West Virginia House delegates passed a bill this week that would allow raw milk products from farmers to be sold directly to consumers.

Maria Moles, owner of Meadow Branch Farms in Clay County, and a member of the West Virginia Alliance for Raw Milk who has been milking cows for more than a decade, said the bill will make it easier for small farmers to get their raw dairy products to consumers.

"We need the legislators to listen to the farmers. I mean, this is our life, this is our passion, she explained."

Producing raw milk has been legal since 2016, but only under strict conditions. House Bill 4911 removes language that requires licensed dairy farmers to agree not to sell raw milk through retail or herdshare agreements, and legalizes raw milk products as long as they are properly labeled. The FDA maintains that pasteurization is the safest way to consume milk, and reduces the risk of bacterial contamination that can cause harm, especially among people with compromised immune systems or pregnant people.

Moles said small farmers also want standards to ensure raw milk is safely distributed to the public, noting that equipment should be sanitized, and cows and goats should be sanitized before milking.

"Milk is a ready-to-eat food, and we need to handle that with that in mind, in how we milk, what equipment we use, how we bottle it, how we store it," she explained.

More than two dozen states have legalized the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk. According to the CDC. From 1998 through 2018, more than 200 outbreaks occurred because of drinking raw milk, leading to more than 2,500 cases of illness and 228 hospitalizations.

Arizona's primary election will take place in July, and a new Rural Democracy Initiative poll shows that likely voters from rural areas of the state are up for grabs.

Researcher Patrick Toomey, a partner with Breakthrough Campaigns, said the poll data show rural voters are what he calls "economic populists," and don't want the government calling the shots on certain issues, such as abortion.

"Rural voters do feel like things are getting worse for them and in their communities economically, but again, the vast majority of rural voters -- they are economic populists and their policy preferences align with many progressive goals," he said. "It is very clear that rural voters are not a cultural monolith either."

Toomey added that while rural America tends to be more conservative than its urban and suburban counterparts, certain conventionally progressive policy items -- such as focusing on retirement security and making taxes more fair -- aren't being associated with President Joe Biden or Democrats. He contended that the Democratic Party will need to "rebuild their brand."

The poll found 15% of rural voters in swing states are unsure for whom they will vote, or if they'll vote at all in the upcoming election, something Toomey contended could directly impact the outcome.

Toomey said half of rural voters consider Republicans to be more dedicated to prioritizing the needs of working families, compared with just 32% who shared those sentiments for the Democratic Party. While the increasing costs of housing, health care and child care are all important issues to rural voters, the data show that reproductive freedoms are also a top priority.

Toomey claimed Democrats can use that to their favor.

"Rural voters are opposed to abortion bans," he said. "They have nuanced views around abortion itself, but three-quarters either support it or don't want the government interfering in something that should be left up to women and their doctors."

More than 1,700 voters in 10 states participated in the poll, which found nearly half of rural voters would choose a "culturally aligned" rural Democrat over a Republican businessperson from a big city on the East Coast.


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Petitions are being circulated to get a marijuana legalization question on North Dakota's fall ballot.

Some local officials said marijuana laws could affect their small cities and towns in unique ways. A North Dakota group called New Economic Frontier is behind the ballot initiative. If put before voters, it would be the third time they'd consider the idea. Similar questions failed in 2018 and 2022.

Scott Decker, mayor of Dickinson, said if it wins this time, the state has to honor the will of the voters. Whether his area would see economic benefits or new residents, he pointed out energy jobs have a big presence and there is a potential conflict.

"Even if recreational marijuana is passed, individuals working in the energy sector are still gonna have to pass drug tests," Decker explained. "That's just a standard in the industry. Safety is paramount. "

He also wondered about local police having enough resources to secure technology for field sobriety tests, especially if revenues do not trickle down to his city of nearly 25,000 people. But Decker acknowledged other criminal justice aspects of legalization, noting there are too many people with low-level marijuana offenses who are incarcerated.

Tom Erdmann, mayor of Carrington, said his constituents are fairly conservative on the issue. He doubts his town would ever be a hotbed for marijuana retail sales but no matter the dynamics, he said any possible revenue would be a bonus.

"You know, any tax revenue that we get, whether it's from tobacco sales or highway use tax or any of those things that are not necessarily listed every year in our budget, we don't send it, that's for sure," Erdmann emphasized. "We keep it and use it in places where we need the funds to go."

He added Carrington has a solid economic base but his revenue sentiments illustrate the pros and cons communities have to wrestle with as legalization debates resurface. Petition organizers tout a range of economic boosts, while also stating their proposed policy is pretty restrictive compared to other states.


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Work is being done in rural areas across Texas to make sure students are prepared for the workforce even if they intend to stay put after graduation.

One new study showed only 31% of adults in non-metro areas have a degree from a junior college or university. The nonprofit Jobs for the Future creates opportunities for the education system and local businesses to work together in hopes of increasing the number.

Sarah Jenness, senior manager of the group, said there are three key changes leaders in rural areas could make to improve training for students.

"Strategy number one, build on your local strengths and contacts," Jenness outlined. "Strategy number two is thinking about how to prioritize inclusive economic development. And then finally, the third strategy was around embedding remote opportunities."

Jenness argued schools, local economic development agencies and businesses need to collaborate to create opportunities. A couple of options are dual enrollment, where high school students also earn college credits, and work-based learning, so they can hone their skills on the job.

The study found in the U.S., the benefits of economic systems are unevenly distributed and certain groups and communities suffer the most, particularly rural areas. Disparities are also seen across lines of race, ethnicity and gender.

Jenness stressed gaps can be closed if rural students receive training for the types of jobs available in their communities.

"What are the industries that employ the most rural workers? And the top three that we think tend to be -- you know, have good quality jobs -- are industries like government, manufacturing and health care," Jenness explained.

She added remote work is also a key strategy to ensure rural students have access to a variety of well-paid jobs.


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