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Alphavan preps gorgeous multi-room smart campers for Starlink internet
SpaceX announced last week the immediate launch of Starlink for RVs, a version of the satellite internet service optimized for RV and mobile use. Award-winning German camper van manufacturer Alphavan was quick to jump on the news, and declare itself the first camper company in the world to offer Starlink-ready vans. It will prep its eponymous vans, already among the nicest four-wheeled smart homes available the world over, for simple, plug-and-play compatibility with Musk's off-grid internet service. The new vans promise to be ideal for digital nomads, particularly families who can take full advantage of Alphavan's flexible dual-bedroom + living area floor plan.
Ever since its first satellites found their way into space, Starlink has sounded like a godsend for RVers, particularly those who regularly travel through countries or wilderness areas without mobile coverage and those who rely on mobile internet to work remotely while on the road. But the service hasn't started nearly as RV-friendly as it sounds on paper, requiring users to log in with a specific location, a problem by definition for RVers and others on the move.
Earlier this month, SpaceX made the first step toward smoothening things out for mobile users when it activated mobile roaming with a new "portability" feature. The US$25 add-on allows users to temporarily move their service to new areas and gain access without being tied to a single address.
Last week, SpaceX took the next step toward better RV service when it launched Starlink for RVs, a version of the service that offers a more flexible, RV/travel-friendly structure that can be paused and un-paused. The RV service provides access to high-speed, low-latency internet at any destination that's part of Starlink's active coverage area.
"Starlink for RVs can be used anywhere Starlink provides service and is ideal for camping and other activities in rural or remote locations where internet access has been unreliable or completely unavailable," SpaceX announced on social media.
The RV service does come with a disclaimer: "Network resources are always de-prioritized for Starlink for RVs users compared to other Starlink services, resulting in degraded service and slower speeds in congested areas and during peak hours. Stated speeds and uninterrupted use of the service are not guaranteed. Service degradation will be most extreme in 'Waitlist' areas on the Starlink Availability Map during peak hours."
Also, Starlink is not currently designed for use while in motion, so it will still require stopping the van for access. The company says it's working on in-motion capability, but attempting to use it while driving now will void the warranty on the equipment.
Starlink still isn't quite the seamless, universal, globe-blanketing internet for which RVers hunger, but it's another step in that direction. And we suppose the types of remote places that make Starlink especially attractive for RVers shouldn't suffer much congestion from other Starlink users.
Alphavan was quick to capitalize on the Starlink news, announcing a couple days later that it will be offering vans "Ready for Starlink," adding an optional Starlink package with mounting hardware for the dish and prewiring. Equipped camper vans will roll out of its factory ready to plug and play, and the smart TV already on offer will play nicely with the Starlink connection.
Among the most high-tech camper vans out there, Alphavan's campers are a natural fit for the latest in satellite-driven internet connectivity. Along with the aforementioned smart TV and an optional Jehnert premium sound system, the vans include an MBAC-powered smart home control system that can be accessed from the living area touchscreen, the MBUX driver cab infotainment screen or a mobile device with accompanying app.
The Alphaven is also one of the more spacious and well-organized camper vans out there, making a comfortable four-room living space out of a 290-in (736-cm) full-stretch Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The floor plan includes a semi-private upper rear master bedroom area, a wet bathroom, a spacious living area, and a FlexPort that serves as both a garage and a cozy child's bedroom. You can read more about the Alphavan's impressive layout, weight optimizing construction and feature set in our original article on it, but it's notable that months after its introduction, the van took home prestigious 2021 Red Dot Best of the Best and IF Design awards.
The Alphavan starts at €167,000 (approx. US$179,250) before taxes, and can be specced as either a rear-wheel drive or a 4x4 with Mercedes 4Matic system. Alphavan hasn't announced how much the Starlink package will cost.
Alphavan owners will still have to activate service from Starlink itself. The service costs $135 per month plus a one-time $599 hardware fee and offers users the ability to pause and un-pause service as needed, providing flexibility that should prove very valuable for the unpredictable conditions of living and traveling on the road. Users are always charged for a full month, however, and charges are not prorated for shorter increments. More information about Starlink for RVs can be found at starlink.com/rv.


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Almost all video game fans are eager to find out more details about the PlayStation Showcase, all but confirmed for May or June, but the Japanese console maker has a special treat in store for us until then. Specifically for tomorrow.
Sony and Square Enix have announced that Final Fantasy XVI will have its own State of Play at 11:00 p.m. this Thursday, April 13. It will show over 20 minutes of gameplay from the game to build hype and set the stage for the game’s arrival on PlayStation 5 on June 22.
You can follow the broadcast via the PlayStation YouTube channel and it can also be followed from Twitch.
Are you looking forward to Final Fantasy XVI?

domain: news


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Workshops to feature tips for doing business online
The Internet enables people to live in one location and do business all over the world, but how does a person go about making a profit doing business online?
The Saline County University Outreach and Extension Center will be addressing the issues involved in doing business online during workshops from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 14 and 16 at the office on South Odell in Marshall. Four instructors will be teaching about the pros and cons of buying and selling products online and some steps to being successful in those ventures.
Cynthia Crawford, consumer and economics specialist, will address the issues of financial management and what it takes to conduct business online in an ethical manner.
"We'll teach them how to use technology to their advantage," she said. "It's for people who are already buying or selling online or those who are interested in it and helping people refine the skills that they do have. It's for a wide range of people."
Keith Ward, client service coordinator for the Missouri Valley Human Resource Community Action Agency, plans on attending the workshops so he can teach others about online job opportunities.
Many of the MVHR customers Ward has dealt with have expressed an interest in e-commerce and he thought establishing an online business might be a great opportunity for some of them.
"Many times one of the main barriers people have is a lack of transportation and people are searching for jobs," he said. "This might be something that could enable them to do a great percentage of the work at home without having to worry about broken-down vehicles or other problems."
The workshops will include online demonstrations, lecture and discussion and an opportunity to receive a follow-up consultation with any of the instructors.
Parman Green, an agriculture business specialist will cover the bases of dealing with taxes, record keeping and accounting. Virgil Woolridge, a business and industry specialist, will talk about some of the basics of online business, such as what items might be in demand, how to package and ship items for sale and what to do when using an online auction service. Darin Starr, an information technology/natural resource engineering specialist will also share information about what software or hardware online businesses might require and how to set up a Web site.
"These six hours of instruction won't get them all the way through with a Web site or into an online business, but by the end they will know questions to ask," Crawford said. "They will have a big head start and know the steps it would take to be successful."
The class is open to businesses or individuals and will provide time for people to discuss their own ventures one-on-one with an instructor.
In addition to the local workshops, sessions will also be offered from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 14 and 16 in Carrollton, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 28 and 30 in Fayette and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 28 and 30 in Boonville. After paying the $35 registration fee, participants can attend the sessions as their schedules allow. For more information or to register, contact Crawford at 886-6908.


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Broken Fire Hydrant Floods Parking Lot Of Roseville Shopping Center
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ROSEVILLE (CBS13) – The parking lot at a popular Roseville shopping center is a muddy mess after a broken fire hydrant flooded it early Monday morning.
Roseville police say a delivery truck accidentally hit a fire hydrant in a parking lot of strip mall on Sierra College Boulevard near Douglas Boulevard.
Gallons of water gushed from the hydrant before fire crews got the water shut off.
No major damage to stores at the center is reported. However, a layer of mud covers much of the parking lot even obscuring painted parking lines and stop signs.


text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 18)—B.F. Goodrich Co. will divest its Performance Materials business by year-end to concentrate on its Aerospace and Engineered Industrial Products operations. The divestiture is being made to better position the three businesses in the future, a spokesman said. Performance Materials is a global supplier of specialty polymer systems and chemical additives. It had record sales of more than $1.2 billion in 1999, with operating income of $150 million.


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SAP's revenue in the fourth quarter grew by 12 percent, helped by strong growth in the market for its cloud applications, its HANA in-memory database and mobile applications.
SAP's revenue from software and software-related services showed ample growth thanks in part to its HANA in-memory database and to strength in its portfolio of cloud applications, the company said Tuesday as it reported preliminary numbers for the qu...
A long-running legal dispute between Marin County, California, Deloitte Consulting and SAP over a troubled software project has concluded in a legal settlement this week that will reportedly net the county far less money than it had sought.
SAP's flagship Business Suite ERP (enterprise resource planning) software is now able to run on top of the vendor's HANA in-memory database, in a move that stands to open new frontiers of competition with the likes of Oracle, IBM and Microsoft.
Research In Motion's new BlackBerry 10 operating system looks good and SAP plans to begin supporting RIM handsets for its workforce shortly after the January launch, according to a SAP executive.
Some of SAP's software products are now certified for use with Oracle's Database Appliance, which is essentially a streamlined version of its Exadata machine aimed at small and medium-size businesses.
SAP is now offering its MaxAttention support service to companies with software that was designed and built by SAP's custom development organization, in a move that both caters to customers with complicated environments and stands to capture addition...
Xerox is being sued by systems integrator CedarCrestone over payments related to an Oracle PeopleSoft upgrade at insurer CIGNA.
SAP has turned heads in recent years with a number of high-profile acquisitions, scooping up SuccessFactors, Sybase and Ariba for more than US$13 billion collectively. But company executives also maintain they intend to increase revenues through aggr...
As 2012 comes to a close, the ERP software market's biggest players, Oracle and SAP, are seeing their long rivalry become a stalemate, while they face a common set of enemies in the form of upstart ERP vendors based in the cloud, such as NetSuite and...
Hewlett-Packard is planning to "aggressively" seek recompense for alleged accounting fraud related to the acquisition of its Autonomy unit, which resulted in the vendor taking a non-cash impairment charge of US$8.8 billion.
SAP Business Suite customers can now run the software in production form on Amazon Web Services, the companies announced this week during the Sapphire and Tech Ed conferences in Madrid.
Some 20 startups have inked commercial deals with SAP that will see them run production applications with the HANA in-memory database on Amazon Web Services, SAP announced Thursday during the Tech Ed and Sapphire conferences in Madrid.
SAP has developed an update for its HANA in-memory database that will enable it to "power mission-critical transactional and analytical applications in one platform," the vendor announced Wednesday during the Tech Ed and Sapphire conferences in Madri...
SAP said Tuesday that it plans to roll out a series of mobile applications for Windows 8, a move that underscores the companies' deep partnership at a time when many observers believe Microsoft's new OS is in for a tough ride.
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text: Napster has put a new twist on the notion of being a loss leader. It has actually managed to sell more songs for rival online music services than for its own product, according to a survey conducted by a university customer. Not a single University of Rochester student admitted to buying a song via Napster during the Fall 2004 semester. Instead, eight per cent of the students turned to the likes of iTunes and Musicmatch to buy songs they enjoy. That’s an ominous sign for a company spending millions to seed the university market with music in the hopes of unseating Apple as the clear leader in online music.


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Kraft deal an “unappealing prospect”: Cadbury
A letter sent by Cadbury Chairman Roger Carr has further highlighted Cadbury’s lack of interest in the current multi-billion proposal put forward by Kraft.
Last week, the markets were buzzing with news that Kraft had made an offer to the UK-based confectioner worth close to A$20 billion, but expectations of a deal are fading.
In a letter to Kraft CEO Irene Rosenfeld, Mr Carr said the proposal undervalued the maker of Diary Milk and a combination with Kraft was an “unappealing prospect”.
“In my letter of 31st August, I informed you that the Board had rejected your unsolicited proposal on the grounds that it is unattractive and fundamentally undervalues Cadbury,” he said in the letter. “Under your proposal, Cadbury would be absorbed into Kraft’s low growth, conglomerate business model, an unappealing prospect which contrasts sharply with our strategy to be a pure play confectionery company. I also re-affirmed the Board’s confidence in our future prospects as an independent company.”
“There is nothing in your letter dated 7th September, or your various announcements on and since that date, to change our view.”
Mr Carr was adamant that moves made by Cadbury over recent years to demerge their beverage assets and make themselves a pure play confectionery business would see them reap great reward in the years ahead.
“We have created a pure play confectionery business with strong brands occupying leading market positions in both developed markets and high growth emerging economies – a business of considerable inherent value, impossible to replicate and with a unique position in the global confectionery market,” he contended.
Cadbury’s Chairman said the company understood “the attraction of (the Cadbury) business” but saw it remaining an independent entity.
“We are committed to the delivery of optimum value to our shareholders and our Board remains convinced that this is achieved through continuing to deliver our standalone pure play confectionery strategy.”


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Expanded annual event for local entrepreneurs to be held in Old Town Lansing, features Sleepwalker Spirits founders and final $10,000 Hatching competition
The sixth-annual LAUNCHED event, the Greater Lansing region's premier celebration of local business innovation, will be held in Old Town Lansing in recognition of the area's contribution to and support of local business development.
LAUNCHED 2014 will take place December 11 at the Old Town Marquee, and for the second year will highlight the startup pitch competition The Hatching, which is co-produced by Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and Spartan Innovations at the MSU Innovation Center, along with support from a broad range of local organizations. The Hatching will award a $10,000 seed grand prize to a local entrepreneur.
"There is so much business innovation happening in the Lansing area right now -- from the re-development of the Knapp's building to The Runway fashion incubator to small business success in Old Town and REO Town -- that we thought it was fitting to move the LAUNCHED event to a new location this year," said Jason Meyers, co-founder and co-producer of LAUNCHED. "Our keynoters, the local entrepreneur finalists of The Hatching and collaborators like MLive and LCC will make this year's LAUNCHED the must-attend event for mid-Michigan business networking."
The keynote speakers for LAUNCHED 2014 are Matt Jason and Jeremy Sprague, the co-founders of Sleepwalker Spirits, an upstart distillery and brewery located in Lansing's Allen Market Place. And the 2014 Innovator of the Year award, which recognizes early stage excellence and the potential for lasting business success, will be presented by Lansing Community College.
The Hatching welcomes the 11 semi-finalists from its 2014 monthly events to present their business plans and compete for a grand prize of $10,000 in seed funding. Each startup will have three minutes to pitch business concepts to a panel of judges for a chance at the grand prize.
"Entrepreneurship is exciting. Taking a risk on a new venture that solves problems and could create jobs, cures, or just builds a better mousetrap speaks to the optimist in all of us. Startups and new ventures, like the ones we see at the Hatching, become the nimble, ambitious small businesses that build and grow our economy," said Tony Willis, manager of business acceleration at LEAP. "We're proud to be part of a partnership that supports this kind of growth in the community, the region, and the state."
Chad Munce, digital media specialist for MLive, will be the master of ceremonies for LAUNCHED 2014. MLive is the event's title sponsor. And for the first time, Uber will provide LAUNCHED attendees who are new Uber users with vouchers for complimentary rides up to $25.
In addition to MLive, this year's LAUNCHED sponsors include LCC, LEAP, MSU Federal Credit Union, Small Business Association of Michigan, Old Town Marquee, Pure Promotions, Tomie Raines, Nicholas Creative, Live Concepts Media, Netvantage Marketing, Anytime Fitness, Dublin Square Irish Pub, Michigan Creative, Grand River Connection, Retro Duck and Saddleback BBQ. The Hatching sponsors include LEAP, Spartan Innovations at the MSU Innovation Center, MSU Foundation, NEO Center, Dart Development, LAFCU, Common Wealth Enterprises and MSU Alumni Association.
More than 250 local business and community leaders attended last year's LAUNCHED event. The event will be held December 11 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Old Town Marquee. Tickets and more information are available at the LAUNCHED website, www.LAUNCHEDevent.com.


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News, views and commentary on Long Island, state and national politics.
New York faces a federal deadline to prohibit the use of welfare cash for liquor, cigarettes, lottery tickets and strip clubs or lose $125 million as a penalty.
"We're not taking anything away from anyone," said state Sen. Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton). He announced his new bill Tuesday. "The card is given to people to provide an opportunity . . . the opportunity to get back on their feet."
Republican senators cited media reports that reflected eye-popping incidents such as spending at resorts, but a relatively small amount of overall abuse.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has included a provision in his budget proposal to bar EBT card withdrawals at cash machines in liquor stores, beer wholesalers, casinos, race tracks, video slot machine centers and strip clubs.
Senate Republicans Tuesday introduced their bill, which would further prohibit use of the welfare cash at bars and prohibit the purchase of alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets at supermarkets. The bill sponsored by Libous also includes stiffer penalties, including suspension of benefits for an abuser and sanctions against stores.
The proposal by Senate Republicans has failed to pass in the Assembly the last two years.
"We think it can be done administratively and we'll also review the governor's proposal," said Michael Whyland, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan).
Cuomo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
One of the concerns is how a measure could be enforced. Cuomo's bill prohibits withdrawals from certain facilities such as video slot machine centers, but Libous noted that wouldn't stop an abuser from withdrawing cash at a supermarket and using it for gambling or at a bar.
Libous said 95 percent of supermarkets and other stores have the technology to stop a sale using an EBT card on liquor, cigarettes and other items the bill would prohibit.
"Will it be foolproof? No," Libous told reporters. "But it will be a lot less easy than it is now."


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The Belvedere museum in Vienna collaborated with the artèQ funding fund to launch a nonfungible token (NFT) drop impressed by one among Austrian painter Gustav Klimt’s most well-known works “The Kiss.”
Launched on Valentine’s Day, a digital copy of this early twentieth century depiction of a pair of lovers was divided right into a 100-by-100 grid of 10,000 particular person items provided as NFTs.
The price of one NFT was estimated at 1,850 euros, as acknowledged on the gathering’s web site, which transformed to .65 ETH on Feb. 14 and prompt the overall nominal worth of the NFT portray was 18.5 million euros or $21 million. Nevertheless the time of publication, solely 33.3 ETH, or $103,900 had been acquired and greater than 80% of the gathering remained unsold.
The comparatively low take up of the Belvedere’s “A digital declaration of affection” NFT assortment may recommend that every piece was priced too excessive or that NFT purchasers are much less desirous about conventional artwork at this level within the evolution of the market.
The portray has been housed on the Belvedere since 1908 when it was bought for 25,000 crowns, equal to $240,000 in the present day.
The issued NFT certificates revealed the digital a part of the portray bought, and if gifted to a beloved one, a person dedication was included.
Blissful Valentine’s Day #NFTCommunity!
Right now is the BIG day for the fortunate “The Kiss” #NFTs holders from everywhere in the world!
— artèQ (@arteQio) February 14, 2022
Forward of the drop, Wolfgang Bergmann, managing director of the Belvedere, mentioned in a press release:
“The very small variety of shares for the world market and the truth that each bit is exclusive is what makes these tokens so worthwhile.”
Nanne Dekking, CEO and Founding father of Artory Inc., the blockchain-secured registry of artworks and collectibles, spoke to Cointelegraph and echoed the sentiment. She mentioned that initiatives like this “permit us to rethink artwork patronage solely,” which she added, “empowers museums to have interaction with the pursuits of their bigger neighborhood, quite than being restricted to a small variety of donors.”
Associated: NFTs may mark a resurgence in artwork galleries
Certainly, bodily paintings tokenization is only one manner that museums can work together with their present neighborhood and faucet into new ones. The State Hermitage Museum in Russia not too long ago went past digital reproductions and launched a wholly digital exhibition inside a metaverse type reconstruction of the museum.
Dekking added that tokenization of artwork “in the end allows the artwork market to succeed in a wider neighborhood of artwork lovers,” whereas additionally doubtlessly offering royalty funds to the museum.


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Why issuers—and Amazon—are bringing back secured cards
Sensing a profitable opportunity in an underserved market, a variety of companies — ranging from traditional banks to fintech startups and even Amazon — are rushing into selling secured credit cards and other products designed for consumers with poor or thin credit.
The market for secured credit cards, which require a deposit and set a relatively low spending limit, generally ebbs and flows with the economy. It shrinks during recessions and grows when times are good; and given the current economy, the secured card sector is booming.
Because secured cards are designed for consumers with subprime credit, they are riskier for banks to offer due to a higher potential of default. Overall more than one in three (34.8%) U.S. consumers is considered a subprime credit, according to Experian. Risk-averse lenders may focus on the prime demographics, but many are seeing an opportunity to “graduate” subprime consumers into higher categories.
“The problem with our credit system is that it punishes people for a very long time for any financial mistakes made that could have been the result of a situation beyond their control, such as an illness or job loss. It creates a huge market of people who need access to credit but are not being served by banks and it’s only getting bigger,” said Tim Coltrell, chairman and CEO of CARD, a prepaid card firm that's expanding to serve subprime credit markets.
The total addressable market is 53% of the U.S. adult population, when adding both subprime credit-scored consumers and a group named the “credit invisibles” by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB’s tally of 45 million credit invisibles consists of two unique groups: 26 million adults who have no credit score, and 19 million adults who are considered unscoreable by a commercially available credit scoring model.
While the sheer number of people may be enough to compel some banks and fintechs to serve this market, the numbers alone don’t explain the gold rush. However, when examining who makes up the subprime and credit invisible categories, the opportunity becomes clear.
The CARD Act
This trend has its beginnings 10 years ago, with the passage of the CARD Act of 2009.
The act largely forbids issuing credit cards to consumers under 21, unless co-signed by a parent or guardian, and severely restricts credit card marketing on college campuses has cut off a traditional credit onboarding process for many consumers. Today most college students graduate without a credit card and a mountain of student debt — a toxic mix for most banks.
Millennials (ages 22 to 38) make up the single largest generation in the subprime market at a 37% share, followed by Gen Xers who represented 33% of subprime consumers in the fourth quarter of 2018. According to Experian, the latest generation just reaching adulthood, Gen Z, made up only 5% of the subprime market in that quarter.
“Millennials have some challenges in credit cards, without having the college cards that their parents had because of limitations mandated by the CARD Act of 2009,” said Brian Riley, director of the Credit Advisory Service at Mercator Advisory Group.
Other contributing factors include the heavy use of debit cards and the growth of installment lending by companies such as Affirm.
The CARD Act also changed the profit model of subprime cards, making it less attractive to banks, and added a compliance hurdle. The CARD Act eliminated universal default, retroactive interest rates and fee harvester cards, which were tactics used by banks to more profitably serve subprime consumers.
The act also required banks to make sure that a consumer has the “ability to pay,” or ATP, for a credit card line being offered. Banks that provide credit lines that are too generous could run afoul of ATP rules under the CARD Act. When it comes to low-income consumers with small credit lines, the margin of ATP error is magnified. After the 2008-2010 recession, many banks moved their marketing dollars to serving up reward cards for prime consumers.
The rising use of debit cards and the preference for installment loans for online purchases means that the adoption of credit cards is occurring much later in the lives of millennials and Gen Z.
Pushed out of prime
By 2019, prime consumers have been flooded with marketing for premium reward cards — such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the upgraded American Express Platinum, to name a few, causing the card market for prime credit to saturate. Even Discover, traditionally a middle-class brand, has been heavily pushing rewards on its flagship platform called the “It Card.” As a result, issuers seeking to grow their card portfolios are increasingly courting the subprime consumer.
“Subprime has some potential, but it is a niche. Other sectors such as mass affluent are highly saturated by card issuers,” said Brian Riley, director of the Credit Advisory Service at Mercator Advisory Group.
It may appear that banks have been sleeping on the opportunity to serve subprime consumers, but reaching a market with poor, limited and even no credit history requires a strong ability to innovate and a willingness to take risk. Banks are traditionally reluctant in both areas.
“The regulatory framework under which banks operate makes it difficult to innovate. It’s easier for them to buy an innovator. Also, when it comes to risk, banks have to answer to shareholders. Startups can take that risk because it’s in their DNA and their investors are VCs who are used to risk,” said David Girouard, CEO of Upstart, an online lending platform that uses nontraditional variables to predict the creditworthiness of loan applicants.
Amazon’s recent announcement of a partnership with Synchrony to offer a secured card to subprime consumers is emblematic of this apparent gold rush.
The launch of Amazon’s Credit Builder Card will enable consumers with poor or thin credit to put down a security deposit to shop online, while earning rewards on par with those offered to mainstream cardholders.
And it’s not just secured credit card that’s growing, but the entire subprime market overall. According to TransUnion’s Q3 2018 Industry Insights Report, subprime personal loans were up 28% in the third quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter a year earlier, subprime auto loans were up 7.3%, subprime card originations were up 3.6% and subprime mortgages were up 3.4% for the same periods.
For the full year of 2018, TransUnion reports subprime card originations were up 8.8% over 2017 figures. While earlier reports showed strong growth in subprime cards, the closing months of the year demonstrated that lenders are clearly stepping on the accelerator in a big way for subprime card originations.
“The future is bright as new technology is being applied to meet consumer financial needs. Companies such as Apple and Amazon will do something that will force traditional banks out of their comfort zones,” Salam Syed, vice president of business development at Marqeta, said at the SourceMedia Digital Banking conference in Austin, Texas.
Banks vs. startups
Given that new companies, as well as traditional banks, are rushing to serve a traditionally underserved segment of the market, there is a change being implemented in how companies are examining potential risk of subprime consumers that includes using artificial intelligence, and nontraditional credit variables such as rent payments. The Petal Card, for example, uses artificial intelligence to target millennials and others with limited to no credit histories.
The reliance on using FICO scores to extend credit card loans is putting banks at a major disadvantage to the startups using AI, social media and nontraditional variables to score prospective customers.
“When FICO came out in 1989 it was quite novel and readily adopted by banks, mortgage lenders and the credit bureaus. Thirty years later, it has not evolved," said Girouard. "In fact, the FICO-centric model is archaic since it has not adapted with changing consumer spending and borrowing habits. It has created a massive underserved population with only about 45% of Americans having access to prime bank credit."
Similar to Amazon's approach, some banks are offering secured cards that give a line of credit based on the size of the security deposit placed with the bank. Wells Fargo offers a secured card with as little as a $300 security deposit. Discover offers the It Secured Card starting at a $200 deposit and offers 2% cash-back rewards. Citibank offers the Citi Secured Mastercard that comes with no annual fee.
However, the reach of secured cards is limited by the fact that banks are asking consumers to shell out a considerable amount of money for a security deposit when many don’t have the funds to do so. The Federal Reserve stated in its May report on U.S. households that 40% of adults could not come up with $400 for an emergency bill by using readily available funds, defined as cash, savings or a credit card charge that they could quickly pay off.
Justin Zeidman, head of credit card products at Navy Federal Credit Union, said his company took a renewed interest in secured credit cards after seeing fintechs encroach on that market. To make its secured credit card more appealing, Navy Federal lowered the secured credit line to a $200 deposit — and saw acquisitions nearly double.
"I know it's no secret secured credit isn't the most profitable place to play, but when you think about the lifetime value of being the first issuer to lend to someone — and then the value of that loyalty over the course of years and years — for us it made a lot of sense," Zeidman said at the SourceMedia Card Forum.
Venture capitalists have also taken notice and are putting billions of dollars into fintechs catering to this underserved market. According to Crunchbase, a website that tracks investments into private companies, LendUp has raised over $360 million in capital to serve subprime and credit invisible consumers. Other big startups that have raised significant capital to target this market include Affirm, which has raised $1 billion; Avant, which has raised $1.8 billion; Opportun, which has raised $250 million; Balance Credit, which has raised $100 million; and Deserve, which has raised $97 million.
“In the credit card space, most issuers make their decisions based on consumers’ past credit histories, believing it’s a good indicator of future performance. However, by using artificial intelligence to observe current financial behaviors, an issuer can have a stronger view of potential risk, meaning a better approach to underwriting,” stated Anirudh Shah, co-founder and CEO of Habitual.AI, an AI-powered fintech based in India.
The truth may actually be that the current rush of new subprime cardholders are actually creditworthy. It could simply be that they have been forced into the subprime category because they lack any appreciable credit history.
If serving up secured cards is the only way banks believe they can tap this underserved market that includes 53% of U.S. adults, they may be missing out on the gold rush being mined by the likes of Petal Card, Deserve Card, LendUp, Affirm, and other fintechs.


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TEXAS, USA — The Food and Drug Administration, along with the CDC and several other agencies, are investigating a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A in the United States and Canada.
According to the FDA, the outbreak could be linked to fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo and HEB that were purchased between March 5 and April 25, 2022.
While those purchased strawberries are past their shelf life, people who purchased and then froze them for later consumption, should not eat them.
The FDA says the strawberries were sold at, but not limited to Aldi, HEB, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Weis Markets and WinCo Foods.
The FDA says if you're unsure what brand you purchased or when, to just throw them away.
Currently there are 17 cases of the illness in the U.S., leading to 12 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported.
In a statement, HEB says their strawberries are safe to consume.
"All strawberries sold at H-E-B are safe. No illnesses from strawberries related to the FDA investigation have been reported at H-E-B or in Texas.
The FDA is conducting an investigation into organic strawberries sold between March 5 and April 25, 2022. H-E-B has not received or sold organic strawberries from the supplier under investigation since April 16.
Anyone who has FreshKampo or H-E-B Organic strawberries purchased between March 5 and April 25 should throw away or return these products to the place of purchase.
Customers with any questions may contact H-E-B Customer Service at 1-855-432-4438 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time."


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Kate Quartey-Papafio, CEO of Reroy Group of Companies has laid bare her vision of growing the indigenous business venture into a global iconic brand.
The entrepreneur, described in a CNN interview last year, as the Queen of cables in Ghana, was speaking during a meeting with Prof. Alex Dodoo, Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, at the Group’s head office at the Heavy Industrial Area in Tema, last Tuesday.
“We aspire to be “a market leader in the provision of quality products and services that consistently beat the expectations of clients and meet the highest standards of industry,” she said.
The manufacture of high quality aluminum and aluminum alloy rods used in cable making and other allied industries is the main focus of Reroy Metals, an engineering entity within the Reroy Group.
For this reason the company has developed a strategic business development plan and is investing adequately in manpower and equipment capacity. The plan spells out the company’s strategy of entering markets outside the sub-region.
“Our mission is to become a global leader in the provision of integrated systems and solutions for power generation, transmission and distribution; and to achieve this through an intimate understanding of the needs and requirements of our clients,” she stressed.
She, however, stated that “this will only be realised if and when statutory bodies such as the Ghana Standards Authority, readily provide industry with the needed guidance and timely advice.
“Using standards will help businesses to comply with regulations and requirements, thus avoiding failure and loss of investment,” she said.
Prof. Alex Dodoo, Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority, on his part, assured the CEO, of the Authority’s support, adding “We are positioned to provide business improvement solutions to industry, so please see us as partners in development; it is our responsibility to support business and industry to grow”.
“As the National Standards Body as well as Conformity Assessments body, it is our role to facilitate the development of standards needed by businesses operating in the country,” he noted.
“Our doors are always open and so we encourage all of you to engage with us on a regular business.”
As part of the meeting, Seth Offei, the Reroy Cables Limited, Plant Manager did a brief presentation on the Group and its operations.
The Group, made up of four engineering entities i.e. Reroy Cables, Reroy Energy, Reroy Metals and Reroy Power, began operations in 2003.
It currently has a staff strength of over 80, and provides products and services to the private sector, general consumers and utilities throughout the region.
It exports mostly to countries in the ECOWAS sub-region. Reroy Power Limited is an integrated power systems company specialising in the provision of electrical power distribution equipment and contracting services.
BY TIMES REPORTER


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With the available data provided by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, one can say that cashless transactions have increased.
So, it might not be wrong to say after all that the cashless policy plan of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele worked.
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) revealed that cashless transactions soared to ₦611.06 trillion in 2023.
Have You Read: See The New Aircraft Unveiled By Tinubu To Fight Insecurity
This marks a significant 54.55% increase from the ₦395.38 trillion recorded in 2022.
NIBSS Instant Payments, launched in 2011, facilitates real-time inter-bank transfers, ensuring instant value transfer.
An analysis of the report shows that there was a 75.96% rise in electronic payment channel usage to 11.05 billion transactions in 2023.
The total value of instant payments reached ₦600.36 trillion, with point-of-sale transactions amounting to ₦10.7 trillion.
This shows that Nigerians are beginning to accept more cashless transactions.
The month of December witnessed highest transaction value of ₦71.9 trillion.
During the festive period most Nigerians could not access cash. So, they relied on digital transactions.
The result was an increase in digital transactions.
Also, despite the cash crunch in March, e-payment volume peaked at 1.1 billion Naira, albeit with a lower value compared to December.
NIBSS processed 9.7 billion transactions in 2023, a 90% increase from 2022, underscoring the nation’s rapid shift towards digital transactions.
Monthly electronic transactions ranged from ₦38.9 trillion in January to ₦48.3 trillion in March 2023, driven by the evolving cashless landscape.


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By Bianca Wassmann, Singapore-ETH Centre and ETH Zurich
For lab-grown meat to be a global success it needs to be accepted by consumers in both Western and Eastern countries.
Cultured meat, also known as lab-grown meat, has been green-lit for sale in the United States. In June 2023, Good Meat and Upside Foods became the first-ever companies allowed to sell their cultured meat products on the American market.
This innovative technology entails growing animal cells in a lab without raising and slaughtering animals, purporting to offer a more sustainable and ethical meat production method.
The first nation to approve this product for sale was Singapore back in 2020.
Singapore pioneered legalising cultured meat to boost its food supply. With 90 per cent of its food imported due to limited land, cell-based technology offers the potential to increase domestic food production without the need for agricultural land.
Other Asian countries are considering following Singapore’s lead in adopting cultured meat technology to address similar challenges.
Despite this, an Asian perspective within the cultured meat industry is lacking.
In 2022, only one-fifth of the 156 active companies were based in Asia, with the majority — 61 per cent — in North America and Europe.
As a result, most cultured meat companies cater to Western diets: classic American burgers, chicken Caesar salads, and French charcuterie boards are flaunted on the websites of the top industry players.
It’s unlikely these products will appeal in Asia like they do in North America and Europe.
The industry’s focus on the West extends to consumer research.
While extensive studies have explored North American and European perceptions of cultured meat, the Asian market remains underexplored and questions like ‘Which cultured products would align with Asian diets?’, ‘What are Asian concerns about this new technology?’ and ‘How do we spike interest in this region?’ aren’t adequately answered.
Of course, culturally universal psychological factors are at play.
Disgust and food neophobia — the tendency to reject new foods — are innate to all humans and the main drivers of consumers’ worldwide scepticism towards cultured meat.
On the other hand, educating the public about the promised societal and environmental benefits can boost acceptance, as concluded by studies from across the globe.
However, considering culture-specific factors is crucial.
Asian companies and consumer researchers could address these issues to effectively promote cell-based technology on their continent.
Even though burger patties are the flagship product of many meat alternatives (including cultured meat) companies, the Asian sector will need to think locally.
In Southeast Asia for instance, familiar foods like fish balls, dumplings, or satay, that can be cooked in curries, noodle soups, or rice-based dishes are likely to be more in demand. More companies and researchers need to consider regional culinary preferences across Asia.
** Click here to read the full-text **


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The first reuse project in an open environment in Sweden has started. Stora Enso, Reitan Convenience in Sweden, and the tech company &Repeat have joined forces in a pilot project testing out offering customers the choice of a reusable cup when buying a hot beverage from convenience store Pressbyrån. After finishing the drink, the customer returns the cup to one of Pressbyrån’s stores. The project is part of the preparations for next year's legal requirement that states that establishments selling take-away food need to offer reusable packaging.
The new law that will enter into force in Sweden in January 2024 aims to reduce single-use packaging. According to the law, all restaurants or stores that sell more than 150 units of food or drink take-away in disposable packaging per day must be able to offer reusable packaging as an alternative. The packaging should be part of a rotation system and be returned after usage. Customers will have the choice to pick a reusable or a single use packaging.
The pilot project runs in 19 Pressbyrån stores in southern Sweden from April to the end of June. The reusable cups are offered in sizes of 200 and 400 ml. Today's disposable packaging also remains.
It works like this: when a customer buys a cup of coffee and chooses to take it in a reusable cup, they register the usage of the cup in an app or by using their phone number. When the coffee is enjoyed, they return the cup to a Pressbyrån store and re-registers their usage of that cup by scanning a QR-code and drops it in a container. The collected cups are cleaned and offered to customers again and again.
The aim of the pilot project is to understand what will be required of a system like this, to be prepared when the new law comes.
”We are doing this to learn. How hard is it to get a circular system in place in an open environment? Will customers be excited or not? Which are the big challenges, and will this be the most sustainable way of handling take-away food? We don’t know but are eager to find out!” says Nathalie Kalivas Jönsson, Business Development Manager Circular Products & Services.


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EU Market: EUAs surge to 2020 high near €27 on speculative buying, short-covering
EUAs surged to near €27 on Monday to hit their highest so far this year, rebounding by almost 10% from early weakness as speculator buying drove a strong auction result and widespread short-covering.
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Robert J. Teufel, president of Rodale Press Inc., Emmaus, was elected chairman of the board of the Direct Marketing Association this week at the association's annual business meeting in Montreal.
A member of the board since 1981, Teufel has served on the executive committee for the last two years. He has been named Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association's "man of the year," as well as "direct marketer of the year" by Direct Marketing Day in NY Inc.
Teufel has been president of Rodale Press since 1978. He resides in Emmaus.


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Customers can fund, spend and invest with everything from cash to crypto
SALT LAKE CITY, March 9, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CoinZoom, a leading U.S based fintech company and cryptocurrency exchange, has added both Apple and Google pay as funding options on its iOS and Android apps. Customers utilizing the regulated exchange can now fund their accounts, access a range of free or low-cost financial services and purchase cryptocurrency with the tap of a button.
"One of the barriers to crypto adoption has been the lack of an easy and convenient way to load funds onto an account or wallet to spend or invest," said CoinZoom CEO, Todd Crosland. "We've made it a priority to remove that barrier with a myriad of funding options including debit cards, credit cards, ACH deposits, wire transfers, cash deposits and now Apple Pay and Google Pay. It's extremely user-friendly to deposit and transfer funds on our platform from your phone – and then spend or invest your money in a range of forms from dollars to crypto. You can also purchase NFTs on our marketplace on your phone in seconds with Apple Pay and Google Pay."
Post-pandemic, digital wallets backed by debit cards have become the fastest growing preference for payment across smartphone users - hitting all the preferences for contactless, better budgeting, security and convenience. Younger consumers especially are rewiring their payments to include more mobile payments, more 'Buy Now, Pay Later' options and are looking for better rewards for their everyday spending.
"For many, crypto is seen as a great leveler. They do not see themselves or their lives depicted in traditional finance ads or marketing – and see the fiat system as unfairly biased to those who already have many advantages. Crypto does not have these pre-set judgements – and even a small step into this asset class is seen as a path to a seat at a fairer, more inclusive table." said Crosland, who founded the CoinZoom business in 2018.
A good example of where blockchain technology has a natural advantage is remittances. This industry charges 6% fees on average globally - which is a total revenue over $40bn at a market value of $672.46bn in 2021 (World Bank). That revenue exceeds the total GDP of more than 90 countries across the globe. Blockchain can enable digital transfers to be instant, low cost and direct – no cash pick-up, no 3-day to a week delay and no eye-watering fees. CoinZoom users can send USD and crypto domestically or internationally to other users instantly, for free through ZoomMe.
"It was our best-kept secret but now it is gathering pace as economies around the world harden and word of mouth spreads," said Crosland. "We have seen growth of 746% over the second half of 2022 as more and more people discover the service."
CoinZoom has customers in 200 countries and is emerging as a next-generation fintech provider – encompassing a digital ecosystem that offers solutions for every kind of money from cash to crypto. The team's vast experience is in providing superb trade quality, customer-focused tools, and technology that rewards customers financially and helps them build confidence in emerging asset classes like crypto. CoinZoom offers services in buying, selling, sending and spending Bitcoin, Ethereum, and over 40 top digital currencies. CoinZoom's premier product is its CoinZoom Visa card, which allows customers the ability to instantly convert crypto to fiat and spend it at over 53M merchants globally. CoinZoom also offers global customers a premier Peer-to-Peer payments system called ZoomMe. CoinZoom customers can send fiat and crypto anywhere in the world, instantly for free. The team's decades of experience in financial technology security are equally important in safeguarding customer funds and customers' digital currency positions. CoinZoom is a U.S. registered Money Services Business with FinCen. CoinZoom is also a U.S. registered Money Transmitter, available for trading in 48 states. CoinZoom also has subsidiaries in Australia and Ireland. CoinZoom Australia PTY LTD is registered as a Digital Currency Exchange with AU.
Adrianne Blackett, CoinZoom, 1 (385) 355-6540, [email protected]


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BlackBerry Ltd is working with at least two automakers to develop a security service that would remotely scan vehicles for computer viruses. The... ...http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/blackberry-is-working-with-aston-martin-and-range-rover-on-developing-a-security-service-378023.html
The Union government's proposed "reciprocity" policy in the power sector -- to restrict investments from those countries that disallow Indian... ...http://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-fdi-in-power-may-hit-reciprocity-wall-2448839
Ford Motor Co said on Friday it would delve into the growing arena of "over-the-air" software updates, adding Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to its... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/ford-using-first-over-the-air-software-updates-to-its-2016-cars-news-auto-rfuqcFffcdajb.html
Qualcomm Inc, the largest maker of chips used in smartphones, reported quarterly revenue and profit that beat analysts' estimates, helping ease... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/qualcomm-results-beat-help-allay-worries-over-apple-dispute-news-technology-reulaueiidcfh.html
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Xantatech Pvt. Ltd. is an established...


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'Pokémon Go' Finally Comes Home to Japan
The latest hit online game, “Pokémon Go,” was finally launched Friday in Japan, the birthplace of Pokémon, in a tie-up with McDonald's Japan that makes the restaurants key locations for players. Photo: Rena Nakachi Simkowitz/The Wall Street Journal
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... so it is due to own one game Pokemon ago is finally coming home to Japan ... ok will go was introduced here on Friday in a tie up with McDonald's Japan making the restaurant key locations for players ... it was the mom anytime now ... on the show he found it ... also play a ... lot less fun one Sorbonne will continue not have been off ... duty ... took some some of the on the need to win ... the birth place of welcome on Japan has always loved these are the monsters ... as Nintendo or thirty two percent stake in Baltimore company unveiled on the popularity of the game for years to the three most popular games for Nintendo three DS device ... are from the Pokemon series ... since Pokemon Gold released Nintendo share price has doubled ... using AUGMENT reality and tracking technology players come from Pokemon characters to real life city streets ... game two countries like the US Australia and the UK by storm when the out was released earlier this month ... in less than a day the team became the most downloaded in many countries ... well the game is free use combine items such as Calk according to hope and hence their cookie monster ... developed by Goolsbee Novi and take ... experts say that all come and go what Keynes the top grossing position in Japan it would be on its way to becoming the first smartphone game for four billion dollars in revenue annually ... from the purchase ...


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FutureLogic Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative ticketing and intelligent promotional couponing solutions, announced that their GEN2 Universal printer has been chosen as the exclusive printer by Dutch casino operator Holland Casino, for the roll-out of their TITO system.
Holland Casino operates 14 casino properties in The Netherlands with over 7,500 electronic gaming machines.
“We are honored to have been chosen by Holland Casino to supply our printer technology for their entire range of EGMs and casino locations,” said John Edmunds, VP of FutureLogic for International Markets. “With the GEN2 Universal printer, we bring to the Dutch market a future-proof printer with an outstanding track record for performance and reliability, and the ability to issue promotional coupons to high value players via our PromoNet Intelligent Promotional Couponing Solution.”
Winner of numerous industry awards, the GEN2 Universal printer is a preferred printer for slots, server-based games, VLTs, Class II and AWP games across the world. Designed for promotional couponing, TITO and ticket-out applications, the GEN2 Universal printer supports a variety of network protocols and can be configured to communicate with multiple hosts simultaneously.
“The choice of the GEN2 Universal ticket printer from FutureLogic was an obvious one,” said Robin Middendorp, VP of operations support for Holland Casino. “Our choice was based on FutureLogic’s outstanding reputation in the industry for delivering excellent quality products and their superior customer service. We have now rolled out TITO to ten of our fourteen casinos and we are very satisfied with the performance reliability, ease-of-use and serviceability of the GEN2 Universal.”
Holland Casino inks ticket printer deal with FutureLogic
June 28, 2012


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FrieslandCampina WAMCO goes down in history as the first and only dairy giant to invest funds, machines and manpower in developing Nigeria’s dairy sector these past six years since 2010. While other companies were comfortable just importing milk, packaging and selling it to Nigeria, the company decided to invest long term into local sourcing of part of its production needs.
It signed an MOU with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resources (FMARD) five years ago, set up the pilot scheme for its dairy development programme (DDP) in Oyo State. After the first five years of ground-breaking success, an impressed FMARD renewed its MOU with FrieslandCampina WAMCO in Nigeria and also signed an international MOU with Royal FrieslandCampina, The Netherlands. Today, WAMCO’s plan is to replicate the successes of their Oyo State pilot scheme across the country.
Below is a Sunday Punch feature written by Arukaino Umokoro – a testimonial to the immense benefits that FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s DDP has created for herdsmen and their wives…
Five years ago, in the bowels of Akele, a small, rural agrarian community in Oyo State, South West Nigeria, 35-year-old Ajara Lawal struck ‘gold.’ In this case, the gold was not the shiny, reddish yellow metal, but the white natural liquid produced from the teats of her cattle.
It was just a few minutes past 5am that early morning when our correspondent found Lawal, with others, beside their thatched mud huts, busy milking their cows. Cow milk, which accounts for about 90 per cent of their daily income, is the new gold for uneducated women like Lawal.
Before then, life for the quiet, but hardworking mother of five literally consisted of trekking at least four hours on the bumpy road every day to hawk her wares in neighbouring communities and Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State. She sold farm produce like cassava and local cheese – ‘wara’.
She noted that preparing cheese from local fermentation process using firewood usually took about three hours. But processing fresh milk took less than an hour.
Aside from wara, other products made from local fermentation process include nunu (sour milk), sour yoghurt and local butter (maishanu).
Wara is also a popular milk delicacy among locals in many states in South-West Nigeria. However, these local milk derivatives have short shelf lives, as a result, they are only available within specific distances and locations. The women usually trek long distances for hours to hawk these products in other communities and in the capital city, Ibadan.
“We were barely trying to survive. You should have seen the stress on my face when I used to sell wara everywhere. Now, I make more money and it is less stressful. I make between N2,500 to N3,000 daily. I have been doing this business for five years now and it has helped me and my family a lot,” she said, smiling. Her husband has three wives and over 50 cows.
Lawal is among the many women in Akele, and other neighbouring communities like Iseyin, Alaga, Fashola and Maya in Oyo State, whose source of livelihood comes from selling fresh cow milk to a dairy company with milk collection/processing centres in the local government area.
Like Lawal, women in these communities like Akele make about N100,000 or more monthly from the sales. “This business pays for my children’s school fees, three of them go to school in Ibadan,” she said.
In these rural communities, where a large percentage of the residents are of Fulani origin, but settled in Yorubaland several decades ago, the wealth of families are determined by the number of cows they own.
Daily, while the women and men express milk from their cows, they chat happily, while the children watch, carefree.
“I am happy about this business, because we can make more money from this to help our families. We can send our children to schools in big cities like Ibadan. As long as God keeps us, we hope to continue to make money from milk,” said one dairy farmer, popularly known as Alhaja Agba, because she is the eldest wife of the late Galadima (Akele town chief).
Going by their standards, Agba is one of the richest women in the area; her late husband, with about four wives, left an inheritance of about 500 cows, which by right goes to her eldest son.
“Although we did not go to school, some of my mates that are well educated and live in big cities like Ibadan and work in big companies do not make up to the amount I make from selling cow milk,” another woman, Mrs. Rabi Aliu said.
She put her daily sales between N3,500 and N4,000.
“Before I started selling this milk, I was hawking and travelling long distances to sell my wara, like many other women here. But this business has helped reduce that stress. I did not go to school, so I would like my children to get an education and become important people in society. I don’t want them to be stuck in the village like me,” Aliu said.
A son to one of the women, 11-year-old primary four pupil, Saliu, said he was happy his mother had found something better to do.
“Sometimes my mum makes up to N5,000 a day selling about 40 litres or more. My dad owns over 100 cows. I am happy my mum is able to send me to school from the money they make from selling milk. Sometimes, they give me N500, N200, or N100 to school as pocket money. When I am older, I will contribute money to my mum’s milk business. I will buy a car for my parents too.”
One of the experts involved in the training of local dairy farmers on good dairy practices and hygiene, Dr. Samson Akinade, explained the source of livelihood for the women.
He said, “In Fulani settings, the men own the cows while the women own the milk. It is like a joint ownership. In most cases they have herdsmen who take the cows about and they help the women to express the milk, but in some other cases, the women do it themselves or they do it together. They then take the milk and sell it to the Milk Collection Centre, to take care of the family.”
MAKING MILK COUNT
The days of selling only wara have long gone, said Lawal. Now, with some incentives such as aluminium containers, filter tools, and training by milk production experts from FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, she said she and other women have a new lease of life as they now earn more income.
“The women are paid N105 per litre of milk. N90 is the actual milk price, but transportation cost is N15 per litre, which the milk man transporting it to our centre collects to fuel his motorbike,” explained the milk collection manager, Mr. Adekunle Olayiwola.
He further said the training given to local dairy farmers has helped to eliminate the crude and unhygienic methods of processing milk.
He said, “We train them more on how to observe the health of their cows and good dairy farm practices. We also teach them how to properly wash their hands and utensils before milking the cows to avoid microorganisms. After milking, the utensils they use are thoroughly washed, while the milk is filtered with a clean filter, and transferred as fast as possible to the nearest milk collection centre in aluminium cans, which we imported from India and distributed to them.
“The process time of milking the cows and getting to the collection centre depend on the number of cows the farmer has. It takes an average of 30 minutes. We encourage them to milk very early in the morning, between 5.30am and 7.00am. At that point, the milk gotten from healthy cows is very sterile and good milk.”
At the MCC, the collected milk goes through several tests to check the quality of the milk, its hygiene quality and antibiotic. “Microorganisms grow very fast in milk, so we have to do the tests as fast as possible,” he said.
There are four milk collection centres established in the area to ease transport of fresh cow milk by the locals. The first milk collection centre under FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s Dairy Development Programme was established in 2010 to increase the production of local dairy content and empower local farmers.
A former President of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, Prof. Placid Njoku, said Nigeria spends over $1bn (N305bn) annually to import of milk and dairy products. He said the local dairy industry has to be developed for the country to meet up with local demand and export. Experts say about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s dairy products is imported.
Njoku said, “The potential for milk investment in Nigeria is very high and it is literally an unexploited area. But we don’t produce enough milk and we don’t import enough. That is why when Nigerians use milk for tea, they just add a drop or a small quantity of it.
“Milk is a major source of protein for human development and Nigeria needs milk. Part of the reason why there is a lot of stunted growth among Nigerian children is that there is less consumption of milk and animal protein. For most developed countries, milk is a major source of protein for children.
“In other developed countries, children take pints of milk in a day. But here, we take a small tin of milk and use it for about 10 people. This shows that we are unable to produce the quantity of milk that the country requires.”
With the DDP, Olayiwola hoped this would change in the next few years.
He said, “Akele community alone gives us 600 litres highest in a day. Averagely, at peak period, we have gotten 21,000 litres in total from all the four Milk Collection Centres this year. For me, it is a win-win situation. In total, we get an average of 17,000 litres in a day from these communities combined. This has improved agriculture in the area because it helps to empower these women and their families and they have a ready-made market for their milk products.”
Most households own an average of 50 cows. A few have up to 500.
‘WE SUPPORT OUR WOMEN’
About 60 per cent of women are estimated to play a major role in agricultural work in developing countries, including Nigeria.
For the men in these Oyo communities, the DDP has helped improve the lives of their women, and families. They said it has helped reduce poverty and provided extra income for their households.[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]
“Our lives have improved, people are beginning to buy new motorbikes, some now use banks and can even keep some money from their profits as savings. Some of us have built better houses instead of mud houses,” said Baale Abdullahi Tijani, the village chief in Alaga, one of the communities. He said the Fulanis migrated from places such as Ilorin in Kwara State and other states in Northern Nigeria like Kaduna and Borno, to Oyo State about a hundred years ago.
Since then, many Fulani nomads have settled in these largely Yoruba communities and have become their fellow kinsmen. Seventy per cent of an estimated 30 million Fulanis are nomads and are scattered across Nigeria, in search of greener pastures for their grazing cattle, experts say.
Mr. Kpuche Felix, who owns 35 cows, said helping his wives in cow milk processing has given them a better life. “I can now send my six children to school from the profit she makes,” he said.
Another cattle owner, Hussein Mohammed, who has over 100 cows, expressed his happiness that his wife does not have to trek long distances to make meagre amount from the sales of wara. “Now, she sometimes sells up to 80 litres of milk per day, depending on how fast we are in milking the cows. Before, she wasn’t making half of the money she makes now,” he said.
Akinade added, “The men are involved in grazing their cows, and like most Fulanis, are nomadic in nature. While they help their women early in the morning to milk the cows, they go out for grazing with their animals and come back late in the evening. Sometimes, if they have big occasions like marriage, they sell the cows. In extended family settings, each nuclear family has their cows and herdsmen.”
Due to the revenue generation from milk, the men no more sell or slaughter their cows as they used to in the past, another cattle owner, Abdullahi Saliu, who owns about 50 cows, said.
“The daily income we get from selling the milk from our cows is three times what we get from selling beef (cow meat). Some farmers with many cows can sell up to 30, 40 or 200 litres. The daily income varies, but every one of us, men and women are happy,” he said.
On some days, many traders flock outside the milk collection centres from nearby communities to sell goods such as clothes, household items and drugs to the dairy farmers.[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]
EMPOWERING 2,000 DAIRY FARMERS
About 2,000 dairy farmers, including women, have benefitted from the Dairy Development Programme in Oyo State, established by FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, noted its Corporate Affairs Director, Mrs. Ore Famurewa.
Famurewa said this was part of the company’s support of the Federal Government’s initiative to grow the agricultural sector. She added that the company is also seeking to expand the DDP nationwide to boost local dairy production in the country, and so the country’s agriculture sector.
She said, “FrieslandCampina is currently working with local farmers. On a daily basis, they are able to make money by supplying their quality raw milk to us. Other dairy companies can also borrow a leaf from what we have done and try to also create some form of local and inclusive business models across Nigeria. The programme has largely been successful in Oyo State, but we are not resting on our oars. We plan to take it nationwide. In August, we met with President Muhammadu Buhari and he was very pleased with what we are doing. We have so far empowered almost 2,000 farmers, including women.”
Famurewa also noted that the company wants to increase local content contribution/ dairy production in the next five years, and said it would invest about N3bn in dairy development in the country.
According to data by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, between 1993 and 2013, Africa produced only about 2.7 per cent of the world’s butter and cow milk, the lowest among the regions. Europe is the world’s largest producer with 54.5 per cent. America, Asia, Oceania produce 19.9%, 12.1% and 10.8% respectively.
“Milk development is a gradual process. It is slow and steady but we will surely win the race. We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to support us in our dairy development programme, which is a success story,” Famurewa said.
The Research and Development/ Dairy Development Manager, Mr. Lawrence Inegbenoise, noted that the DDP is aimed at addressing the challenges of local dairy production and providing employment for the youth.
He said, “Aging farmers across the world have scare natural resources and face the challenge of feeding a growing population. We believe a way to address these challenges is to have dairy development programme in all our regions. Based on our experience in other countries, we have cross-breeds that would increase milk production. We have been working with the Fulanis; the next step is to have a crop of young graduates that would be trained as small holders dairy farmers in clusters where they can share resources and infrastructure needed to boost our operations in dairy production.”
In the same vein, two Dutch experts, Imke de Boer, Professor of Animal Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands, and Janine Luten, Managing Director Wageningen Academy, in line with the pledge of Royal FrieslandCampina, visited Nigeria in September to inspect the DDP facilities in Oyo State.
Both de Boer and Luten said they were impressed with the programme and the dairy production facilities in the state.
“I am very impressed with the investment FrieslandCampina has made in local communities and working together with them, because at the end these investments are aimed at improving the social status of the local population,” de Boer said.
Also speaking, Luten said they are currently working out areas of academic and technical cooperation between Wageningen University and the University of Ibadan to formalise ways of training Nigeria’s dairy professionals.
CHALLENGES OF LOCAL DAIRY PRODUCTION
Despite the efforts to boost local dairy content, it would take some years before Nigerian dairy farmers can produce enough to meet the dairy needs of her 170 million population, Njoku noted.
He noted that the low milk output of Fulani cows, poor grass quality, as well as the lack of storage and processing equipment have been identified as some of the factors hindering local dairy production in Nigeria.
Experts have also pointed out other factors that have impeded the growth of Nigeria’s dairy industry, including poor sanitary practices of handling milk, poor infrastructure and lack of milk collection centres in local communities where cows abound, as well as poor implementation of government agricultural policies and poor access by dairy farmers to economic incentives.
Recent attacks by Fulani herdsmen in some states across the country have also been a major source of concern. According to a report titled, “Terror in the Food Basket” by SMB Intelligence report, a data mining and research firm, in 2015 alone, over 2,000 people were killed in conflicts between the herdsmen and their host communities in three states in Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau States. In recent times, other states, including Oyo, Ekiti and Enugu states, have been affected by attacks by suspected herdsmen.
Tijani said dairy farming would not only improve the livelihood of Fulani settlers, but also coexistence with their host communities.
“We are happy here (in Oyo). We should all embrace peace between our herdsmen and communities where we graze our cattle,” he said.
In a bid to solve these conflicts, a Senate bill that seeks to create grazing reserves across the country was recently proposed by a lawmaker.
Also, a major worry for Njoku is the nomadic nature of Fulani herdsmen who own about three-quarters of the cattle in Nigeria. Moving cattle from one point to another for long distances, he noted, reduces the quantity and quality of milk produced by these local cows.
He explained, “This reduces the animal’s capacity to produce milk. That is why experts recommend that the animals should not be walked all over the country; they should be domiciled in places and fed properly. Recommendations have been made for ranches, grazing fields and all that, because as they are moved around the country, the cows cannot get enough water and they waste a lot of energy which they need to produce milk. As a result, the quantity of milk they produce on a daily basis is reduced.”
The expert recommended the cross breeding of local and foreign cows to improve the quality of milk produced in the country.
He said, “Our local breeds of cattle have the capacity to produce quality milk if we select them properly. But foreign breed can be brought in to breed with local ones which have gone through the process of screening to pick the best. The offspring of such cross-breeding will give us better cows that would give us more milk than the local ones.”


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Earlier this month, Microsoft announced that they would be canceling their Xbox Live video service Inside Xbox. Fortunately that hasn't stopped some of the team's former members from pressing on, as a handful of the crew has just announced that they are starting up a production company of their own called Explosive Alan Productions.
The news comes from MCV in a report that reveals that in addition to the famed co-host Dan Maher, both Gareth Wild and Ashley Denton are signed on as part of the production team. They're just getting the company off of the ground, but that doesn't mean they're waiting to get the ball rolling. In fact, Maher confirmed via Twitter early this morning that they'll be covering a Square Enix event tomorrow.
And, to no one's surprise, Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson issued a Tweet of congratulations immediately following the big news, saying "Well done guys! Can't wait to see what you've got planned."
Hooray! Fist bumps all around.


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Bryson Rowley was that hero who used his own truck to stop a dangerous joyrider from potentially running over a child. The collision caused some $7,500 to his 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, but instead of getting stuck with the bill his community pitched in a helping hand.
You ever hear a story and start cringing before you hear the end because you know how it's going to turn out? That could very well have been the case with the story from a few weeks ago in West Valley City, Utah, where a 14-year-old kid stole his grandfather's Hyundai Veloster and took it for a joyride – through a park full of c
Chrysler has announced that it will issue three separate recalls that will cover as many as 1.2 million Ram pickup trucks for "steering-system tie rods that may have been misaligned during assembly or steering-system service." The vast majority of these trucks were sold in the United States, though some trucks in Mexico, Canada or overseas will be called in, as well.
Forget Corvette versus Viper. When it comes to important head-to-head comparisons, fullsize trucks are where domestic automakers really care. And until the redesigned Ford F-150 makes its debut, the Chevrolet Silverado is going to have plenty to brag about thanks to a new Con
Chrysler is reportedly having a hard time ramping up production of its 2013 Ram 1500. According to The Detroit News, only 16 of the 58 trucks built at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant during the model's first hour passed final inspection. While quality eventually improved over the course of the day, just over half of the units built on Thursday were approved for shipment. Even with workers o
Motor Trend has named their 2013 Truck of the Year, and this time, the coveted honor goes to Chrysler's 2013 Ram 1500. The Ram unseats the Ford F-150 pickup from Truck of the Year with a package that the magazine argues fulfills owners' needs for everyday usability as much as worksite utility.
Remember last year's Ram Long-Hauler Concept? It of 197.7-inch-wheelbase, mirror-filling width and a 37,500-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating? Fred Diaz and company want to build it.
Our spy photographers have managed to lay their lenses on the 2014 Ram HD family ahead of the truck's launch next year. From the looks of things, designers have graced the pickups with a new grille and projector headlamp arrays as well as LED taillamps. It's unclear whether the upgraded rear light arrays well be standard equipment or optional as on the 2013 Ram 15
Well this should make a Ram fan or two blush. A Ram four-door pulling a trailer was saved from the clutches of a muddy rut by none other than a second-generation Subaru Impreza. That's the power of all-wheel drive for ya!
Everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes the pickup truck market. The market is so big, in fact, that truck manufacturers regularly unveil new models at the Texas State Fair, and create special models just for the largest of contiguous states in the union. For Chrysler, that means the Ram 1500 Lone Star – a special edition available only in Texa
The newest trim line of the Ram family will also be its most expensive. The 2012 Ram Laramie Limited will have a starting price of $45,700 for a 1500 4x2 model, Ram officials tell Autoblog. That's well over double the $21,820 asking price of a no-frills 1500.
Ram is set to introduce a new top-of-the-line pickup at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show next month. The Ram Laramie Limited treats buyers to all the niceties we've come to expect from the so-called "ultrapremium" truck segment. Leather seats with contrasting piping, piano-black trim, LED ambient lighting and unique gauges are all part of the package, as are deep berber carpet floor mats. Look for t
Ram has announced a slew of additions to its line of pickup trucks, starting with the 1500 Tradesman Heavy Duty. The vehicle combines all of the excellent value of the standard Tradesman, but throws in the joy of three-quarter-ton towing and cargo capacity as well. Ram says that the vehicle now boasts the best-in-class title for both of those categories. With a maximum trailer weight of 11,500
Here at Autoblog, we're big fans of the Ford Raptor. So when Dodge announced that Mopar would be prepping a Ram for a head-to-head duel, we were quite excited to see the outcome of that project. Officially revealed in all its glory on March 28 of this year, the Ram Runner kit is offered in seven component sets that allow you to build your R


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Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( TSM) rallied Thursday as the market applauded strong second-quarter revenue and earnings from the world's leading semiconductor foundry. News of strengthening selling prices and continued demand for silicon used in consumer devices and handsets roused chip investors out of their recent bearishness. In addition, Chief Executive Officer Morris Chang said he expects the semiconductor industry to grow 8% next year, though he expects his own company to surpass average industry growth. That 8% estimate stands above the June forecast of the Semiconductor Industry Association, which called for 2005 revenue growth of just over 4%. TSM stock was recently up 18 cents, or 2.7%, to $6.95. Early Thursday, TSM reported second-quarter net income doubled from the prior year to $701 million, or 15 cents per share, of American Depositary Receipts, a penny ahead of expectations. Revenue surged 30% to $1.944 billion, compared to the consensus estimate for $1.933 billion. On a sequential basis, sales grew 12.8%. Revenue growth stemmed from a 9.4% increase in wafer shipments and a 3.2% increase in wafer average selling prices, or ASPs, helped also by a slightly weaker U.S. dollar exchange rate. Revenue was boosted primarily by growth in chips used for consumer gadgets, followed by silicon for cell phones. Revenue from computer chips was flat. The growth in ASPs marked a reversal of the prior quarter's 3.2% decline. TSM management said the increase was driven by a better product mix and improved pricing environment. Second-quarter gross margin rose to 43.4% from 39.5% in the prior quarter, a gain the company chalked up to higher utilization levels, improved selling prices and more favorable manufacturing costs. TSM boasted a quarterly utilization rate of 106% in the period. It expects that figure to subside somewhat but remain above 100% in the third quarter. Foundries are able to increase capacity (which is a subjective engineering estimate in itself) beyond 100% by "balancing the loadings," or carefully arranging orders in the most efficient way possible, explained Charles Byers, director of worldwide brand management for TSM.
In the third quarter now under way, Chief Financial Officer Lora Ho predicted wafer shipments will show a sequential increase in the mid-single digits, with selling prices flat. Gross margin will rise slightly to about 45%. Analysts are forecasting the company can lift EPS to 16 cents a share on revenue of $2.134 billion. TSM also said capital expenditure for the year is expected to clock in at about $2.4 billion.


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The cost of alcohol use to the government in England has been over-stated by public health campaigners, and in fact the revenue from taxes outweighs such costs to the tune of £6.5bn, according to a report from the Institute of Economic Affairs.
Anti-counterfeit technologies widely adopted in developed regions such as US, Germany
RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags represent the fastest growing F&B anti-counterfeit products at 20.4% CAGR from 2015-2020, according to Allied Market Research (AMR), an Oregon, US based market Intelligence company.
The UK food and drink industry is facing a “notable skills gap” – a trend that if not reversed will hit the sector’s ability to compete on a national and global scale, said the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
The UK government has ended speculation about the future of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), announcing that the body will retain its food safety remit but be stripped, in England, of responsibility for nutrition policy and country of origin (COOL) labelling.
It is time to admit that society is fighting a part-time battle
against the bulge, willingly lambasting soft drinks, burgers and
chocolate, while shuffling silently away from a fairly dismal
The UK government has finally begun the process of changing the
country's draconian licensing laws, a move which politicians claim
could pave the way for all-day drinking. But the industry is
already sending out mixed messages...


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INDEPENDENCE TWP. — An Ohio man stole guitars valued at more than $2,000 from an Independence Township home and sold them to a music store in Calcutta, police said.
Dillon Swogger, 20, of Niles, Ohio, is charged with two counts each of burglary and criminal trespassing and single counts of theft and receiving stolen property.
A Ridge Road resident reported May 7 that sometime after April 19, someone had stolen an acoustic guitar and two electric guitars, with a total value of $2,150, from his detached garage. He gave police information on their certificates of authenticity.
Three days later, the victim told police that he had found one of his guitars at D.C. Music Store in Calcutta, Ohio. Police visited the store and found another guitar there, but the third one had been bought by an employee, who returned it.
Police identified Swogger from a photograph provided by the store owner. The victim had to pay $415 to get his guitars back from the store.
A witness who had accompanied Swogger told police that he stole the guitars from his “uncle’s garage” and then sold them to the music store. Later, police said Swogger called the Beaver County 911 Center, asked to speak to an Independence officer and said he wanted to take full responsibility for the thefts. The call was recorded.
Swogger has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday in Beaver County Court.


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Welcome to the newest version of Cointelegraph’s decentralized finance (DeFi) e-newsletter.
DYdX surpassed Coinbase in day by day buying and selling quantity for the primary time this week. Learn on to find why this was a seminal second for the mission’s founder.
What you’re about to learn is the concise model of this article. For the complete breakdown of DeFi’s developments during the last week — launched with extra anticipation than a layer-two airdrop — register beneath.
dYdX surpasses Coinbase in buying and selling quantity for first time
Decentralized derivatives change dYdX has risen to prominence by 2021 as a substitute for the hegemony and governmental transparency of centralized exchanges. It was revealed that dYdX surpassed the day by day buying and selling quantity of crypto change stalwart Coinbase for the primary time in its historical past.
Analytical information from CoinGecko revealed that dYdX facilitated in extra of $4.3 billion buying and selling exercise on Sept. 26, eclipsing Coinbase’s output of $3.7 billion by nearly 15%.
This marks a full-circle second for dYdX founder Antonio Juliano, who beforehand utilized his commerce at Coinbase. He recalled a time when he first spoke to CEO Brian Armstrong about his ambitions to launch an organization sooner or later, receiving the response, “That’s superior, let’s see how we may also help you do this.”
Juliano celebrated the landmark in a sequence of tweets final Sunday:
5 years in the past I left @coinbase and ultimately based dYdX
— Antonio | dYdX (@AntonioMJuliano) September 26, 2021
Cardano to allow new DeFi stablecoin with Coti
It was introduced this week that Cardano’s cost gateway supplier, Coti, is anticipated to challenge a brand new stablecoin known as Djed to assist the ecosystem’s ambitions in making certain worth stability and rising the transparency of fuel charges on the community.
In line with Djed’s analysis paper launched in August, its stablecoin protocol will behave like an “autonomous financial institution that buys and sells stablecoins for a worth in a variety that’s pegged to a goal worth.” The stablecoin will function by sustaining a reserve of base cash whereas minting and burning varied different steady belongings and reserve cash.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson believes that the Djed stablecoin could possibly be revolutionary for the crypto house, because it appeals to an “totally new viewers at a time when the trade is already experiencing astronomical progress.”
White hat hacker paid DeFi’s largest reported bounty charge
Automated market maker protocol Belt Finance provided the largest reported bounty within the historical past of DeFi this week to a white hat hacker chargeable for discovering a bug that, if exploited, might have uncovered $10 million in belongings.
For his good-willed efforts, trade programmer Alexander Schlindwein obtained a beneficiant compensation of $1.05 million, $1 million of which was granted by software program safety platform Immunefi, whereas the extra $50,000 was provided by Binance Sensible Chain’s Precedence One program upon which Belt Finance is constructed.
Cointelegraph spoke to Schlindwein for an unique perception into the timeline of occasions, in addition to the broader implications of bounty packages on DeFi’s safety panorama:
“I’m strongly satisfied of the significance of bug bounties and initiatives corresponding to bounty funds. Bug bounties are the final line of protection ought to a difficulty slip by the overlying layers with the potential to forestall a devastating hack whereas as an alternative critically fixing the problem and compensating the finder.”
Schlindwein concluded, “It’s nice to see a whole lot of tasks launching their bug bounty these days, which will definitely deliver DeFi safety ahead in the long term.”
Analytical information reveals that DeFi’s whole worth locked has elevated 15.34% throughout the week to a determine of $121.41 billion.
Analytical information on Cointelegraph Markets and TradingView reveals that DeFi’s high 50 tokens by market capitalization largely struggled throughout the final seven days, with a handful of outstanding exceptions.
DYDX secured the rostrum’s high spot with a formidable 82.39%. UNI got here a good second with 23.88%, whereas PERP bagged third with 21.45%. Fourth and fifth place had been claimed by FTM and XTZ with 11.62% and eight.67%, respectively.
Additional DeFi tales from the week:
Thanks for studying our abstract of this week’s most impactful DeFi developments. Be part of us once more subsequent Friday for extra tales, insights and training on this dynamically evolving ecosystem.


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Prada has just inked a 5-year loan worth €50 million with French banking group Crédit Agricole, making history as the first luxury brand to obtain one with sustainability-related conditions. The agreement allows for interest rates to be adjusted annually according to how successful the fashion house is in meeting key targets around the sustainability of its products and operations.
The loan focuses on three specific objectives. The first condition relates to the brand's physical stores, stipulating that a certain number of them must be certified gold or platinum by the green-building rating system Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which takes into account the design of a building, its management, and the amount of resources it consumes or waste it produces. The second requires Prada to increase the training hours of its employees, and the third reinforces the brand's pledge to phase out the use of virgin nylon by 2021, shifting instead to Econyl, a recyclable yarn upcycled from plastic waste.
This is the latest of a number of sustainable initiatives by the Italian house. Earlier this year, Prada announced that it was going fur-free, and also launched the Re-Nylon collection, consisting of bags made from the regenerated Econyl material. "This transaction demonstrates that sustainability is a key element for the development of the Prada Group, increasingly integrated into our strategy," commented Alessandra Cozzani, Prada's chief financial officer.


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The top executive at Cereals Canada is reassuring the country’s growers that exports of Canadian wheat and barley to China have not been affected by the recent diplomatic and trade issues that have hit canola.
However, Cam Dahl, executive director with Cereals Canada, said March 27 that situation could change quickly.
“I think the most important point to make is that right now, we are not seeing any restrictions on cereal crops,” Dahl said.
The Canadian grains sector is sitting on pins and needles this spring following confirmation that exports of Canadian canola to China have been curtailed.
Unconfirmed media reports last week suggested that exports of other Canadian crops including wheat, barley, peas and flax have also been affected, but Dahl said he has no evidence to suggest that’s the case.
So far, exports of Canadian wheat and barley to China are up sharply in the 2018-19 crop year, he added.
Canada typically exports about 750,000 tonnes of wheat annually to China. Industry estimates suggest that number could increase to around two million tonnes by the end of the 2018-19 crop year, which ends July 31.
“This year, with exports to China, we’ve seen a significant increase in both wheat and barley,” said Dahl, who characterized China and a mid-sized market for Canadian cereal grains.
Phil de Kemp, executive director with the Barley Council of Canada, said he’s seen no signs that Canadian barley exports to China have been negatively impacted.
“I know there are some rumours out there but right now it’s still business as usual with respect to barley (shipments) to China,” de Kemp said March 27.
Canadian barley shipments to China are up substantially and have been increasing over the past couple of years, he added.
In the 2018 calendar year, exports to China totalled about 1.7 million tonnes. Export volumes to China for the 2018-19 crop year are expected to come in at around 1.3 to 1.5 million tonnes.
The majority of barley exports to China are used by the Chinese malting and brewing industries, which prefer Canadian malting barley for its high protein and high enzyme packages.
Adjunct brewers in China combine Canadian malt barley with other commodities such as corn and rice.
De Kemp said China’s appetite for Canadian malting barley has been strong for some time, particularly in light of production problems in Australia, where barley yields have been low due to lack of moisture.
Dahl said Cereals Canada is aware of the risks that strained diplomatic relations with China pose.
“We know there’s a risk of non-science based restrictions being placed on exports to China, outside of canola. But what might trigger those responses? We just don’t know that,” he said.
Dahl also said it’s unlikely that a measured retaliatory response — such as suspending agricultural trade missions to China or cancelling scheduled visits from Chinese delegations — would benefit the Canadian cereal grains sector.
A number of industry-funded organizations — including the Canadian International Grains Institute and the Canadian Malt Barley Technical Centre — work closely with Chinese buyers of wheat and barley, sharing technical information about Canadian grains and hosting visiting delegations.
Cereals Canada also sends its own delegation to major markets each year to promote Canadian wheat and support marketing efforts in foreign countries.
So far, there has been no discussions about suspending such efforts, he said.
Dahl characterized the current trade situation as “extremely unpredictable” adding that growers and exporters are facing a growing list of costly market access restrictions.
“We’re seeing restrictions and market access issues with canola in China; this is on top of pulses in India, this is on top of durum in Italy, this is on top of concerns in Peru … (and) Vietnam and we have ongoing diplomatic issues with Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Earlier this week, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association echoed those concerns and encouraged the Liberal government in Ottawa to send a high-level delegation to China to bring certainty to Canadian canola exports.
“If the prime minister wants to support the Canadian agriculture economy, we should have this agriculture delegation starting immediately and not stopping until we have met with the appropriate officials in China, India, Italy, Peru and Vietnam,” said WCWGA chair Jim Wickett, a farmer from Rosetown, Sask.