Navajo Nation

Native Americans set to lead the hemp market

While the rest of the nation debates whether to allow industrial hemp farming, the Navajo Nation is already planning for the first crop. Some are hoping that the controversial plant will help bring money to Native American reservations, the same way that casinos have, says Reuters.

Navajo Nation will have first U.S. tax on junk food

The Navajo Nation will begin collecting a 2 percent sales tax next month on pastries, chips, soda, fried food, sweetened beverages and other foods with minimal nutritional value -- the first junk-food tax in the United States, says Mother Jones.

States, tribes will test ways to reduce rural child hunger

Five pilot projects will test ways to reduce child hunger in rural America, with approaches that range from home delivery of food to providing three school meals a day, says the Agriculture Department. The USDA awarded $27 million in grants for the demonstration projects in Virginia, Kentucky and Nevada, and the Chickasaw and Navajo nations, from money provided in the 2010 child-nutrition law.