The Department of Agriculture is funding new initiatives to streamline local food systems.
Economy
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Will states find other revenue streams to weather the fossil fuel bust?
Powerhouses like Wyoming and Alaska are shrinking budgets, not looking for new sources of income.
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Uncertain future for Wyoming’s laid off coal miners
There’s some state support available but many workers face tough choices.
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The nation’s biggest coal mines lay off hundreds of workers
Cheap natural gas is the main culprit, but future job cuts will come from climate change policies.
Posted inApril 4, 2016: A Land Divided
Developers look to cash in on the Grand Canyon’s popularity
The landmark stands at a crossroads, as tourism booms and more development seems inevitable.
Posted inApril 4, 2016: A Land Divided
In the shadow of Silicon Valley, a new crop of tech-savvy farmers
Jacob Martinez, founder of Digital NEST, is teaching young Latinos the tech skills they’ll need in a new era of agriculture.
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Oregon’s energy plan offers a glimmer of hope for biomass energy
Advocates hope the timber-rich state’s decision to ditch coal could help revive the struggling industry.
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This is what an oil bust looks like
Low prices have energy companies and communities reeling as rig counts plummet and unemployment climbs.
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Ranch Diaries: I’m starting (another) new business. Will it work?
I’ll soon be delivering our grass-fed beef to the processor myself, and connecting directly with customers.
Posted inMarch 21, 2016: Making Sense of Malheur
Does conserving species actually curb development?
A new study suggests ESA doesn’t stop economic growth, but the devil’s in the details.
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Ranch Diaries: The era of the landless agrarian
I’m part of a generation of young farmers and ranchers who will struggle to ever own the land they work.
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Interactive timeline: Livestock grazing in the West
Whether grazing on public land is a ‘right’ or a ‘privilege’ is one of the region’s most contentious issues. Here’s why.
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Can food hubs make small farms economically feasible?
A new effort near Tahoe, California, brings farmers and food buyers together to buck the system.
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As oil prices drop, equipment theft climbs
Some experts point to laid-off workers, who know how much the items are worth.
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Should this national monument become a national park?
An Idaho town hopes changing Craters of the Moon to park status will boost its economy.
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Four charts that show how public land is good for rural areas
A study finds that personal income is rising faster in counties with more public land.
Posted inFebruary 2, 2016: Sagebrush Insurgency
Sugar Pine Mine, the other standoff
How a small-time mining dispute in Oregon readied a network of militias for the Malheur occupation.
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Forest Service leaves control of water rights to ski resorts
How does industry control of water affect public land management?
Posted inJanuary 25, 2016: The Forever War
Coal company bankruptcies jeopardize reclamation
The public could foot the bill for billions in cleanup costs.
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Shifts toward clean energy threaten Montana coal town
Washington and Oregon utilities consider pulling out of Colstrip’s power station.