beijing News reported that some dumplings had tested positive for the virus. While diseased pigs were entering the food supply chain, it was not clear if the virus was still in a viable form. [node:read-more:link]

The Mountain Valley Pipeline is under criminal investigation into possible violations of the Clean Water Act and other federal laws, one of the companies building the project has confirmed. EQM Midstream Partners, the lead company in the joint venture, made the disclosure in an annual report filed Thursday with the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

POET and its new JIVE asphalt product have earned the No. 3 spot in this year’s Fast Company “World’s Most Innovative Companies.” POET made the annual ranking in the transportation category thanks to its new proprietary asphalt rejuvenator and modifier, now being used to pave roadways in states across the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

The chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation says the worst threat to farmers currently is a general economic recession. It’s because so many farmers have now become dependent on off-farm income to make ends meet and stay in operation. Farm Bureau’s Chief Economist, John Newton, spoke during a panel of ag economists’ discussion at the Crop Insurance Industry Convention. “Farm lenders say the reason why we can continue to do what we are doing is off-farm income,” Newton says. “It’s off-farm income that allows folks to continue to farm. [node:read-more:link]

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Officials in the United States have warned over and over again that raw, unpasteurised milk can carry dangerous and potentially deadly bacteria. Today, however, it seems like that information is falling on deaf ears. [node:read-more:link]

It’s no secret agriculture is struggling, and dairies are bearing the heaviest burden. One state official said farmer stress levels are “at least as bad” as they were during the 1980s agriculture crisis.Low prices and an oversupply of milk have caused hundreds of Wisconsin dairies to close. And it’s not just dairy farms. It’s hard to find a commodity that isn’t in a rut.Some farms close because of tough financial conditions. Others have no successor. [node:read-more:link]

Rural counties are experiencing long-term population loss, and the trend is particularly acute in the Great Plains where animal agriculture has played a major role for centuries, according to new research by the University of New Hampshire.  Across the country, nearly 35 percent of rural counties are experiencing protracted and significant population loss, according to a release about the study from the university’s Carsey School of Public Policy. [node:read-more:link]