A Great Year For the American Angus; Occupational Hazards and Processing of Marijuana

The American Angus Association says Angus breeders are enjoying one of the most successful years on record. New figures released last week show that during fiscal year 2015, sale averages for Angus genetics soared, total registrations grew and the Certified Angus Beef brand achieved its ninth consecutive year of record sales. On average, according to the Association, buyers paid about 35% more for registered Angus genetics in 2015 than they did during the prior fiscal year, with nearly $110 million in additional gross revenue reported for registered-Angus breeders.

Federal researchers spent part of last week at a medical marijuana farm near Vancouver, Washington to study the occupational hazards of growing and processing marijuana. It’s an unprecedented study as marijuana is still an illegal drug in the eyes of the federal government. Four researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health went to the farm to watch, chronicle and collect data that could be used to develop federal best practice standards for workers in the marijuana industry. The kind of research is not new, what's new is it's the first at a marijuana farm.