Farming Jobs Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Changing The Legislative Auditor’s Office And The Fall Of AppHarvest, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the demise of eastern Kentucky’s AppHarvest and bills changing the Legislative Auditor’s Office.

On this West Virginia Morning, eastern Kentucky’s AppHarvest was called the future of farming and a way to bring new jobs to coal country. But as Inside Appalachia’s Mason Adams explores, the company fell nearly as fast as it rose and filed for bankruptcy last year.

Also in this show, in our most recent episode of The Legislature Today, bills in both the House and the Senate would change the way the legislative auditor operates. Randy Yohe spoke with Del. Mike Pushkin and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw about the office, which has long been a watchdog of the executive branch of government, making sure that money is spent properly.

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Ohio Valley Farmers Urge Visa Program Changes

On the is West Virginia Morning, more than 1,000 Ohio Valley farmers used a complicated federal visa program to hire about 8,000 foreign workers for seasonal jobs, last year.

Farmers say the visa program is too bureaucratic, and a bill before Congress promises to cut red tape. But as Nicole Erwin of the Ohio Valley ReSource reports, labor advocates say the bill would strip guest workers of many protections in an industry where wage theft is already a problem.

Justice Calls for Advancing West Virginia's Farming, Jobs

Governor Jim Justice says West Virginia has opportunities to expand farming and jobs with fertile soil and good climate, rainfall and temperatures for growing, calling for state’s reconstituted Agriculture Advisory Board to advance them.

The first-year governor, whose family businesses include farms, says he wants West Virginia to find a niche crop to market to the world, also noting that it is within 600 miles (966 kilometers) of two-thirds of the U.S. population and those markets.

Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt recently relaunched the board, saying it was established to develop a strategic plan for the state’s agriculture but has been inactive for several years.

The board consists of the governor, commissioner and the director of the cooperative extension service of West Virginia University.

Its first meeting is scheduled Monday.