Podcasts about rural economy

Bird flu has been found in a sheep for the first time. DEFRA said the case in Yorkshire was on a farm where avian flu was present in captive birds. One ewe tested positive and has been culled, but her lambs and the rest of the small flock of sheep were negative. Surveillance of mammals for avian flu has been stepped up, partly because in the United States many dairy cattle and even some dairy workers have gone down with the disease. We speak to the chief vet.Avian influenza is at the forefront of egg producers' minds at the moment. All week we've been taking a closer look at egg production, including a free-range egg producer in Wales. We also visit a farm which supplies pullets, which then grow into laying hens. For every female chick which grows into a pullet, there's a male chick, which will never lay eggs and isn't wanted by egg producers. In the UK these chicks are gassed at one day old, but in Europe techniques are being used to sex the chicks before they're hatched, whilst still in the egg.Red Tractor has pledged to improve communications with farmers and simplify its audits as part of its response to an independent review. The review, published earlier this year, recommended more than 50 changes. The Chancellor's spring statement has drawn a mixed reaction from the rural community. Farming itself wasn't mentioned as such, Rachel Reeves focused on the government's agenda for growth and plans to build more homes. We speak to a professor from Newcastle University's Centre for Rural Economy to assess what it means for agriculture and rural communities.Presenter = Charlotte Smith Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Chancellor's spring statement has drawn a mixed reaction from the rural community. Farming itself wasn't mentioned as such, Rachel Reeves focused on the government's agenda for growth and plans to build more homes. We speak to a professor from Newcastle University's Centre for Rural Economy to assess what it means for agriculture and rural communities.All this week we're looking at eggs, and today we focus on the farms which supply laying hens. We visit a pullet rearer which supplies egg producing farms with four million birds a year. The House of Lords Environment Committee is investigating nitrogen pollution in waterways and the air. It's been hearing evidence from the Office for Environmental Protection, a government body set up to ensure compliance with environmental laws. They're investigating Defra after Defra gave advice to farmers which didn't comply with the Farming Rules for Water - the regulations which aim to stop farmers causing pollution to waterways from fields and slurry.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

What We Learned In This Episode of the Red Dirt Agronomy PodcastThe Importance of Delivery Points: Producers need accessible locations to deliver diverse products like white wheat, mung beans, and sesame. Without these nearby delivery points, it's unrealistic to expect them to participate in niche markets.Having accessible delivery points is crucial for producers, especially for specialty crops. Producers need a place to deliver their products quickly and efficiently during harvest.Bridging the Gap Between Agriculture and Food: One of the biggest challenges is connecting production agriculture with the food industry. Farmers think in bulk, but the food business requires consistent supply and specific standards.Bridging the gap between agriculture and the food industry involves addressing differences in how each operates. Farmers typically deal in bulk, while the food industry needs a consistent, year-round supply that meets specific safety and quality standards.The Role of Infrastructure: Infrastructure, especially cold storage, is critical for family farms building direct-to-consumer beef programs. The lack of available infrastructure in rural areas is a significant bottleneck.Infrastructure, particularly cold storage, is essential for family farms aiming to sell beef directly to consumers. The scarcity of such infrastructure in rural areas poses a major challenge.The Consumer's Growing Interest: Consumers are increasingly interested in where their food comes from and are seeking cleaner ingredients. This trend presents an opportunity for local and regional food systems.Consumers are showing more interest in the origins of their food and are actively seeking cleaner, healthier options. This growing awareness creates a significant opportunity for local and regional agriculture.The Franchisable Ecosystem Model: The model Brady is developing—small ecosystems with post-farm infrastructure, delivery points, and value-added processing—can be replicated across the country.Brady's approach of creating small, localized ecosystems with essential infrastructure can be scaled and replicated nationwide. This model supports local agriculture by adding value to specialty crops.The Need for Risk Management: Managing risk is crucial, especially with specialty crops that lack traditional futures contracts. Hedging through contracts with the next point in the supply chain is essential.Effective risk management is vital, particularly for specialty crops without established futures contracts. Securing contracts further down the supply chain helps mitigate potential losses. RedDirtAgronomy.com

Keeping the heart of the heartland requires two key things when we think about growing small towns, cities and rural economies: big vision and lots of hard work. Today's guest is no stranger to either and shares a great perspective on how one small community in the Midwest is reimagining itself into an epicenter of innovation. Nichole Like, CEO of The Pantheon, an innovation engine in Vincennes, Indiana joins us to talk: Investing in small communities while also honoring their heritage to make them a destination for newcomers to move to and hometown kids to return to for their careers. The steady decline of entrepreneurial activity in rural America and The Pantheon's vision to create the economy they want – not the way they're given. Vincennes as Indiana's first city has big stats to tout – including Knox County leading in ag receipts, being the #1 producer of fruit and vegetable production in Indiana and #2 in the United States for melon production. The simple, but effective, equation to building an agtech ecosystem: bring really smart, progressive farmers to the table with innovators to solve critical problems facing their operations. Creating community buy-in and the importance of local support to drive local economies. What's ahead for The Pantheon and Indiana's first city.

Keeping the heart of the heartland requires two key things when we think about growing small towns, cities and rural economies: big vision and lots of hard work. Today's guest is no stranger to either and shares a great perspective on how one small community in the Midwest is reimagining itself into an epicenter of innovation. Nichole Like, CEO of The Pantheon, an innovation engine in Vincennes, Indiana joins us to talk: Investing in small communities while also honoring their heritage to make them a destination for newcomers to move to and hometown kids to return to for their careers. The steady decline of entrepreneurial activity in rural America and The Pantheon's vision to create the economy they want – not the way they're given. Vincennes as Indiana's first city has big stats to tout – including Knox County leading in ag receipts, being the #1 producer of fruit and vegetable production in Indiana and #2 in the United States for melon production. The simple, but effective, equation to building an agtech ecosystem: bring really smart, progressive farmers to the table with innovators to solve critical problems facing their operations.  Creating community buy-in and the importance of local support to drive local economies. What's ahead for The Pantheon and Indiana's first city. 

The USDA seeks nominees for the American Pecan Promotion Board needed to fill six seats, and while U.S. continues benefiting from solid economic growth, the rural economic outlook remains uncertain.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture and USDA have declared the northern giant hornet eradicated from Washington and the U.S., and while U.S. continues benefiting from solid economic growth, the rural economic outlook remains uncertain.

Missouri is the second-largest producer of biofuels and contributes 13% to the price of soybeans, making it a significant market with many benefits. Biodiesel encourages better diesel engine performance, reduces our carbon footprint, is a great resource for farmers, and betters the rural economy. Missouri Soybean Market Development Director Matt Amick explains the birth of biofuels and how they are tied to Missouri soybeans. Listen now to learn about the Missouri origination of biofuels, its importance to animal agriculture, and what biofuels mean to Missouri farmers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In January, University of Idaho agricultural economists told legislators they estimated Idaho's 22,800 farms and ranches brought in a total of $11.157 billion.

Join Sam Kem, senior economic research analyst at CFC, as she looks at data center risks and rewards for co-ops with energy industry analyst Chris Whittle of CFC's Utility Research & Policy team.For questions and requests about industry research topics, please contact utilityresearchpolicy@nrucfc.coop.Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

Send us a textJoin two seasoned gamekeepers, Tom and Alex Painter, as we explore the world of high flying game.Though known as a gamekeeper, Tom has got a rock 'n' roll twist to his story in his younger days.Alex' deep understanding of the traditional and correct way of doing things, learned from his father and being a good shot- make him a trusted figure and much in demand in local shoots.Please follow our Facebook / Instagram pages @fromthehorsebox and we would love to hear any feedback on the text message system on each episode.What question would you have liked to ask?

In this episode, Dane talks with Deb Barnett, the executive director of SI Now. SI Now is a relatively new regional economic development organization founded in the fall of 2022, serving 17 counties in Southern Illinois. She explains that the organization was created to address the need for a more strategic and collaborative approach to economic development in the region, moving away from the previous model where communities and counties worked in isolation. During the conversation, Barnett highlights SI Now's focus on long-term economic growth and shares insights about their current projects and future plans. She also discusses her involvement in a podcast called "Small Town Big Business," which features interviews with small business owners in Southern Illinois. Barnett emphasizes the importance of storytelling in economic development and expresses optimism about the increasing number of opportunities and projects in the pipeline for the region. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/) — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Deb Barnett.

Send us a Text Message."Its only worth what someone is prepared to give"The live auction is still the best way to determine the right buyer and the right price. The popularity of platforms like eBay and  T.V's "Bargain Hunt" indicate peoples' fascination with the 'art'.The auctioneer is the crucible for all this to take place and their skills make all the difference to trade. Our guest is the perfect example of someone with a passionate knowledge of the animals he is selling and the people involved.Sion graduated from Aberystwyth University in 2017 with a 2:1 agricultural degree.In November 2020 he was senior auctioneer at St Asaph Livestock Market for Jones Peckover Ltd.He was voted auctioneer of the year in 2022 and has won at The National Eisteddfod with his singing in that year.Please follow our Facebook / Instagram pages @fromthehorsebox and we would love to hear any feedback on our email address fromthehorsebox@gmail.com what question would you have liked to ask?

NDA 3.0 is back and with it comes a fresh push towards the Rural Economy of India. In this video we take a detailed look at the sectors and pockets of economy where we can see the thrust going forward. We hope you like the podcast and presentation.

In the 8th episode of Justify Season 4, Dr. Arghya Sengupta discusses media freedoms with Prof. Vibodh Parthasarathi. The episode delves into the role of media & social media entities and their role in the changing digital economy. This season of Justify is an election special - where Dr. Arghya Sengupta will discuss issues which should matter to the youth as they cast their votes.

The SNP MSP on his suspension, his clashes with the Greens, and bullying allegations. MSP for Inverness and Nairn and former Rural Economy cabinet secretary Fergus Ewing sits down with Podlitical to discuss his efforts fighting for fishermen and farmers, and being an "apprentice rebel at 66" when it comes to speaking out against his own party's plans - sometimes in a theatrical fashion. Ewing talks about the allegations by civil servants of bullying, denying his behaviour crossed a line, but claiming he wishes he could have "handled things slightly differently" in hindsight. An outspoken critic of the Scottish Greens and the Bute House Agreement, Ewing explains why he believes the Greens in Government are "extremists" and why things haven't been going "particularly well" for the SNP recently.For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

We have a holistic group, wherein all the sustainability professionals come on a single platform and discuss various subjects related to restoration, sustainability, ecology, economy in harmony with nature, nature based solution, village economy, Soil, Water, Air, Biodiversity and a lot more. The group has been an initiative of Mr. Atul Vashishth, who is very passionate about all these subjects and keep roping in enthusiasts, professionals, inventors and innovators from across the globe. This podcast episode is one such enlightening discussion on the reinstation of rural economy in India. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vaidicsrijan/message

Wisconsin bankers have their voice heard in Washington DC thanks to the American Bankers Association (ABA). They represent 83 percent of all banks nationwide and have agricultural loans in their portfolio. Ed Elfmann, Senior Vice President of Agricultural and Rural Banking Policy for ABA says recent conversations in the lending space have been focused around commodity prices. Addressing these concerns is the ACRE Act (Access to Credit for our Rural Economy), currently gathering bipartisan support with 46 co-sponsors in the House. This legislation aims to alleviate the burden of interest rates by eliminating taxation on farm real estate, rural housing, and aquaculture. The evolving conversation around lending priorities has also been shaped by ongoing shifts in the agricultural landscape. With the rise in agricultural costs and an aging farming population, the focus has pivoted towards supporting customers through this transition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of Teagasc Signpost Sustainability Month, the Teagasc Sustainability Report 2022 was also launched via webinar, covering economic, social and environmental metrics using nationally representative data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey. It also included an update on development of a biodiversity indicator on NFS Farms.  The 2022 Sustainability Report was launched by Professor Frank O'Mara, Teagasc Director and the webinar was chaired by Pat Murphy, Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc, featured Kevin Hanrahan, Head of Rural Economy and Development Programme, Teagasc and had presentations from Trevor Donnellan, Head of Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department, Teagasc; Cathal Buckley, Economist, Teagasc; and Simon Leach, Biodiversity Assessment Technologist, Teagasc.  To register for future Teagasc Signpost webinars visit: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                  For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to:  https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

Bwyd Abertawe is Swansea's local food partnership, and is collaborating with 4theRegion and Castell Howell Foods to support an increase in the volume of veg grown on the Gower Peninsular and generally across the Swansea Bay area.  This project is part of a wide range of activities across South West Wales which seek to strengthen our local food supply chains and our regional horticultural sector. This conversation brought together: Dawn Lyle, 4theRegion Edward Morgan, Castell Howell Foods Lucy Hole, Secret Hospitality Group Ian Chriswick, Gower College Sarah Gould, Lantra Richard Bond, Food & Drink Wales   Supporting Local Producers: Lucy Hole emphasised Secret Hospitality's commitment to support local producers across Swansea Bay, highlighting their collaboration with Castell Howell. However, they acknowledged that the volume of produce this year has presented challenges, preventing them from fully supporting local producers. Richard Bond from the Food & Drink Wales project, brought a broader perspective to the discussion. The Food & Drink Wales project is responsible for promoting Welsh food and drink in Wales, the UK and internationally. Their vision is to create a strong and vibrant Welsh food and drink sector with a global reputation for excellence, having one of the most environmentally and socially responsible supply chains in the world. Ian Chriswick from Gower College shared insights from the GCS Green Hwb project. The Green Hwb project delivers qualifications in horticulture. Produce from the project will be used to go to local causes, with the first crop of the year supporting projects such as the Phoenix Centre and The Nelson Trust. This project demonstrates the potential of food production as a means of support for local initiatives. Sarah Gould, of Lantra (who run the Farming Connect project) added to the discussion with her industry expertise. The Farming Connect project supports Welsh farmers with business support and training. Andrew Stevens, a livestock farmer and the Champion for Rural Economy at Swansea Council, shared insights from a farming perspective. Challenges and Obstacles: Ed Morgan from Castell Howell led a discussion on the challenges faced by local producers and the wider food industry. He emphasised the globalisation of the food supply chain in recent decades, leaving communities vulnerable to supply disruptions. Food security has become a concern, particularly in light of recent environmental factors impacting food production and supply chains. Ed highlighted the need for a template or framework for engaging with growers and supporting them financially and operationally. The challenge, as identified, includes the timing of produce availability, weather disruptions, and land acquisition by renewable energy industries. The group discussed various strategies to address these obstacles, including: Engaging with Growers: Collaboratively engaging with growers to understand their capacity and requirements, and committing to support on factors like seed costs, staff expenses and machinery. Educational Engagement: Focusing on the educational sector by working with schools and colleges to bridge the gap and introduce young people to farming. Exploring the potential link between education and the industry to support catering students and foster a stronger connection between educational institutions, restaurants and local producers. Competing with Global Markets: Developing strategies to compete with growers in England and abroad by focusing on quality, value, and experience.  Logistics and Distribution: Recognising the importance of logistics and distribution for small growers, and exploring partnerships with distributors like Castell Howell. The meeting concluded with a recognition of the complex challenges facing local producers in Swansea Bay. However, there was an optimistic outlook on the potential for collaboration and support from various sectors to overcome these challenges. The group committed to further discussions and action plans to enhance the support for local producers and strengthen the regional food supply chain. 4theRegion is keen to hear from anyone who would like to be involved in this project, please contact zoe@4theRegion.org.uk Project updates will be published here: https://www.4theregion.org.uk/projects/gower-grown/ 

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Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's race | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy bills | $11B in federal funds allocated for rural clean energy projects | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis commission meets in Flagstaff, AZ (WARNING: contains graphic descriptions of violence) | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs nation's first Right-to-Repair law | Violent Femmes perform their self-titled debut in Denver, Austin and Houston this week.  Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE: Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's raceBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 15, 2023 4:00 AMAs ballots begin to hit mailboxes for Denver's June 6th runoff election, Johnston and Kelly Brough, the other top-two finisher in April's first round of voting - have rolled out a veritable smorgasbord of endorsement announcements.Former mayoral candidates Ean Thomas Tafoya, Terrance Roberts, Jim Walsh, Al Gardner and Leslie Herod all endorsed Mike Johnston. Rep Herod (who was my preferred choice for mayor) said “Having shared countless debate and forum stages with Mike over the past months, I know that he has the passion, commitment, and vision to tackle Denver's toughest problems. Mike and I share the value of public service, hard work, and doing right by our communities, and I am excited to work with him to deliver on our progressive vision for Denver.”Meanwhile, Brough, the former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce head who secured her spot in the runoff with just over 20% of the first-round vote, has picked up endorsements from Democratic state Sen. Chris Hansen as well as Thomas Wolf, an investment banker who campaigned on harsh anti-homelessness policies and received 1% of the vote for Mayor in April.Sen. Hansen said “Denver needs a proven executive — Kelly Brough is the leader we can trust to deliver results. It's going to take all of us to tackle Denver's biggest challenges, and I'm proud to join Kelly's team.”Brough also picked up endorsements from Democratic state Rep. Alex Valdez and former Tattered Cover CEO Kwame Spearman, both of whom entered the mayor's race but later withdrew. Brough and Johnston emerged from the crowded field of mayoral candidates after becoming by far the race's two best-funded candidates, each raising about $1MM in direct contributions and benefiting from millions more in outside super PAC expenditures from billionaires and real-estate interests.After a first round that featured a wide range of perspectives and ideologies, the runoff campaign has featured few stark disagreements on policy between the two candidates, both of whom are veteran figures in Colorado's centrist political establishment.Brough served as then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's chief of staff from 2006 to 2009, then led the conservative-leaning Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for 12 years before stepping down ahead of her mayoral run. Some of her top endorsers include former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, both Democrats.On Friday, she touted the endorsement of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of clergy and civil rights leaders in the city's Black community. Pastor Paul Burleson, the Alliance's vice president of political affairs, said that Brough's experience is key to her appeal.Brough has also picked up endorsements from the Denver Police Protective Association and other unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters. She was one of the only candidates in the mayor's race to endorse a return of “qualified immunity,” a legal doctrine that bars people from suing law enforcement officers in their individual capacity. Colorado lawmakers, led by Herod, passed a landmark police reform bill that abolished qualified immunity in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020. - Just one reason I love Leslie Herod.During his time in the state Senate, Mike Johnston became one of the state's leading champions of education reform, a movement that has galled teachers' unions and progressives who've accused him of undermining public education. From 2020 to 2022 he was the CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization founded by oil tycoon Sam Gary.Though hardly a progressive firebrand himself, Johnston spoke at Wednesday's event of the coalition he hopes to build as mayor. Along with former mayoral rivals, he received endorsements from Democratic state Sens. Julie Gonzales (another legislator I have tremendous respect for) and James Coleman (who is my state senator but someone whom I don't know much about), adding to a list of supporters that also includes former Mayor Federico Peña and former Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll.Rep. Leslie Herod said “Make no mistake: We are the progressives in this race, and we have chosen to back Mike. We are the candidates who have consistently spoken about putting people over structures, putting people over businesses — people always first.”So for my part I'll be following State Sen. Julie Gonzales and Rep. Leslie Herod, voting for Mike Johnston.Final thought: Johnston might not be seen as progressive, but if he wins this election assembling a progressive coalition to bear a developer/business-backed candidate in Kelly Brough, then progressives should absolutely have a strong voice in the Johnston administration if he wants to keep his job. But first he's got to win.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy measures, utility regulation billBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 11, 2023 5:36 PMGov. Jared Polis has signed into law a bill that commits Colorado for the first time to a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, along with other measures to address spiking utility rates and the state's long-term energy future.Flanked by Democratic lawmakers and state energy officials, Polis signed Senate Bill 23-16 at an event at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The bill, a wide-ranging package of reforms aimed at boosting clean energy efforts in a variety of industries, was approved on party-line votes by Democratic majorities in the General Assembly just before its adjournment on May 8.SB-16 sets a statutory goal of a 100% reduction in Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, revising that target upwards from a 90% goal set by the Legislature in 2019. It's the first time the state has formally established the net-zero goal that scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have said is necessary to avert the most catastrophic impacts of global warming.To get there, the bill contains what sponsors called a “potpourri” of measures to accelerate the transition to clean energy, including sections that streamline the process for the installation of electric transmission lines and rooftop solar panels; stricter requirements on large insurance companies to assess climate risk; tax credits for the purchase of electric-powered lawn equipment; and more authority for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to regulate carbon capture projects.COGCC chair Jeff Robbins applauded the bill's efforts to encourage carbon capture, which he called “critical as a tool in addressing climate change.”“The COGCC is well poised with its resources and regulatory understanding to now help carbon storage be deployed safely and responsibly in Colorado,” Robbins said in a press release.Gov. Polis also signed House Bill 23-1252, which establishes a new state grant program for geothermal energy projects and requires large natural-gas utilities to develop emissions-reducing “clean heat plans.”Senate Bill 23-291, a package of reforms to state utility regulations, and House Bill 23-1234, a bipartisan measure aimed at streamlining permitting and inspection processes for solar projects were also both signed into law. SB-291 emerged from hearings held earlier this year by the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates, a special panel of lawmakers convened by Democratic leaders following sharp increases in many Coloradans' utility bills in 2022.It directs the state's Public Utilities Commission to more closely scrutinize how privately-owned utilities manage volatility in natural-gas prices, the main culprit in rate increases that caused the average monthly payment for customers of Xcel Energy, Colorado's largest utility, to rise by more than 50% last year. Other provisions in the bill are aimed at assessing the long-term future of natural gas infrastructure as more homes and businesses transition to all-electric heating and cooking appliances.In a press release, Advanced Energy United, an industry group representing clean energy companies, said the legislation creates a “national model” for dealing with volatility in the natural gas market.“This bill will help make Colorado's energy system more affordable long-term, and should be seen as a model for states across the country on how to manage high gas prices and a transition to cost-saving alternatives to gas, like high-efficiency heat pumps, rooftop solar and battery storage,” said Emilie Olson, a senior principal at Advanced Energy United.House Bill 23-1272, creates or extends a variety of clean energy tax credits, including incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, e-bikes, electric heat pumps, industrial decarbonization technologies and more.Gov. Polis said “These exciting money-saving changes for Coloradans mean reliable, lower energy costs and good-paying jobs, as we continue to fuel the innovation that makes Colorado a national leader in clean energy. We are cutting red tape, creating good paying jobs and improving air quality as we continue to make bold progress towards achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040.”ARIZONA MIRROR: Rural electric co-ops to get $10.7B in USDA funds for clean energy grants, loansBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MAY 16, 2023 7:11 AMThe U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin to administer two loan and grant programs worth nearly $11 billion to boost clean energy systems in rural areas, administration officials said Tuesday. The programs are the New ERA program for rural electric cooperatives, and the PACE program for other energy providers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the funding “continues an ongoing effort to ensure that rural America is a full participant in this clean energy economy.”White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said, “Rural areas can have more difficulty than more urban ones in attracting private sector investment. The programs are intended to allow those rural areas to take advantage of an industry-wide trend to invest in clean energy production.He said, “There's a favorable wind blowing here. This allows rural communities to put up a sail.”The programs are meant to put rural electric cooperatives on equal footing with larger privately owned companies that have already put major funding into clean energy deployment.The programs represent the largest single funding effort for rural electrification since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act in 1936.The money is meant not only to address the climate impacts of fossil fuel energy and reduce home energy costs, but to act as an economic engine for rural areas.Rural electric cooperatives are eligible for the New ERA program, and up to 25% of the funding in that program can be in the form of direct grants. Utilities can use the money to build renewable energy systems, zero-emission systems and carbon capture facilities.The USDA will begin to accept initial applications for funding on July 31. Applicants are expected to write more detailed proposals for funding after the USDA accepts their initial applications.The PACE program provides loans to renewable energy developers and electric service providers “to help finance large-scale solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower projects and energy storage in support of renewable energy systems,” the release said. The program is targeted to “vulnerable, disadvantaged, Tribal and energy communities,” the release said. It's in line with a Biden administration goal to allocate at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal spending to disadvantaged communities.The USDA can forgive up to 40% of most of the loans in the program. Up to 60% of loans to applicants in some U.S. territories and tribal communities can be forgiven.Initial applications for that program will open June 30.ARIZONA MIRROR:National commission on the MMIP crisis meets in Arizona to hear testimony, recommendationsBY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MAY 15, 2023 1:50 PMFive empty chairs sat at the front of the Not Invisible Act Commission hearing, each wrapped in a shawl, blanket or quilt representing a different group of individuals impacted by human trafficking or with a loved one who is missing or murdered.“We want to allow space for representing our relatives,” commission member Grace Bulltail said, noting the traditions in many Indigenous families to always preserve a space for absent loved ones. “We're doing that to honor our loved ones,” Bulltail said, explaining that, by putting the chairs there, the commission hearing was holding space for them.The chair wrapped in a red shawl with white and yellow handprints honored the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The chair wrapped in a red, orange, bridge, and white Native design shawl with a black blazer draped over it was to honor the missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys. Another chair was wrapped in a light blue, white and purple quilt. Pinned to the quilt was a picture of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, a Navajo girl who was abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. This chair honored Indigenous children.The chair wrapped in a maroon shawl with floral designs honored the LGBTQI and two-spirit Indigenous community. The chair wrapped in a brown Pendleton honored Indigenous veterans.The Not Invisible Act Commission, organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior,  held a public hearing at the Twin Arrows Casino near Flagstaff to hear testimony and recommendations from victims and families impacted by human trafficking and the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. The commission also heard from local tribal leaders and advocates. The Not Invisible Act was passed into law in October 2020, establishing the commission as a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee of federal and non-federal members, including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors.The meeting at Twin Arrows was the commission's third public hearing. This summer, it has four more planned in Minnesota, northern California, New Mexico and Montana. The hearings are being held in communities impacted most by the MMIP crisis.Commissioners heard emotional testimony from Seraphine Warren and Pamela Foster as they shared their experiences of losing a loved one and advocated for change.Ms. Warren is the niece of Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who went missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation on June 15, 2021. Warren continued to advocate for not only her aunt but all Indigenous people.Speaking through tears, she told her aunt's story. “I know it wasn't her legacy to be stolen or to be murdered,” Warren said. “Just because she isn't here doesn't mean she can't be part of change.”Begay is still missing, but there have been developments in her case. In March, Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for assault and carjacking.The indictment alleges that, on June 15, 2021, Tolth assaulted Begay, resulting in serious bodily injury, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Tolth then took her Ford F-150 pickup truck and drove it from Arizona to New Mexico with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to Begay.Warren said during Tolth's arraignment hearing on April 7 in Flagstaff that she heard details about the night her aunt went missing that she was not ready for.Warren, in tears, told the commission that Tolth told federal agents that he “snapped” and struck her in the face multiple times, causing her to bleed from the nose and mouth. Tolth told authorities that he wasn't sure if she was dead, Warren said, and when he drove away, he said he regretted hitting her, since all he wanted was the truck.Tolth is being held in custody and is expected to go to trial later in May.Pamela Foster is the mother of Ashlynne Mike, the 11-year-old Navajo girl abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. Foster has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts for Indigenous children and people since she lost her daughter. On the afternoon of May 2, 2016, Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother, Ian Mike, didn't make it home from school. When they got off the school bus in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, a predator tricked them into getting into his van by promising them a ride home.Hours later, passersby found Ian Mike wandering alone in the area. Police located Ashlynne Mike's body on May 3, 2016, and discovered she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and bludgeoned repeatedly with a tire iron.She said, “I miss my daughter every single day. I became a voice for my daughter the moment I received word that her life was taken from her.”She talked about how the system failed when her children were missing in 2016. She said that May 1 to May 6 is a nightmare for her every year, because she relives what happened to her children.Foster talked about the hours from when her children disappeared to when they found her daughter's body; she ran into countless obstacles that left her without support.“It was very hard to sit there and know that there were no resources available for my children,” Foster said. “I absolutely had nothing.”She said local law enforcement was not adequately trained to handle child abductions. There was no clear communication between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Instead of searching for her children, Foster said they were trying to figure out exactly what protocols were needed to start looking.“Time was lost,” Foster said, and they did not send out an AMBER Alert until the following day. Foster recalled the alert went out at 2 a.m., and she said that helped no one because not many people were awake then. She remembers hearing officers from the neighboring jurisdictions tell her they couldn't go out to look for her daughter until they were given the clearance to do so by the Navajo Nation Police Department. Foster said it frustrated her how long it took for that to happen. She said the anger and hurt about what happened to Ashlynne led her to be a voice for her daughter.“I promised her I would do something for all of our other Indigenous children. To give them the protection that they need so they don't go through the same thing.”Foster has led many grassroots efforts to support Indigenous children, including advocating and petitioning for the AMBER Alert system to include Indian Country.Foster said she wanted to change, and she knew the justice system in Indian Country needed to be updated, so she focused her efforts on the AMBER Alert system. Her advocacy resulted in the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which makes tribes eligible for AMBER Alert grants to integrate into state and regional AMBER Alert communication plans.“I always say that I've never received justice for what happened to my daughter because nothing can bring her back,” Foster said. “There will never be justice, but we can learn how to move forward in changing laws to make things better for our people.”The goal of the hearing was for the federal commissioners to listen and hear recommendations on the best course of action for the MMIP crisis. Commissioners will use the suggestions to develop their final report for the Department of Interior.Foster's big recommendation was not only geared at the commissioners, but other attendees of the hearing. She encouraged them to tell their tribal leaders to receive the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act training. “It is free,” she said, adding that it is a vital program for Indigenous communities because it will train police officers and social workers from the tribe. Because tribes are sovereign nations, the Department of Justice has to receive a request in order to run the training on tribal land: “Have your tribal leaders request this training for your community because the children are our next generation,” Foster said. “There's still a lot of tribes that need to be trained.”When Seraphine Warren was finished sharing her aunt's story, she laid out her recommendations. “Transparency and swift action is key,” she said, “which means that when a person is missing, law enforcement should immediately inform all jurisdictions and issue press releases to media channels to inform the public.”“Family members need to be regularly and constantly updated with the progress of the investigation, and families should be prioritized if any remains are found in any jurisdiction.” Some of the other recommendations included allowing families to hire private investigators, providing them access to case files, supporting families in organizing their task force, providing families with constant and reliable access to grief counseling services, medical attention, financial and legal assistance, and safe housing for families of missing or murdered loved ones. ASSOCIATED PRESS: If you're not first, you're last. DENVER (AP) — Sitting in front of a hulking red tractor, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Tuesday making Colorado the first state to ensure farmers can fix their own tractors and combines with a “right to repair” law — which compels manufacturers to provide the necessary manuals, tools, parts and software farmers would need.Colorado, home to high desert ranches and sweeping farms on the plains, took the lead on the issue following a nationwide outcry from farmers that manufacturers blocked them from making fixes and forced them to wait precious days or even weeks for an official servicer to arrive — delays that hurt profits.While farmers wait and their increasingly high-tech tractors or combines sit idle, a hailstorm could decimate an entire crop. Or, a farmer could miss the ideal planting window for their crops to grow.Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont. But Colorado has taken the lead. At the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon, under a light drizzle of rain, Gov. Polis said: “This bill will save farmers and ranchers time and money and support the free market in repair” before exclaiming, “first in the nation!”Behind the governor and arrayed farmers and lawmakers sat a red Steiger 370 tractor owned by a farmer named Danny Wood. Wood's tractor has flown an American flag reading “Farmers First,” and it has been one of two of his machines to break down, requiring long waits before servicers arrived to enter a few lines of computer code, or make a fix that Wood could have made himself.As the signing ceremony ended, Gov. Polis and Rep. Brianna Titone, who ran the bill in the state House, climbed inside the tractor for a photo as the ceremony ended.Great job, Rep. Titone! Huge win for this up-and-coming legislator. When I first saw her speak announcing her initial candidacy in 2017, I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I didn't expect a lot, and I didn't particularly expect her to even win. And then, winning that seat was just the first of many instances where I've seen her demonstrate a level of depth, grit, and smarts that rival any of her peers. Great job Rep. Titone, you rock. CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Violent Femmes - performing their self-titled album - Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Sunday May 21. The cult favorite folk punk band from Milwaukee is celebrating 40 years since the release of their first album in 1983. More info at vfemmes.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, Associated Press and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's race | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy bills | $11B in federal funds allocated for rural clean energy projects | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis commission meets in Flagstaff, AZ (WARNING: contains graphic descriptions of violence) | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs nation's first Right-to-Repair law | Violent Femmes perform their self-titled debut in Denver, Austin and Houston this week.  Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE: Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's raceBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 15, 2023 4:00 AMAs ballots begin to hit mailboxes for Denver's June 6th runoff election, Johnston and Kelly Brough, the other top-two finisher in April's first round of voting - have rolled out a veritable smorgasbord of endorsement announcements.Former mayoral candidates Ean Thomas Tafoya, Terrance Roberts, Jim Walsh, Al Gardner and Leslie Herod all endorsed Mike Johnston. Rep Herod (who was my preferred choice for mayor) said “Having shared countless debate and forum stages with Mike over the past months, I know that he has the passion, commitment, and vision to tackle Denver's toughest problems. Mike and I share the value of public service, hard work, and doing right by our communities, and I am excited to work with him to deliver on our progressive vision for Denver.”Meanwhile, Brough, the former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce head who secured her spot in the runoff with just over 20% of the first-round vote, has picked up endorsements from Democratic state Sen. Chris Hansen as well as Thomas Wolf, an investment banker who campaigned on harsh anti-homelessness policies and received 1% of the vote for Mayor in April.Sen. Hansen said “Denver needs a proven executive — Kelly Brough is the leader we can trust to deliver results. It's going to take all of us to tackle Denver's biggest challenges, and I'm proud to join Kelly's team.”Brough also picked up endorsements from Democratic state Rep. Alex Valdez and former Tattered Cover CEO Kwame Spearman, both of whom entered the mayor's race but later withdrew. Brough and Johnston emerged from the crowded field of mayoral candidates after becoming by far the race's two best-funded candidates, each raising about $1MM in direct contributions and benefiting from millions more in outside super PAC expenditures from billionaires and real-estate interests.After a first round that featured a wide range of perspectives and ideologies, the runoff campaign has featured few stark disagreements on policy between the two candidates, both of whom are veteran figures in Colorado's centrist political establishment.Brough served as then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's chief of staff from 2006 to 2009, then led the conservative-leaning Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for 12 years before stepping down ahead of her mayoral run. Some of her top endorsers include former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, both Democrats.On Friday, she touted the endorsement of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of clergy and civil rights leaders in the city's Black community. Pastor Paul Burleson, the Alliance's vice president of political affairs, said that Brough's experience is key to her appeal.Brough has also picked up endorsements from the Denver Police Protective Association and other unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters. She was one of the only candidates in the mayor's race to endorse a return of “qualified immunity,” a legal doctrine that bars people from suing law enforcement officers in their individual capacity. Colorado lawmakers, led by Herod, passed a landmark police reform bill that abolished qualified immunity in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020. - Just one reason I love Leslie Herod.During his time in the state Senate, Mike Johnston became one of the state's leading champions of education reform, a movement that has galled teachers' unions and progressives who've accused him of undermining public education. From 2020 to 2022 he was the CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization founded by oil tycoon Sam Gary.Though hardly a progressive firebrand himself, Johnston spoke at Wednesday's event of the coalition he hopes to build as mayor. Along with former mayoral rivals, he received endorsements from Democratic state Sens. Julie Gonzales (another legislator I have tremendous respect for) and James Coleman (who is my state senator but someone whom I don't know much about), adding to a list of supporters that also includes former Mayor Federico Peña and former Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll.Rep. Leslie Herod said “Make no mistake: We are the progressives in this race, and we have chosen to back Mike. We are the candidates who have consistently spoken about putting people over structures, putting people over businesses — people always first.”So for my part I'll be following State Sen. Julie Gonzales and Rep. Leslie Herod, voting for Mike Johnston.Final thought: Johnston might not be seen as progressive, but if he wins this election assembling a progressive coalition to bear a developer/business-backed candidate in Kelly Brough, then progressives should absolutely have a strong voice in the Johnston administration if he wants to keep his job. But first he's got to win.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy measures, utility regulation billBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 11, 2023 5:36 PMGov. Jared Polis has signed into law a bill that commits Colorado for the first time to a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, along with other measures to address spiking utility rates and the state's long-term energy future.Flanked by Democratic lawmakers and state energy officials, Polis signed Senate Bill 23-16 at an event at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The bill, a wide-ranging package of reforms aimed at boosting clean energy efforts in a variety of industries, was approved on party-line votes by Democratic majorities in the General Assembly just before its adjournment on May 8.SB-16 sets a statutory goal of a 100% reduction in Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, revising that target upwards from a 90% goal set by the Legislature in 2019. It's the first time the state has formally established the net-zero goal that scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have said is necessary to avert the most catastrophic impacts of global warming.To get there, the bill contains what sponsors called a “potpourri” of measures to accelerate the transition to clean energy, including sections that streamline the process for the installation of electric transmission lines and rooftop solar panels; stricter requirements on large insurance companies to assess climate risk; tax credits for the purchase of electric-powered lawn equipment; and more authority for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to regulate carbon capture projects.COGCC chair Jeff Robbins applauded the bill's efforts to encourage carbon capture, which he called “critical as a tool in addressing climate change.”“The COGCC is well poised with its resources and regulatory understanding to now help carbon storage be deployed safely and responsibly in Colorado,” Robbins said in a press release.Gov. Polis also signed House Bill 23-1252, which establishes a new state grant program for geothermal energy projects and requires large natural-gas utilities to develop emissions-reducing “clean heat plans.”Senate Bill 23-291, a package of reforms to state utility regulations, and House Bill 23-1234, a bipartisan measure aimed at streamlining permitting and inspection processes for solar projects were also both signed into law. SB-291 emerged from hearings held earlier this year by the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates, a special panel of lawmakers convened by Democratic leaders following sharp increases in many Coloradans' utility bills in 2022.It directs the state's Public Utilities Commission to more closely scrutinize how privately-owned utilities manage volatility in natural-gas prices, the main culprit in rate increases that caused the average monthly payment for customers of Xcel Energy, Colorado's largest utility, to rise by more than 50% last year. Other provisions in the bill are aimed at assessing the long-term future of natural gas infrastructure as more homes and businesses transition to all-electric heating and cooking appliances.In a press release, Advanced Energy United, an industry group representing clean energy companies, said the legislation creates a “national model” for dealing with volatility in the natural gas market.“This bill will help make Colorado's energy system more affordable long-term, and should be seen as a model for states across the country on how to manage high gas prices and a transition to cost-saving alternatives to gas, like high-efficiency heat pumps, rooftop solar and battery storage,” said Emilie Olson, a senior principal at Advanced Energy United.House Bill 23-1272, creates or extends a variety of clean energy tax credits, including incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, e-bikes, electric heat pumps, industrial decarbonization technologies and more.Gov. Polis said “These exciting money-saving changes for Coloradans mean reliable, lower energy costs and good-paying jobs, as we continue to fuel the innovation that makes Colorado a national leader in clean energy. We are cutting red tape, creating good paying jobs and improving air quality as we continue to make bold progress towards achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040.”ARIZONA MIRROR: Rural electric co-ops to get $10.7B in USDA funds for clean energy grants, loansBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MAY 16, 2023 7:11 AMThe U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin to administer two loan and grant programs worth nearly $11 billion to boost clean energy systems in rural areas, administration officials said Tuesday. The programs are the New ERA program for rural electric cooperatives, and the PACE program for other energy providers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the funding “continues an ongoing effort to ensure that rural America is a full participant in this clean energy economy.”White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said, “Rural areas can have more difficulty than more urban ones in attracting private sector investment. The programs are intended to allow those rural areas to take advantage of an industry-wide trend to invest in clean energy production.He said, “There's a favorable wind blowing here. This allows rural communities to put up a sail.”The programs are meant to put rural electric cooperatives on equal footing with larger privately owned companies that have already put major funding into clean energy deployment.The programs represent the largest single funding effort for rural electrification since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act in 1936.The money is meant not only to address the climate impacts of fossil fuel energy and reduce home energy costs, but to act as an economic engine for rural areas.Rural electric cooperatives are eligible for the New ERA program, and up to 25% of the funding in that program can be in the form of direct grants. Utilities can use the money to build renewable energy systems, zero-emission systems and carbon capture facilities.The USDA will begin to accept initial applications for funding on July 31. Applicants are expected to write more detailed proposals for funding after the USDA accepts their initial applications.The PACE program provides loans to renewable energy developers and electric service providers “to help finance large-scale solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower projects and energy storage in support of renewable energy systems,” the release said. The program is targeted to “vulnerable, disadvantaged, Tribal and energy communities,” the release said. It's in line with a Biden administration goal to allocate at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal spending to disadvantaged communities.The USDA can forgive up to 40% of most of the loans in the program. Up to 60% of loans to applicants in some U.S. territories and tribal communities can be forgiven.Initial applications for that program will open June 30.ARIZONA MIRROR:National commission on the MMIP crisis meets in Arizona to hear testimony, recommendationsBY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MAY 15, 2023 1:50 PMFive empty chairs sat at the front of the Not Invisible Act Commission hearing, each wrapped in a shawl, blanket or quilt representing a different group of individuals impacted by human trafficking or with a loved one who is missing or murdered.“We want to allow space for representing our relatives,” commission member Grace Bulltail said, noting the traditions in many Indigenous families to always preserve a space for absent loved ones. “We're doing that to honor our loved ones,” Bulltail said, explaining that, by putting the chairs there, the commission hearing was holding space for them.The chair wrapped in a red shawl with white and yellow handprints honored the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The chair wrapped in a red, orange, bridge, and white Native design shawl with a black blazer draped over it was to honor the missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys. Another chair was wrapped in a light blue, white and purple quilt. Pinned to the quilt was a picture of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, a Navajo girl who was abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. This chair honored Indigenous children.The chair wrapped in a maroon shawl with floral designs honored the LGBTQI and two-spirit Indigenous community. The chair wrapped in a brown Pendleton honored Indigenous veterans.The Not Invisible Act Commission, organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior,  held a public hearing at the Twin Arrows Casino near Flagstaff to hear testimony and recommendations from victims and families impacted by human trafficking and the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. The commission also heard from local tribal leaders and advocates. The Not Invisible Act was passed into law in October 2020, establishing the commission as a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee of federal and non-federal members, including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors.The meeting at Twin Arrows was the commission's third public hearing. This summer, it has four more planned in Minnesota, northern California, New Mexico and Montana. The hearings are being held in communities impacted most by the MMIP crisis.Commissioners heard emotional testimony from Seraphine Warren and Pamela Foster as they shared their experiences of losing a loved one and advocated for change.Ms. Warren is the niece of Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who went missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation on June 15, 2021. Warren continued to advocate for not only her aunt but all Indigenous people.Speaking through tears, she told her aunt's story. “I know it wasn't her legacy to be stolen or to be murdered,” Warren said. “Just because she isn't here doesn't mean she can't be part of change.”Begay is still missing, but there have been developments in her case. In March, Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for assault and carjacking.The indictment alleges that, on June 15, 2021, Tolth assaulted Begay, resulting in serious bodily injury, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Tolth then took her Ford F-150 pickup truck and drove it from Arizona to New Mexico with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to Begay.Warren said during Tolth's arraignment hearing on April 7 in Flagstaff that she heard details about the night her aunt went missing that she was not ready for.Warren, in tears, told the commission that Tolth told federal agents that he “snapped” and struck her in the face multiple times, causing her to bleed from the nose and mouth. Tolth told authorities that he wasn't sure if she was dead, Warren said, and when he drove away, he said he regretted hitting her, since all he wanted was the truck.Tolth is being held in custody and is expected to go to trial later in May.Pamela Foster is the mother of Ashlynne Mike, the 11-year-old Navajo girl abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. Foster has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts for Indigenous children and people since she lost her daughter. On the afternoon of May 2, 2016, Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother, Ian Mike, didn't make it home from school. When they got off the school bus in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, a predator tricked them into getting into his van by promising them a ride home.Hours later, passersby found Ian Mike wandering alone in the area. Police located Ashlynne Mike's body on May 3, 2016, and discovered she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and bludgeoned repeatedly with a tire iron.She said, “I miss my daughter every single day. I became a voice for my daughter the moment I received word that her life was taken from her.”She talked about how the system failed when her children were missing in 2016. She said that May 1 to May 6 is a nightmare for her every year, because she relives what happened to her children.Foster talked about the hours from when her children disappeared to when they found her daughter's body; she ran into countless obstacles that left her without support.“It was very hard to sit there and know that there were no resources available for my children,” Foster said. “I absolutely had nothing.”She said local law enforcement was not adequately trained to handle child abductions. There was no clear communication between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Instead of searching for her children, Foster said they were trying to figure out exactly what protocols were needed to start looking.“Time was lost,” Foster said, and they did not send out an AMBER Alert until the following day. Foster recalled the alert went out at 2 a.m., and she said that helped no one because not many people were awake then. She remembers hearing officers from the neighboring jurisdictions tell her they couldn't go out to look for her daughter until they were given the clearance to do so by the Navajo Nation Police Department. Foster said it frustrated her how long it took for that to happen. She said the anger and hurt about what happened to Ashlynne led her to be a voice for her daughter.“I promised her I would do something for all of our other Indigenous children. To give them the protection that they need so they don't go through the same thing.”Foster has led many grassroots efforts to support Indigenous children, including advocating and petitioning for the AMBER Alert system to include Indian Country.Foster said she wanted to change, and she knew the justice system in Indian Country needed to be updated, so she focused her efforts on the AMBER Alert system. Her advocacy resulted in the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which makes tribes eligible for AMBER Alert grants to integrate into state and regional AMBER Alert communication plans.“I always say that I've never received justice for what happened to my daughter because nothing can bring her back,” Foster said. “There will never be justice, but we can learn how to move forward in changing laws to make things better for our people.”The goal of the hearing was for the federal commissioners to listen and hear recommendations on the best course of action for the MMIP crisis. Commissioners will use the suggestions to develop their final report for the Department of Interior.Foster's big recommendation was not only geared at the commissioners, but other attendees of the hearing. She encouraged them to tell their tribal leaders to receive the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act training. “It is free,” she said, adding that it is a vital program for Indigenous communities because it will train police officers and social workers from the tribe. Because tribes are sovereign nations, the Department of Justice has to receive a request in order to run the training on tribal land: “Have your tribal leaders request this training for your community because the children are our next generation,” Foster said. “There's still a lot of tribes that need to be trained.”When Seraphine Warren was finished sharing her aunt's story, she laid out her recommendations. “Transparency and swift action is key,” she said, “which means that when a person is missing, law enforcement should immediately inform all jurisdictions and issue press releases to media channels to inform the public.”“Family members need to be regularly and constantly updated with the progress of the investigation, and families should be prioritized if any remains are found in any jurisdiction.” Some of the other recommendations included allowing families to hire private investigators, providing them access to case files, supporting families in organizing their task force, providing families with constant and reliable access to grief counseling services, medical attention, financial and legal assistance, and safe housing for families of missing or murdered loved ones. ASSOCIATED PRESS: If you're not first, you're last. DENVER (AP) — Sitting in front of a hulking red tractor, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Tuesday making Colorado the first state to ensure farmers can fix their own tractors and combines with a “right to repair” law — which compels manufacturers to provide the necessary manuals, tools, parts and software farmers would need.Colorado, home to high desert ranches and sweeping farms on the plains, took the lead on the issue following a nationwide outcry from farmers that manufacturers blocked them from making fixes and forced them to wait precious days or even weeks for an official servicer to arrive — delays that hurt profits.While farmers wait and their increasingly high-tech tractors or combines sit idle, a hailstorm could decimate an entire crop. Or, a farmer could miss the ideal planting window for their crops to grow.Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont. But Colorado has taken the lead. At the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon, under a light drizzle of rain, Gov. Polis said: “This bill will save farmers and ranchers time and money and support the free market in repair” before exclaiming, “first in the nation!”Behind the governor and arrayed farmers and lawmakers sat a red Steiger 370 tractor owned by a farmer named Danny Wood. Wood's tractor has flown an American flag reading “Farmers First,” and it has been one of two of his machines to break down, requiring long waits before servicers arrived to enter a few lines of computer code, or make a fix that Wood could have made himself.As the signing ceremony ended, Gov. Polis and Rep. Brianna Titone, who ran the bill in the state House, climbed inside the tractor for a photo as the ceremony ended.Great job, Rep. Titone! Huge win for this up-and-coming legislator. When I first saw her speak announcing her initial candidacy in 2017, I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I didn't expect a lot, and I didn't particularly expect her to even win. And then, winning that seat was just the first of many instances where I've seen her demonstrate a level of depth, grit, and smarts that rival any of her peers. Great job Rep. Titone, you rock. CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Violent Femmes - performing their self-titled album - Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Sunday May 21. The cult favorite folk punk band from Milwaukee is celebrating 40 years since the release of their first album in 1983. More info at vfemmes.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, Associated Press and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.

In this episode of The Compendium: An assembly of fascinating and intriguing things, we're going to talk about the compelling and little-known history of the American dairy industry. From its early days to its complex entanglement with the US government, we'll reveal how the dairy lobby has influenced American consumption habits, nutritional guidelines, and even school lunch programs. Join us as we peel back the layers of creative storytelling, scientific studies, and the powerful grip of Big Dairy on American life. Learn how the dairy industry has seamlessly woven itself into everything from fast-food chains to iconic advertising campaigns, all in an effort to maintain a fabricated market built on falsehoods. This captivating episode will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about milk and dairy in the United States.More ShownotesSupport the showConnect with Us:

The Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and the sudden perception that there's instability in the banking system, has a lot of us thinking back to 2008 and the financial crisis that spurred the Great Recession. And, whether it's the war in Ukraine, lingering supply-side issues from Covid-19 or high interest rates, we are all feeling the effects of the world economy a little more acutely this year. So are we staring down another financial crisis, or just feeling a little economic speed bump? For some perspectives on those questions, and what it means for corn growers, we're joined in this episode by Krista Swanson, the National Corn Growers Association's lead economist. She provides some much-needed context, and an informed take on what the farm economy might have in store for us over the next few years. 

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

This episode features a roundtable conversation with Richard Baldridge, President and Chief Operating Officer at Viasat, Dr. Norman Jacknis, Senior Fellow at the Intelligent Community Forum and Professor Roberto Gallardo, Assistant Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development and a Purdue Extension Community & Regional Economics Specialist. Richard Baldridge joined Viasat in April 1999, serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer from 2000 and as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from 2002. Mr. Baldridge assumed his current role as President and Chief Operating Officer in 2003. Mr. Baldridge was elected to the Board of Directors of Viasat in 2016. In addition, Mr. Baldridge serves as a director of Ducommun Incorporated, a provider of engineering and manufacturing services to the aerospace and defense industries, and EvoNexus, a San Diego based non-profit technology incubator. Learn more. Dr. Norman Jacknis is currently Senior Fellow at the Intelligent Community Forum. His responsibilities include leading ICF's Rural Imperative, building on the ideas he developed for the US Conference of Mayors on a future-oriented economic growth strategy for cities. Before joining ICF, he was Director, Cisco's IBSG Public Sector Group (the company's open innovation and pro-bono strategic advisory group), where he worked extensively with states and local government, the National Association of Counties, the US Conference of Mayors and the staff responsible for the Federal government's website and citizen engagement. In addition to citizen engagement, his focus was on economic growth, innovation, and the future of technology. Before Cisco, he was technology commissioner for Westchester County, New York, when it was one of ICF's Top 7. Learn more. Roberto Gallardo is Assistant Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development and a Purdue Extension Community & Regional Economics Specialist. He holds an electronics engineering undergraduate degree, a master's in economic development, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration. Gallardo has worked with rural communities over the past decade conducting local & regional community economic development, including use of technology for development. He has authored more than 70 articles including peer-reviewed and news-related regarding rural trends, socioeconomic analysis, industrial clusters, the digital divide, and leveraging broadband applications for community economic development.

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Join us for an episode of our podcast where we will be talking about the Florida economy (specifically rural communities in Florida) with the Chief Economist and Director of State and Local Policy Analysis at the Florida Institute of Government at FSU, Dr. Jerry Parrish. Dr. Parrish provides an in-depth overview of what the Florida economy will look like in 2023 and how it has changed since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will discuss the economic impact on the state, industries, and businesses, and how this has affected the citizens of Florida. We will also explore the strategies and initiatives that have been put in place to help the economy recover, and how these strategies can benefit the state in the future. Come join us to get the latest insights and predictions on the Florida economy from one of the experts!   Connect with Dr. Jerry Parrish Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-d-parrish-ph-d-33a62843/  For more segments like these, subscribe to Small Biz Florida and Follow the official Small Biz Florida Instagram! This and the following segments were recorded at the 2022 Florida Rural Economic Development Conference hosted at the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort – To learn more about the Florida Rural Economic Development Association, visit their websites here:  -Opportunity Florida -Florida Heartland ERO - North Florida Economic Development Partnership 

In this episode, two guests weigh in on what's ahead for agriculture in the new year. Redd Summit Advisor's Ross Bronson addresses ways producers can leverage the decline in cattle inventory, and CoBank's Brian Earnest discusses recessionary fears, rising interest rates and more. Later, David, Paul and Tyrell chat about one of TikTok's latest crazes and their predictions (or hopes) for what will bounce back in price this year.

Introducing Anthony Reed, State Outreach Coordinator and program director at USDA-FSA. With expertise in administrative management, strategic planning, and curriculum development, Anthony discusses the various resources offered by USDA to farmers and ranchers. Discover how USDA is achieving an economically and environmentally sound future for American Agriculture. Learn about actionable advice that can help farmers and ranchers grow their businesses. Don't miss out on this insightful episode! Tune in now.

This week I set up camp on HARBRO's tradestand at Agriscot in Edinburgh, the UK's largest farming trade show, and chatted to a number of invited guests including Mairi Gougeon, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Sarah Miller, CEO of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), some of the prestigious finalists of Scotland's farming awards as well as other high profile forward thinking farmers at the cutting edge of the UK livestock industry.

Off Farm Income Becoming More Important for Ag and Rural Economy

In this episode, Mark Kahn (Managing Partner, Omnivore), joins our host Digjay, to talk about his path leading up to Omnivore, Omnivore's investment thesis and evolution of the agritech opportunity in India, how and why India stands out compared to other global agritech markets, attributes of founders that are able to scale & raise follow-on rounds, the case against investing in solo-founder led startups, staying relevant as a venture investor, importance of finding a wedge as a first time VC and more. Founded in 2010, Omnivore invests in early-stage startups developing breakthrough technologies for agriculture, food, climate, and the rural economy. The firm recently announced the launch of its 3rd fund at $130mm. Omnivore was one of the first agri-focused VC funds from India, and has previously backed some stellar startups like DeHaat, Reshamandi, Stellapps, AgNext, Bijak, AGRIM, Eruvaka, Pixxel, and Animall among others. Prior to Omnivore, Mark led Strategy & Business Development at Godrej Agrovet, one of India's foremost diversified agribusiness companies and worked at Syngenta and PFM early in his career. An HBS alum, Mark is also the Co-Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Task Force on Agri Startups and a member of the Governing Council of the Maharashtra State Innovation Society. You can connect with Mark here on Linkedin / Twitter. ---- (01:15) Mark's background & path leading up to Omnivore (04:08) Omnivore's investment thesis (11:27) Evolution of the agritech opportunity in India (13:31) Why India stands out compared to other global agritech markets? (19:21) Portcos that are building the foundation for the agritech ecosystem in India (24:36) Attributes of founders that are able to scale & raise follow-on rounds (26:41) The case against investing in solo-founder startups (30:39) Approach to deal flow and follow-on investments (32:56) Staying relevant as a venture investor across multiple cycles (35:52) Importance of finding a wedge as a first time VC (38:41) How has being a VC influenced Mark's personality over the years? (39:18) Rapid fire and closing remarks ---- If you liked our episode, you can subscribe to our podcast on any podcast platforms of your choice (like Spotify & Apple iTunes). We would appreciate if you could leave us a review on Apple iTunes. This helps others discover the podcast organically. You can visit thevcpreneur.com and follow us on Twitter @thevcpreneur_ & Instagram @thevcpreneur for more episodes and interesting insights on the startup ecosystem. You can also follow our host Digjay here on Linkedin & Twitter

It was very special indeed to be taken to feed the deer in the park and to chat to David, about his work on The Rhug Estate in North Wales, where he is Head Keeper. On shoot days the job of ensuring clients' expectations are met, organising beaters, game carts, 'picker uppers,' and all their dogs is a work of art...whether it be with champagne and canapés or bacon butties!As Chairman of the National Gameskeepers Organisation he is doing a lot to educate young people about the way his part of the Rural Economy works.

If you live in a small town, grew up in one, or just have a rural community that's close to your heart, you've probably heard things like, “Young people don't stay in this community,” or “After the plant closed, we've been losing population.” When people leave and no one comes to replace them in smaller towns, businesses shut down, schools are half-empty, open positions can't be filled, and even basic services are a struggle to cover with declining property taxes. It's a downward spiral. Today's guests are doing something about that. Jennifer Stromsten is the Director of Programs at the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation in Brattleboro, Vermont, and Alex Beck runs their Welcoming Communities program. These leaders take a holistic approach to addressing problems like population decline through economic investment, workforce training, and, of particular interest for our conversation today, inviting new Americans—refugees—to their community and helping them integrate and find employment when they arrive.  Jen and Alex talk about how this Welcoming Communities initiative has breathed new life into their rural town, giving a sense of hope for the future, filling necessary jobs and rebuilding the economic prospects of the place.  Their organization has worked with local businesses to partner them with new immigrants, coordinating transportation, setting up interpreters when needed, and figuring out what training these refugees need to get back on their feet and begin employment in Brattleboro. It's a situation that everyone is benefitting from. Additional Show Notes Visit the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation website. Send your story ideas and guest suggestions to rachel@strongtowns.org. Support this podcast by becoming a Strong Towns member today.

The Commstock Report: Thursday, May 26th, 2022.  To get the full report, please sign up using the link below:   https://commstock.com/membership-account/membership-levels/

As exciting technologies emerge, we need to ensure that policies and regulations are in place to ensure practices remain safe, sustainable and help the transition towards a circular economy.  Dr Ian Hodge, professor of rural economy at Cambridge, describes how we can manage agriculture in the future; from offering subsidies to introducing carbon credits. 

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Episode 91:This week we're continuing Russia in Revolution An Empire in Crisis 1890 - 1928 by S. A. Smith[Part 1]Introduction[Part 2]1. Roots of Revolution, 1880s–1905Autocracy and OrthodoxyPopular Religion[Part 3 - This Week]1. Roots of Revolution, 1880s–1905Agriculture and Peasantry - 00:25[Part 4 - 5?]1. Roots of Revolution, 1880s–1905[Part 6 - 8?]2. From Reform to War, 1906–1917[Part 9 - 11?]3. From February to October 1917[Part 12 - 15?]4. Civil War and Bolshevik Power[Part 16 - 18?]5. War Communism[Part 19 - 21?]6. The New Economic Policy: Politics and the Economy[Part 22 - 25?]7. The New Economic Policy: Society and Culture[Part 26?]ConclusionFigures:2) Bringing in the harvest c.1910. - 00:38Footnotes:40) 00:40David Moon, The Russian Peasantry, 1600–1930 (London: Longman, 1999).41) 02:06Richard G. Robbins, Famine in Russia, 1891–1892: The Imperial Government Responds to a Crisis (New York: Columbia University Press, 1975).42) 02:25R. W. Davies, Mark Harrison, and S. G. Wheatcroft (eds), The Economic Transformation of the Soviet Union, 1913–1945 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 59.43) 02:42Stephan Merl, ‘Socio-economic Differentiation of the Peasantry', in R. W. Davies (ed.), From Tsarism to the New Economic Policy (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1990), 52.44) 03:29A. G. Rashin, Naselenie Rossii za sto let (Moscow: Gos. Statisticheskoe Izd-vo, 1956), 198–9.45) 03:59Davies et al. (eds), Economic Transformation, 59; David L. Ransel, ‘Mothering, Medicine, and Infant Mortality in Russia: Some Comparisons', Kennan Institute Occasional Papers, 1990, .46) 04:31Christine D. Worobec, Family and Community in the Post-Emancipation Period (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1991), 175.47) 05:57P. N. Zyrianov, ‘Pozemel'nye otnosheniia v russkoi krest'ianskoi obshchine vo vtoroi polovine XIX—nachale XX veka', in D. F. Aiatskov (ed.), Sobstvennost' na zemliu v Rossii: istoriia i sovremennost' (Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2002), 154. Some sources put the number of peasant households in European Russia at 9.2 million.48) 06:26Worobec, Family, 25.49) 07:01Moon, Russian Peasantry, 172.50) 07:19Barbara Alpern Engel, Between the Fields and the City: Women, Work and Family in Russia, 1861–1914 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994); E. Kingston-Mann and T. Mixter, ‘Introduction', in Esther Kingston-Mann and Timothy R. Mixter (eds), Peasant Economy, Culture and Politics in European Russia, 1800–1921 (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1991), 14–15.51) 07:51Naselenie Rossii v XX veke: istoricheskie ocherki, vol. 1: 1900–1939gg. (Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2000), 57.52) 08:39Worobec, Family, 64; Barbara A. Engel, Women in Russia, 1700–2000 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 90; B. M. Firsov and I. G. Kiseleva (eds), Byt velikorusskikh krest'ian-zemlepashtsev: opisanie materialov Etnograficheskogo biuro Kniazia V. N. Tenisheva: na primere Vladimirskoi gubernii (St Petersburg: Izd-vo Evropeiskogo doma, 1993), 262.53) 09:04Worobec, Family, 177.54) 09:38Mandakina Arora, ‘Boundaries, Transgressions, Limits: Peasant Women and Gender Roles in Tver' Province, 1861–1914', PhD Duke University, 1995, 44–50.55) 09:55Naselenie Rossii, 48.56) 10:31Stephen G. Wheatcroft, ‘Crises and the Condition of the Peasantry in Late Imperial Russia', in Kingston-Mann and Mixter (eds), Peasant Economy, Culture and Politics of European Russiā.57) 11:14David Moon, ‘Russia's Rural Economy, 1800–1930', Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History, 1:4 (2000), 679–90.58) 12:50Paul R. Gregory, Before Command: An Economic History of Russia from Emancipation to the First Five-Year Plan (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994); Boris Mironov, Blagosostoianie naseleniia i revoliutsii v imperskoi Rossii, XVII—nachalo XX veka (Moscow: Novyi Khronograf, 2010).59) 12:58Boris Mironov and Brian A'Hearn, ‘Russian Living Standards under the Tsars: Anthropometric Evidence from the Volga', Journal of Economic History, 68:3 (2008), 900–29.60) 13:12J. Y. Simms, ‘The Crisis of Russian Agriculture at the End of the Nineteenth Century: A Different View', Slavic Review, 36:3 (1977), 377–98; Eberhard Müller, ‘Der Beitrag der Bauern zur Industrialisierung Russlands, 1885–1930', Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas, 27:2 (1979), 199–204.61) 14:07Wheatcroft, ‘Crises and the Condition of the Peasantry', 138, 141, 151.62) 15:33Judith Pallot, Land Reform in Russia, 1906–1917: Peasant Responses to Stolypin's Project of Rural Transformation (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999), 95.63) 15:49Pallot, Land Reform, 97.64) 16:39Yanni Kotsonis, Making Peasants Backward: Agricultural Cooperatives and the Agrarian Question in Russia, 1861–1914 (London: Macmillan, 1999), 57.65) 17:52Rogger, Russia in the Age of Modernisation, 81. Zhurov suggests that nationally between one-fifth and one-quarter of households were wealthy at the beginning of the twentieth century. Iu. V. Zhurov, ‘Zazhitovchnoe krest'ianstvo Rossii v gody revoliutsii, grazhdanskoi voiny i interventsii (1917–1920 gody)', in Zazhitochnoe krest'ianstvo Rossii v istoricheskoi retrospektive (zemlevladenie, zemlepol'zovanie, proizvodstvo, mentalitet), XXVII sessiia simpoziuma po agrarnoi istorii Vostochnoi Evropy (Moscow: RAN, 2000), 147–54.66) 18:48Teodor Shanin, The Awkward Class: Political Sociology of Peasantry in a Developing Society, 1910–1925 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972).67) 19:51I. L. Koval'chenko, ‘Stolypinskaia agrarnaia reforma (mify i real'nost)', Istoriia SSR, 2 (1991), 68–9.68) 20:26L. V. Razumov, Rassloenie krest'ianstva Tsentral'no-Promyshlennogo Raiona v kontse XIX–nachale XX veka (Moscow: RAN, 1996).69) 22:31‘Letter from Semyon Martynov, a peasant from Orël, August 1917', in Mark Steinberg, Voices of Revolution (translations by Marian Schwartz) (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001), 242.70) 22:52John Channon, ‘The Landowners', in Robert Service (ed.), Society and Politics in the Russian Revolution (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992), 120.71) 23:08Rogger, Russia in the Age of Modernisation, 89 (85).72) 23:49Worobec, Family, 31.73) 24:54Arcadius Kahan, Russian Economic History: The Nineteenth Century (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1989), 190.74) 25:27Gregory Guroff and S. Frederick Starr, ‘A Note on Urban Literacy in Russia, 1890–1914', Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas, 19:4 (1971), 520–31 (523–4).75) 25:34V. P. Leikina-Svirskaia, Russkaia intelligentsiia v 1900–1917 godakh (Moscow: Mysl', 1981), 7.76) 25:56Barbara E. Clements, History of Women in Russia: From the Earliest Times to the Present (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2012), 130.77) 26:12Engel, Women in Russiā, 92; A. G. Rashin, Formirovanie rabochego klassa Rossii (Moscow, 1958), 595.78) 26:20Patrick L. Alston, Education and the State in Tsarist Russia (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1969), 248.79) 26:29Ben Eklof, Russian Peasant Schools: Officialdom, Village Culture, and Popular Pedagogy, 1861–1914 (Berkeley: University of California, 1986), 90.80) 26:47James C. McClelland, Autocrats and Academics: Education, Culture and Society in Tsarist Russia (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 44.81) 27:05Eklof, Russian Peasant Schools, 89.82) 27:40E. M. Balashov, Shkola v rossiiskom obshchestve 1917–1927gg. Stanovlenie ‘novogo cheloveka' (St Petersburg: Dmitrii Bulanin, 2003), 42; Scott J. Seregny, ‘Teachers, Politics and the Peasant Community in Russia, 1895–1918', in Stephen White et al. (eds), School and Society in Tsarist and Soviet Russia (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1993), 121–48.83) 28:06Balashov, Shkola, 12.

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, few experts could have accurately predicted what was about to happen to the entrepreneurial landscape in North Carolina and across the nation. While the early days of the pandemic saw many businesses shutter and close their doors, few expected that over the next two years new business formations in North Carolina would be at an all-time high.Since 2020, the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State has reported over 300,000 new businesses registered. In 2021 alone, the 178,300 new business creation filings were more than double the amount registered four years prior.On this week's installment of Mind Your Business, we are joined by NC Rural Center President Patrick Woodie. A native of Northwest North Carolina, Patrick understands the issues confronting rural businesses from a first-person perspective. Hear about the NC Rural Center's upcoming webinar series: The State of Small Business in North Carolina. Patrick shares how the NC Rural Center is examining data trends related to this latest entrepreneurial renaissance and how his team is adjusting their own policy focus to ensure new businesses get the support they need as the move toward sustainability.Mind Your Business is produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce thanks to a partnership between High Country Radio and Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Support the show (https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information)

Rural America is underserved by traditional investors. Blue Highway Capital is investing in cash flow positive business with strong management teams in niche markets where there is little (or frequently no) competition for deals. Karin Gregory has been investing in the rural economy for over 20 years. Gregory and her colleagues have backed companies like Aryv, the Uber for non-emergency medical appointments and LED Dynamics, manufacturing smart lighting solutions to reduce energy costs. In rural Ameica, there is a structural break in valuations that allows Blue Highway Capital to invest in great companies that happen to be based on the “Blue Highways” of America.

Playing to an audience of over 200 Watauga County business leaders attending in both in-person and virtual formats, the Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce hosted the 6th Annual High Country Economic Kickoff Breakfast, Thursday, January 20th, at the Grandview Ballroom on the campus of Appalachian State University.On this week's installment of the Mind Your Business Podcast series, we hear excerpts from presentations given by Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and Dr. Harry Davis, professor and economist at Appalachian State University. In his annual remarks regarding the state of the High Country economic picture, Dr. Davis, said, “every piece of economic data you can look at for Watauga County is strong, and that is going to continue. We are lucky to live here and be in an area with such consistent growth.” Serving as the State's chief business recruiter, Chung shared observations about North Carolina's economic path through the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the State has overcome obstacles to maintain its position as an attractive landing place for new business while also serving its existing business interests in a manner that promotes future expansion.  Mind Your Business is presented each week thanks to a partnership between Appalachian Commercial Real Estate and High Country Radio.Support the show (https://www.boonechamber.com/membership-information)

This week, Senator Crystal Diamond and President-Elect of NM Cattle Growers Association Loren Patterson discuss ranching, farming, the border, local meat inspection, and everything agriculture in New Mexico. Subscribe to our podcast at anchor.fm/realnm. For more about the NM Cattle Growers Association visit https://www.nmagriculture.org/

Part 5 of a series on the Reimagining the Rural West Initiative explores how a variety of different business structures can provide stability to their respective communities. Join WGA Policy Advisor Laura Cutlip as she speaks with experts on small businesses, cooperatives, and remote work to learn how rural areas can use these models to strengthen their economies. Guests include: David Martin, Director of the North Dakota Small Business Development Network; Kate La Tour, Government Relations Manager at the National Cooperative Business Association; and Shelly Fausett, the Center Director for SoloWorks. Narrator: Laura Cutlip Produced by: Tyler Losier

In this episode if The Intelligent Community, ICF Co-Founder Lou Zacharilla interviews Kevin Cohen of Viasat about satellites and how satellite and broadband connectivity provide rural citizens with opportunities to participate in the global economy without leaving the place they call home. This is the last of a three-part series co-produced with Space & Satellite Professionals International and sponsored by ViaSat.

In this episode if The Intelligent Community, ICF Co-Founder Lou Zacharilla interviews Richard Baldridge, Dr. Norman Jacknis and Professor Roberto Gallardo about satellites and how satellite and broadband connectivity provide rural citizens with opportunities to participate in the global economy without leaving the place they call home. This is the first of a three-part series co-produced with Space & Satellite Professionals International and sponsored by ViaSat.

A look at the rural economy with the recent weather & late plantings.

Claims that the election turned the rural-urban divide into a chasm were strongly echoed in the media - especially the farming press.