Arizona

The Hermosa Critical Minerals Project in southern Arizona got the green light from the Forest Service — a $2.16 billion zinc and manganese operation expected to bring nearly 900 jobs to the area.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is out with its recap of the winter of 2024-2025, which includes December, January and February.    “We are seeing that it was our 27th warmest winter out of 130 years, going all the way back to 1895-1896.”    USDA...

Clocks change to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday.   But two bills in the Oregon Legislature could eventually make that twice-a-year change obsolete.  State Senator Dick Anderson wants Standard Time all year.   "A growing body of research has shown that regions in countries that have abolished Daylight Saving Time, such as Arizona and Hawaii, have seen positive results," he noted.     Stat

On Monday, western Democrats issued a statement over reports the BLM has issued stop work orders connected to projects removing hazardous wildfire fuels.  Oregon’s Jeff Merkley, New Mexico’s Senator Martin Heinrich said their letter, addressed to recently confirmed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington, “sounds the alarm”.   They said delaying these treatm

Portland-based Morasch Meats is recalling its Northwest Naturals 2lb Turkey Recipe raw & frozen pet food, after samples tested positive for H5N1.  The Oregon Department of Agriculture say it was this pet food that led to the death of an indoor cat in Washington County.    “We...

Steve Hanson, a rancher from Elsie, NE, was elected chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation at the organization's Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, AZ on Friday.  Hanson said a priority for him will be the partnerships with the various checkoffs that support the work of USMEF around the globe.   “...

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is gathering in Tucson, AZ, this week for their Strategic Planning Conference.  As Randy Spronk looks back at his year as chair of USMEF, a highlight has been the investment in market diversification made possible through the USDA Regional Agricultural Promotion Program or RAPP.   “...

After the summer the Northwest has experienced, it should come as no surprise that pasture conditions in the area don’t look great to start the month of October.  USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey noted some of the driest lands are in the Great Plains, and out here in the West.   “Leadi...

The Biden administration's version of the Waters of the U.S. rule went into effect Monday, but not for everyone.  Over the weekend, a Texas federal judge put the updated WOTUS on hold in Idaho as well as the Lone Star State.  The Court’s order Sunday granted a preliminary injunction halting the Biden WOTUS rules only for Idaho and Texas, who co-led a lawsuit.  The suits argued that E...

Last week, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced his agency is expanding efforts to reduce the risk of wildfires in the western U.S.  Funds will be invested to directly protect at-risk communities and critical infrastructure in 11 additional landscapes in Washington Oregon, Idaho California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.   “...