Sales of marijuana in Arizona soared to $1.6 billion in 2021, just one year after recreational cannabis was legalized in the state, making Arizona second only to California for retail sales that year, according to an industry research group. 

To address the growing need for a continually diversified and modern workforce, the New Economy Initiative was signed into law, providing millions of dollars in state funding through the Arizona Board of Regents to invest in Arizona’s economic future. This initiative aims to create 40,000 new jobs by 2041, increase economic output to $6.9 billion by 2023, and double the state’s investment in return, much of which can and should be generated within the space ecosystem.

This month’s federal government shutdown caused a backup in seasonal farmworkers’ visa applications that some groups say could lead to a labor shortage during the coming winter vegetable harvest.

While Arizona’s legendary 5 Cs together claim a smaller piece of the state’s economic pie, their historical significance remains.

Arizona’s famous five Cs have been used as a quick way to describe the economic engines that drive the state. Representations of copper, cattle, climate, cotton and citrus are all emblazoned on the Great Seal of the state of Arizona, although these industries are not the forces they once were.