Category: Agriculture

  • MIL-OSI: EarthOptics™ Surpasses 5 Million Acres Mapped, Solidifies Position as Global Leader In Soil Measurement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINNEAPOLIS, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EarthOptics, the leading soil data and measurement platform, has now mapped over five million acres of farmland and rangeland across its agronomic and sustainability business lines. This milestone further cements EarthOptics position as the world’s most comprehensive soil intelligence company—and the unrivaled leader in below-ground data.

    EarthOptics rapid scaling is driving a seismic shift in agriculture, from input efficiency to sustainability measurement, spanning the continental U.S. states and multiple continents. The company’s robust footprint now fuels the largest soil metagenomic dataset ever assembled, unlocking unprecedented insights into the biological, chemical, and physical properties of soil.

    “Our vision is to transform how the world understands and manages soil,” said Lars Dyrud, CEO of EarthOptics. “Surpassing 5 million acres isn’t just a milestone in growth—it’s a signal that the future of agriculture depends on deeper, smarter, and scalable soil insights. No one is doing this at the scale, speed, or accuracy that we are.”

    EarthOptics integrated platform combines ground-truth physical samples with its GroundOwl™ multimodal sensor and artificial intelligence (AI) models. This next-generation approach generates the highest-resolution, actionable insights for growers, agronomists, carbon market operators, and input providers alike. With thousands of soil samples collected weekly, EarthOptics enables data-driven decisions for fertility planning, tillage, crop planning, carbon credits, and biological interventions. The company’s technologies are reducing customer costs by minimizing required sampling and unlocking new value from the soil, be it improved yields or verified carbon sequestration.

    Their unmatched scale has created the world’s most expansive biological soil database, positioning the company at the forefront of predictive agronomy, input optimization, and sustainable land management. This biological dataset is already being utilized to facilitate the early detection of pests, pathogens, and nutrient deficiencies through AI-based modeling.

    Partnering with carbon registries, food brands, ranchers, farmers, agronomists, and input companies, EarthOptics is emerging as the leader in scalable soil analytics. With an expanding customer base and increasing demand for trusted data to back sustainability claims, the company’s reach is accelerating. For more information, go to www.earthoptics.com.

    About EarthOptics

    Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, EarthOptics harnesses advances in soil-sensing technologies, genomics, and data science to provide farmers and ranchers with deep, actionable insights into their soil’s chemical, physical, and biological properties. By blending cutting-edge laboratory analysis with industry-leading field-based sensors, we deliver powerful predictive insights that enable producers to optimize input use, improve soil health, increase yields, and unlock new opportunities in sustainable agriculture. EarthOptics is also the leading carbon measurement company in the U.S., supporting the growth of carbon markets with accurate, verifiable soil data. The company has offices in Raleigh, North Carolina; Emeryville, California; Blacksburg, Virginia; and Fayetteville, Arkansas, with laboratories in Emeryville, California, and Memphis, Tennessee. Learn more at www.EarthOptics.com.

    For media interviews or to request investor materials, please contact:
    Natalie McCracken
    Director of Marketing
    708-220-4342
    natalie.mccracken@earthoptics.com

    For media interviews, contact:
    Jill Means
    Mod Op Vice President, Account Director
    515-710-2667
    jill.means@modop.com

    The MIL Network

  • PM Modi to unveil development projects worth around Rs 2,200 crore in Varanasi on August 2

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to gift a major developmental boost to his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, by inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 2,200 crore on August 2. The initiatives span across infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, cultural preservation, urban development, and rural welfare, aiming at holistic urban transformation and improved quality of life for residents.

    The Prime Minister will address the public and unveil key infrastructure projects including the widening and strengthening of the Varanasi–Bhadohi road, Chhitauni–Shool Tankeshwar road, and the inauguration of a railway overbridge at Hardattpur to decongest the Mohan Sarai–Adalpura Road. He will also lay the foundation for road development projects across Dalmandi, Lahartara-Kotwa, Gangapur, and Babatpur, along with two new railway overbridges at Level Crossing 22C and Khalispur Yard.

    To enhance the region’s electricity infrastructure, PM Modi will launch the Smart Distribution Project and underground electrification works worth over Rs 880 crore.

    In a significant boost to tourism and cultural heritage, PM Modi will inaugurate redevelopment works at eight riverfront kuccha ghats, Kalika Dham, Rangildas Kutiya pond and ghat, and Durgakund. He will also lay the foundation stone for the restoration of Kardameshwar Mahadev Temple, redevelopment of Munshi Premchand’s ancestral home in Lamahi, development of Karkhiyaon – the birthplace of several freedom fighters – and the upgradation of museums and city facility centres in Sarnath, Rishi Mandvi, and Ramnagar zones.

    In line with environmental sustainability, the Prime Minister will launch the development of an urban Miyawaki forest at Kanchanpur and the beautification of Shaheed Udyan and 21 additional parks. Water purification and maintenance works will also be initiated at various historical kunds, including Ramkund and Mandakini.

    To bolster rural water access, PM Modi will inaugurate 47 rural drinking water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

    As part of his commitment to strengthening education, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the upgradation of 53 schools within the municipal limits and lay the foundation stone for several educational infrastructure projects, including a new district library and rejuvenation of government high schools.

    In the health sector, PM Modi will inaugurate state-of-the-art facilities at Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, including robotic surgery and CT scan installations. He will also lay the foundation for a new Homoeopathic College and Hospital, and open an Animal Birth Control Centre and Dog Care Facility.

    For sports and law enforcement, a new synthetic hockey turf will be inaugurated at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Sports Stadium, while a 300-capacity Multipurpose Hall at PAC Ramnagar and Quick Response Team (QRT) Barracks will be unveiled.

    In a major announcement for farmers, the Prime Minister will release the 20th instalment of PM-KISAN, transferring over Rs 20,500 crore to more than 9.7 crore farmers across India. This will take the cumulative disbursement under the scheme to over Rs 3.90 lakh crore.

    To engage the youth and promote local talent, PM Modi will launch the registration portal for the upcoming Kashi Sansad Pratiyogita, covering competitions in sketching, painting, photography, sports, knowledge, and employment-related activities.

    The event will also witness the distribution of over 7,400 assistive aids to Divyangjan and elderly beneficiaries, further reinforcing the government’s commitment to inclusivity and social welfare.

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Nearly $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in the Piedmont

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Nearly $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in the Piedmont

    Governor Stein Announces Nearly $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in the Piedmont
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded nearly $11 million to trail development and restoration projects in the Piedmont. The General Assembly authorized these funds as part of the Great Trails State Program. 

    “The Piedmont is known for its cities and world-class universities, but from Pilot Mountain to the Haw River, it’s also home to some of our state’s most amazing wildlife and natural wonders,” said Governor Stein. “This funding will spur local tourism and encourage more people to explore North Carolina’s incredible beauty.”

    “Trails bring outstanding benefits to both urban and rural communities, boosting tourism and economic development,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “This generous funding, made possible by the N.C. General Assembly, will help transform the state trails system in the Great Trails State.”

    The General Assembly established the Great Trails State Program in 2023, representing a historic investment of $25 million in North Carolina trails. The program offers matching grants to North Carolina local governments, public authorities, NC Regional Councils of Government, and nonprofit organizations. 

    These awards include projects at more than 70 local trails throughout the state, helping to solidify North Carolina as the Great Trails State. In the Piedmont, 37 local trail projects will benefit from $10,923,111 in Great Trails State Program funding, including improvements to the Haw River State Trail and maintenance on the American Tobacco Trail. Governor Stein previously announced more than $13 million in funding to create and restore trails in western and eastern North Carolina.

    “The 125 member organizations of the Great Trails State Coalition thank the North Carolina General Assembly for creating and funding the Great Trails State Program,” said Palmer McIntyre, director of the N.C. Great Trails State Coalition. “This visionary investment in all types of trails across the state will deliver transformative economic, health, and quality-of-life benefits for communities of all sizes. The Coalition will continue to work alongside N.C. State Parks to support this program.” 

    Local communities applied for grants to fund new trail development or to extend existing trails. This includes paved trails or greenways, natural surface trails, biking trails, equestrian trails, and any other type of trail the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources recognizes. Projects could include planning and feasibility studies, design and engineering, acquisition of land for trail development, trail construction, and maintenance of existing trails. Applicants were required to provide matching funds, based on their county tier designation. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation received 89 applications requesting $28 million, and 79 projects were selected. More than $44.5 million was provided in matching funds for a total trails investment exceeding $69.3 million.

    Piedmont North Carolina grant recipients and amounts: 

    • Alamance County: Alamance County, $150,000 for HRST – Riverwide Enhancements
    • Alamance County: Alamance County, $190,000 for Shallow Ford Expansion and Enhancements
    • Cabarrus County: City of Concord, $500,000 for Concord McEachern Greenway Extension
    • Cabarrus County: City of Kannapolis, $145,000 for Irish Buffalo Creek Greenway Phase 2
    • Chatham County: Chatham County, $251,294 for Haw River State Trail Pegg Tract Improvements
    • Chatham County: Chatham County, $75,000 for Deep River State Trail Feasibility Study for Chatham County
    • Davidson County: City of Thomasville, $100,000 for Memorial Park Drive Greenway Expansion Design & Engineering
    • Durham County: City of Durham, $500,000 for American Tobacco Trail Maintenance
    • Durham County: Durham County, $500,000 for Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail Corridor Acquisition
    • Durham and Wake County: Triangle Land Conservancy, $137,092 for Old Creedmoor Trail System
    • Forsyth County: Piedmont Triad Regional Council, $500,000 for Piedmont Greenway: Triad Park/Reedy Fork Segment – Phases 1 and 2
    • Franklin County: Town of Franklinton, $500,000 for Franklinton Nature Preserve
    • Franklin County: Town of Louisburg, $100,000 for Joyner Park Trail Project
    • Granville County: Town of Butner, $500,000 for East Lyon Station Greenway Extension
    • Guilford County: Town of Summerfield, $500,000 for Bandera Farms Park Trails: Piedmont Greenway + Equestrian Trails
    • Harnett County: Harnett County, $230,538 for South River Road Greenway – Phase 1
    • Hoke County: City of Raeford, $175,480 for City Pond Trails and Park Design and Engineering
    • Johnston County: Town of Selma, $500,000 for Selma MST Nature Preserve Trail Phase I
    • Johnston County: Johnston County, $225,000 for Neuse River Trail – Talton Property
    • Orange County: Town of Chapel Hill, $399,000 for Construction of Tanyard Branch Trail Neighborhood Connector
    • Orange County: Orange County, $101,178 for Seven Mile Creek Natural Area Mountains-to-Sea Trail Expansion
    • Randolph County: City of Asheboro, $134,000 for North Asheboro Greenway Design and Engineering
    • Randolph County: Randolph County, $175,000 for DRST Harlan Creek Bridge Design/Engineering
    • Randolph County: Randolph County, $172,000 for Randleman Dam to Randleman Blueway/Paddleway
    • Randolph County: City of Archdale, $143,250 for Hope Valley Road Trail Extension
    • Rockingham County: Town of Mayodan, $251,185 for Farris Memorial Park Trail
    • Rockingham County: Rockingham County Tourism Development Authority, $298,872 for Hogan’s Creek Trail
    • Rowan County: Town of Spencer, $460,000 for Stanback Educational Forest – Rocky Branch Loop Trail
    • Union County: Village of Marvin, $491,925 for Marvin Loop Greenway Completion Project
    • Union County: Town of Waxhaw, $250,000 for Twelve Mile Creek Greenway – Prescot Connector
    • Wake County: Town of Holly Springs, $300,000 for Middle Creek to Camp Branch Greenway
    • Wake County: City of Raleigh, $350,000 for Forest Ridge Park Mountain Bike Trail Extension Project
    • Wake County: City of Raleigh, $400,000 for Marsh Creek Trail Corridor Planning & Feasibility Study
    • Wake County: Town of Apex, $200,000 for Design and Engineering for Reedy Branch Greenway
    • Wake County: Town of Wendell, $500,000 for Buffalo Creek Greenway Phase I
    • Wake County: Town of Morrisville, $417,297 for Sawmill Creek Greenway
    • Warren County: Warren County, $100,000 for Buck Spring Trail Accessibility Improvements 
    Jul 31, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hogback Man Charged After Violent Altercation Involving Firearm Leaves Woman Injured

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Hogback man is facing federal charges after an argument escalated into violence in front of multiple witnesses

    According to court documents, on June 19, 2025, Renaldo Descheny, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted Jane Doe by strangling her and striking her in the face with a firearm. The assault resulted in a laceration requiring hospital treatment. During the altercation, Descheny also pointed the firearm at multiple individuals and discharged the weapon several times, including firing towards the vehicle as the victims attempted to flee.

    Descheny is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Descheny faces up to 10 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Bill to Ban Chinese and Iranian Nationals from Studying in the United States

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is taking aggressive action to prevent students from countries that hate the U.S. from getting their foot in the door at American colleges and universities with his introduction of the Student Visa Integrity Act. Students from adversarial countries—such as China and Iran—would be prohibited from studying in the United States altogether. Senator Tuberville announced his new legislation on Mornings with Maria.

    “I was recently shocked to learn how many students from hostile countries like China and Iran are studying at our American universities—including in my home state of Alabama,” said Senator Tuberville. “We need to go on offense against countries who hate us and are desperate to try to take us down—as we saw with the violent, anti-American protests on our college campuses over the past few months. There is zero reason why we should be allowing students from countries that hate us to take the spot of a law-abiding American citizen at our elite colleges and universities. I’m proud to introduce the Student Visa Integrity Act to crack down on rampant abuse of student visas and to make our American Universities Prioritize Americans Again.”

    Complete text for the Student Visa Integrity Act can be found here. Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Immigration Accountability Project, and Heritage Action endorsed Senator Tuberville’s legislation.

    “The Student Visa Integrity Act makes it clear: a student visa is a privilege, not a right.  Visas provide foreign nationals a special opportunity to study in the United States before returning home – not a free pass to exploit our laws or remain indefinitely in the country. FAIR is proud to support this bill and applauds Senator Tuberville for fighting to prevent student visa abuse, uphold our laws, and keep American communities safe,” said Joe Chatham, Director of Government Relations for FAIR.

    “The student visa program has been plagued with fraud and abuse for decades, and reforms are long overdue. The Student Visa Integrity Act of 2025 would help restore integrity to the program, ending open-ended ‘duration of status’ for foreign students, increasing penalties for program abuse, and closing significant national security loopholes exploited by our foreign adversaries. The Immigration Accountability Project is thankful to Senator Tuberville for introducing this vital effort,” said Grant Newman, Director of Government Relations for Immigration Accountability Project.

    “China and other adversarial countries pose a direct threat to the United States, our schools, educators, and our students. The Student Visa Integrity Act would protect American educational institutions from foreign influence. Heritage Action has worked tirelessly to promote legislation that protects our education system from destructive foreign adversaries. We are committed to this goal and applaud Senator Tuberville for introducing the Student Visa Integrity Act,” said Steve Chartan, Vice President of Government Relations for Heritage Action.

    BACKGROUND:

    Foreign students are currently tracked and monitored using the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This system was mandated by Congress after the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing where one of the people responsible was in the United States on an expired student visa. The system was finally implemented in 2003 and has received minimal updates since.

    Recent data shows that approximately 1.5 million international students are studying in the United States using F-1 or M-1 visas, which is more than DOUBLE the amount in 2012. Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also showed that during Fiscal Year 2023, an estimated 50,000 student or exchange visitor visa holders overstayed the completion of their program.

    The Student Visa Integrity Act would: 

    • Prohibit citizens from adversarial countries from studying in the U.S.
    • Require schools to disclose any dealings with the Chinese government
    • Prohibit foreign students from transferring schools or changing their major/program of study
    • Increase penalties for schools and officials found engaging in visa fraud by making convicted offenders eligible for prison time or to be disqualified from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program altogether
    • Require that foreign students have a definitive end date to prevent visa overstays and also require in-person interviews for some foreign students


    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: Let’s Get Government Employees Closer to the People They Serve

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Discuss USDA Relocation & Trump Trade Deal
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Suzanne Alexander on RFD-TV’s Market Day Report to discuss the USDA coming to Kansas City as part of their relocation efforts, President Trump’s trade deals and their significance to American agriculture, and his legislation to bring farmers more clarity, the Clear Waters Act.

    Click HERE or on the image above to listen to Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On USDA reorganization:
    “You know, the farmers and ranchers were the original conservationists, and we need to keep bragging on the USDA reorganization. Look, I’m excited to get government employees closer to the people that they serve. So, 4000 USDA employees here in DC, by the way, only 6% of them were working in the offices until January of this year, February of this year. So, we’re going to move about half of those out to the country, and one of those places is Kansas City. And what I’m excited about moving more workers to the Kansas City offices, number one, we get more Kansas City Chiefs fans. But beyond that, they’re going to be closer to my alma mater, Kansas State University, Iowa State University, Nebraska, really some of the strongest ag schools in America, and that’s going to help populate that USDA program there in Kansas City. It’s agriculture economics they focus on, as well as handing out the grants for agriculture research. So, I just think getting USDA workers closer to their customers has to be a good thing. So, I’m excited.”
    On USDA relocation pushback in Congress:
    “Look, I have a great deal of respect for Senator Klobuchar. She’s a good friend, but I we respectfully disagree. This has been well thought out. The first time I met Secretary Rollins in person, back in, goodness, it may have been November, December of last year, she talked about this reorganization. So, I think every member on that committee has had a chance to have her come in and talk about this. This isn’t half-baked. The Assistant Secretary, Steven Vaden, former Judge Vaden, international trade court judge is in charge of this plan. I think it’s well thought out. And again, I just don’t know what American is going to come up to me and say, “It’s not a good idea to move people out of Washington, DC.” I would take two-thirds of the Federal officers that are working here in DC and move them out to those flyover states. It’s just such a different culture here in Washington, DC – it is the swamp. I just think when you have USDA workers going to church, going to soccer games, going to a Kansas State football game together, that they’re going to just have a better product when it’s all said and done.”
    On the Clear Waters Act:
    “Yeah, think about Waters of the US. This has been going on since 1972. You get a Democrat president in office, and they expand what water the US has. And we get President Trump in office, and he tries to cut it back. But what our bill does is clarify this and give our farmers certainty. Look, your listeners understand that a pothole, that a pond, that is not a navigable stream. So, we clearly define what navigable streams are, that it needs to be a body of water that can continuously flow and touches one of those main navigable streams. Kansas only has three navigable streams, for instance, throughout the years. So, it just gives us some clarity. But I want to emphasize to anyone on the other side of this that farmers and ranchers are the best environmentalists. Those that are that are practicing modern precision agriculture are decreasing the drift from their fields by 90% using modern-day agriculture techniques. We’re decreasing 90% of the drip from those fields. But I just want to get the farmers, the ranchers, some certainty, our dairy farmers, people that have feed lots, we need certainty in this area. And look, we’re going to do our best to take care of the environment as well.”
    On the Dairy Pride Act:
    “Well, I think there’s a lot of fake products out there, right? And with all due respect to almond juice and some of the other juices out there, they’re not milk products. As far as I’m concerned. I don’t know why they’re in the milk portion of the grocery store, just like I don’t want plant-based protein sitting beside a hamburger born and raised and processed in Kansas. So, I think again, we just want customers to know what they’re drinking or eating. And almond juice is not milk. And by the way, we’re getting closer and closer to getting whole milk, there it is, whole milk back into schools as well.”
    On how Trump trade deals are benefiting American agriculture:
    “I’m just so ecstatic to see these chickens come home to roost, right? President Trump has used these tariffs to negotiate better trade deals, trade deals that I hope are going to let our grandchildren continue to work on our farms. Look, we’ve not sold a cheeseburger to Europe, a gallon of ethanol to England in my lifetime. So, beyond just the tariffs, what the President is doing is removing non-tariff barriers. And again, your listeners are educated. They understand what China [and] the EU does to keep American agriculture products out of those countries. So, by removing those, we’re going to sell more and more products. And I just, you know, there are lots of things we could talk about, but look at President Trump’s strategy here, how he’s boxing in China. Last night, he announced a deal with South Korea, but beyond that, the EU, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, basically, he’s boxed China in here. China was doing a lot of trans shipments. So, they would make, say, t-shirts or tennis shoes. They would send it to Vietnam and bring it into this country on Vietnam tariff levels. Well, President Trump wasn’t born yesterday, so he’s tightening up that portion, and we’ll get that China trade deal soon, hopefully before the fall. Fall crops need to be harvested.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Cutting red tape, cultivating growth

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: By building the world’s biggest dam, China hopes to control more than just its water supply

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tom Harper, Lecturer in International Relations, University of East London

    China’s already vast infrastructure programme has entered a new phase as building work starts on the Motuo hydropower project.

    The dam will consist of five cascade hydropower stations arranged from upstream to downstream and, once completed, will be the world’s largest source of hydroelectric power. It will be four times larger than China’s previous signature hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, which spans the Yangtse river in central China.

    The Chinese premier, Li Qiang, has described the proposed mega dam as the “project of the century”. In several ways, Li’s description is apt. The vast scale of the project is a reflection of China’s geopolitical status and ambitions.

    Possibly the most controversial aspect of the dam is its location. The site is on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau. This is connected to the Brahmaputra river which flows into the Indian border state of Arunachal Pradesh as well as Bangladesh. It is an important source of water for Bangladesh and India.

    Both nations have voiced concerns over the dam, particularly since it can potentially affect their water supplies. The tension with India over the dam is compounded by the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has been a focal point of Sino-Indian tensions. China claims the region, which it refers to as Zangnan, saying it is part of what it calls South Tibet.

    At the same time, the dam presents Beijing with a potentially formidable geopolitical tool in its dealings with the Indian government. The location of the dam means that it is possible for Beijing to restrict India’s water supply.

    This potential to control downstream water supply to another country has been demonstrated by the effects that earlier dam projects in the region have had on the nations of the Mekong river delta in 2019. As a result, this gives Beijing a significant degree of leverage over its neighbours.

    One country restricting water supply to put pressure on another is by no means unprecedented. In fact in April 2025, following a terror attack by Pakistan-based The Resistance Front in Kashmir, which killed 26 people (mainly tourists), India suspended the Indus waters treaty, restricting water supplies to Pakistani farmers in the region. So the potential for China’s dam to disrupt water flows will further compound the already tense geopolitics of southern Asia.

    Concrete titans

    The Motuo mega dam is an advertisement of China’s prowess when it comes to large-scale infrastructure projects. China’s expertise with massive infrastructure projects is a big part of modern Chinese diplomacy through its massive belt and road initiative.

    This involves joint ventures with many developing nations to build large-scale infrastructure, such as ports, rail systems and the like. It has caused much consternation in Washington and Brussels, which view these initiatives as a wider effort to build Chinese influence at their expense.

    The completion of the dam will will bring Beijing significant symbolic capital as a demonstration of China’s power and prosperity – an integral feature of the image of China that Beijing is very keen to promote. It can also be seen as a manifestation of both China’s aspiration and its longstanding fears.

    Harnessing the rivers

    The Motuo hydropower project also represents the latest chapter of China’s long battle for control of its rivers, a key story in the development of Chinese civilisation.

    Rivers such as the Yangtze have been at the heart of the prosperity of several Chinese dynasties (the Yangtse is still a major economic driver in modern China) and has devastated others. The massive Yangtse flood of 1441 threatened the stability of the Ming dynasty, while an estimated 2 million people died when the river flooded in 1931.

    France 24 report on the construction of the mega dam project.

    Such struggles have been embodied in Chinese mythology in the form of the Gun-Yu myth. This tells the story of the way floods displaced the population of ancient China, probably based on an actual flooding at Jishi Gorge on the Yellow River in what is now Qinghai province in 1920BC.

    This has led to the common motif of rivers needing human control to abate natural disaster, a theme present in much classical Chinese culture and poetry.

    The pursuit of controlling China’s rivers has also been one of the primary influences on the formation of the Chinese state, as characterised by the concept of zhishui 治水 (controlling the rivers). Efforts to control the Yangtze have shaped the centralised system of governance that has characterised China throughout its history. In this sense, the Motuo hydropower project represents the latest chapter in China’s quest to harness the power of its rivers.

    Such a quest remains imperative for China and its importance has been further underlined by the challenges of climate change, which has seen natural resources such as water becoming increasingly limited. The Ganges river has already been identified as one of the world’s water scarcity hotspots.

    As well as sustaining China’s population, the hydropower provided by the dam is another part of China’s wider push towards self-sufficiency. It’s estimated that the dam could generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year – about the same about produced by the whole UK. While this will meet the needs of the local population, it also further entrenches China’s ability to produce cheap electricity – something that has enabled China to become and remain a manufacturing superpower.

    Construction has only just begun, but Motuo hydropower project has already become a microcosm of China’s wider push towards development. It’s also a gamechanger in the geopolitics of Asia, giving China the potential to exert greater control in shaping the region’s water supplies. This in turn will give it greater power to shape the geopolitics of the region.

    At the same time, it is also the latest chapter of China’s longstanding quest to harness its waterways, which now has regional implications beyond anything China’s previous dynasties could imagine.


    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Tom Harper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. By building the world’s biggest dam, China hopes to control more than just its water supply – https://theconversation.com/by-building-the-worlds-biggest-dam-china-hopes-to-control-more-than-just-its-water-supply-261984

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Big River First Nation and Canada reach agricultural benefits settlement agreement

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 31, 2025 — Big River First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan — Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Big River First Nation

    Today, Chief Jonathan Bear of Big River First Nation and the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced a settlement agreement resolving the Nation’s longstanding claims related to past treaty entitlements, including agricultural benefits, also known as a Cows and Plows settlement.

    Canada will pay $208 million in compensation to Big River First Nation in recognition of the federal government’s failure to provide farming tools, crop seed, ammunition and livestock promised under Treaty 6. These items were intended to support Big River First Nation in their agricultural pursuits. However, as a result of Canada’s failure to meet its Treaty obligations, the Nation did not have the equipment it needed to support its members. 

    Settling specific claims is an important part of Canada’s ongoing efforts to advance reconciliation by rebuilding trust and strengthening its relationships with First Nations. By providing fair compensation in recognition of unkept promises, Canada is taking responsibility and working toward a better future. This work is guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Ricketts Fights for America’s Producers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the One Big Beautiful Bill and his work to secure the future for those who feed and fuel America.

    Watch the video here.

    Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska,” said Ricketts.  Family farms, ranches, and agri-businesses are the backbone of communities across our state.  The One Big Beautiful Bill helps producers today and lays the foundation for strong agricultural growth tomorrow. It grows our economy at home and will help gain new markets abroad.”

    TRANSCRIPT:

    Senator Ricketts: “Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. 

    “Family farms, ranches, and agri-businesses are the backbone of communities across Nebraska. 

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill helps producers today and lays the foundation for strong agricultural growth tomorrow.  

    “It grows our economy at home and will help gain new markets abroad. 

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) secures the future for those who feed and fuel America—and the world.  

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill backs our way of life. 

    “First of all, the bill avoided a $2,400 tax increase that would have hit the average Nebraska family. 

    “That’s $2,400 that Nebraskans can continue to spend on groceries, electric bills or to save for a family vacation.   

    “The bill also helps farmers plan for the next generation. 

    “Over 80% of Nebraska’s farms are family-owned. 

    “The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act cut in half the number of farm and ranch families that were going to be subject to the Death Tax. 

    “The Big Beautiful Bill ensures the Death Tax exemption will now be permanent and rise with inflation. 

    “This will ensure that over $200 billion in hard-earned family farm assets across the country will go to the next generation and not the government. 

    “Now, more farms will be passed down, not taxed away to Uncle Sam.  

    “The 45Z clean fuel production credit is another major win for Nebraska. 

    “Biofuels are a win for consumers who save money at the pump. 

    “It’s a win for the environment, because it helps clean up our environment, and it’s a win for our farmers and ranchers. 

    “Last year, Nebraskans saved $325 million using ethanol blends. 

    “Last time I fueled up at Hy-Vee with E10, I saved 55 cents per gallon. 

    “The 45Z credit boosts biofuel production and creates value for farmers and ranchers. 

    “It narrows eligible feedstock commodities to North America, protecting Nebraska farmers from foreign competition. 

    “Producers in Communist China should be prevented from receiving American tax subsidies. 

    “All of this boosts demand for row crops and renewable fuel production. 

    “That means more jobs and better prices. 

    “Nebraska’s 25 ethanol plants support 1,300 jobs and have a $6 billion impact. 

    “The credit gives investors the certainty they need to hire and expand. 

    “Nebraska agriculture feeds and fuels the world. 

    “When I was Governor, I led trade missions to places like Japan and Vietnam to build strong relationships between foreign importers and Nebraska producers. 

    “I launched an international trade council to discover new opportunities for overseas markets. 

    “Nebraska’s economy thrives when our producers can reach high-paying global markets. 

    “Recognizing this, the One Big Beautiful Bill strengthens the Supplemental Agricultural Trade Promotion Program. 

    “It provides $285 million annually to promote U.S. agricultural exports. 

    “It doubles funding for the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development program. 

    “That means more demand for Nebraska beef, corn, and soybeans abroad. 

    “Simply put, when agriculture thrives, so does the entire Nebraska economy. 

    “Maintaining current exports and opening up markets under the bill will help get better prices for their products for our producers.

    “The big beautiful bill gives critical support to young farmers and ranchers, as well, taking over the family business or starting out on their own.  

    “The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Benefit was extended from five years to ten years.  

    “That gives new producers access to critical risk management tools.   

    “The bill also supports educational access for rural students.   

    “It excludes agricultural assets from student financial aid calculations. 

    “That means farm kids will not be discriminated against when applying for financial aid.  

    “For young Nebraskans, the bill expands Pell Grant eligibility to short-term job training. 

    “That includes hands-on fields like welding, diesel tech, and irrigation systems. 

    “Now, a young Nebraskan in Scottsbluff, for example, can learn a trade and start working at places like Aulick Industries without piling up debt.  

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill helps Nebraska producers grow and reinvest. 

    “Full expensing is now permanent for property like tractors and other heavy machinery. 

    “A corn grower in Custer County will be able to fully write off a new, more efficient combine. 

    “Another provision in the bill boosts expensing for tools and equipment. 

    “This helps small businesses from welders to seed dealers invest to improve productivity. 

    “The Big Beautiful Bill gives producers needed updates to the farm safety net. 

    “Reference prices now reflect today’s markets. 

    “Drought aid under the Livestock Forage Program has been improved. 

    “Now, producers facing feed losses from grazing shortfalls will see faster relief. 

    “These updates give producers support, stability, and long-term certainty.  

    “Nebraska’s future depends on certainty for farmers, ranchers, and agri-business. 

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill supports agriculture today and protects the next generation of farmers and ranchers. 

    “That is how we keep producing the Good Life.” 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Budd, Heinrich Introduce Amendment to Crack Down on Illicit Anti-Obesity Drugs Entering the U.S. from China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Bipartisan amendment would help ensure FDA can utilize existing statutory authority to protect Americans from counterfeit, unapproved drugs from unregistered facilities in China

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) recently introduced an amendment to the 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to ensure the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can activate regulatory and enforcement authorities to prevent the importation of illicit weight loss drugs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) from the Republic of China and other foreign countries.

    These illicit products, which include unregulated versions of ingredients used in name-brand GLP-1 medicines, are often produced in facilities in China that are not always registered with the FDA and pose serious risks to American consumers, with sometimes fatal consequences.

    “The Chinese Communist Party has proven time and again that it is willing to exploit our supply chain and endanger American lives to advance its own interests,” said Senator Budd. “That includes flooding our country with counterfeit, unapproved weight-loss drugs made in unregulated facilities. It is critically important that the United States maintains the gold standard for safe, effective medicines and we must act decisively to protect American patients. I am glad to partner with Senator Heinrich on this important issue, and I look forward to working with Commissioner Makary and Secretary Kennedy to help ensure the FDA can shut the door on these dangerous products at our borders and hold bad actors accountable.”

    “We have a responsibility to protect Americans from dangerous, counterfeit drugs entering our country,” said Senator Heinrich. “Too many of these unapproved weight-loss drugs are being produced in unregistered facilities in China with no oversight and no regard for safety. That’s why I’m introducing bipartisan legislation with Senator Budd to ensure the FDA can crack down on these illicit imports and keep American consumers safe.”

    BACKGROUND

    A recent Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) public service announcement warned that counterfeit weight loss products have been found to contain both “drugs with high levels of impurities” and “unsafe or unapproved drugs” with misbranded or adulterated packaging. To protect America’s supply chain from these potential threats, actions from the FDA may include refusing the entry of illicit drugs and API, issuing warning letters to foreign suppliers, and initiating civil enforcement actions.

    This amendment follows a bipartisan letter Representative Richard Hudson (R-N.C.-09) led in sending to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, which urged immediate action against the rising threat of illegal, counterfeit anti-obesity medications entering the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Government meeting.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On the agenda: the results of a working trip to the Far Eastern and Siberian Federal Districts, writing off debt on budget loans to regions, and increasing the grace period for mortgage payments upon the birth of a second child.

    Opening remarks by Mikhail Mishustin:

    Good afternoon, dear colleagues!

    Before we move on to the agenda of today’s Government meeting, I would like to talk about the results of the trip to Omsk Oblast, which became the final point of our major working trip to the Far Eastern and Siberian Federal Districts.

    The region is developing. Significant infrastructure is being actively built, including transport infrastructure, which is part of the high-speed automobile route “Russia” – from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. It is necessary to complete all planned work within the established deadlines.

    We visited several healthcare and educational facilities. We made a number of decisions on the hospital and clinic for war veterans so that participants in the special military operation could undergo treatment and recovery in comfortable conditions. Comprehensive support for our heroes is one of the key priorities of the Government.

    Agenda of the meeting

    Materials for the Government meeting on July 31, 2025

    We got acquainted with the course of the admission campaign at Omsk University. We will help with equipping its main building with educational equipment. We will allocate additional funds for major repairs of dormitories.

    The region presented its initiative to create an inter-university campus. The modern educational space will become a point of attraction for talented young people. This will be decided within the framework of the competition of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

    Participants of the meeting

    List of participants of the Government meeting, July 31, 2025

    In September, the first branch of a foreign university in our country, the Kazakh National University, will begin teaching students in Omsk. Almost everything is ready for its opening. We will continue to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of higher education and scientific research.

    In the Amur Region, we inspected how the reconstruction of the airport complex is being carried out, the expansion of the road that leads to the airport – the most important objects for the region and residents. Here I would ask, Vitaly Gennadyevich (addressing V. Savelyev), you, the Ministry of Transport to monitor the timing and progress of the work.

    We also visited the customs and logistics terminal and the checkpoint on the border with China – Kani-Kurgan. I know how Vitaly Gennadyevich was actively involved in this. This will be a model checkpoint, to which we distribute, among other things, technological solutions built on domestic software products.

    Completion of its construction will increase the volume of transportation on the new bridge crossing over the Amur River. This is only part, I will say again, of the large work on developing cross-border logistics. Almost 180 billion rubles have been allocated for the modernization of points in the next three years, taking into account the prospective trade turnover and priority areas for the country.

    The most important thing now is that plans for launching such facilities in the region and throughout the country as a whole are implemented clearly and on time.

    In the Trans-Baikal Territory, in Chita, a separate meeting was held on issues of grain export development.

    Our own production covers our domestic needs. Let me remind you that Russia is a world leader in wheat and barley supplies abroad. The potential is even higher. It is important to fully realize it. We will continue to support our farmers, expand port capacities, and create the necessary infrastructure for both storage and transportation of products.

    Oksana Nikolaevna (addressing O. Lut), I would like to ask you to create additional opportunities for domestic agricultural producers to enter foreign markets.

    I know there are a number of questions. I also want to tell the members of the Government that we need to help our exporters in this regard.

    This is also necessary to increase the competitiveness of our economy and to fulfill the task approved by the President to increase exports of the Russian agricultural sector.

    We also inspected the perinatal center in Chita. The national project “Family” provides for its re-equipment already this year. Equipment is being received so that both mothers and babies receive modern treatment.

    This work continues throughout the country. In just six years, advanced equipment will be delivered to 142 perinatal centers, including nine federal ones.

    In Transbaikalia, major repairs are also being carried out at medical institutions, and a number of new ones are being created.

    Mikhail Albertovich (addressing M. Murashko), as we agreed, we need to monitor the construction deadlines to ensure their timely opening. This is very important for people. We need to interact more actively with colleagues from the region in this area.

    Issues of improving healthcare infrastructure were also given attention during a working visit to the Altai Republic. There, under the national project “Long and Active Life”, a hospital admissions department was built using federal funds. High-tech medical care will become even more accessible to local residents. It is in demand there.

    With the head of this Russian subject, Andrey Anatolyevich Turchak, we discussed in detail the progress of the implementation of the individual program of socio-economic development, which, by decision of the President, was formed until 2030.

    We also looked separately at how projects that are important for people are being implemented, including those to strengthen transport connectivity. Roads, bridges, and crossings are being repaired. The airport is being modernized. This is also important given the significant growth in tourist flow to this region. Travelers come there from all over Russia and from abroad. In early July, a separate domestic terminal opened in Gorno-Altaisk, and last week, a new international one, in line with all standards. Its first visitors were guests of the International Environmental Conference, in which we took part.

    Together with our colleagues – heads of government of a number of countries, during the plenary session we exchanged a vision of joint work to protect the environment in the interests of the present and future generations. We will strengthen cooperation in this important area.

    In our country, environmental well-being has been approved by the President as one of the national goals. We will continue to do everything necessary to achieve it. First of all, if we list the priorities, this is the conservation of forests, water bodies, rare species of animals and plants, the development of protected areas. We will also continue to form a closed-loop economy.

    The Ministry of Natural Resources needs to expand cooperation with foreign partners in all these areas. Establish an exchange of best practices, create conditions for ecotourism – all the colleagues who spoke spoke about this – so that more people could see pristine nature.

    And I would also like to say that the topic of ecology and environmental protection is very important for our colleagues from the CIS countries.

    This topic is also relevant for the Altai Territory. We discussed this in detail with Governor Viktor Petrovich Tomenko. In the region, with the support of the federal budget, transport accessibility is being improved, and the infrastructure needed for travelers is being formed. Without a doubt, this work should be continued.

    Colleagues, I ask all area curators to constantly monitor how the implementation of projects is proceeding locally.

    I would like to separately mention one important issue that I discussed with the governors of the Amur Region and the Zabaikalsky Krai – emergency situations caused by forest fires.

    The situation has now stabilized. But the fight against the fire required the involvement of additional forces – specialists, heavy equipment, aviation. In connection with which, of course, the costs of the necessary measures have increased. An order has been prepared to provide almost 1.4 billion rubles to these regions, as well as to Krasnoyarsk Krai and the Republic of Buryatia. These funds will be used to compensate for the costs of extinguishing the fires.

    It is difficult to predict fire situations and their intensity accurately, but I ask the leadership of regions where such cases are not uncommon to pay special attention to prevention. There should be no threats to people’s health and safety. And at the same time, of course, it is necessary to monitor the efficiency of spending budget funds.

    On to another topic.

    Document

    The government has written off debt on budget loans to eight regions that have implemented infrastructure projects

    The government continues to stimulate economic development in Russian regions. To do this, we are reducing the financial burden, primarily for those who actively attract investment and build infrastructure. For them, on the instructions of the President, we have provided the opportunity to write off two-thirds of the debt on budget loans. The corresponding rules were adopted in February.

    Today, we will write off such loans for eight more regions in the amount of over 47.27 billion rubles. These are the republics of Kalmykia and Karelia, as well as the Voronezh, Kirov, Kemerovo, Moscow, Smolensk and Tver regions. They previously allocated funds for the implementation of national projects, improvement of housing and utilities, resettlement of citizens from dilapidated housing, support for industry and other purposes.

    Such a decision on debts should have a positive impact on the budget system of these territories, on the dynamics of their development, which will contribute to the fulfillment of many tasks, including social issues.

    And also – about supporting families with children. This is one of the key priorities of the Government’s work, which the head of state has repeatedly drawn attention to. A number of measures have been taken on his instructions. Today we will supplement them with another one.

    A bill has been prepared that is intended to reduce the burden on parents paying off a mortgage. Currently, when a child is born, the borrower is entitled to a six-month credit holiday if his or her income has decreased by more than 20%, and the costs of servicing the loan exceed 40% of average monthly income.

    Now, for those who have given birth to or adopted a second or subsequent child, the grace period will be increased to one and a half years. At the same time, interest on the principal debt will be charged only from the 7th to the 18th month. And they can be paid not immediately, but after the obligations under the current agreement are paid off. In equal parts and with the same frequency as before.

    This will support families during the most difficult period, when one of the parents is caring for a child and is unable to go to work. And of course, we expect that together with other current measures, this will affect the demographic situation in the country as a whole.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Hunters and landowners called to action: National Wild Goat Hunting Competition returns

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  01 August 2025

    The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness of the environmental and agricultural damage caused by wild goats.

    Running from 1 August to 26 November 2025, the competition encourages hunters and landowners across Aotearoa New Zealand to tackle the growing wild goat population.

    Wild goats are prolific breeders and pose a serious threat to native biodiversity and farmland. This competition is a practical and rewarding way for communities to contribute to conservation efforts while enjoying the outdoors.

    Already, ten landowners have registered their interest with the competition to get help reducing wild goat numbers on their land. Many are motivated not just by wild goat control, but by the opportunity to support conservation.

    Doug Jacobs, an NZDA member, took part in the 2024 competition with a focus on hunting responsibly on private land.

    “I put up a light-hearted post on our local rural community Facebook page,” Doug says. “I mentioned the DOC/NZDA National Wild Goat Hunting Competition, my NZDA membership, and the protections that come with it. I also talked about the Landowner Assist process, which helps set clear ground rules between hunters and landowners.”

    The Landowner Assist process, developed by NZDA, with input from DOC, Federated Farmers, and Forestry Owners Association, provides a clear framework for safe and respectful hunting on private property. It covers access boundaries, carcass disposal, and meat handling ensuring transparency and trust. Landowners can view the Landowner Assist document online via the National Wild Goat Hunting Competition website to see how it works and what to expect.

    Doug’s post caught the attention of a landowner dealing with wild goats crossing over from a neighbouring property. “We met up and went through the Landowner Assist document together,” Doug explains. “We covered where I could hunt, what to do with the carcasses, and how we’d handle the meat. It was all very straightforward.”

    The landowner later told Doug that without the professional framework provided by NZDA and the Landowner Assist documentation, they wouldn’t have responded at all. That trust and clarity made all the difference.

    Just a week later, Doug had four goat tails to submit for the competition, nine kilograms of salami on the way, and plans for a few hearty curries. “It was a rewarding experience,” he says. “Not just for the meat, but for the connection it built and the contribution to managing a local wild goat problem.”

    The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition is about more than just hunting. It’s about protecting native ecosystems, supporting farmers, and encouraging responsible community involvement.

    This year, the competition has the private landowner category open again. Landowners who register can be paired with vetted NZDA hunters and go in the draw to win over $3,200 worth of prizes from Bushnell and Hunting & Fishing NZ Ltd.

    The hunter categories also have great prizes up for grabs, including gear from Hunting & Fishing NZ, thermal monoculars from Nocpix, a tent from M.I.A, binoculars from Bushnell, freeze dried meals from Real Meals, a wild goat hunt with the NZ Hunter crew, and more. There’s over $70,000 worth of prizes, it’s a great time to get involved.

    “We want to see wild goat hunting become a regular feature in the hunting calendar,” says Mike Perry, Wild Animals Manager at DOC.

    Thinking of entering this year’s comp? Entries are open from 1 August to 26 November. Whether you’re hunting on public land or teaming up with a local landowner, you never know where it might take you.

    The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition is brought to you by the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association. It is supported by Federated Farmers of NZ, Hunting & Fishing NZ, and Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority.

    Contact

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Delegated act pending under Regulation (EU) 2019/787 – E-003010/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-003010/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Carmen Crespo Díaz (PPE)

    Given that the Commission has already adopted a report in favour of extending the delegation of power and given that the period of seven years from the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 is about to expire, it is essential that swift action is taken in order not to miss the opportunity to adopt the corresponding delegated act.

    The sector has raised concerns about the lack of concrete progress and the matter has not yet been referred by the Commission to Parliament, nor has it been considered by the coordinators in the Committee on Agriculture.

    In light of the above,

    When does the Commission intend to refer this matter to Parliament so that the dossier can move forward before the expiry of the deadline provided for in Article 51 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787?

    Submitted: 18.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI: Announcing Avery Prendergast’s Participation in the Successful Farmers of Salem Internship Program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Farmers of Salem (FOS), a regional mutual insurance company specializing in insurance for home and business owners, is pleased to announce Avery Prendergast’s successful participation in their internship program. Graduating from Levittown’s Neshaminy High School, Ms. Prendergast is completing a degree in both Legal Studies and Risk Management & Insurance with Temple University of Philadelphia. She is looking forward to a December 2025 graduation. When asked how her interest in RMI came about, Avery said, “I became interested in RMI when I took the Introduction to Risk Management class at Temple. It reminded me of torts, which was something I had studied at Bucks County Community College while in the Paralegal program. It mixed well with my Legal Studies major, so I decided to take both majors.”

    Of the Intern Delaware program, Ms. Prendergast said, “ID has introduced me to industries, and people that I would never have gotten the opportunity to meet. It is a great program that shows you how easy it is to get involved and get things done in this wonderful state. ID has provided unique opportunities like visiting Legislative Hall, meeting past and present senators, networking with other interns in a variety of industries, and learning from senior executives and other professionals firsthand.” With only one more semester left, Avery is excited to settle into a career and is making the most out of her summer with Farmers. In her free time, she enjoys reading novels, watching movies with friends, and camping with her family.

    When asked “Why Farmers?”, Ms. Prendergast said, “I have had an amazing time working at Farmers of Salem this summer. Transitioning from working retail and being a student, to working a 9-5 was daunting, but everyone was so welcoming and kind that it became an easier process. FOS has a great environment where my voice matters. I am seen as a person and not just an employee. I have been tasked with real projects and work that make each day feel productive and meaningful.” Avery added, “With the rotational internship, I have been able to go through multiple departments and learn the ins and outs of the business. There have been so many lightbulb moments when I am learning something new and connecting the dots to something else in another department. I have learned so much that will help me with my final college courses and my future career.”

    Temple University uniquely hosts Actuarial Science and Risk Management & Insurance degree programs. Dr. Drennan, Chair of Risk, Actuarial Science, and Legal Studies at Temple University, along with his team, challenge students through thought-provoking course work while setting the bar quite high. 

    Elizabeth Dean, Human Resources Director for Farmers of Salem said, “The difference with Farmers of Salem’s internship program, compared to other insurance companies, is that we ask interns to roll up their sleeves and get to work alongside our tenured team members. This job-shadowing approach has allowed interns to gain first-hand experiences as they rotate through the various departments of the organization. Our employees enjoy mentoring the interns, not only to share their knowledge, but to learn from interns that have been so well prepared by Temple.” Added by Jim Reagan, CPCU, Vice President Product & Regulatory Compliance, “Asking our interns to get down to business and work alongside our valued employees is precisely what sets our internship experience apart. This process has been validated by our intern feedback.”

    About Farmers of Salem
    Founded in 1851, and located on the Riverfront in Wilmington DE, Farmers of Salem provides insurance coverage to homeowners and businesses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland through a network of independent agents. Rated A- Excellent by A.M. Best Company and a Financial Stability Rating of A Exceptional by Demotech, Inc. “We pride ourselves in providing Superior Service with Personal Attention,” says Kim Lorenzini, Vice President, Marketing & Business Development.

    For more information about Farmers of Salem, visit www.farmersofsalem.com

    As a mutual corporation, fundamentally rooted in serving our community, we engage in corporate philanthropy, giving annually to an array of organizations and causes. Through our giving, in local markets where we have a presence, Farmers of Salem has supported educational development, physical education, and health and wellness programs that provide communities in most need with essential services, opportunities to improve the quality of their lives and provide them with assets to create a better future.

    A partial list of events and organizations that Farmers of Salem supports annually:

    • Autism Delaware
    • Serviam Girls Academy
    • Vehicles for Veterans
    • Salem County Humane Society
    • Habitat for Humanity
    • VFW Post #253
    • Operation Legacy
    • Keeping Hope Alive, Inc.
    • Temple University 
    • Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
    • Holiday Service Project – Thanksgiving Food Baskets – Salvation Army
    • Make A Wish
    • American Red Cross
    • American Cancer Society
    • Longwood Gardens
    • Bo Lends a Paw Pet Pantry
    Contact: Kim Lorenzini
      856-628-0150
      klorenzini@fosnj.com
     

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0d1f5ccc-9a93-4259-b449-b63c5eb4f69a

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: One Arrow First Nation and Canada reach farming benefits settlement

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 31, 2025 — One Arrow First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan — Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and One Arrow First Nation

    Today, Chief Janine Baldhead of One Arrow First Nation and the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced a settlement agreement resolving the Nation’s Agricultural Benefits claim, also known as a Cows and Plows settlement. 

    Under this agreement, the Government of Canada will pay $124 million in compensation to One Arrow First Nation for failing to fulfill its Treaty 6 obligations to provide the Nation with farming tools, plows, crop seeds, livestock, and other supplies. 

    These agricultural benefits were meant to facilitate One Arrow First Nation’s transition to a strong, self-sustaining community through farming. However, as a result of Canada’s failure to meet its Treaty obligations, the Nation did not have the equipment it needed to support its members. 

    Settling specific claims is an important part of Canada’s ongoing efforts to advance reconciliation by rebuilding trust and strengthening its relationships with First Nations. By providing fair compensation in recognition of unkept promises, Canada is taking responsibility and working toward a better future. This work is guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Questions Senior USDA Official on Reorganization Proposal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, submitted questions for the record to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden following a committee hearing on USDA’s reorganization proposal Wednesday.

    In his questions, Grassley asked Vaden to explain why Congress was not notified or consulted about the plan ahead of the announcement. He requested the agency share its view on the role of Congress in the reorganization process, including possible consultation on decisions like USDA hub locations.

    Grassley highlighted the impact of USDA’s presence in Ames, including the Agriculture Research Service’s National Animal Disease Center, which is a world leader in animal health research, and the National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment, which leads cutting edge research on watershed management and soil health. Grassley asked if the agency plans to move any positions or projects to Ames.

    Senators submit Questions For the Record (QFRs) to hearing witnesses to receive detailed, written responses.

    The following are Grassley’s questions:

    1. Why was Congress not notified or consulted of plans for the reorganization despite so many in Congress supporting these plans?
    2. Will there be any flexibility for Congress to weigh in on the hubs that have been designated, the movement of positions to certain locations, or the vacating of certain properties such as the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center?
    3. Ames, Iowa is home to the Agriculture Research Service’s National Animal Disease Center and the National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment among others. Will USDA move any positions or projects to Ames, Iowa?
    4. What do you see as Congress’s role in this process? Will there be closer consultation with Congress moving forward?

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal, Cut Flower Caucus Co-Chairs Introduce Bipartisan Bills to Bolster U.S. Flower Growing Industry

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) led Congressional Cut Flower Caucus co-chairs Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), and Jeff Hurd (R-CO-03) in introducing the Don Young American Grown Act

    The bipartisan bill requires any cut flowers or cut green plants officially on display in public areas of the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, or Department of State be grown in the United States, District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory. 

    In addition, the lawmakers introduced a bipartisan resolution to officially recognize the month of July 2025 as “American Grown Flower and Foliage Month’’.

    “California produces nearly three quarters of all American-grown cut flowers, and I’ve seen firsthand the vital role these farms play in supporting local jobs, small businesses, and the long-term strength of our agricultural sector,” said Rep. Carbajal, co-chair of the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus. “The Don Young American Grown Act will uplift domestic cut flower growers, bolster our specialty crop sector, and honor the legacy of the late Congressman Young.”

    “Maine’s flower farmers and the cut flower industry nationwide create jobs, support local economies, and bring natural beauty to our communities,” said Rep. Pingree, co-chair of the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus. “As Co-Chair of the Cut Flower Caucus, I’m proud to reintroduce the Don Young American Grown Act, alongside the resolution designating July as American Grown Flower and Foliage Month. This bipartisan legislation honors Don’s legacy, while ensuring federal agencies lead by example in purchasing American-grown flowers. It’s a commonsense way to support our domestic growers year-round.”

    Representative Don Young of Alaska, who passed away in 2022, was the lead sponsor of the Don Young American Grown Act in both the 116th and 117th Congresses. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) leads companion, bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate. 

    The text of the Don Young American Grown Act can be found HERE.

    The text of the American Grown Flower and Foliage Month resolution can be found HERE. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) leads a companion resolution in the U.S. Senate. 

    Founded in 2014, the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus was created to help address, support, and represent the economic interests and opportunities facing America’s flower farmers.

    The Congressional Cut Flower Caucus is a bipartisan coalition established to set the agenda and educate Congress on the cultural and economic value of flower and green farms.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rockabye baby: the ‘love songs’ of lonely leopard seals resemble human nursery rhymes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucinda Chambers, PhD Candidate in Marine Bioacoustics, UNSW Sydney

    CassandraSm/Shutterstock

    Late in the evening, the Antarctic sky flushes pink. The male leopard seal wakes and slips from the ice into the water. There, he’ll spend the night singing underwater amongst the floating ice floes.

    For the next two months he sings every night. He will sing so loudly, the ice around him vibrates. Each song is a sequence of trills and hoots, performed in a particular pattern.

    In a world first, we analysed leopard seal songs and found the predictability of their patterns was remarkably similar to the nursery rhymes humans sing.

    We think this is a deliberate strategy. While leopard seals are solitary animals, the males need their call to carry clearly across vast stretches of icy ocean, to woo a mate.

    Solitary leopard seals want their call to carry.
    Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    A season of underwater solos

    Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are named after their spotted coats. They live on ice and surrounding waters in Antarctica.

    Leopard seals are especially vocal during breeding season, which lasts from late October to early January. A female leopard seal sings for a few hours on the days she is in heat. But the males are the real showstoppers.

    Each night, the males perform underwater solos for up to 13 hours. They dive into the sea, singing underwater for about two minutes before returning to the water’s surface to breathe and rest. This demanding routine continues for weeks.

    A male leopard seal weighs about 320 kilograms, but produces surprisingly high-pitched trills, similar to those of a tiny cricket.

    Within a leopard seal population, the sounds themselves don’t vary much in pitch or duration. But the order and pattern in which the sounds are produced varies considerably between individuals.

    Our research examined these individual songs. We compared them to that of other vocal animals, and to human music.

    Listening to songs from the sea

    The data used in the study was collected by one author of this article, Tracey Rogers, in the 1990s.

    Rogers rode her quad bike across the Antarctic ice to the edge of the sea and marked 26 individual male seals with dye as they slept. Then she returned to record their songs at night.

    The new research involved analysing these recordings, to better understand their structure and patterns. We did this by measuring the “entropy” of their sequences. Entropy measures how predictable or random a sequence is.

    We found the songs are composed of five key “notes” or call types. Listen to each one below.

    A low double trill.
    Tracey Rogers UNSW Sydney, CC BY-SA28.5 KB (download)

    A hoot with low single trill.
    Tracey Rogers UNSW Sydney, CC BY-SA53.8 KB (download)

    High double trill.
    Tracey Rogers UNSW Sydney, CC BY-SA29.7 KB (download)

    Low descending single trill.
    Tracey Rogers UNSW Sydney, CC BY-SA49 KB (download)

    Medium single trill.
    Tracey Rogers UNSW Sydney, CC BY-SA22.7 KB (download)

    A remarkably predictable pattern

    We then compared the songs of the male leopard seals with several styles of human music: baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary, as well as songs by The Beatles and nursery rhymes.

    What stood out was the similarity between the predictability of human nursery rhymes and leopard seal calls. Nursery rhymes are simple, repetitive and easy to remember — and that’s what we heard in the leopard seal songs.

    The range of “entropy” was similar to the 39 nursery rhymes from the Golden Song Book, a collection of words and sheet music for classic children’s songs, which was first published in 1945. It includes classics such:

    • Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
    • Frère Jacques
    • Ring Around a Rosy
    • Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
    • Humpty Dumpty
    • Three Blind Mice
    • Rockabye Baby.

    For humans, the predictable structure of a nursery rhyme melody helps make it simple enough for a child to learn. For a leopard seal, this predictability may enable the individual to learn its song and keep singing it over multiple days. This consistency is important, because changes in pitch or frequency can create miscommunication.

    Like sperm whales, leopard seals may also use song to set themselves apart from others and signal their fitness to reproduce. The greater structure in the songs helps ensure listeners accurately receive the message and identify who is singing.

    Male leopard seals produce high-pitched cricket-like trills.

    An evolving song?

    Leopard seals sound very different to humans. But our research shows the complexity and structure of their songs is remarkably similar to our own nursery rhymes.

    Communication through song is a very common animal behaviour. However, structure and predictability in mammal song has only been studied in a handful of species. We know very little about what drives it.

    Understanding animal communication is important. It can improve conservation efforts and animal welfare, and provide important information about animal cognition and evolution.

    Technology has advanced rapidly since our recordings were made in the 1990s. In future, we hope to revisit Antarctica to record and study further, to better understand if new call types have emerged, and if patterns of leopard seal song evolve from generation to generation.

    Tracey Rogers receives funding from ARC.

    Lucinda Chambers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Rockabye baby: the ‘love songs’ of lonely leopard seals resemble human nursery rhymes – https://theconversation.com/rockabye-baby-the-love-songs-of-lonely-leopard-seals-resemble-human-nursery-rhymes-262113

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Colombia is producing more cocaine than ever – and more is reaching Australian shores

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cesar Alvarez, Lecturer in Terrorism and Security Studies, Charles Sturt University

    Members of the Colombian anti-narcotics police test cocaine after a drug bust. RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty Images

    Imagine an area larger than the Australian Capital Territory, nearly twice the size of London and four times that of New York City covered in coca plantations.

    That’s the scale of Colombia’s coca cultivation, according to an estimate from the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

    Colombia produces an estimated 2,664 metric tonnes of cocaine annually. That is enough to fill 20 Boeing 747 cargo planes per year.

    Not even during the darkest days of Pablo Escobar’s infamous empire did Colombia cultivate as much coca or produce as much cocaine as it does today.

    In the past year alone, coca crops expanded by 10% and production capacity soared more than 50%.

    So how did it come to this?

    A worrying mix

    Colombia did not arrive at this point overnight, nor by chance. A complex mix of radical and failed policy shifts, scientific innovation and global demand, among other factors, has shaped this trajectory.

    For example, in 2015, Colombia’s Constitutional Court suspended aerial fumigation and banned the use of glyphosate. Despite the herbicide’s effectiveness in killing coca plants, the court cited concerns over its health risks and environmental impact.

    Aerial spraying had allowed the government to reduce the risk that manual eradication brigades were exposed to over large areas.

    In 2016, then-president Juan Manuel Santos introduced a scheme to substitute coca with non-illicit plants. Incentives were offered to farmers. However, it ended up encouraging many peasants who had never grown coca before to begin cultivating it, simply to qualify for the new subsidies.

    It is no surprise that during Santos’ second term (2014–18), Colombia’s coca crops nearly doubled, from 96,000 hectares to more than 170,000.

    This was all in an effort to secure a peace deal with the narco-terrorist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

    More recently, in 2022, President Gustavo Petro announced his Paz Total (Total Peace) policy. This was designed to bring trafficking organisations – including Colombia’s second largest narco-terrorist group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) – to the negotiation table.

    Ironically, and paradoxically, Colombia is now producing more drugs than ever. It is also experiencing a sharp increase in violence by non-state armed groups.

    The impact on Australia

    What happens in Colombia matters to Australia because criminal innovation is fuelling greater cocaine volumes and higher purity. This means more is flowing towards Australian shores.

    Colombia’s coca production is being reshaped by enhanced cultivation techniques, more secure and autonomous smuggling methods, and an increasingly fragmented criminal landscape.

    Production is now more efficient and profitable than ever. Growers are planting improved coca leaf varieties and achieve more harvest cycles per year with higher alkaloid yields per kilo.

    Smuggling methods have also evolved.

    Semi-submersibles or narco-submarines are increasing in storage capacity. Recent seizures show manned vessels with four to five tonnes of capacity are now the rule rather than the exception.

    Some networks are also transitioning from manned to unmanned operations.

    Also, the growing presence and operational influence of Mexican cartels in Colombia has amplified the scope and scale of alliances between transnational organised crime groups across Europe, Asia and Oceania. International police investigations are even more complex.

    Like much of the world, there is a growing demand for and increasing use of cocaine in Australia.

    Despite record-high seizure numbers and total volumes intercepted, Australia is still among the most attractive destination markets for drug trafficking organisations because of the high price users pay for the drugs.

    Unless something radically changes in Colombia, Australia continues to face growing risks from maritime trafficking routes. There is also an increased threat of being used as a transit and money laundering hub in the global drug economy.

    Some possible solutions

    Even if conditions in Colombia were to change swiftly and drastically, supply-focused strategies alone are insufficient to mitigate the risks facing Australia.

    After all, Colombia cannot simply fumigate its way out of this cocaine crisis, just as Australia cannot arrest its way out of it.

    However, continued collaboration between the Australian Federal Police and the National Police of Colombia remains essential to keep drugs at bay.

    The appointment of Colombia’s first police attaché to Australia will be a welcome and meaningful step forward. (While not yet formally announced, the Colombian embassy in Australia has informed me and several other experts the country is appointing the attaché.)

    Both countries must deepen this relationship and collectively engage meaningfully and frequently to help solve the problem.

    Cesar Alvarez does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Colombia is producing more cocaine than ever – and more is reaching Australian shores – https://theconversation.com/colombia-is-producing-more-cocaine-than-ever-and-more-is-reaching-australian-shores-261745

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI: FLINT Announces Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FLINT Corp. (“FLINT” or the “Company”) (TSX: FLNT) today announced its results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025. All amounts are in Canadian dollars and expressed in thousands of dollars unless otherwise noted.

    “EBITDAS” and “Adjusted EBITDAS” are not standard measures under IFRS. Please refer to the Advisory regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures at the end of this press release for a description of these items and limitations of their use.

    “Our continued commitment to quality execution and disciplined business optimization was once again evident this quarter. Despite a year over year decline in revenues, we delivered improved operating results, demonstrating the resilience of our operating model and the strength of our team,” said Barry Card, Chief Executive Officer.

    “Second quarter revenues, gross profit, and Adjusted EBITDAS all increased compared to the first quarter of 2025. Activity levels were slightly lower than the same period last year, with revenues down approximately 10% in that timeframe. At the same time, gross profit in the second quarter of 2025 reached $18.5 million, and Adjusted EBITDAS was $9.6 million, representing increases of 3% and 16%, respectively, over the second quarter of 2024. Given the current economic and geopolitical landscape, we are seeing delays in the timing of work awarded and executed by our customers. As a result, we anticipate activity levels for the remainder of 2025 to remain broadly consistent with the first half of the year,” added Mr. Card.

    SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

    • Revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $148.3 million, representing a decrease of $16.6 million or 10.1% from the same period in 2024 and an increase of $10.4 million or 7.6% from the first quarter of 2025.
    • Gross profit for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $18.5 million, representing an increase of $0.5 million or 2.9% from the same period in 2024 and an increase of $4.1 million or 28.5% from the first quarter of 2025.
    • Gross profit margin for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was 12.5%, as compared to 10.9% in the same period in 2024 and 10.4% in the first quarter of 2025.
    • Adjusted EBITDAS for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $9.6 million, representing an increase of $1.3 million or 16.1% from the same period in 2024 and an increase of $4.5 million or 88.3% from the first quarter of 2025.
    • Adjusted EBITDAS margin was 6.5% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, representing an increase of 1.5% from the same period in 2024 and an increase of 2.8% from the first quarter of 2025.
    • Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2025 were $9.4 million, representing a decrease of $0.8 million or 7.5% from the same period in 2024 and was consistent with the first quarter of 2025. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was 6.3%, as compared to 6.2% in the same period in 2024 and 6.8% in the first quarter of 2025.
    • Liquidity, including cash and available credit facilities, was $97.4 million at June 30, 2025, as compared to $41.7 million from the same period in 2024, representing an increase of $55.7 million or 133.5%.
    • New contract awards and renewals totaled approximately $56.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and $8.8 million for the first three weeks of July. Approximately 68% of the work is expected to be completed in 2025.

    SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

    ($ thousands, except per share amounts) Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30,
    2025   2024   % Change   2025   2024   % Change  
                   
    Revenue ($) 148,302   164,922   (10.1 ) 286,183   311,785   (8.2 )
                   
    Gross Profit ($) 18,508   17,978   2.9   32,909   30,988   6.2  
    Gross Profit Margin (%) 12.5   10.9   1.6   11.5   9.9   1.6  
                   
    Adjusted EBITDAS (1) 9,639   8,305   16.1   14,757   11,493   28.4  
    Adjusted EBITDAS Margin (%) 6.5   5.0   1.5   5.2   3.7   1.5  
                   
    SG&A ($) 9,416   10,181   (7.5 ) 18,777   20,237   (7.2 )
    SG&A Margin (%) 6.3   6.2   0.1   6.6   6.5   0.1  
                   
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations ($) 1,106   (588 ) 288.1   (2,226 ) (5,374 ) 58.6  
    Net income (loss) ($) 1,100   (606 ) 281.5   (2,241 ) (5,618 ) 60.1  
                   
    Basic and Diluted:              
    Net income (loss) per share from continuing operations ($) 0.01   0.00     (0.02 ) (0.05 ) 59.5  
    Net income (loss) per share ($) 0.01   0.00     (0.02 ) (0.05 ) 59.5  
    (1) EBITDAS and Adjusted EBITDAS are not standardmeasures under IFRS and they are defined in the section “Advisory regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures”
     

    Revenue for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 was $148,302 and $286,183 compared to $164,922 and $311,785 for the same periods in 2024, representing a decrease of 10.1% and 8.2%. The decrease in revenue was primarily due to the timing of construction and maintenance work as compared to the same periods in 2024.

    Gross profit for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 was $18,508 and $32,909 compared to $17,978 and $30,988 for the same periods in 2024, representing an increase of 2.9% and 6.2%. Gross profit margin for three and six months ended June 30, 2025 was 12.5% and 11.5%, compared to 10.9% and 9.9% for the same periods in 2024. The increase in gross profit, both on an absolute basis and as a percentage of revenue, was primarily due to the mix of work compared to the same periods in 2024.

    SG&A expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 were $9,416 and $18,777, in comparison to $10,181 and $20,237 for the same periods in 2024, representing a decrease of 7.5% and 7.2%. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 were 6.3% and 6.6% compared to 6.2% and 6.5% for the same periods in 2024. The decrease in SG&A expenses is primarily driven by reduced personnel expenses.

    For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, Adjusted EBITDAS was $9,639 and $14,757 compared to $8,305 and $11,493 for the same periods in 2024. As a percentage of revenue, Adjusted EBITDAS was 6.5% and 5.2% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 compared to 5.0% and 3.7% for the same periods in 2024.

    Income from continuing operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 was income of $1,106 and a loss of $2,226 compared to a loss of $588 and a loss of $5,374 for the same periods in 2024. The variance was driven primarily by the increase in gross profit and lower SG&A expenses.

    LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

    FLINT has an asset-based revolving credit facility (the “ABL Facility”) providing for maximum borrowings of up to $50.0 million with a Canadian chartered bank. The amount available under the ABL Facility will vary from time to time based on the borrowing base determined with reference to the accounts receivable of FLINT and certain of its subsidiaries. The maturity date of the ABL Facility is April 14, 2027.

    The Company anticipates that its liquidity (cash on hand and available credit facilities) and cash flows from operations will be sufficient to meet its short-term contractual obligations. To maintain compliance with its financial covenants through June 30, 2026, the Company can request approval from the holder of the Senior Secured Debentures to pay interest on the Senior Secured Debentures in kind.

    As at June 30, 2025, the issued and outstanding share capital included 110,001,239 Common Shares, 127,732 Series 1 Preferred Shares, and 40,100 Series 2 Preferred Shares.

    The Series 1 Preferred Shares (having an aggregate value of $127.732 million) are convertible at the option of the holder into Common Shares at a price of $0.35/share and the Series 2 Preferred Shares (having an aggregate value of $40.100 million) are convertible into Common Shares at a price of $0.10/share.

    The Series 1 and Series 2 Preferred Shares have a 10% fixed cumulative preferential cash dividend payable when the Company has sufficient monies to be able to do so, including under the provisions of applicable law and contracts affecting the Company. The Board of Directors of the Company does not intend to declare or pay any cash dividends until the Company’s balance sheet and liquidity position supports the payment. As at June 30, 2025, the accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series 1 and Series 2 shares totaled $118.6 million. Any accrued and unpaid dividends are convertible in certain circumstances at the option of the holder into additional Series 1 and Series 2 Preferred Shares.

    CORPORATE UPDATES

    The annual meeting of holders of common shares of the Corporation was held on June 24, 2025. At the meeting, shareholders approved the election of Sean McMaster, Barry Card, H. Fraser Clarke, Katrisha Gibson, Karl Johannson and Dean MacDonald as directors and the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as auditors.

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    Our unaudited condensed interim financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of the operating and financial results can be accessed on our website at www.flintcorp.com and will be available shortly through SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    About FLINT Corp.

    With a legacy of excellence and experience stretching back more than 100 years, FLINT provides solutions for the Energy and Industrial markets including: Oil & Gas (upstream, midstream and downstream), Petrochemical, Mining, Power, Agriculture, Forestry, Infrastructure and Water Treatment. With offices strategically located across Canada and a dedicated workforce, we provide maintenance, construction, wear technology and environmental services that help our customers bring their resources to our world. For more information about FLINT, please visit www.flintcorp.com or contact:

    Barry Card   Jennifer Stubbs
    Chief Executive Officer   Chief Financial Officer
    FLINT Corp.   FLINT Corp.
    (587) 318-0997    
    investorrelations@flintcorp.com    
         

    Advisory regarding Forward-Looking Information

    Certain information included in this press release may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Specifically, this press release contains forward-looking information relating to: our business plans, strategies and objectives; the sufficiency of our liquidity and cash flow from operations to meet our short-term contractual obligations and maintain compliance with our financial covenants through to June 30, 2026; the payment of interest owing on the Senior Secured Debentures in kind; the Company’s approach to dividends; and that we anticipate activity levels for the remainder of 2025 to remain broadly consistent with the first half of 2025.

    Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events and results discussed in the forward-looking information including, but not limited to, compliance with debt covenants, access to credit facilities and other sources of capital for working capital requirements and capital expenditure needs, availability of labour, dependence on key personnel, economic conditions, commodity prices, interest rates, regulatory change, weather and risks related to the integration of acquired businesses. These factors should not be considered exhaustive. Risks and uncertainties about FLINT’s business are more fully discussed in FLINT’s disclosure materials, including its annual information form and management’s discussion and analysis of the operating and financial results, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. In formulating the forward-looking information, management has assumed that business and economic conditions affecting FLINT will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including, without limitation, with respect to general levels of economic activity, regulations, taxes and interest rates. Although the forward-looking information is based on what management of FLINT consider to be reasonable assumptions based on information currently available to it, there can be no assurance that actual events or results will be consistent with this forward-looking information, and management’s assumptions may prove to be incorrect.

    This forward-looking information is made as of the date of this press release, and FLINT does not assume any obligation to update or revise it to reflect new events or circumstances except as required by law. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

    Advisory regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    The terms ‘‘EBITDAS’’ and “Adjusted EBITDAS” (collectively, the ‘‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’’) are financial measures used in this press release that are not standard measures under IFRS. FLINT’s method of calculating the Non-GAAP Financial Measures may differ from the methods used by other issuers. Therefore, the Non-GAAP Financial Measures, as presented, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.

    EBITDAS refers to income (loss) from continuing operations in accordance with IFRS, before depreciation and amortization, interest expense, income tax expense (recovery) and long-term incentive plan expense. EBITDAS is used by management and the directors of FLINT as well as many investors to determine the ability of an issuer to generate cash from operations. Management believes that in addition to income (loss) from continuing operations and cash provided by operating activities, EBITDAS is a useful supplemental measure from which to determine FLINT’s ability to generate cash available for debt service, working capital, capital expenditures and income taxes. FLINT has provided a reconciliation of income (loss) from continuing operations to EBITDAS below.

    Adjusted EBITDAS refers to EBITDAS excluding restructuring expense, gain on sale of property, plant and equipment, other income and one-time incurred expenses. FLINT has used Adjusted EBITDAS as the basis for the analysis of its past operating financial performance. Adjusted EBITDAS is a measure that management believes (i) is a useful supplemental measure from which to determine FLINT’s ability to generate cash available for debt service, working capital, capital expenditures, and income taxes, and (ii) facilitates the comparability of the results of historical periods and the analysis of its operating financial performance which may be useful to investors. FLINT has provided a reconciliation of income (loss) from continuing operations to Adjusted EBITDAS below.

    Investors are cautioned that the Non-GAAP Financial Measures are not alternatives to measures under IFRS and should not, on their own, be construed as an indicator of performance or cash flows, a measure of liquidity or as a measure of actual return on the shares. These Non-GAAP Financial Measures should only be used with reference to FLINT’s consolidated interim and annual financial statements, which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or on FLINT’s website at www.flintcorp.com.

    (In thousands of Canadian dollars) Three months ended June 30,
      Six months ended June 30,
     
    2025   2024   2025   2024  
             
    Income (loss) from continuing operations 1,106   (588 ) (2,226 ) (5,374 )
    Add:        
    Amortization of intangible assets 64   67   129   135  
    Depreciation expense 2,635   2,715   5,400   5,332  
    Long-term incentive plan expense 900   775   1,900   1,375  
    Interest expense 4,715   4,733   9,244   9,315  
    EBITDAS 9,420   7,702   14,447   10,783  
    Add (deduct):        
    Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment (398 ) (274 ) (712 ) (443 )
    Restructuring expenses 314   581   868   976  
    Other income (171 ) (106 ) (327 ) (421 )
    One-time incurred expenses 474   402   481   598  
    Adjusted EBITDAS 9,639   8,305   14,757   11,493  
                     

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Advocating to unleash our nations’ economic power

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Advocating to unleash our nations’ economic power

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Biorefineries, Renewable Chemicals, and Biomanufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance the ability of the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Products Assistance program to support the development of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased products. 

    The Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation and Opportunity (Ag BIO) Act will update the underlying loan guarantee program and restore a grant program to support public-private partnership investment in pilot and demonstration-scale facility development.

    “Developing our biomanufacturing capabilities is good for our farmers and good for our economy,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation will create jobs and strengthen the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Products Assistance program, while also solidifying America as a leading manufacturer of these products.”

    “Investing in the bioeconomy will provide new markets for our farmers while furthering the goal of domestic manufacturing, supply chain resiliency and energy security,” said Moran. “Developing innovative products like advanced biofuels will provide new and better products using home-grown feedstocks, creating new jobs and driving our economy forward.”

    “The Ag BIO Act represents a strategic investment that will be necessary if American manufacturing is going to lead the world in the production of plant-based materials,” said James Glueck, Executive Director of the Plant Based Products Council. “This bill provides a clear pathway to scale up biomanufacturing capacity, open new markets for farmers, and build more resilient domestic supply chains. The Ag BIO Act is more than a piece of legislation — it’s a much-needed tool for revitalizing rural economies and advancing a modern manufacturing strategy grounded in American agriculture,” Glueck added. “We are grateful to Sens. Klobuchar and Moran for their leadership and vision.”

    “This legislation represents a strategic investment in the future of rural America and the farmers, workers, and innovators who fuel our economy,” said John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association. “By backing next-generation biomanufacturing, the Ag BIO Act will help cement U.S. leadership in sustainable innovation while delivering economic opportunity where it’s needed most.”

    “The Ag Energy Coalition applauds Senators Klobuchar and Moran for proposing bipartisan legislation to modernize the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Manufacturing Assistance Program as part of the upcoming farm bill.  Biorefineries are the lifeblood of rural America in terms of driving manufacturing innovations, building new agriculture markets, and creating jobs and economic opportunity,” said Lloyd Ritter, Ag Energy Coalition.  “Revitalizing this program will help build and expand facilities to produce everything from SAF to biobased products and renewable chemicals. That is an essential investment in the nation’s energy and bioeconomy transformation and in a rural economic renaissance.” 

    “The Ag BIO Act is important to the future of our nation’s ag bioeconomy. The U.S. can, and should, be the world leader in bioproduct research, development, and manufacturing, and the investments in this bill will go a long way to help make that happen,” said Kent Roberson, Ag Bioeconomy Spokesperson. “In a future with a strong American ag bioeconomy, farmers will benefit from new markets for their feedstocks, consumers will have more options to satisfy their needs, and workers will have good-paying jobs close to home. We’re excited to see the bipartisan Ag BIO Act introduced and are eager to help Congress enact this important legislation.” 

    Klobuchar has been a long-time supporter of biofuels and biomanufacturing. 

    In January, Klobuchar and Moran joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced the Farm to Fly Act, which would help accelerate the production and development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to allow further growth for alternative fuels to be used in the aviation sector and create new markets for American farmers.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Biorefineries, Renewable Chemicals, and Biomanufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance the ability of the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Products Assistance program to support the development of advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased products. 

    The Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation and Opportunity (Ag BIO) Act will update the underlying loan guarantee program and restore a grant program to support public-private partnership investment in pilot and demonstration-scale facility development.

    “Developing our biomanufacturing capabilities is good for our farmers and good for our economy,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation will create jobs and strengthen the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Products Assistance program, while also solidifying America as a leading manufacturer of these products.”

    “Investing in the bioeconomy will provide new markets for our farmers while furthering the goal of domestic manufacturing, supply chain resiliency and energy security,” said Moran. “Developing innovative products like advanced biofuels will provide new and better products using home-grown feedstocks, creating new jobs and driving our economy forward.”

    “The Ag BIO Act represents a strategic investment that will be necessary if American manufacturing is going to lead the world in the production of plant-based materials,” said James Glueck, Executive Director of the Plant Based Products Council. “This bill provides a clear pathway to scale up biomanufacturing capacity, open new markets for farmers, and build more resilient domestic supply chains. The Ag BIO Act is more than a piece of legislation — it’s a much-needed tool for revitalizing rural economies and advancing a modern manufacturing strategy grounded in American agriculture,” Glueck added. “We are grateful to Sens. Klobuchar and Moran for their leadership and vision.”

    “This legislation represents a strategic investment in the future of rural America and the farmers, workers, and innovators who fuel our economy,” said John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association. “By backing next-generation biomanufacturing, the Ag BIO Act will help cement U.S. leadership in sustainable innovation while delivering economic opportunity where it’s needed most.”

    “The Ag Energy Coalition applauds Senators Klobuchar and Moran for proposing bipartisan legislation to modernize the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Manufacturing Assistance Program as part of the upcoming farm bill.  Biorefineries are the lifeblood of rural America in terms of driving manufacturing innovations, building new agriculture markets, and creating jobs and economic opportunity,” said Lloyd Ritter, Ag Energy Coalition.  “Revitalizing this program will help build and expand facilities to produce everything from SAF to biobased products and renewable chemicals. That is an essential investment in the nation’s energy and bioeconomy transformation and in a rural economic renaissance.” 

    “The Ag BIO Act is important to the future of our nation’s ag bioeconomy. The U.S. can, and should, be the world leader in bioproduct research, development, and manufacturing, and the investments in this bill will go a long way to help make that happen,” said Kent Roberson, Ag Bioeconomy Spokesperson. “In a future with a strong American ag bioeconomy, farmers will benefit from new markets for their feedstocks, consumers will have more options to satisfy their needs, and workers will have good-paying jobs close to home. We’re excited to see the bipartisan Ag BIO Act introduced and are eager to help Congress enact this important legislation.” 

    Klobuchar has been a long-time supporter of biofuels and biomanufacturing. 

    In January, Klobuchar and Moran joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced the Farm to Fly Act, which would help accelerate the production and development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to allow further growth for alternative fuels to be used in the aviation sector and create new markets for American farmers.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Reps. Schakowsky, Ruiz, Jayapal Introduce Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution Outlining 21st Century Global Health Strategy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Resolution Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 31, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), today introduced the Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution, to honor Dr. Farmer’s staggering life and legacy and lay out his extraordinary vision for realizing global health equity. This resolution lays out a 21st century global health strategy that proposes spending $125 billion annually on global health aid, reforming aid to focus on building national health systems, and putting an end to the exploitation of impoverished countries to increase their domestic tax base and health spending. This resolution seeks to save over 100 million lives per decade by increasing the flow of money in the global economy.

    “Dr. Paul Farmer was a health care visionary and revolutionary who understood compassion and care went hand in hand. At a time when global health and well-being are strained, I am proud to introduce this resolution honoring Dr. Farmer and the transformational work he did to deliver health care to people and communities around the world. Health is the first wealth, and we must do everything in our power to ensure that people around the world are healthy, safe, and have access to the resources they need to live and thrive,” said Senator Markey.

    “Dr. Paul Farmer is responsible for transforming the lives of millions and millions of poor and marginalized people around the world, bringing them health care, dignity, and justice. A true visionary, Paul insisted that all people have a right to excellent health care, and he developed the systems to deliver it in places people had written off. Gleaming world class hospitals and locally trained doctors, nurses, and community workers now exist in places like Haiti and Rwanda. Paul was not only a world-renowned leader in global health, but also a precious friend and a tireless organizer, inspiring thousands of people to actively participate in his work. All of us owe him a debt that can only be paid by carrying on his mission and legacy,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “That is why I am introducing the Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution alongside my colleagues Senator Markey and Representatives Ruiz and Jayapal. This resolution lays out a 21st Century Global Health Strategy that enshrines Paul’s vision to achieve global universal health care and end unnecessary and preventable deaths. We are the richest country in the world at the richest time in the world. As the Trump Administration rips away lifesaving aid from millions of people, it is more important than ever for those of us who care about global health and justice to rededicate ourselves to building and fully funding a robust global health strategy. Paul called on us to understand global health inequity as an injustice—a result of centuries of violence and exploitation inflicted on the global poor. We can make the choice to end global health inequity, and with Paul’s vision guiding us, we will.”

    “Dr. Paul Farmer was more than a global health leader, he was my mentor, professor, and dear friend,” said Congressman Ruiz. “From my early years at Harvard Medical School to our work together in Boston, Chiapas, Guatemala, and post-earthquake Haiti, he showed me what it means to fight for underserved communities with unwavering dedication. I am honored to help reintroduce this resolution in his memory, as a testament to his extraordinary impact on humanity.”

    “Dr. Paul Farmer changed global health for the better with his work in impoverished countries, treating infectious diseases and providing high quality care to those who needed it most. He also fundamentally altered the way we think about international aid, and his organizing and movement building has led to millions of people worldwide living healthier and longer lives. As a lifelong organizer and someone who worked in global health for years before coming to Congress, I know the importance of this work and know how devastating Trump and Republicans’ cuts to USAID and other international aid programs are. This resolution outlines a vision for a world in which we tackle the injustice of global health inequities and treat health care as a true human right. It also recognizes that to achieve these goals, we need to democratize the global financial system, including cancelling predatory debt that has often crushed low- and middle-income countries. I’m proud to co-lead it with Representatives Schakowsky and Ruiz,” said Congresswoman Jayapal.

    The proposals in the resolution are as follows:

    • Increase global health aid to $125 billion per year
      • Close the essential universal health care financing gap for low-income countries
      • Allow the U.S. to meet the U.N. aid target of 0.7% GNI for the first time ever
    • Reform global health aid
      • Focus on building national health systems and direct funding to local partners, not the development industry
      • Develop new medical technologies for diseases of poverty and ensure their availability as global public goods
    • Make the global economy more fair, just, and democratic
      • Democratizing the IMF, World Bank, and World Trade Organization, so that poor countries have greater say over decisions that affect their economies and their ability to finance health systems
      • Global debt cancelation for all developing countries that need it
      • Ending harmful licit and illicit financial flows from poor countries—ending global tax havens and illegal practices like trade misinvoicing
      • Supporting global labor rights, such as a global minimum wage

    “In this moment of crisis, we need Paul’s vision for global health justice more than ever. Thankfully, that vision is captured in this resolution. It provides us with a much-needed roadmap for global cooperation based on solidarity and justice by getting to the root causes of unnecessary suffering and death, or what Paul called ‘structural violence’. This includes greatly improving development assistance for health, but also going well beyond aid to address ongoing extractive colonial arrangements, which preclude local investments in health systems,” said Sheila Davis, CEO of Partners in Health.

    As an infectious disease physician, Dr. Farmer earned accolades for treating patients in impoverished countries with high quality care, including those suffering from HIV and cancer. As a medical anthropologist, he was known for popularizing and deepening understandings of “structural violence,” the idea that social systems are designed to impoverish, sicken, and sideline select groups. As chief strategist of Partners in Health, he garnered plaudits for pioneering community-based treatment strategies, building teaching hospitals, and more. Dr. Farmer called on us to understand global health inequity as an injustice—an effect of centuries of violence and exploitation inflicted on the global poor. This resolution embodies that and will serve as a North Star that will guide the movement for global health equity for years to come.

    In addition to Sen. Markey, this resolution is cosponsored in the Senate by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

    In addition to Reps. Schakowsky, Ruiz, and Jayapal, this resolution is cosponsored in the House of Representatives by Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52).

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Federated Farmers back Government health & safety review

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers is backing moves to review health and safety rules for farmers, saying it’s unfortunate some seem to have completely misunderstood the Minister’s announcement.
    “Taking a closer look at these rules is really important, so it’s disappointing a lot of people have gotten the wrong end of the stick,” Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says.
    “The Government aren’t trying to add layers of bureaucracy or wrap farm kids up in cotton wool. They’re actually trying to do the exact opposite of what’s been portrayed in the media so far.
    “This is all about making sure health and safety rules are practical, common sense, and easy to understand – and Federated Farmers absolutely welcome that conversation.”
    Langford says the current health and safety rules for farmers have gone way too far and are unnecessarily confusing for smaller family-owned farming operations.
    “We’re talking about small mum and dad type businesses which might only employ one or two staff members. They’re certainly not big corporates with a health and safety manager on staff.
    “They’re hands-on farmers who actually spend their days farming rather than sitting in an office. That’s why it’s so important these rules are practical and easy to understand.”
    He says confusion about health and safety obligations has meant some farmers no longer allow children on the farm like they would have in the past, for fear of falling foul of the law.
    “There’s something very special about growing up on a farm and having that classic rural childhood many farmers enjoyed themselves,” Langford says.
    “That’s the childhood I had, and my own kids have had something similar, but I think we’re at risk of losing that kind of upbringing if we don’t get these rules right.”
    Langford says preserving that traditional rural Kiwi upbringing, while still keeping kids safe, is exactly what Minister Brooke van Velden is trying to achieve.
    “I think it’s unfortunate the Minister’s examples were things like collecting eggs and watering plants – because that’s not really what we’re talking about here.
    “The fact those are the talking points the Minister was provided with by bureaucrats tells you everything you need to know about why we need to get Wellington out of farming.
    “In reality, we’re talking about things like feeding calves, shifting stock, or helping mum and dad hose down the shed after milking – perfectly safe everyday farming activities.”
    Federated Farmers 100% backs what the Minister has announced and look forward to engaging in the consultation process.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada, H.E. Mr. Heath MacDonald, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed potential areas of cooperation between ASEAN and Canada, particularly in sustainable agriculture, the reduction of harmful agrochemicals, and the promotion of regenerative agriculture. On ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, SG Dr. Kao encouraged Canada to adopt a constructive approach, especially in areas such as equivalence and risk assessment, which could help expedite the conclusion of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Chapter.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Government meeting (2025, No. 25)

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    1. On Amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 12, 2008 No. 450

    The draft resolution was developed in order to consolidate the powers of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, established by Federal Law No. 52-FZ of April 1, 2025 “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”.

    2. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Article 61-1 of the Federal Law “On Consumer Credit (Loan)”

    The bill is aimed at supporting citizens in the event of the birth or adoption of a second child or subsequent children.

    3. On the draft federal law “On Amending Article 3462 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”

    The bill is aimed at preserving the status of agricultural producers for organizations and individual entrepreneurs operating in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in whose territory the legal regime of the counter-terrorism operation has been introduced and (or) was in effect.

    4. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to Rosleskhoz in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of subventions from the federal budget to the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation

    The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for the costs of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation for extinguishing forest fires in emergency situations in forests of various types.

    5. On the draft federal constitutional law “On Amendments to Certain Federal Constitutional Laws”

    The draft law proposes to establish that in the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, documents on the verification of measuring instruments issued by state and other official bodies of Ukraine, state and other official bodies of new entities, are valid until the end of their validity period. The draft law is expected to enter into force on January 1, 2026.

    6. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 840725-8 “On Amendments to Articles 2463 and 427 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”

    The draft amendments are aimed at increasing the investment attractiveness of the preferential regime created in the Kuril Islands.

    7. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 819547-8 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”

    The draft amendments are aimed at clarifying the provisions of the bill, which provides for the transfer of mandatory auctions by law to electronic form according to uniform unified rules.

    8. On amendments to certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the regulations on federal executive bodies subordinate to it)

    The draft act is aimed at implementing the powers to establish a public easement by Rosmorrechflot, Rosavtodor, Rosaviatsia and the Ministry of Transport of Russia in cases stipulated by Federal Law No. 254-FZ of July 31, 2020 “On the specifics of regulating certain relations for the purpose of implementing priority projects for the modernization and expansion of infrastructure and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation.”

    Moscow, July 30, 2025

    The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Materials for the Government meeting on July 31, 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The following issues are planned to be considered at the meeting:

    1. On Amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 12, 2008 No. 450

    The draft resolution was developed in order to consolidate the powers of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, established by Federal Law No. 52-FZ of April 1, 2025 “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”.

    2. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Article 61-1 of the Federal Law “On Consumer Credit (Loan)”

    The bill is aimed at supporting citizens in the event of the birth or adoption of a second child or subsequent children.

    3. On the draft federal law “On Amending Article 3462 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”

    The bill is aimed at preserving the status of agricultural producers for organizations and individual entrepreneurs operating in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in whose territory the legal regime of the counter-terrorism operation has been introduced and (or) was in effect.

    4. On the allocation of budgetary allocations to Rosleskhoz in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of subventions from the federal budget to the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation

    The draft order is aimed at providing financial support for the costs of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation for extinguishing forest fires in emergency situations in forests of various types.

    5. On the draft federal constitutional law “On Amendments to Certain Federal Constitutional Laws”

    The draft law proposes to establish that in the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, documents on the verification of measuring instruments issued by state and other official bodies of Ukraine, state and other official bodies of new entities, are valid until the end of their validity period. The draft law is expected to enter into force on January 1, 2026.

    6. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 840725-8 “On Amendments to Articles 2463 and 427 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”

    The draft amendments are aimed at increasing the investment attractiveness of the preferential regime created in the Kuril Islands.

    7. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 819547-8 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”

    The draft amendments are aimed at clarifying the provisions of the bill, which provides for the transfer of mandatory auctions by law to electronic form according to uniform unified rules.

    8. On amendments to certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the regulations on federal executive bodies subordinate to it)

    The draft act is aimed at implementing the powers to establish a public easement by Rosmorrechflot, Rosavtodor, Rosaviatsia and the Ministry of Transport of Russia in cases stipulated by Federal Law No. 254-FZ of July 31, 2020 “On the specifics of regulating certain relations for the purpose of implementing priority projects for the modernization and expansion of infrastructure and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation.”

    Moscow, July 30, 2025

    The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News