‘Low-hanging fruit’ is taken: Wind farms are becoming increasingly contentious in rural America as pressure mounts to reduce power plant emissions; one scholar says “the low-hanging fruit places” are already taken. (New York Times)
Fast-food wage lawsuit: A Sacramento County Superior Court judge temporarily blocked implementation of a new California law that would regulate wages and working conditions for fast-food workers. (Associated Press)
‘Green rush’ dries up: The legal cannabis industry is floundering in many parts of the country due to oversupply and the tapering off of a pandemic sales boom; some growers predict a shakeout as larger farms expand. (Washington Post)
Atmospheric rivers soak California: At the end of a dry year, a parade of atmospheric rivers doused California with rain and snow, raising water levels in reservoirs and topping off above-average snowpack in the Sierras. (Los Angeles Times)
Less pork, robust demand: Domestic demand for pork should remain robust in 2023 at pre-pandemic levels of 52.1 pounds per person; meanwhile, the U.S. hog inventory is down by 2 percent, keeping supplies tight. (farmdoc daily)