Texas named best state for business 21 years running in Chief Executive magazine ranking
Chief Executive magazine has ranked Texas as the best state for business for the 21st year in a row.
The ranking is determined from an annual survey of the nation's leading CEOs. Florida and Tennessee followed Texas respectively, with California ranking last.
'Texas is where entrepreneurs can cast a vision and know they can achieve it," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a Monday announcement. "The successful CEOs I meet with credit our business-friendly climate, highly skilled and diverse workforce and exceptional quality of life across every region of our great state as Texas' top advantages. We will continue to cut red tape and partner with job-creating businesses and innovators to build a stronger, more prosperous Texas for decades to come."
Along with topping business ranking lists, Texas has also been leading the nation in job growth over the past several months. In March, Texas saw a new high with the largest labor force in the state's history at 15,778,500, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Texas Workforce Commission.
Texas' economy also outpaced the nation in the fourth quarter of 2024. Texas' real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 3.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to the U.S. average of 2.4%. GDP represents the total value of all goods and services produced within the state over a specific period.
Last week, Abbott signed Senate Bill 14, known as Texas DOGE, into law. The bill created the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, building on recommendations from the Governor's Small Business Freedom Council to cut regulations and make stricter standards on new regulations.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas once again ranked best for business by Chief Executive magazine
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
DesignRush Finds Wyoming Tech Salaries Dropped 6.6% Since 2014-Worst Nationwide
Limited broadband, lack of industry incentives, and no urban tech hubs contribute to Wyoming's struggle to retain tech talent and grow salaries. Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - July 24, 2025) - A new report from DesignRush reveals that Wyoming ranks last for tech salary growth, with a 6.62% decline in wages over the past decade - from 2025 to 2024 - the steepest drop for any US state. [ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: ] Wyoming Ranks Last for Tech Wage Growth in 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: This finding is according to the 2025 U.S. Tech Salary Index, which analyzes inflation-adjusted salary data across six core tech occupations using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While most states saw positive growth during the remote work boom, Wyoming fell behind, impacted by limited broadband access, few industry incentives, and a lack of urban tech hubs. Key Findings from the report: What's Driving Wyoming's Decline in Tech Salaries? [ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: ] Wyoming Tech Salary Decline Between 2014 to 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Comparative Context: About DesignRush DesignRush is a B2B platform that helps brands connect with top agencies in design, marketing, technology, and more. Our research team regularly publishes industry data and rankings to help business leaders make informed decisions. Media Contact: Anonta Khan PR Manager, DesignRush SOURCE: DesignRush To view the source version of this press release, please visit
The Hill
a day ago
- The Hill
Beef prices are soaring: Here's why
Beef prices are soaring across the country and it is unlikely it will drop anytime soon. Since of the start of the year, the price of beef increased over eight percent and is currently selling for $9.26 per pound, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the average price of ground beef, a staple in American households, increased to $6.10 last month. In June 2024, the average price was $5.36. Tariffs imposed by President Trump on a variety of countries have not had a huge impact on prices of beef yet. The U.S. imported over 4.1 billion pounds of beef last year, according to USDA data. The countries that export a significant amount of meat, such as New Zealand and Australia, are facing a 10 percent tariff, while others, like Brazil, which has exported 216,119 metric tons of meat this year, might be staring at a 50 percent tariff. Still, multiple other factors have contributed to the rise in beef prices, including drought conditions, a downward trend in the number of herds, high supply costs and a parasite impacting some imported cattle. Cattle inventory drops Over the last two decades, the price of beef has increased as nationwide cattle inventory has slumped over the past five years. As of Jan 1., there are 86.7 million heads of cattle and calves on U.S. farms, according to USDA's data. Of the nearly 90 million, there were 37.2 million cows and heifers that calved, or gave birth, so far this year. There are 27.9 million beef cows in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, a one-percent drop from 2024. The number of milk cows has gradually gone up since last year, increasing to around 9.35 million. Brady Stewart, the chief supply chain officer at Tyson Foods Inc., said during an earnings call in early May that beef is 'experiencing the most challenging market conditions we've ever seen,' adding that the food company has 'increased total adjusted operating income by 27 percent and every segment grew other than beef.' Cattle supply is at a 74-year low and tight supplies have helped jack up beef and cattle prices, according to economist Bernt Nelson. 'With the supply side largely fixed, U.S. demand for beef is the lynchpin holding together razor thin profit margins for our nation's cattle farmers and ranchers. If demand weakens, cattle prices will likely decline, creating a major obstacle to any meaningful expansion of the U.S. cattle herd,' Nelson wrote in a market intel report in late May. Costs rise for farmers Nelson said that margins for cattle farmers and ranchers are also 'razor thin' due to elevated supply costs. 'Demand is currently strong, but this situation could quickly change,' the economist said. 'Any decline in consumer confidence or household financial health could weaken demand, forcing packers to lower bids and triggering financial losses for cattle farmers and ranchers.' Another factor impacting the prices of beef is the rising costs of cattle. With higher prices, ranchers and producers could be enticed to sell more cows according to a livestock economist at Texas A&M University David Anderson, 'For them, the balance is, 'Do I sell that animal now and take this record high check?' Or 'do I keep her to realize her returns over her productive life when she's having calves?. And so it's this balancing act and so far the side that's been winning is to sell her and get the check,' Anderson told The Associated Press this week. Parasite derails Mexican imports A flesh-eating screwworm is also placing pressure on the struggling industry. Screwworms are flies whose females lay eggs in warm-blooded animals, normally livestock. Larvae hatch and then bite into the host animal until they end up killing it. Earlier this month, the U.S. blocked the imports of Mexican cattle after the New World screwworm fly was noticed getting closer to the southern border. The new case was detected 370 miles south of southern border, according to USDA. In June, the USDA resumed the imports of bison, cattle and equine from Mexico after another screwworm case. 'The United States has promised to be vigilant — and after detecting this new NWS case, we are pausing the planned port reopening's to further quarantine and target this deadly pest in Mexico. We must see additional progress combatting NWS in Veracruz and other nearby Mexican states in order to reopen livestock ports along the Southern border,' Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a statement on July 9.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Greg Abbott Sets Out Vision for Texas THC Regulation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has pushed for strict enforcement to ensure that THC products are not sold to people under the age of 21. Abbott set out a vision for the future of Texas THC regulations after he vetoed a bill that would have fully banned consumable products containing the compound of marijuana that which makes it psychoactive, THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, in the state. "We need to have a highly regulated hemp industry," Abbott told Fox 4 on Tuesday. Newsweek has contacted Governor Abbott via email for comment. Main: THC products seen at the Dope Daughters dispensary, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Inset: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas. Main: THC products seen at the Dope Daughters dispensary, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Inset: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas. Main: Eric Gay, Inset: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo Why It Matters Abbott's approach to THC has put him at loggerheads with fellow Republicans who have supported a complete ban. Some law enforcement leaders have said the only way to fully regulate THC use is to ban it completely and that they will not be able to fully stop smoke shops from illegally selling THC above the state-mandated dose, according to Fox 4. Abbott says regulation is possible when police are given the right resources. What To Know Abbott's proposal for the future of THC is to keep it regulated at its 0.3 percent legal limit. He said he will not be legalizing marijuana in the state, and will be pushing for stricter enforcement to ensure that hemp products are not sold to people under the age of 21, and that they do not contain any synthetic compounds. He told Fox 4 that the industry can be regulated like alcohol, including making it illegal to sell products near areas frequented by children. He added he still wanted hemp farmers and people selling the products to be allowed. In June, Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have fully banned THC in Texas. The bill, introduced by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, received overwhelming Republican support in the state legislature. Critics of THC in the state say that it poses a danger to children who may find it and consume it, and have pointed to THC as a public health risk. Lieutenant Governor Patrick has said that THC consumption leads to addiction and brain alteration, as reported in The Texas Tribune. The governor vetoed it, saying that the "legal defects in the bill are undeniable." He mentioned that a similar ban in Arkansas was stalled by lawsuits for years. The bill would have banned hemp-derived cannabinoids in Texas, the market of which reached $2.78 billion industry in the state in 2023, according to the Baker Institute at Rice University. On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on State Affairs passed Senate Bill 5 with a 10-0 vote. The bill would eliminate the majority of hemp products, according to The Texas Tribune. Hemp-derived cannabinoids were made legal in Texas in 2019 following the passage of a 2018 federal law which legalized hemp. They must contain a THC limit of 0.3 percent. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick shows products containing THC while calling for a ban on the consumables on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the state Capitol in Austin, Texas. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick shows products containing THC while calling for a ban on the consumables on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the state Capitol in Austin, Texas. Jim Vertuno/AP Photo What People Are Saying Governor Abbott told Fox 4: "We need to have a highly regulated hemp industry to ensure that farmers are able to grow it and that hemp products that do not have an intoxicating level of THC in it can be sold in the marketplace." Steve Dye, a police chief, told The Texas Tribune: "It would take decades, in our opinion, and millions of millions of dollars to hire and train agents to understand chemistry, potency threshold, lab testing and labeling compliance, and they will never be able to keep pace with the retailers, wholesalers and shippers." What Happens Next Senate Bill 5 has now advanced to the full chamber. But, according to The Texas Tribune, lawmakers in the House are more open about regulating THC products rather than banning them outright.
