Who is rural?: On the last day of the Trump administration, the White House budget office suggested a minimum population of 100,000 for cities that are the core of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, rather than the current 50,000 people, a change that would reclassify 251 counties as rural and boost the rural population by 40 percent, to 64 million. (Daily Yonder)
Russia to double wheat export tax: In a response to rising domestic food prices due to the pandemic, Russia said it would impose a $61-per-tonne export tax on wheat from March 1-June 30, double the rate set for Feb 15-March 1. (Reuters)
Sentences upheld in Kansas bomb plot: A federal appeals court in Denver upheld the 25-year prison terms of two Kansas men who plotted to blow up an apartment complex that was home to Somali immigrants working in meatpacking plants. (Courthouse News) To read FERN’s story about the plot and the community’s response, click here.
Hemp impact to quadruple: Sales of industrial hemp could grow fourfold to around $8 billion by 2025 with a total economic impact of as much as $16 billion, says the 2021 Hemp and CBD Factbook. (Hemp Industry Daily)
Repair before reform: The Biden administration must deal with hunger and food safety before it can consider proposals for broad changes in USDA policies, say food activists. (New York Times)