Consider the $20 bill. It has no more value, as a simple slip of paper, than Monopoly money. Yet even children recognize that tearing one into small pieces is an act of inconceivable stupidity. What makes a $20 bill actually worth twenty dollars? In the third volume of his best-selling Naked series, Charles Wheelan uses this seemingly simple question to open the door to the surprisingly colorful world of money and banking.

Yoram Bauman is the world’s first and only stand-up economist. He is co-author of the “Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change” and the two volume “Cartoon Introduction to Economics,” and the 1998 book “Tax Shift,” which helped inspire the revenue-neutral carbon tax in British Columbia. He is campaign co-chair for the new Clean the Darn Air initiative, which supporters are working to get on the ballot in Utah in 2020.

Jonathan Williams, vice president and chief economist at American Legislative Exchange Council, explained that by looking at the economic outlook of each state and ranking them in 15 different factors -- including tax regulations, labor policies and economic growth -- ALEC is able to see which state ranks the richest and the poorest.

Last week, recipients of Utah State University’s Extension Awards were announced, honoring notable contributions from extension researchers and educators across the state.

While most individuals are unaware of how food gets from farm to table, Dr. Kynda Curtis, a professor and extension specialist in applied economics at Utah State University, is all too familiar with the process.

Employers in the agriculture industry have struggled to keep U.S. and foreign workers according to one Utah State University expert. A new update to the H-2A worker visa program might help workers keep their jobs in states like Utah.

UnDisciplined Episode 16: The transportation economist and the insect ecologist

This week on UnDisciplined, we're talking about the way people and animals move from place to place. Rick Geddes studies economic solutions for reducing traffic. Lori Spears is an entomologist who helps develop ways to keep non-native insects out of North America.

In today’s economic news, agriculture is taking over the headlines. Trade disputes have farmers and ranchers uncertain about the future of their businesses, but one small group of people specializing in complex agriculture economics are working to keep up with the fast-paced markets.

Without a stable home, positive role models and tools for success, many young Americans fall behind their peers and experience a rocky transition to adulthood, according to a new study. These issues not only affect young people later in life, but they also prove harmful to society as a whole.

Utah is getting the attention of large businesses and tech companies as a good place to build a foundation. Data from a recent study found the business environment is also attracting small independent retailers.

Utah has been one of the most popular areas in the United States for filmmakers since westerns hit the big screens almost 100 years ago according to experts in the film industry. Is it possible to reap the economic benefits of movies and commercials while preserving Utah’s iconic landscapes used on camera?

Starting a business is never easy, according officials at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Close to a fifth of all startups don’t survive more than one year of operation, and nearly half never make it to their fifth anniversary. But Utah’s economic climate is better than most states in the U.S.

Small business owners in the United States and Utah are looking forward to the next 12 months, according to a recent study. But Utah has dropped in the rankings from number three in the nation to eighth this year for small business optimism.

The nonprofit organization Prosperity Now recently released its yearly economic “scorecard”—a report detailing the economic wellbeing of populations across the U.S. The report said there is a racial divide when it comes to economic security and in areas like Utah, minority groups tend to fare worse than white populations.

On Monday’s Access Utah, beloved folk singer Dar Williams joins us to talk about her latest book, described as “an impassioned account of the fall and rise of the small American towns she cherishes.”

Dubbed by the New Yorker as "one of America's very best singer-songwriters," Dar Williams has made her career not in stadiums, but touring America's small towns. She has played their venues, composed in their coffee shops, and drunk in their bars. She has seen these communities struggle, but also seen them thrive in the face of postindustrial identity crises.

Immigration reform groups are working to keep the 13,600 Utahns currently eligible for DACA in the United States. Representatives from the groups said children who immigrated to the U.S. with their parents have a positive impact on Utah’s economy.

Governor Herbert has created an exploratory committee to research the feasibility of an inland port for the state of Utah. Inland ports are designated sites with strong transportation infrastructure and distribution operations.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has completed the review of national monuments mandated by President Trump. He has not released his recommendations. The New York Times is reporting that those recommendations include reducing the size of 4 national monuments, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah. Reports are that Secretary Zinke may recommend a drastic reduction in size for Bears Ears.

The “Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy Act” also known as the “RAISE Act,” seeks to reduce the amount of legal immigration to the United States by 50%. One immigration attorney in Salt Lake City is pushing for further discussion about how the act could prevent skilled workers from entering the United States.