Agriculture Shorts

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer of farmer sentiment dipped slightly in December, dropping 3 points to 136. The decline was attributable to a softening in producers’ long-term outlook . . . Nebraska’s unemployment rate for November was 3.0%. The U.S. unemployment rate for the same month rose to 4.6% . . . Nebraska’s minimum wage rose to $15 per hour on Jan. 1, putting the state’s minimum ahead of Iowa, Kansas and Wyoming which follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Colorado is the only state bordering Nebraska with a minimum wage higher at $15.16.