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Posted By Cathryn April 10, 2014
Today, Corn Commentary features a guest post from blogger, CommonGround volunteer, farmer and dietitian Jennie Schmidt. Schmidt testified last month at the Maryland House and Senate in opposition to a state bill which would require labeling of certain products containing GMOs. As similar battles rev up across the country, she offers not only her perspective as a farmer but also as a registered dietitian who earned an advanced degree in science.
There has been much discussion over whether or not the labeling of “GMO” foods would add to the cost of food production or not. This was one of the supporting arguments for GMO labeling at the legislative hearing at the Maryland House of Delegates Committee on Health and Government Operations during which Doug Gurian-Sherman of the Union of Concerned Scientists and Michael Hansen of the Center for Food Safety, both insisted that labeling costs would be minor at best.
So does Mother Jones
So does The Grist
Wow, do these scientists and journalists have any understanding of the food supply chain from farm gate to grocery shelf?
Apparently not, nor does anyone else who thinks that “GMO” labeling won’t increase the cost of food.
Here is my pictorial analysis of the food supply chain from my farm gate:
Seed corn is ordered and delivered to farm, then planted in the spring around May.
By summer, it looks like this.
By fall, it looks like this.
It gets harvested between September and November.
Corn is transferred from the combine to a tractor trailer truck.
The grain is hauled here to our on-farm grain bins for storage. We have storage for about 50,000 bushels, less than 25 percent of our total yields in a normal year for corn, soybeans, wheat and barley, all of which need to be stored until they’re needed by our customers. This includes the specialty seeds we grow that require segregation from commodity grains.
When it’s time to sell, we reload the trucks and haul it to the local grain elevators.
The tractor trailer delivers the corn here,
And that’s just three of the local grain elevators. We have several other options depending on who is buying our grain. We and all our farming neighbors deliver to the same elevator and unload grain. This is called “commingling” where our crop is combined with everyone else who delivers to the same elevator and stored together in these large bins, regardless of what variety or trait of corn was grown.
So where’s the cost you ask? Well, every farmer in the region is hauling grain usually around the same time… to the same group of elevators. Hopefully you read my blog on seed choice last year and realize that all farmers determine their own purchases for seed and we don’t all grow the same thing. In fact, we grow 3-4 different varieties of corn ourselves. Why? Because we match the varieties of corn to our soil types. That’s called good stewardship and good business practice.
The food supply chain in the United States relies on a system of commingling, grain delivered to the elevator by farmers throughout the region. Maryland has 2 million acres of farmland, nearly a half million of which grew corn in 2012. In a not very good growing year, Maryland farmers produce 53 million bushels of corn.
If GMO labeling were to pass, that would require a HUGE addition to both on and off farm storage. Nationally, we’re talking billions of dollars in infrastructure needed to segregate grain. What none of these labeling laws is clear about either is how to achieve this segregation? Should it be segregated by trait? By variety? Both? The more layers of segregation, the more infrastructure is required and the more the costs escalate.
Segregation is costly. We know because we do it every year, year in and year out, and have for years. We do it because we get paid a premium for ensuring that the specialty grains and seeds we grow are “identity preserved”, very much like the certified organic process, involving higher management, higher tracking, and systems in place to ensure that the grains and seeds are genetically consistent and true to their traits, of highest quality meaning they are uniform in size, shape, color, free of weed seed and contamination. We will have 900 acres of grains and seeds this year that will require some protocol for identity preservation. They will be tested for the presence of GMO and tested to ensure that they are genetically consistent to parent seeds. This requires us to use some of our grain tanks for segregation. It requires us to do more “housekeeping”, cleaning equipment, trucks, trailers, planters, harvesters, grain bins, etc… all along the food supply chain to ensure that we have preserved the identity of that crop. It is an inherently more costly system.
So what are the costs? Here is my rudimentary analysis from the USDA Crop Production 2013 Summary.
There is 13 billion bushels of on farm storage in the United States.
There is 10.4 Billion bushels of off farm storage in the United States.
Last year, U.S. Farmers grew the following crops ALL of which require storage:
- 13.9 billion bushels of corn
- 389 million bushels of sorghum
- 421 million bushels of rice
- 3.3 billion bushels of soybeans
- 2.1 billion bushels of wheat
- 215 million bushels of barley
- 1 million bushels of oats
- 7.6 million bushels of rye
- 18 million bushels of millet
- 3 million bushels of flax seed
- 7.8 million bushels of safflower
- 1 million bushels of canola
- 65 million bushels of sunflower
- 38 million bushels of rapeseed and mustard seed
- 301 million bushels of lentils
- 937 million bushels of dry peas
- 250 million bushels of peanuts
- 1.5 Billion bushels of other dry edible beans including:
- light red kidney
- dark red kidney
- Great Northern
- baby limas
- large limas
- pinto beans
- small white
- navy beans
So 2013 produced roughly 23.5 billion bushels of 26 different grains and seeds, including those already in some form of identity preservation protocol, and have storage capacity of 23.6 billion bushels… without the extra infrastructure to segregate “GMO” from “non-GMO”. To segregate, additional infrastructure would be required along the entire food supply chain from farm gate to grain elevator to processor to manufacturer, in order to separate corn, soybeans, and canola.
A new grain bin cost approximately $2/bushel to buy and install, so a 50,000 bushel bin will cost $100,000. If we currently have sufficient storage for commingled grains and seeds, what will be the astronomical figure to segregate them by trait? That answer is dependent on how we are going to segregate. In order to have true traceability, GMO seeds and grains would have to be segregated by trait, so RoundUp ready traited grains would have to be segregated from Bt traited grains, and the stacked or combined traited grains would have to be segregated from those that are just Bt or just RoundUp Ready, and the combinations of traited grains would have to be segregated by the combination or stack of traits in the seeds too, because otherwise, you don’t have “truth in labeling” to say which GMO is in the product.
I mean surely, we need to label it by GMO trait right? Because otherwise “we don’t know”. This is the premise by which the activists say is the problem right? The uncertainty of GMO? We can’t commingle traited seeds and grains because then we no longer have true traceability. Absolute and utter segregation by trait or combination thereof is required to meet the demands of what is being called for in the GMO labeling legislation across the United States.
True GMO labeling will require vast capitalization of infrastructure to segregate grains and seeds by trait. (Read $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$).
And I’ve only been talking about the costs of grain storage. I can’t even begin the fathom the costs that it would take to segregate all along the entire food supply chain, keeping GMO corn, soybean or canola ingredients segregated by trait from conventional counterparts from the farm to the processor to manufacturer. We’re talking billions of dollars in order to maintain the absolute traceability of a certain genetic trait in a seed from farm to final product.
Those who say GMO labeling won’t add to the consumer’s grocery bill need to go back to Economics 101 and some basic high school math.
True traceability in our food supply system will be hugely expensive.
It’s likely that as a nation, we’d never capitalize all that infrastructure to achieve true traceability.
Which goes to the crux of the matter – this isn’t about labeling, as I cited in my last GMO blog, labeling is a means to an end. As noted by many activist groups, the ulterior motive behind labeling is not about a consumer’s right to know, it is about banning the technology.
Say NO to mandatory GMO labeling. Stand for science.
Interested? Read more posts authored by Schmidt on her blog, The Foodie Farmer, or follow her on Twitter @FarmGirlJen.
Posted By Cindy March 17, 2014
Martin’s got to wear shades.
That was National Corn Growers Association president Martin Barbre looking like a rock star at the final Corn Congress session of Commodity Classic. Not by choice, he actually broke his regular glasses the night before and had to wear his prescription shades to read.
But, Martin really does think the future is bright for corn farmers and agriculture in general, especially now that we finally have a finished farm bill and NCGA has reached a new membership record of 40,287 as of the end of February.
Two initiatives Martin is especially excited about right now are the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food (CFSAF) and the Soil Health Partnership.
“There’s no doubt that GMOs have become a hot button issue in recent years,” he said of the CFSAF, which advocates a federal solution that would establish standards for the safety and labeling of food and beverage products made with genetically modified ingredients. “We’re just getting the coalition together and getting a game plan together and when we do we’ll start moving forward.”
The Soil Health Partnership has the support of Monsanto and the Walton Family Foundation and relies on a science advisory council made up of government and university experts as well as environmental groups. “These are just examples of the coalitions we’ve been able to work on.”
Martin is even optimistic about the number one policy issue facing NCGA this year – protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “We’re proud of the grassroots action we saw on the part of our nation’s corn farmers” to get thousands of comments in to the EPA on the proposal and thousands of calls to the White House. “We don’t know when the decision will come down or what it will be but we know we’ve done our part and we’ll continue to keep pressure on the administration.”
Martin talked about these issues and others in the following audio segments:
Interview with Martin Barbre, NCGA president
NCGA president on the Classic stage
NCGA Press Conference with Martin Barbre
2014 Commodity Classic Photos
Posted By Cathryn March 13, 2014
Today, Corn Commentary features a guest post from blogger, CommonGround volunteer, farmer and dietitian Jennie Schmidt. Schmidt testified March 11 in opposition to a state bill which would require labeling of certain products containing GMOs. As similar battles rev up across the country, she offers not only her perspective as a farmer but also as a registered dietitian who earned an advanced degree in science.
I Grow GMO: Not Ashamed or Embarrassed
Yesterday, I testified before the Maryland State Senate Committee on Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee. I was speaking against SB778 ”Genetically Engineered Foods – Labeling Requirements”
My interview with WBOC on GMO labeling.
Introduced by Senator Karen Montgomery, of Montgomery County, the bill synopsis states:
“Requiring specified raw foods and packaged foods that are entirely or partially produced with genetic engineering to display a specified label beginning on July 1, 2015; requiring a manufacturer to include a specified label on specified foods; requiring a supplier to include a specified label on a container used for packaging, holding, or transporting specified foods; requiring a retailer to place a specified label on a shelf or bin containing specified foods; etc.”
She introduced the hearing legislation by asking why people acted “ashamed or embarrassed” about GMO. She claimed she was a supporter of biotechnology and wasn’t afraid of it but that consumers have the right to know.
But many of the groups who claim that consumers have the “right to know” are actually working toward a ban of the technology.
Organic consumers Association: “Once GMOs foods are labeled, informed consumers will move to protect themselves and their families by not buying them. Once enough consumers shun GMO-tainted and labeled foods, stores will stop selling them and food manufacturers will stop putting GMO food ingredients in their products.”
Center for Food Safety: ”Labeling #GMO food is not enough. We must keep new GE crops out of food supply to begin with take action @TrueFoodNow”
March Against Monsanto: “Many presume the March Against Monsanto is a protest about GMO. While food plays a very big role in the global protest, there are many insidious tentacles to the biotech giant. MAM seeks to destroy the root.”
Truth-Out: “GMO labeling laws are the cornerstone of the anti-GMO movement. But consumers are also expanding the fight by demanding outright bans on the growing of GMO crops.”
In fact, two consumers who testified at the same hearing in favor of labeling voiced the very same thing, that labeling didn’t go far enough, that biotechnology needed to be banned.
The Consumers Union, Food and Water Watch, and Union of Concerned Scientists had their legal team of suits presenting. I’m not going to restate their position because if you google Michael Hansen or Doug Gurian-Sherman, you will find pages of testimony nearly word for word identical to what they told the senate hearing yesterday, including continuing to claim the validity of the retracted Seralini study.
In response to Senator Montgomery’s comment: I am an unashamed and unembarrassed supporter of biotechnology. On my Maryland farm it has resulted in higher yields and lower pesticide applications, year after year, wet season, dry season, normal season. Even when Hurricane Irene knocked our corn flat, biotech held its ears better than non-GMO corn by 26 bushels per acre, which in a very crappy year, makes a world of difference to our family farm’s ability to stay afloat.
Our corn yield comparison data
Our soybean yield comparison data
Biotech outperform our specialty seeds: non-GMO & Identity Preserved. Yes, we grow and segregate a variety of different types of grains and seeds, all of which are tested and verified as pure to the variety they are supposed to be. This year, we will have 900 acres of grains and seeds under some protocol for identity preservation. The seed must be genetically consistent and true to its traits, uniform in shape, size and color, and free from weed seed and contamination. They are tested and verified to meet those standards. So co-existence of conventional, biotech, and organic/Identity Preserved/nonGMO grains and seeds is possible. We do it every day on our family farm and have for many years now. Biotech threatens none of our niche or specialty markets. These farming systems are not and should not be considered mutually exclusive.
When you combine higher yields consistently, with less man hours on a tractor, burning less diesel fuel, and saving pesticide sprays, you have a far more sustainable family farm on the environment: less greenhouse gases, less fuel consumption, less pesticide use = protecting and preserving more resources.
But to the larger picture, biotechnology has brought us Humulin, Epogen, Herceptin and many, many other excellent lifesaving medical therapies.
Biotechnology means we don’t harvest insulin from hogs or cattle pancreas anymore.
Biotechnology means we don’t harvest the enzyme chymosin from young calves to extract rennet from their stomachs which is then used to coagulate milk in the cheese making process.
To me, this is progress. To me, these are reasons to oppose mandatory labeling of “GMO”. It is both safe and efficacious in medicine and in food.
Science and research concurs. Published last year, An overview of the last 10 years of genetically engineered crop safety research reviewed 1783 studies, 312 of which were GE food & feed consumption studies finding “no scientific evidence of toxic or allergenic effects”. The researchers concluded that “that genetic engineering and GE crops should be considered important options in the efforts toward sustainable agricultural production.”
1783 studies… 312 of them on consumption of GE food and feed. That’s a safety track record.
Nicolia, et al, 2013. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology
The technology is valuable in both medicine and food. The technology has many benefits to mankind. No one but the activists are saying biotech was supposed to be a “silver bullet”. Farmers know it’s one of many tools in the tool box to improve sustainability and produce more food on less land. Efforts to undermine the technology through mandatory GMO labeling that falsely implies there are safety concerns where none exist is misleading and a disservice to consumers.
I oppose Maryland SB778.
Interested? Read more posts authored by Schmidt on her blog, The Foodie Farmer, or follow her on Twitter @FarmGirlJen.
Posted By Cindy March 4, 2014
The granddaughter of the father of the Green Revolution is carrying on with his mission to help feed the world, and Julie Borlaug believes that must include communicating the benefits of biotechnology on a more personal level.
“For years, we in the ag sector have been on the losing end of the argument, partly because we thought we could win the day on science alone and with scientists doing the talking,” said Borlaug, who is Associate Director of External Relations at the Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, during the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum prior to Commodity Classic last week. “Scientists like my grandfather were unfortunately a lot better at doing science than communicating about it.”
Borlaug says her famous grandfather Dr. Norman Borlaug, who will be honored this month with bronze statue in the U.S. Capitol, had a “lifelong passion for feeding the hungry and miserable” and was a supporter of biotechnology just as she is. But she says that agriculture needs take a more personal approach to talking about biotechnology. “We must remember we are talking to those outside of agriculture who have never been on a farm,” she said. “We are talking to moms who believe everything on Facebook.”
You can listen to Julie’s remarks here: Julie Borlaug Remarks
Posted By Cathryn February 13, 2014
A Reuters news story released today confirmed that the advanced tools and practices used by modern American farmers can have a massive positive impact in reducing global hunger if more widely adopted. Assuming the idea of reducing human suffering holds near universal appeal, this finding demonstrates how arguments for a return to the farming ways of yesterdays and against the use of tested, proven technologies would actually have a negative impact on anyone financially unable to pay the high price of adherence to these pseudointellectual ideals.
The study, conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute, concluded that widespread adoption of an array of technologies, including biotech seeds, could cut commodity prices in half and reduce global food insecurity by as much as 36 percent by 2050. Noting that no single technology alone can produce this impact, the researchers found that used together practices such as no till farming, irrigation and biotech seed technologies can substantively change the future of global hunger.
For an infographic summarizing the findings, click here.
An over-fed, under-questioned segment of the population is pushing to take away the very tools farmers need to feed a growing world. With full stomachs, they use misinformation and empty rhetoric to launch a full sail assault on scientific advancement in agriculture. Whether for personal profit or out of sincere short-sightedness, anti-GMO activists and their anti-ag allies fight for misguided movements that would directly result in a future where more poor children go hungry.
The fight for modern farming is a fight to feed the world. Eschewing science in favor of foolish fanaticism has repercussions that reach far beyond U.S. borders and far into the future. Don’t let those born tomorrow suffer for the ignorance ignited today.
Posted By Cindy February 10, 2014
There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion.
- Winston Churchill -
Some of the nation’s largest media outlets were on-line for the conference call Thursday announcing the new “Coalition for Safe Affordable Food” (CFSAF), a group of nearly 30 companies and organizations united to seed a federal solution on the labeling of food products derived from genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). Many of the resulting reports were predictably cynical of the effort.
Several of the headlines read some modification of Bloomberg’s “Food Industry Forms Group to Stop Gene-Modified Labeling Laws”, referring to CFSAF as an “anti-labeling coalition.”
The goal of the group makes perfect sense in seeking national standards for labeling of food that may or may not contain genetically modified crops, instead of the looming potential of a patchwork quilt of laws in different states and municipalities. “A federal solution on GMO labeling will bolster consumer confidence in the safety of American food by reaffirming the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) role as the nation’s foremost authority on the use and labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients,” said National Corn Growers Association president Martin Barbre.
American Soybean Association President Ray Gaesser of Iowa used Missouri, bordered by eight states, as an example of what kind of nightmare various labeling laws could create. “If every one of those states passed their own labeling requirements with different thresholds for GM ingredients, your average soybean farmer would have to establish eight different supply chains, sanitize his equipment between each one, and then trace them religiously,” he said, noting that it could increase prices by 15-30%.
“When you look at the real world impact of these state-by-state regulations, it simply becomes too much for farmers to bear,” Gaesser said.
With a growing number of states and municipalities from Hawaii to Vermont considering some kind of GMO labeling, the coalition is asking Congress to take action, but as of yet no bills have been offered. With the farm bill off the plate now, farmers are optimistic it will happen soon.
Listen to the conference call here: GMO Coalition Announcement
Posted By Cathryn January 23, 2014
The following blog post was authored by Minnesota family farmer and CommonGround volunteer Kristie Swenson. Swenson participates in CommonGround, which is a joint project of the National Corn Growers Association, the United Soybean Board and their state affiliates, to help moms off the farm know how the moms on America’s farms grow and raise their food. By sharing her stories, she hopes to help consumers enjoy their food without fear.
The topic of GMOs is complex, challenging, and emotional, regardless of your stance. I have yet to have a straightforward conversation where we simply talk about one aspect of the GMOs because it’s so hard to talk about just one aspect when there are so many sides to the issue. If one starts talking about the science itself, or the methodology used to genetically modify an organism, the conversation often goes on tangents like research, ethics, side effects, chemical use, labeling, corporations and so on. It is so hard to separate each individual issue because they are connected and they are all valid issues that should be addressed.
Straight away, you should know that I am pro-GMO. I do not believe that GMOs are the silver bullet or the solution for everything, but I do believe that GMOs have merits that should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Do I think every single organism needs to be genetically modified? No, I don’t. But I do believe that genetically modifying some organisms can provide us with benefits, and I think those modifications should be researched.
Take papayas, for example. In the 1990s, Hawaii’s papaya crop was devastated by the ringspot virus. A Hawaiian scientist, Dr. Dennis Gonsalves, developed a virus-resistant variety of papaya through genetic modification and found a way to help the papaya industry. In Hawaii today, both GMO and non-GMO papayas are produced. (Read this article for an interview with Dr. Gonsalves.)
Am I saying that since I see GM papayas as a good thing, that all GMOs are a good thing? I’m not going to use one positive situation to blanket the entire topic of GMOs. I am just saying that there are other industries that could benefit from genetic modification. The citrus industry comes to mind as it has been hit by citrus greening (the scientific name is Huanglongbing, or HLB). In this particular case, biotechnology could save our citrus. Here are two articles that further explore the citrus greening issue: Article 1 and Article 2.
To me, genetic modification and biotechnology are tools. Having multiple tools to pick from enables us to determine which tool fits the best for the situation at hand. People will choose tools based not only on the situation, but also on their personal preference. You and I may be faced with the same situation, yet we may choose different tools to achieve similar outcomes. And that’s ok – it is ok to have different opinions, different beliefs, different comfort levels.
I understand people have questions and concerns. It’s so easy for us to look to sources of information with which we are familiar, or which share our perspective. In today’s society, with the constant barrage of information and the vast amount of information available, it is so hard to sort out what’s fact from opinion; what’s twisted from what’s true. What one person finds credible may not be a credible source for someone else. I encourage you to seek out sources of information that provide facts rather than perpetuating myths, to have respectful conversations with people who work with biotechnology, and to think critically about what you find. I encourage you to continue asking questions until you are satisfied with the answers, and to know not just what you believe but why you believe it.
Posted By Cindy January 14, 2014
Most people are unaware that much of our nation’s seed corn supply hails from the Aloha State. In fact, seed corn is now the biggest segment of Hawaii’s agriculture sector, valued at $243 million, according to the most recent statistics.
The seed crop industry started about 50 years ago in Hawaii, but since 2000 the industry has grown by an astronomical 548%, with all of the major seed players having a stake in about ten farms totaling some 25,000 acres on four of the Hawaiian islands. These farms use both conventional as well as biotech plant breeding methods to grow seed crops, mostly corn, and all of it is exported to both North and South America for further development and distribution.
Needless to say, the industry is very valuable to Hawaii in terms of employment and economic benefit – as well as to farmers working to feed a growing world population – but in the past year movements have cropped up to place restrictions on seed companies in terms of pesticide use and genetically modified crops. After a heated and prolonged battle last year that included a veto by the mayor who then received death threats, Kauai County passed such an ordinance in November. Now three major seed companies impacted by the law have filed suit against the county.
Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in August, open-air testing of experimental pesticides would be prohibited and a moratorium would be placed on the development of new genetically modified crops. In the lawsuit, the companies note that their activities are already regulated by state and federal governmental agencies and that the local law would place “burdensome and baseless restrictions on farming operations.”
While cloaked with the purpose of protecting the “health and natural environment” of Kauai and its people, this is clearly the work of anti-GMO activists, such as The Center for Food Safety which has been heavily involved in the local action. Just another weapon being used in the war against progress to feed a growing world population.
Posted By Cindy January 7, 2014
General Mills made headlines last week with the announcement that that they will begin marketing original Cheerios “not made with genetically modified ingredients.”
In a post about the change, General Mills VP of global communications Tom Forsythe noted that it really is not a big change. “Original Cheerios has always been made with whole grain oats, and there are no GMO oats. We do use a small amount of corn starch in cooking, and just one gram of sugar per serving for taste. And now that corn starch comes only from non-GM corn, and our sugar is only non-GM pure cane sugar.”
But it’s even less of a change than that, according to Margaret Smith, Cornell University professor of plant breeding and genetics, who says Cheerios are just the same as ever.
“Corn starch and sugar are highly refined products, so they contain no DNA, which is what is introduced into a genetically engineered organism, and no protein – which is what the new DNA would produce in a genetically engineered organism,” she explains. “Because of that, corn starch and sugar from a genetically engineered corn variety are nutritionally and chemically identical to corn starch or sugar from a non-genetically engineered variety.”
Forsythe notes that General Mills’ support of GMOs remains the same, which is well-articulated in an on-line company position statement that links to a separate website on Facts about GMOS.
The reason General Mills made the “change” and announced it as they did is really simple – money. “We did it because we think consumers may embrace it,” said Forsythe. Chances are the “new” Cheerios will actually be more expensive, as another company spokesman quoted in the Wall Street Journal said it “required significant investment” to make the changes to the original cereal and that it would be “difficult, if not impossible” to make other varieties without GMOs.
Time will tell if the cereal will be more expensive and if GMO-fearful consumers will pay the price. The bigger question is what message this will send to the general public if all they hear is that one of the nation’s largest food companies is going GMO-free.
Posted By Cathryn December 27, 2013
The Washington Examiner needs to examine their facts before publishing pure poppycock. In an article which ran on December 20, the paper claimed that National Corn Growers Association National Corn Yield Contest record holder David Hula grew his record-breaking bounty using organic production practices. Contest records clearly show this is completely untrue.
Hula, a perennial winner, deserves both recognition and admiration for his abilities. NCGA enthusiastically congratulates him on his accomplishment. The contest aims to encourage innovation and improvement, a goal Hula undoubtedly achieved. The fact that he did not grow his corn organically in no way, shape or form diminishes his success.
The false story published in the Examiner does detract from the overall success of modern famers though. Within days, anti-GMO activists have latched on to this pseudo-story to aid in their agenda-driven arguments. A record yield such as Hula’s would support arguments for the production possibilities using organic methods. But the record was not set using organic methods. So, the support they so desire does not exist.
NCGA keeps detailed records from each entry submitted to the NCYC. The information these forward-facing farmers provide sheds light on possible advancements and supplies the documentation needed to ensure the integrity of the contest. . The Biovante™ soil treatment Hula used may qualify as an organic treatment, but none of his other practices would qualify as organic. Like the vast majority of corn growers, he planted corn hybrids that contain biotechnology, used synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. Organic production practices would not allow the use of any one of these tools.
The Examiner should take a closer look at how it fact checks its stories prior to publication. By not getting the story right, they turned a success story from America’s farms into a tool for activists who advocate against them.
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Strike negotiations may be needed in jobs row
Workers at Steam Packet are threatening industrial action if jobs at the firm are lost.
Strike negotiations may be needed to resolve a row that started after hundreds of jobs at ferry service Steam Packet were reportedly put at risk as a result of a rival business being set up.
According to the BBC, Ramsey-based firm Mezeron established business in direct competition to Steam Packet.
The RMT union are concerned that jobs may be lost at Steam Packet because of the knock-on effect Mezeron's employment of seafarers who are on 'poverty pay' will have.
"We are not opposed to competition but it must be on a level playing field and that is clearly not the case," said RMT general secretary Bob Crow.
Unions representing Steam Packet have threatened further protests and industrial action if people are made redundant.
Last week, workers at a Heinz factory in Wigan were balloted over whether they should strike after trade union Unite claimed the business could offer staff more substantial pay increases in the coming years.

domain: news


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Meet the 17 DoorDash powerhouses leading the food delivery app
- DoorDash became the number one food delivery company in the United States in 2019.
- It overtook Grubhub with a strategy of taking on the suburbs and developing its own technology.
- Here is the list of 17 powerful players responsible for the success of the food delivery juggernaut.
DoorDash was founded in 2013 by Stanford University students Tony Xu, Evan Moore, Stanley Tang and Andy Fang, who put their “coding hatsto help small businesses with local delivery.
Six years later, DoorDash has become the number one food delivery operator in the United States, overtaking market leader Grubhub. The San Francisco-based delivery operator has remained a food delivery juggernaut ever since, thanks to an army of leaders responsible for logistics technology, restaurant partnerships, marketing, app design, data , legal and its drivers.
Leaders like Xu and Christopher Payne, Chairman of DoorDash, are well-known leaders, but many others worked behind the scenes to push DoorDash to the top and its eventual initial public offering in 2020. Insider offered a definitive list of those executives — some of whom were among the company’s first 20 employees.
Many of these executives slept on air mattresses set up in local offices at the start of DoorDash as they worked tirelessly to scale the startup across the United States with a strategy of developing their own technology and delivering in the suburbs, not just in the big cities. They helped market products such as the DashPass membership program and the DoorDash Drive white-label delivery platform. These products have increased order frequency and attracted top chains like Wingstop and Chipotle, crucial partnerships struck at the height of the delivery wars.
Here are the 17 power players of DoorDash:


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Tough start to the year.
In a statement on the Oslo Stock Exchange on Friday, AKVA group posted a Q1 revenue of EUR 70 million, a decrease of 4 per-cent compared to Q1 2020. EBIT was EUR -1.4 million, down 136.8 per-cent compared to the previous quarter.
Activity decreased by four per cent in the first three months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. In addition to that, Covid-19 restrictions have had an impact on both the top line and cost level in ongoing operations.
AKVA group, like many other companies, has had difficulty obtaining international labour due to the quarantine provisions during the pandemic. In addition, the value chain has been hit by logistical problems, which have particularly affected operations in Chile.
The order intake in the quarter was EUR 6.9 million with a backlog of EUR 18 million at the end of March. 51 per-cent of total order backlog at the end of the quarter relates to Land Based Technology (LBT).
The order book shrank by 17 per cent in the first quarter of the year compared with the same quarter last year.
Costs related to cyber-attack of EUR 5 million were recognized in the quarter.
Overall, this hit first-quarter results hard. Pre-tax profit was EUR -3.1 million


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INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosiers may get to buy alcohol on Sundays for at-home consumption sooner than originally expected.
The Indiana House and Senate last month separately approved proposals authorizing the retail sale of beer, wine and liquor between noon and 8 p.m., local time, on Sundays beginning July 1.
On Wednesday, the House Public Policy Committee agreed to change the effective date of Senate Bill 1 to allow Sunday sales to begin on the first Sunday after Gov. Eric Holcomb signs the measure into law.
The idea to switch to an immediate effective date was jointly devised by state Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, sponsor of the measure, and state Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, who sponsored the identical House Bill 1051.
"Why wait until July to provide more convenience for citizens?" Alting asked.
Following the revision, the House Public Policy Committee voted 9-1 to advance the proposal to the full House.
If approved there, likely next week, the amended legislation then must return to the Senate for a final decision, sometime before March 14, on whether to send it to the governor.
Holcomb has said he will sign Sunday sales into law if the measure makes it to his desk.


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The fourth quarter, that is October through December, represents a chance to shift more units than usual for most businesses. It's the holidays and people need to buy gifts. Oftentimes it's the already popular items that see their sales soar; rushed decisions are at an all time high so their 'gotta have it' factor is even higher than normal, and people often look to what's selling well when they're stuck for ideas.
This year, the Kindle is definitely one of those gotta-have-it items. Though Amazon won't say exactly how many ereaders it's sold, the company did say that sales figures for the fourth quarter are in the millions. That's millions of units in the fourth quarter (which isn't even over) alone.
"Thanks to you, in just the first 73 days of this holiday quarter, we've already sold millions of our all-new Kindles with the latest E Ink Pearl display," reads a statement from the Kindle team. "In fact, in the last 73 days, readers have purchased more Kindles than we sold during all of 2009. We're grateful for and energized by the overwhelming customer response."
IntoMobile reports that Amazon's Kindle sales figure for the entirety of 2009 is rumored to be about 3.3 million. Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos was the one talking about Kindle sales last year and he was equally vague about specific numbers, preferring instead to refer to it as both the 'top-selling item' and 'most gifted item' Amazon is selling.
Reasons for the increased sales could be the new design or the fact that the company dropped the price of the Kindle back in June. Analysts last year grew impatient with Amazon's refusal to discuss precise numbers and we wouldn't be surprised if they faced the same reaction this year.


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SINGAPORE: The temporary food centre housing hawkers from the Market Street Food Centre at Golden Shoe Car Park opened to customers for the first time on Tuesday (Aug 1).
However, fewer than 10 of the 53 stalls were open for business when Channel NewsAsia visited the food centre in the early afternoon.
There were long queues at the stalls which were open. Some hawkers were seen moving in, while several stalls are still carrying out maintenance works.
Some hawkers said they were unable to start operating because there was no electricity at their units.
Channel NewsAsia understands that at least three rows of stalls - or around 18 stalls - were affected by power supply issues.
"I came here to meet my contractor but there's no electricity," said Nuramin stall owner Nur Hasanah. "Tomorrow, once the electricity inspection is approved, I can start my business."
She is one of 53 stallholders who have chosen to continue operations at the temporary location, out of the 56 stallholders who were at the popular food centre at Golden Shoe Car Park.
In response to Channel NewsAsia's queries, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said power inspections for all 53 stalls will be completed by Tuesday, after which more stalls will have their power supply turned on.
"We are working closely with the stallholders to facilitate their start of business at the interim hawker centre," NEA added.
The Golden Shoe site is set to be developed into one of the tallest buildings in Raffles Place. When completed, it will house office space, a serviced residence, multi-storey carpark and retail shops with a gross floor area of 1 million sq ft, developers said earlier this month.
The interim hawker centre, which is located about 200m from its original location - a six minute walk - is located next to Telok Ayer MRT Station on Cross Street. It will be open until the completion of the new 51-storey integrated development, which is expected to be ready in 2021.


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Czarnikow, a global financial services company, has predicted that plant-based milk sales will soar to $35.bn by 2026, with sales already up 476% in the US this March alone. As plant-based milk continues to disrupt dairy, the latest product being developed in Israel by Remilk does not in fact require either animals or plants.
Tom Soutter, a trader for Czarnikow stated: “For plant-based alternatives to meaningfully substitute dairy commodities (powder, cheese and butter etc.) and the nutrition density of dairy – further breakthroughs will be required. Until then, there is the market space for dairy and plant-based alternatives to exist harmoniously side by side.”
Here enters Remilk and its microbial milk, setting out to help tip the scales against the animal dairy industry.
The Remilk product can be effectively used to produce other dairy products such as cheese and butter, which the CEO claims doesn’t work so well with other non-dairy products. The startup is not releasing too many details at this stage as it awaits patent protection.
Remilk is one of the ten pioneering startups accepted to join the ProVeg Incubator, the world’s leading incubator for plant-based and cultured food startups. It is currently in talks with potential partners “to allow it to scale its operations for mass production”. The CEO also stated that the company has now closed its seed funding round but continues to look for additional investment.


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An engaging Panel Discussion on the topic of Tourism and Green Investments took place today, Sept 19, 2023, at Ace Auditorium. It was a great opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals from the industry. The panel discussion highlighted the potential of tourism and environmentally friendly investments in Nepal.
Heartfelt gratitude to our insightful panelists:
- Mr. Deepak Raj Joshi, Former CEO, Nepal Tourism Board
- Ms. Romi Aryal, MD, Square Hotel
- Mr. Namgyal Sherpa, CEO, Sherpa Hospitality Group
and special thanks to our moderator for today,
DTM Mr. Pankaj Pradhananga, CEO, Four Season Travel and Tours
Students of MBA, Trimester V, went on an educational trip to Balthali Village Resort on Sept 16, 2023. The trip was conducted as a part of their module Tourism and Hospitality Management. During the trip, students got a chance to interact with local people, learn about the present potential of domestic tourism in the valley’s periphery, about the rich culture of Balthali Village.
We would like to take this time to thank Mr. Ram Humagain, Founder of Balthali Village Resort, for taking the time out to share his learnings and experiences with the students.
After an exhilarating day filled with fun games, Ace A-Level Sports Day ended on a high! Congratulations to all the participants, and volunteers who made this event a great success!
To more events to come!
Nurturing Responsible Citizens!
Celebrating the outstanding efforts of our Year 2 undergraduates students who are participating in the ongoing social work program. They are cultivating the values of responsible citizenship while actively contributing to their communities.
Keep up the good work dear Acers.


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MTN South Africa and Ecobank have signed an agreement to form a partnership on mobile banking across Africa, the telecoms group and lender said on Tuesday.
Rob Shuter, group CEO of MTN, and Ade Ayeyemi, CEO of Ecobank, attended the signing in Lagos, the commercial hub of Nigeria, according to Reuters, where Shuter told reporters that MTN aims to list its Nigerian unit in an initial public offering this year and has struck an agreement with pan-African lender Ecobank to offer mobile banking across Africa, its group chief executive said on Tuesday.
The move comes as telecoms operators are expanding mobile services to boost margins and access new revenue streams.
Rob Shuter said plans for the IPO were well advanced and the company would provide exact terms in the next few months.
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“We are well advanced with the Nigerian listing. If market conditions are appropriate we should conclude it this year,” Shuter said.
He added that the South African telecoms group was targeting 60 million customers via mobile services over the next three years, up from 23 million now across the 14 markets where it has launched the product.
Shuter, a former Vodafone European head, who became MTN’s chief executive last year, has a background in banking and is looking for new revenue streams as competition and regulation hit profit margins.
He said MTN was building its mobile services business, which is an important part of its digital growth strategy and it saw a lot of common ground with commercial banks.
“Ecobank has very similar aspirations to us,” he said.
Ecobank, which operates in 36 African countries, has said it expects its digital banking platform to boost its customers to 100 million from 13 million by 2020 and that it will focus expansion on existing markets via low-cost mobile services to tap customers on lower incomes.
MTN and Ecobank’s agreement on a mobile banking partnership came on the heels of an announcement by Kenya’s top three telecom companies on Friday to offer cross-network money transfers by mobile phone.


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The Buzz: October openings include restaurants, Christmas shops and Ross Dress for Less.
Besides Emperor's Buffet & Grill, which is slated to open Tuesday, more businesses plan to open this month.
Ross Dress for Less
Ross Dress for Less, a national off-price clothing store, opens Friday according to a sign on its door. Its website lists its grand opening as Saturday. It’s at 1185 Mutual Way in Grand Chute, the former site of Hancock Fabrics.
Mr. Taco opened Monday in Kimberly. It’s at 700 Schelfhout Lane. Owners Luis and Jennifer Morales are now turning their attention to their Mr. Taco at 107 S. Eighth St., in Hilbert, which has been closed since a Feb. 13 fire. Ideally, they’d like to reopen in Hilbert by Saturday or shortly thereafter.
Fox River Mall
The Fox River Mall’s permanent and seasonal holiday stores are in the process of setting up.
•Carter’s, which includes Oshkosh B’gosh clothes for children and babies, is tentatively scheduled to open Oct. 26 on the mall’s main corridor.
•The locally owned Envy men’s casual clothing store opens Oct. 13 on the Younkers wing.
•Callisters Christmas, an ornament shop, will open mid to late October on the mall’s main corridor.
•Lang, a seasonal calendar and gift shop, will open Oct. 28 across the street from the main mall in the strip that includes David’s Bridal.


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Trane, a business of Ingersoll Rand, has acquired Arctic Chiller Group, a Canadian-based HVAC manufacturer specializing in high efficiency air- and water-cooled magnetic bearing, modular, and process chillers for commercial HVAC and process cooling applications.
“Arctic Chiller Group is proud to join Trane,” said Angelo Troiano, president and chief executive officer of Arctic Chiller Group. “I know Arctic will continue to reach new heights as part of a leading global company.
“With the support and investments from Trane, Arctic can expand the availability and distribution of our products, and better serve new and existing customers with our highly energy efficient solutions.”
Facilities worldwide rely on Arctic Chiller Group products and services, including several prominent U.S. government facilities, and mission-critical sites including hospitals, military bases, major research hubs and data centers, and city water filtration systems.
Arctic Chiller Group operates from locations in Ontario and Newberry, S.C.


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New Delhi: Foods maker Nestle on Monday announced a series of steps aimed at what it said was creating a gender inclusive culture. The measures include increasing maternity leave from 18 to 24 weeks, providing women in the field force opportunity to experience work culture before accepting employment with an option to work for a day and giving impetus to increasing women workforce both through campus recruitment as well as mid-career hires.
Nestle chairman and managing director Suresh Narayanan said: “One of the key socio-economic opportunities of the 21st century is the increasing role, involvement and contribution of women to the fabric of economic progress that is transforming the world.”
The maternity leave policy has been extended to six months starting February 1, 2016. It has also announced adoption leave for six weeks with full pay and benefits for all permanent women employees. A paternity policy introduced with leave of five working days with pay and benefits has been extended to all permanent male employees including blue collar ones.
Within the field force, women workforce will be given the chance to work with a nutrition/sales officer for a day to understand the challenges in the role, before joining the company. Flexibility has been provided with regards to travel and stay for women in the field force, the maker of Maggi noodles and Nescafe coffee said.
CAIT wrote to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in this regard urging him to prohibit Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd from directly or indirectly selling its inventory on the marketplace platforms owned/controlled by the Flipkart Group.
In a letter to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said, "We are of the considered opinion that direct selling is an integral part of the retail trade like other verticals including big retail, small retail, e-commerce and self employed groups."


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Congratulations to the Resort at Marina Village at Tarpon Point on their Opening!!
The fabulous Tarpon Point area now has parking, shopping and office space, banquet facilities and condos. Shops, restaurants and convention facilities are all scheduled to open soon.
See you at the Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar and Grill which is now open.
Read more about the Resort at Marina Villager:http://www.marinavillageresort.com/


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Deloitte pays $16m to settle US IT contract dispute
Queensland research cloud boosts HPC arsenal
PC makers blasted for bad bloatware security
Microsoft building open-source blockchain ID system
Dell could have to reimburse shareholders millions
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Mobile contactless payments coming this summer
Barclaycard and Everything Everywhere to bring contactless payments to British phones.
Jan 31 2011 12:05PM
Survey finds that hackers ramp up efforts for Christmas
Hackers are more active over the Christmas holidays and take a break at the weekend.
Aug 26 2009 11:13AM
OpenSuse joins Google Summer of Code
The Novell sponsored openSuse project has announced that it has 10 projects being funded through Google's Summer of Code 2008..
May 19 2008 7:45AM
Google readies Summer of Code 2008
Google is preparing its fourth Summer of Code programme in which students spend the summer working on development projects with various open source groups..
Mar 5 2008 7:38AM
Google Summer of Code headed down under
Hot on the heels of the local launch of its Google Highly Open Participation computing competition for high school students, Google looks set to bring its famous Summer of Code program down under as well.
Feb 1 2008 7:39AM
Summer heat can melt iPods and mobiles
An electronics expert today warned that the summer heat could cause batteries in mobile phones, iPods, or other portable devices to "explode, or ooze".
Aug 7 2007 6:53AM
Apple woos kids with summer camps
UK - Apple is opening all its UK stores to run free summer camps in the USA for kids aged eight to 12 who want to learn how to use Macs.
Jun 12 2007 12:30PM
McAfee to unleash 'Falcon' this summer
McAfee announced this week it will release a new subscription service, available to customers within months.
May 31 2006 9:49PM
Summer of Love Bug started six years ago today
Today marks the sixth anniversary of the release of the so-called Love Bug, a mass email worm that spread to millions of PCs worldwide and was responsible for an estimated $10 billion in economic damage.
May 4 2006 8:56PM
Spam takes a summer holiday
Spam has slumped through summer, falling 20 percent since March a new report has revealed.
Aug 15 2005 5:11PM
Cricket this summer via WebCentral
Managed hosting company WebCentral has signed a contract with Cricket Australia, replacing incumbent ninemsn when the latter's five-year deal expired.
Aug 27 2004 12:00AM
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LG and Verizon Debut the Revere
Verizon Wireless today announced the LG Revere, a new feature phone that hits Verizon's web site August 11 and Verizon's stores August 18 for $49.99 after rebates with a new contract. It is a compact flip phone that has dual displays and austere looks. The Revere has a simple list of features, which includes a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, voice commands, GPS navigation, social networking and messaging apps, as well as a browser.
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The three-day expo will kick off at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital’s Agargaon on Jan 6, organisers briefed in Dhaka on Sunday (Jan 2).
The country’s largest carnival of tech devices, Smartphone and Tab Expo, will return Thursday (Jan 6) after a two-year break due to the Covid pandemic.
The three-day expo will take place at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital's Agargaon to showcase innovations in smartphones and tablet computers.
People will get free access to the event from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day after getting their body temperature checked. Wearing a face mask is mandatory at the premises.
Visitors will get a chance to experience the latest innovations in smartphones and tabs at the expo. Smartphones of Samsung, Oppo, Realme, Xiaomi, Tecno, Vivo, Walton, One Plus and other brands will be available at the event, with attractive prices and gift items, said the organisers.
Visitors will be able to experience the most modern connectivity at the '5G Experience Zone' facilitated by mobile operator Teletalk with the technical support of Huawei Technologies Bangladesh.
The realtime update of the fair will be available at official Facebook page at (www.facebook.com/STExpo) and TechShohor.com.


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Why is this important? The behavioral effects of CBD on people is still widely being studied. It is, however, known as a relatively safe treatment for chronic ailments like pain and anxiety. What’s more, CBD is accepted and used in many regions of the world where illicit drugs are strictly prohibited. Even other cannabis-related products are deemed illegal if they contain any amount of THC.
The study showed that doses of up to 1500 mg per day had no effect on any people while they were driving. While these effects of CBD were expected, scientific research studies offer another level of legitimacy for the industry. It’s why investors can be bullish on the CBD industry, while still being reserved about cannabis legalization, especially in the US.
As the country awaits the decision from the Senate on federal legalization as the MORE Act vote makes its way through the various levels of the US government, many investors have already turned their attention to CBD. Companies like Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY), Jazz Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:JAZZ), Charlotte’s Web (OTC:CWBHF), and Endexx (OTC:EDXC) are all vying for market share of the CBD space.
Companies like Endexx are reaping the rewards of a broader awareness of CBD treatments and products. Endexx recently added its products to over 2,800 mass retail stores across the US, and is rapidly finding popularity in the red-hot pet CBD treatment market. Endexx reported a year over year sales increase of 73% in the first quarter of 2022.
$TLRY $JAZZ $CWBHF $EDXC


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Melbourne business owner Sabina Vitacca has a new business plan thanks, in part, to a free mentorship program being funded by the state government.
Vitacca is the owner of Meditate Now, which she has been running since 2008 as a sole trader.
A mindfulness and meditation coach, speaker and facilitator, Vitacca is based in Moonee Ponds, where she runs virtual programs and offers one-on-one coaching for executives and professionals.
But back in March, when the coronavirus took hold in Australia, Vitacca says her corporate workshops offering took a hit as would-be participants shifted their priorities, reduced spending and saw their workplaces change overnight with the move to remote work.
“Some businesses migrated online, but I found this wasn’t at the same fast pace I’m used to, and instead decided to focus on supporting our community to build resilience, reduce overwhelm and lessen the impacts of isolation during this challenging period,” she explains.
Some six months later, the Victorian government announced it would fund a new small business mentoring program for business owners like Vitacca.
The $10 million program is being delivered by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in a bid to help businesses find a way out of the current crisis.
According to figures provided to SmartCompany, more than 1,300 small businesses have applied for the program, which offers up to four, free two-hour mentoring sessions to eligible businesses over a period of three months.
Of the more than 1,300 applicants, 209 have been matched with one of 90 mentors that are participating in the program.
Vitacca is one of them, and is now halfway through the program.
“I’ve found the whole experience to be excellent,” she tells SmartCompany.
The program has a number of components, starting with an initial meeting between the business owner and their assigned mentor.
The mentor then develops a “detailed action plan” for the business, and helps connect them with support services, including financial counselling and mental health support if needed.
The pair then meet again for three follow-up sessions over a period of three months, with the program structured to look at five key areas: business recovery; market transformation; digital literacy and engagement; market and supply chain diversification; and reskilling and retraining.
For Vitacca, the first two sessions with her mentor from Gippsland-based company Aerium have been an opportunity to go back to basics.
Back in April, Vitacca created a free, five-day mindfulness program, which has been running twice a month, as a way to “continue to support our business community”.
But having worked with her mentor, Vitacca has now decided to move from offering a free program to exploring a corporate sponsorship model, identifying an opportunity to help businesses offer a program to employees that helps “guide, support and enable them to use mindfulness tools and tricks”.
“I think it’s important to take ideas on board from experts and pivot to create a more sustainable business,” she says.
“I’ve reworked out a business plan, aligned to our changed environment, and have been supported to create my five-day mindfulness proposal plan to present to organisations.”
Bharat Sood, owner of Minuteman Press in Essendon, has also completed his first session with a mentor from Aerium.
Sood started his business in 2016 and currently has two employees. The printing franchise has been able to stay open even during Melbourne’s strict lockdown, although engagements with clients have been limited and Sood says he’s changed opening hours too.
Sood says the first mentoring session was an opportunity for him to introduce the mentor to his business and help them build an “understanding of what my business is”, with the next three sessions to go into more detail, including on strategies to try and even potential plans to expand the business into different areas.
This is why he was motivated to apply for the program, he tells SmartCompany.
“To get a perspective on how we can go through these trying times, and what different things we can do,” he says.
The mentoring program is demand-driven, which means there is no cap on the number of businesses that can participate.
Registrations are still open for small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time employees. Sole traders are able to apply, as are companies and businesses that operate as a trust or partnership.
Public companies and charities are excluded from the program, as are businesses that do not intend to continue operating in Victoria.
Commenting on the program, Victorian Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford said many small business owners do not necessarily have the chance to meet and form connections with mentors but “there could never be a better time to change that”.
“This free program offers one-on-one sessions and produces an action plan, and I encourage businesses from across Victoria to consider if it could help them,” she said in comments to SmartCompany.
“There is no handbook for a pandemic but there are experts that can help businesses adapt their strategies and operations.”
More information about the program is available here.
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The post How this free mentoring program is helping Victorian small business owners redo business plans and get a new perspective appeared first on SmartCompany.


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Beijing's been leading the China tourism boom, but with familiarity will come diversity in choice as inbound travelers look to do something different.
Contributing nearly 10 percent of the nation’s total inbound and outbound tourism revenues, Beijing is no doubt the leader of China’s tourism industry.
Statistics from the Beijing tourism administration showed that the capital’s tourism service trade volume – measured by the revenue generated from both inbound and outbound tourists – reached $13.61 billion last year, increasing 25.2 percent from the previous year.
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Chinese Travelers Still See U.S. as Most Unsafe for Travel
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Rashaad Jorden, Skift | 4 weeks ago


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A Mesa woman was allegedly caught taking barcodes from cheap products and placing them on more expensive ones at East Valley Home Depot stores.
Court records show that a woman was arrested for switching barcodes on products from Home Depot, thus buying expensive items for far less money.
Police report that they arrested 43-year-old Clara Marie Williams on December 12 as she was identified as the woman responsible for multiple thefts of products from Home Depot stores in Mesa.
Police say Williams and an accomplice would remove the barcodes from less expensive fans and glue them onto more expensive fans before purchasing them at the store. They reportedly did this with the intention of removing the 'fake' barcode and returning the fan to other Home Depot stores and getting their cash back.
Police say they did this on seven occasions at three different stores in Mesa in early November of this year.
Police say Williams is also being investigated in several other cases and additional charges are pending. For now, she's been charged with seven counts of retail theft and fraudulent schemes.


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Samsung Electronics’ latest launch provides an alternative to traditional movie theatre projection systems. The new Samsung Cinema Screen, which the manufacturer claims is the world’s first High Dynamic Range (HDR) LED theatre display is backed by an audio option in the form of recently acquired Harman Professional Solutions (although where the speakers are placed is unknown), as well as Samsung’s Audio Lab.
“As the popularity of advanced at-home entertainment systems and streaming platforms increases, theatres must reposition themselves as a destination for an incomparable viewing experience that consumers simply cannot encounter anywhere else,” explains Sang Kim, vice president of Samsung Electronics America. “Our new Cinema Screen technology brings a more powerful and high-quality picture to the big screen, creating an environment where viewers feel as if they are part of every scene.”
The manufacturer is confident that the 10m (34 foot) Samsung Cinema Screen will easily accommodate modern theatre dimensions, and that in addition to delivering LED picture quality at 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution, the screen also claims to exceed the DCI specifications used to ensure a uniform and high level of technical performance, reliability and quality in digital cinema.
No announcement has been made as to whether the Samsung Cinema Screen is available in other, or custom sizes, which would make it an option for commercial cinemas of all sizes.
The Cinema Screen’s direct-lit LED technology delivers HDR to the cinema, which Samsung claims showcases on-screen content at a peak brightness level ‘nearly 10 times greater than that offered by standard cinema projectors’ (an impressive 146fL versus 14fL) with improved uniformity and free of optical distortion and interference.
Samsung has designed the product’s screen in such a way that it maintains its advanced presentation capabilities in ambient lighting conditions regardless of the featured on-screen content, whilst accommodating users who wish to utilise their commercial cinemas for corporate events, concert and sports event viewing and gaming competitions.
Samsung also hopes to impress sceptics with complementary ultra-contrast and low tone grayscale settings, which the manufacturer says enables the screen to showcase both brightest colours and the deepest blacks at a nearly infinity:1 contrast ratio.
“The launch of our cinema LED display is merely the latest step toward our vision for a complete end-to-end theatre experience powered by digital signage,” states Seog-gi Kim, senior vice president of visual display business at Samsung Electronics.
“Through modern technologies ranging from touch-screen self-ticketing kiosks to digital concession menu boards and interactive movie posters, Samsung already is helping theatres improve customer engagement and boost operational efficiency. We look forward to continuing to serve as a total solutions provider for the theatre industry and finding new and exciting ways to improve the customer experience.”
The Samsung Cinema Screen is currently undergoing the DCI certification process and recently completed compliance test at Keio University in Tokyo.
Samsung will formally debut the cinema LED screen at a series of preview demonstrations during March 27-30, 2017 at the Cinemark Century Orleans 18 and XD Theatre, located inside The Orleans Hotel & Casino. The premiere will coincide with the neighbouring CinemaCon 2017 conference.
The manufacturer has not released and pricing information as yet, so it remains to be seen as to whether the Samsung Cinema Screen is a cost effective solution for movie theatres over traditional projection systems.


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Dunedin bookseller Richard West is a man on a mission - to sell or find new homes for 20,000 books.
With his lease at 6 Stafford St finishing at the end of July, West has three weeks in which to clear out the large former tavern space.
"It's a daunting task, and I'm very keen to avoid filling a skip with books,'' he said.
"So far, I have been able to give books to the Regent Theatre folk and the Hospice Shop, and I am holding a half-price sale all this month.''
Along with selling and donating as many books, tables, and shelves as possible, he is also hoping to find places to store some of the collection.
West is also hoping that local businesses, cafes, or organisations might consider hosting a "wall of books'' at their premises, which he could maintain. A pop-up shop may also be on the cards.
A man with a big heart, West has provided a hub for local book fans for the past five years, and has also supported charitable organisations.
The thousands of books have been divided into sections, including books sold on commission for fellow collectors.
West has also run a section dedicated to raising funds for the Fred Hollows Foundation - an international charity which works to eliminate blindness among poor populations across the globe.
"I decided when I began that, if I was going to have a book shop, I wanted it to have a charity component,'' West said.
The concept has proven to be an effective fundraiser, and West has been able to give about $22,000 to the Fred Hollows Foundation since 2013.
West also has a close relationship with the nearby Hospice Shop, on Bond St, regularly spending time sorting and re-stocking the shelves.
After the Stafford St store closes, Mr West plans to continue his work for the Hospice Shop, while considering his options for the future.
"It will still involve books - gathering and sorting them is quite a fixation,'' he said.
He thanked all his customers, fellow collectors, and volunteers for their support at the store.
"I have been very lucky to have the support of about 30 volunteers over the past five years - I'm grateful for that.
"People still have a lot of love for books.''
The book store at 6 Stafford St will be open from 11am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 1.30pm, Saturday and Sunday, until the end of July.


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PORTSMOUTH, R.I. — Jay Stockmann has been appointed to the position of vice president, Hunt Yachts and Morris Yachts, by Hinckley CEO and President Peter O’Connell.
“These are exciting times for me to come aboard. We are enjoying great success, especially in the upper end of both lines of business,” said Stockmann. “We have an aggressive show schedule for the fall, and we will announce a brand new product at the United States Powerboat Show in Annapolis this October.”
Hunt’s new product will further complement the Coastal Series. All are outboard-powered and are newly reconfigured designs since Hinckley acquired Hunt Yachts in 2013. The Hunt Coastal Series is built in Rhode Island.
Stockmann has long experience in the marine industry, including recent roles as CEO of VETUS-Maxwell USA and executive vice president of Lewmar USA.


text: Having finished a disappointing ECMOD show (where their appeared to be more exhibitors than delegates) RJ System Solutions is looking forward to the Ecommerce Expo this week where significantly larger numbers are expected. The Ecommerce Expo is dedicated to all things related to selling online and this is a market that Multichannel Order Manager (M.O.M.) is well suited to. We are looking forward to meeting industry leaders and prospective customers during this two day event. We are on stand 1420 in the Grand Hall, Olympia (www.ecommerceexpo.co.uk), so come and visit us!


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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Tucsonans headed down to Hotel McCoy to celebrate Arizona Art Fest, filled with vendors, art, food and more.
Hotel McCoy started Art Fest in 2019, and has been hosting artists and vendors ever since. However, this year is a little special. The pandemic forced the festival to reduce its size, but this is the first year the event is back in full swing.
With over 50 artists and 15 hotel rooms converted into displays and art spaces, visitors of art fest are immersed in an exciting, creative environment.
“Hotel McCoy has always been about bringing in the heartbeat and voice of the community into our business, so obviously as an art hotel, we feel art is a universal language,” said Nicole Dahl, creative director at Hotel McCoy.
“This festival is a way for the community to meet and support local artists.”
Artists have been prepping for Art Fest for quite some time. Several muralists have been sketching and painting for weeks and are showing off their skills with painting their murals live for everyone to see.
Artists like Christina Thomas say they enjoy being able to share their art with as many people as possible.
“Being able to bring an immersive live performance for people is even better, it just takes it to the next level,” she says. “It’s almost a healing energy with art, you know? So people can just come in and be immersed in my world that I create for them.”
The festival also helps artists get exposure, with the chance to not only get more clients, but to spread appreciation for art in every media.
“I haven’t even opened my room yet and I already have different people asking me for my card and everything. It’s just great to be out in the community, and get to connect with people,” Thomas said.
“Because as artists, we’re used to being hermits and creating all the time solo, so it’s so nice to get out and actually see people interact with the art.”
Art fest also helps out the vendors. Unlike some fairs and markets, vendors at Hotel McCoy don’t have to pay a vendor fee, which eases any financial stress and allows them to focus on their products and customers.
“Everything counts these days, so them taking that into consideration and being intentional about that, it goes a long way,” said Drew Berryhill, owner of Drewtopia. “Having the freedom of running my own business, and being able to create and work with plants is a dream come true.”
Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold
Copyright 2023 13 News. All rights reserved.


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Evgenia Ozma outraged by the image of a star in the music video for the song “Hit parade”. According to the designer, Olga Buzova copied the image, created it. Fashion designer and stylist I asked for explanations to the representatives of the celebrities, but got no response.
Designer from Cheboksary Eugene Ozma made accusations in the address of Olga Buzova. The designer believes that the television personality and aspiring singer copied her image from the collection 2014. To prove his words Eugene posted on social networks a collage of two photos – the image of Olga’s music video “Hit parade” and the model in her hat, released a few years ago.
According to ozmy, she looked clip Buzova, in which she is wearing colorful headgear. The designer believes that this idea is borrowed from her. Eugene tried to contact star, but has not yet received a response.
“I’m just a little lazy did not write, whether it’s my hat in the music video for “Hit parade” Olga Buzova… honestly, recently I decided to watch the clip and saw the similarity, if the guys not that inspired and made his own, and completely copied all the image and shape and even posture! I, of course, immediately wrote to the Director with the question: “WTF?” That in response to the received noble silence. For me is plagiarism!” – says the designer.
The designer also appealed to the subscribers asking to share their opinions about the current situation. According to Eugenia, she gladly would have given my hat a star.
“What do you think? I, of course, in this story it would be just nicer, if I saw a message in whatsapp: “Hey, Ozma, and make us the same beauty.” Because I can, I have no idea,” said Ozma.
Some social media users suggested that plagiarism is not the work of Olga Buzova. In their opinion, it is unlikely that the TV itself was involved in the selection of images to the clip. As a rule, with such stars as Olga, has a team of designers and stylists.
Let’s add, that His not only a successful singer, but also a popular TV presenter. Recently, the First channel has officially confirmed the appointment of Olga. Star will be one of the individuals of the new show “womanish revolt”. In addition Buzova, they are also busy Yulia Baranovskaya, Sofiko Shevardnadze and Tatiana Vasilieva Elena Abitaeva. According to the idea of the project, they will discuss the latest news.
Later Olga added that it will continue to work with leading reality show “Dom-2”. Star plans to combine shooting on different channels, and continue to delight his fans with new songs. Buzova admits that she has very ambitious plans.


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A couple Rhode Island grocery stores are about to close. Shaw's has announced it's closing five stores: three in Massachusetts and two in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island stores affected are in Warwick and Johnston. The Massachusetts locations are New Bedford, Stoneham and Revere.
In a press release the company said the closures were prompted by today's "difficult economic environment." The company did not say how many workers will be affected but said they will be offered jobs at other Shaw's locations when openings come up.
Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. email@example.com.


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With quick-service chains becoming more reliant on drive-thru lanes during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more important for fast-food brands to focus on improving accuracy and wait time to stay competitive, according to the 2020 QSR Drive-Thru study.
In its 20th year, the industry report was released Thursday by market research agency and mystery shopping company SeeLevel HX. The firm gave Nation’s Restaurant News an exclusive first look at the study, which ranks 10 quick-service chains in multiple categories including order accuracy, speed, taste and service.
Chains use the report to examine how they perform in each category and where to make improvements. Of note this year, the survey took place in various parts of the country from the end of June through early August during the pandemic, giving operators a unique perspective on how they navigated the crisis.
Despite dealing with numerous COVID-19 challenges, order accuracy was up to 87% after a slight decline in 2019 to 84.4%. That’s important as inaccurate orders, on average, cost $94,232 per store each year, according to the report.
The survey also noted that while digital menu boards help improve with timing, their ability to drive accuracy improvements is more ambiguous.
Which brand ranked No. 1 on accuracy?
Look at our gallery to see how the 10 chains ranked.
Join SeeLevel CEO Lisa van Kesteren and Nation's Restaurant News Associate Editor Joanna Fantozzi at Restaurants Rise powered by MUFSO on Thursday, Oct. 8, as they delve into the latest data and insights in fast-food drive-thru performance and COVID-19.
Contact Nancy Luna at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @fastfoodmaven


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So you want to know the specs of the Samsung Galaxy S6? Of course you do – who doesn’t – and fortunately, the rumour mill has furnished us with a set of tech specs which could just be on the money.
That depends on how reliable BGR’s sources are, mind you, as that’s the tech site which has brought us the purported spec list in this instance.
Apparently the screen will be a 5.1in Super AMOLED (not the 5.5in we’ve previously heard rumoured – but then, that was rather straying into phablet territory), and it will have a Quad HD resolution for an eye-watering 577 ppi pixel density. Outdoor visibility is promised to be excellent, too.
That multitude of pixels will be driven by a 64-bit eight-core CPU – Samsung is rumoured to be using its own Exynos processors for the Galaxy S6, having dropped the Snapdragon allegedly due to overheating issues. The phone will be 50 per cent faster than the Galaxy S5, no less.
A 20 megapixel camera with image stabilisation is promised, with a 5 megapixel front-facer. Wireless charging will be integrated, with a quick charge mode, and the handset’s body will be metal and glass (using Gorilla Glass 4 for the display).
If all this is true, that’s quite a phone coming our way, and it could turn the S5’s dip in sales around.
We’ve also heard rumours that a variant of the Galaxy S6 could feature a display like the Galaxy Note Edge, except with both edges of the display curving around the side of the handset to give the user even more space to stash app icons and receive notifications.


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By Abdul Rahman Suagibu –
NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS, Freetown, Sierra Leone- The U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) through and through the Prosper Africa initiative, is basking with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to proliferate trade and investment atwix the United States and the nations of Africa. This two-way trade and investment, will see to it that; businesses are dressed up with the technical and financial tools they need to enter into new trading and investment relationships in Africa and the United States.
USAID will furnish technical assistance and advisory services to prospective businesses through its Trade and Investment Hubs and will connect UBA with African Diaspora business groups working across the United States. The MOU provides UBA – the only sub-Saharan African bank licensed to operate in the United States, to unfold its access and financing to American companies in the United States looking to do business with African nations
Highlighting the plethora growth opportunities, USAID and UBA are collaborating to advance Prosper Africa’s goal of substantially increasing two-way trade between Africa and the United States. By working together, they will extend financing and technical assistance to businesses that will strengthen the American economy, grow African economies, and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.
The two institutions entered into this agreement as part of the opening ceremony of the Tunisia Prosper Africa Conference, co-organized by the U.S. Embassy in Tunis and the American Chamber of Commerce of Tunisia. The event facilitated U.S. and African business-to-business connections and featured remarks by key representatives from the U.S. Government and the U.S. and African private sector.
For New Africa Business News Abdul Rahman Suagibu Reports, Africa Correspondent
AFRICA’S MOST READ AND FASTEST GROWING GLOBAL NEWSPAPER – www.newafricabusinessnews.com


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As many virtual reality (VR) enthusiasts know, the Oculus Rift is far from the first attempt at bringing VR to the masses. Back in the 1990’s the Virtuality line of VR stations tried to break into arcades with titles such as Dactyl Nightmare. It was an ill-fated attempt, though many have fond memories of the device and its experiences. In particular, one developer is resurrecting Dactyl Nightmare for use with the Oculus Rift VR headset.
You may recall VirtualReality.io’s Matt Sonic talking about Dactyl Nightmare in one of VRFocus‘ early Losing My VRGinity articles. The title is a multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS), taking place on a set of platforms. Indie developer Breton is now working to recreate the classic experience for the Oculus Rift, complete with retro-style visuals. An early look at his work can currently be seen on the official Oculus VR Share Beta.
The Oculus Rift tech demo can be downloaded for free on PC, and features support for the Razer Hydra motion controller along with a traditional keyboard and mouse set up. The developer has revealed that he is open to receiving help with the project as it is one of his first projects in terms of coding and developing with the Unity engine. Those interested can email the developer on the Oculus VR Share page.
It’s not clear when we might see a more complete version of Dactyl Nightmare, then. VRFocus will continue to follow the project and report back with any more updates on its development.


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Marketing needs to ditch traditional out-of-date stereotypes of women, in order to drive up sales and improve brand equity.
The report, A Woman’s Worth: How Better Portrayal Is Good For Business found that marketers need to rid themselves of outdated representations of women once and for all, to increase sales and improve the perception of their brands.
This is especially true now, at a time of economic slowdown and in the context of the cost-of-living crisis.
The report reflects on the fact that advertising campaigns with a strong Gender Equality Measure (GEM score) in the Ipsos ad database which showed women in a variety of roles, moving away from more traditional representations, were 24% more likely to see an increase in short term sales, and 28% more likely to an improvement brand equity.
The call for more accurate representation comes at a time when the 2023 Ipsos Global Trends Report has found that one in three people in the UK today still agree that the main role for women in society is to be good wives and mothers.
In a blow for the women’s movement, the figure (29%), is up five percentage points, from 24%, 10 years ago.
Alarmingly, much of that increase is being driven by 16–24-year-olds, with a staggering 38% in agreement with the idea that a woman’s main role should still be based around her husband and her children.
Effie and Ipsos reported that brands must push back and depict women in a more varied light to drive up sales.
“The business case is clear.” said Juliet Haygarth, Managing Director at Effie UK. “Marketing drives growth, but at its most powerful it can influence a positive change in culture.
“What’s great about this report is it demonstrates that the two agendas are completely aligned.
“Brands have an opportunity right now to drive commercial success by shaking up how they represent women (and men) in the work they produce.”
“The purpose of this report isn’t just to serve up the theory and highlight the issues, but to give marketers ideas they can use in the here and now to tap into the opportunity effectively.
“Picture a world where women and girls finally see themselves portrayed accurately in the media, embracing their full potential.”
According to the report, brands compound the traditional view of women in marketing in three main ways: perpetuating the power dynamics between men and women (for example in financial advertising, where men are often seen as the decision makers, while women are shown clutching piggy banks); through the deletion of women (fewer women shown and many fewer in leadership roles); and through harmful stereotypes (showing women doing domestic chores single handedly).
Samira Brophy, Senior Director, Creative Excellence, Ipsos, said: “I believe there’s a misconception that there isn’t much headroom left for brands to make a splash with non-traditional female representation.
“The Ipsos Gender Equality Measure (GEM) database shows that it is not a ‘been there, done that’ situation at all. Very few ads depict women as athletes, STEM professionals, business owners, and artists.
“There is a critical need for more accurate and diverse gender representation in advertising. This not only fosters equality and respect, but also drives business performance.”
The report includes recommendations for driving change and delivers insights and practical tips that marketers can actually use, underlined by Ipsos data, insights and analysis, and illustrated by Effie award-winning case studies which have delivered in the real world.
The report points to recent Effie effectiveness awards winners to highlight the need to show women in a variety of roles, including Secret, a deodorant brand in the US which launched the ‘Just#WATCHME’ campaign (below) to address the lack of visibility of women in sport, and as a result saw an 8.8% uplift in sales.
It also highlights the Effie 2022 Gold winner Dove and its ‘Toxic Influence’ campaign, which saw an increase in sales of 10%.
“There is clear commercial benefit for brands willing to actively feature a range of women in an authentic way” said Haygarth.
“Marketers need to tap into the opportunities for change to give their brands a real advantage in the market.”


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The BLS tells us that shelter inflation in the last year is only 2.7%. The shelter category includes rent and owners equivalent rent. It accounts for 32% of the entire CPI calculation. The BLS drones tell us that rents only went up 2.9%, while owners equivalent rent went up only 2.6%. It must be nice living in the world of models and assumptions. Too bad the rest of us live in the real world.
Monthly rental costs reached an all-time high today of $766 per month. This is up 6% versus one year ago. Rents were up 16% in the Northeast versus last year. How exactly does the BLS get off trying to convince the clueless public that rents only rose by 2.9%? Which figure do you believe?
Case Shiller came out with their home price data this morning based upon actual home sales. Home prices surged by 12.9% versus last year, with some cities seeing gains greater than 20%. If home prices have surged and mortgage rates have surged, how can owner’s equivalent rent only increase by 2.6%? Inquiring minds want to know.
So let me get this straight. Rents are increasing at 6%. Home prices are increasing at 13%. Gasoline prices are at 9 month highs, up by 13% since November. Natural gas is up 11% in the last month and 10% higher than one year ago. Beef prices are at all-time highs. Food prices are surging in general. Health insurance premiums are skyrocketing by 10% or more. Tuition increases are off the charts. And Janet Yellen is worried about deflation?????
It’s called the American Dream because you’d have to be asleep to believe it.


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- US Consumer Prices Rose Slightly In May
June 18 2013 8:47 AM
In the past year, prices are up 1.4% - or well within the Federal Reserve's "comfort zone" for inflation.
- May US Housing Starts Jump Unexpectedly
June 18 2013 8:41 AM
The rebound is being driven by low mortgage rates, an improving job market and adequate consumer confidence.
- Obama Unclear On Bernanke Third Term
June 18 2013 8:35 AM
President Obama hinted in an interview that he may not reappoint Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to a third term.
- Mexico's Pena Nieto Seeks To Open Up Energy Sector
June 18 2013 3:07 AM
Mexico's energy sector -- closed to competition for 80 years -- could open up to private investment if President Enrique Pena Nieto has his way.
- EU-US Trade Pact Talks Under Way
June 17 2013 12:21 PM
The EU and the U.S. launched negotiations over a historic trade deal at the G-8 summit, despite French objections late last week.
- The Mixed Impact Of A EU-US Trade Deal
June 17 2013 8:53 AM
A study says an EU-US trade deal could harm their traditional trading partners and emerging markets.
- QE Tapering Among Key Economic Events Next Week?
June 14 2013 6:51 PM
The focus will be on the FOMC statement Wednesday, when the Fed will likely lower its forecasts, but remain ambiguous about the prospects for tapering its QE.
- Good News Is Good News; So-So News Is Good News, Too
June 14 2013 5:12 PM
Indicators such as consumer confidence and initial jobless claims are trending positively overall, even if mixed week to week.
- McDonald's New Rice Menu Fails To Entice Chinese
June 14 2013 3:28 PM
McDonald's is trying to overtake Kentucky Fried Chicken as China's fast food of choice. Its latest efforts don't seem to be catching on.
- Detroit Emergency Manager Paints Grim Economic Picture
June 14 2013 12:51 PM
If Detroit's proposal to pay lenders 10 cents on the dollar is seen as a default, it could force the city into Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
- IMF Cuts 2014 US Growth Outlook To 2.7% From 3.0%
June 14 2013 11:50 AM
The International Monetary Fund blamed the sequestration and deficit reduction for its lowered GDP outlook for the U.S.
- Schwab Clients Traded 20% More In May Than Year Ago
June 14 2013 10:35 AM
Charles Schwab's data is closely watched as an indicator of retail investor sentiment.