A benchmark for hemp: Four years after it became legal to grow industrial hemp—years that were a mixed bag of optimism and retrenchment—the first National Hemp Report pegged the value of the crop at $824 million. (USDA)
Oppose Sanderson deal: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, backed by some dozen other U.S. lawmakers, told the Justice Department that a plan to merge chicken producer Sanderson Farms with smaller rival Wayne Farms “raises significant antitrust concerns.” (Reuters)
California groundwater: The state has begun managing groundwater use under a landmark 2014 law, but experts say conservation has proven a tough sell and the water going out far exceeds nature’s ability to replenish it. (Inside Climate News)
Greek farmers protest: Farmers desperate for financial aid to cope with surging energy prices that are pushing up costs for fuel and fertilizer have started parking tractors alongside roadways, threatening to block traffic. (AP)
Electric over gas?: Gas ranges have long been the preferred choice for those who consider themselves serious cooks. But improved electric ranges and concerns about greenhouse-gas emissions have even spurred some chefs to abandon gas. (Washington Post)