NewzIntel.com

Category: Agriculture

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs seizes live turtles of scheduled endangered species (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 15) detected a smuggling case involving a passenger at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point and seized four live turtles of a scheduled endangered species with an estimated market value of about $40,000. The passenger concerned was convicted and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts today (July 16) for contravening the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169).

    Customs officers intercepted a 43-year-old female passenger yesterday at the Departure Hall of the Shenzhen Bay Control Point for Customs clearance. Upon examination, four live turtles were found wrapped around the woman’s thighs and covered underneath her long skirt. Officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) attended the scene for inspection and confirmed that the batch of live turtles was of an endangered species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) in Hong Kong. The case was handed over to the AFCD for follow-up investigation and prosecution. 

    Customs reminds the public not to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong.

    According to the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.

    Also, according to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, any person who, by wantonly or unreasonably doing or omitting to do any act, causes any unnecessary suffering to any animal commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three years upon conviction.

    Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US to Launch Section 301 Investigation into Brazil

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NEW YORK, July 16 (Xinhua) — The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced Tuesday that it will launch an investigation into Brazil’s trade policies under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

    The investigation, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, will focus on “Brazil’s attacks on U.S. social media companies and other unfair trade practices that harm American businesses, workers, farmers, and technologists,” the agency said in a statement, citing U.S. trade negotiator Jamison Greer.

    The investigation will aim to determine “whether the actions, policies, and practices of the Brazilian government relating to digital commerce and electronic payment services, unfair, preferential tariffs, interference in the fight against corruption, intellectual property protection, market access for alcohol, and illegal logging are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce,” the statement said. –0–

    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 United Kingdom: Free and low-cost things to do in Leeds over the summer holidays

    Source: City of Leeds

    Summer Reading Challenge at Leeds Libraries
    The 2025 Summer Reading Challenge has begun and is a free holiday activity for children aged 4 to 11. It’s all about reading for fun, aiming to improve children’s reading skills and confidence. Children can read anything they like and collect free rewards for their reading, including a bookmark, pop badge and wooden medal. This year’s theme is Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors and will inspire children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature.
    Monday 7 July to Friday 22 August, various library locations, cost: free

    Butterfly Fever at Tropical World
    As part of the Big Butterfly Count 2025 enjoy a special weekend of activities on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 July, inside the zoo and at the Wildflower Meadows in Roundhay Park (weather permitting). The Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire team will be on site with lots of information on these fascinating creatures. Pick up your free copy of the Butterfly ID chart and head down to the Wildflower Meadow to record the number and type of butterflies you spot in a 15-minute slot – don’t forget to submit your sightings!
    Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 July, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Big Butterfly Count at Tropical World

    A Lotherton Summer Holiday
    Enjoy all things summer at Lotherton this school holiday. With six weeks of summer fun, including a whole host of children’s entertainment, activities, and a family trail.
    Saturday 19 July to Sunday 31 August, cost: included in admission (some activities at additional cost)
    Find out more: A Lotherton Summer Holiday

    Summer Fun at Temple Newsam Home Farm
    Visit the farm’s adorable animals, rare breed livestock, and take in the stunning landscape of the Temple Newsam Estate. Families can make and take home their own special crafts, explore the exciting interactive trail, it’s fun for all the family. Don’t forget your camera, as there are plenty of photo opportunities!
    Saturday 19 July to Monday 25 August, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Summer Fun at Temple Newsam Home Farm

    Summer of Fun at Kirkgate Market
    Head to Kirkgate Market throughout the summer holidays for a range of family friendly activities, including arts and crafts, shows, circus school, bumper cars, interactive games, a climbing wall, and roller skating.
    Monday 21 July to Saturday 30 August, cost: free
    Find out more: Summer of Fun at Kirkgate Market

    Deer Tractor Tours at Lotherton
    Experience Lotherton’s herd of red deer up close as you are taken on a tour of the Deer Park in the Lotherton tractor trailer. Learn all about this magnificent species – Britain’s biggest native mammal – and discover the estate from a different viewpoint.
    Monday 21 July to Monday 25 August, cost: £7.50 per person + admission
    Find out more: Deer Tractor Tours at Lotherton

    Stories in the Streets at Abbey House Museum
    Stories from our Story Time exhibition have spilled out into the Victorian Streets! You can find Mrs Tiggywinkle doing her washing, the Hungry Caterpillar munching his way through the grocer’s shop and seagulls eating the Lighthouse Keeper’s lunch. Come along to spot the stories plus a range of trails and crafts to join in for the whole family to work together. Drop-in during normal opening hours. Don’t forget to check out our Story Time exhibition while you’re here, all about children’s books through the ages!
    Wednesday 23 July to Sunday 31 August, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Stories in the Streets at Abbey House Museum

    Breeze in the Park
    Breeze in the Park is back for 2025! Enjoy interactive play, arts and crafts, games, sports, food and, of course, Breeze’s famous collection of classic inflatables. Coming to a park near you throughout summer.
    Wednesday 23 July to Thursday 21 August, cost: £1 per child. Optional additional activities and food at additional cost. Inflatable fast track and various discounts available with a £5 Breeze Pass.
    Find out more: Breeze in the Park

    Story Garden – Code and Create at Leeds libraries
    To celebrate this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme, make your own Story Gardens in lots of exciting ways. Join our library team to code robot bees and programme moisture sensors to keep plants hydrated! A free family-friendly event recommended for children aged 7+. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
    Thursday 24 July to Thursday 21 August, various library locations, cost: free
    Find out more: Story Garden – Code and Create at Leeds Libraries

    A Magical Miffy Summer at Leeds City Museum
    Hop down to Leeds City Museum over the summer holidays to experience Miffy summer fun! Take part in sing-along storytimes, make Miffy-inspired wands, experience dazzling magic shows, and design interactive artwork at electric paint and animation workshops. There will also be a pop-up sensory room filled with dark tents, light-up toys, squishy floor tiles, dens and a bubble tube.
    Thursday 24 July to Wednesday 27 August, various times (booking required for some activities – please see website for more details), cost: give what you can
    Find out more: A Magical Miffy Summer at Leeds City Museum

    Steam Toys & Meccano Show at Leeds Industrial Museum
    Marvel at the displays of working steam toys and Meccano from local collectors at this fun and friendly event. Enjoy this annual event from the Friends of Pudsey Roller as enthusiasts and collectors bring in their steam toys and Meccano to share with visitors. There will also be a pop-up cafe selling delicious treats and raising funds for the Pudsey Roller.
    Sunday 27 July, 12pm to 4pm, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Steam Toys & Meccano Show at Leeds Industrial Museum

    Pot a Plant at Temple Newsam
    Head to the Walled Garden, where a friendly team will help you to pot up a stunning Coleus plant from the estate’s national collection to take home! Coleus are known for their striking, multicoloured foliage, and can thrive in both sun and shade, making them a versatile choice for any growing space.
    Wednesday 30 July, 1pm to 3pm, cost: £3 per plant (booking essential)
    Find out more: Pot a Plant at Temple Newsam

    Tooth and Claw Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre
    Discover the animal skulls in the Natural Science collection and learn about how some have adapted teeth and claws to find food. Get up close and personal to the claws and teeth in our collection! Why are they that big? Why are they that sharp?! Join us for a family workshop and tour of our amazing collection store.
    Wednesday 30 July, 10am to 12pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Tooth and Claw Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Mystery Matinees at Leeds Industrial Museum
    Enjoy a family film in the museum’s cosy, 1920s-style Palace Picture House. Please note, the museum is closed on Mondays.
    Tuesday 5 August to Sunday 31 August, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Mystery Matinees at Leeds Industrial Museum

    Crafty in the Cloister at Kirkstall Abbey
    Take part in craft activities in the heart of the Abbey – the cloister. Every Thursday afternoon there will be new craft and colouring activities, reflecting on the nature in the abbey. The Cloister is the central courtyard in the abbey that served as a quiet area, surrounded by covered walkways to minimise noise and disruption. A quiet and meditative space for the Cistercian monks.
    Thursday 7, 14, 21, 28 August, 2pm to 4pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Crafty in the Cloister at Kirkstall Abbey

    Fladam presents…Green Fingers at Leeds libraries
    It’s Green Fingers’ first day at school, and so far nobody has spotted his bright green hands. But then… GOO! GUNK! GLOOP! What a mess! Why are they suddenly misbehaving? It doesn’t help that heinous headmaster Mr Marigold despises anything dirty… but is something magical going on? Maybe the answers can be found in the mysterious school garden? A family-friendly show recommended for children aged 3+. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
    Tuesday 12 August to Thursday 21 August, various library locations, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Fladam presents…Green Fingers at Leeds libraries

    Taxidermied! Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Join a Natural Science curator to look at how animals are taxidermied and preserved, and get up close to our animal collections. How are our animal collections preserved? Learn about taxidermy and the preservation of animals, and how they can contribute to the understanding of animals. After a tour in our store, we’ll be creating a shoebox scene of your own to take home.
    Wednesday 13 August, 10am to 12pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Taxidermied! Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Pattern Making Poetry at Leeds Art Gallery
    Creative family fun session with artist Kalisha Piper Cheddie. Use drawing and collage to make patterns on long pieces of paper that will be hung on the large walls in Central Court on the first floor of the gallery. While you’re there, take some time to find out more about Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s favourite music and poetry that inspired her exhibition, To Improvise a Mountain: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Curates. Drop-in, no need to book.
    Tuesday 19, Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 August, 11am to 3pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Pattern Making Poetry at Leeds Art Gallery

    The Child Friendly Leeds 12 wishes represent the voices of 80,000 children and young people in Leeds. Working towards these wishes makes Leeds a better city for children to grow up in. This article is in support of Child Friendly Leeds Wish 7: Children and young people know about different things to do and places to go across the city. They enjoy different cultural experiences including art, music, sport and film. Read the full wish and find out more: https://wearechildfriendlyleeds.com/wish-7-things-to-do/ Child Friendly Leeds also have a great guide full of even more things to do in Leeds over summer. Take a look at their summer activities guide here.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: US launches section 301 probe against Brazil

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced Tuesday that it will open an investigation into Brazil’s trade policies under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

    The investigation, launched under U.S. President Donald Trump’s direction, will look into “Brazil’s attacks on American social media companies as well as other unfair trading practices that harm American companies, workers, farmers, and technology innovators,” said the office in a statement, citing U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

    Greer determined that Brazil’s tariff and non-tariff barriers “merit a thorough investigation, and potentially, responsive action” after consulting with other government agencies, cleared advisers and Congress.

    The investigation will seek to determine “whether acts, policies, and practices of the Government of Brazil related to digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; anti-corruption interference; intellectual property protection; ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce,” said the statement. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand and Malaysia commit to boosting halal meat trade

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealand and Malaysia have committed to boosting trade in high-quality halal meat products.

    Minister for Food Safety Andrew Hoggard says, “Malaysia is a significant market for New Zealand’s premium halal meat products, with exports of more than $60 million last year.”

    “Malaysia is facilitating the approval of several New Zealand halal meat premises seeking first-time access to this market, which is crucial to growing exports.

    “With a population of more than 35 million people, new access will help set the stage for significant growth in the Malaysian market.

    “Once approved, this will boost returns for Kiwi farmers, processors and exporters,” Mr Hoggard says.

    Malaysian authorities will visit the new premises to review their halal production processes as part of the approval process.

    This progress was announced at a Halal Forum in Wellington today, hosted by Mr Hoggard and Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural and Regional Development Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Haji Hamidi.

    Dato’ Seri Zahid says New Zealand and Malaysia are also working closely together to streamline the export requirements for New Zealand halal meat.

    “Malaysia places significant importance on compliance with halal requirements.”

    “We are working hard with New Zealand to strengthen halal collaboration, which includes refreshing the requirements for the export of halal meat to Malaysia. This is a testament to the strong relationship between both countries, and the confidence Malaysia has in New Zealand’s halal processing and assurance systems,” Dato’ Seri Zahid says.

    Mr Hoggard says the refreshed requirements will help provide certainty for Kiwi producers in areas including registration of new premises, documentation, processing, labelling, packaging, and storage.

    “New Zealand remains fully committed to our strong relationship with Malaysia and supplying the best quality halal products to consumers in this important market.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • US launches probe into Brazil’s trade practices, digital payment services

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday he had launched an investigation into Brazil’s “unfair” trading practices, a week after President Donald Trump threatened a 50% tariff on imports from Latin America’s largest economy.

    Trump’s trade war, launched since starting his second term in January, sets tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, aiming to reorder the global economy and end decades of what he calls discrimination against the United States.

    The USTR investigation, announced last week by Trump, will decide if Brazil’s treatment of digital trade and preferential tariffs, among others, is “unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restrict” U.S. commerce, Greer said.

    “At President Trump’s direction, I am launching a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s attacks,” he added in a statement.

    Among victims of such attacks he cited U.S. social media and other companies, as well as workers, farmers, and technology innovators he described as harmed by Brazil’s “unfair trading practices”.

    Following extensive consultations, Greer added, “I have determined that Brazil’s tariff and non-tariff barriers merit a thorough investigation, and potentially, responsive action.”

    Trump justified his 50% tariff from August 1, well above the rate of 10% initially proposed, with a demand for an end to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro for allegedly plotting a coup.

    The high tariff for Brazil surprised many trade experts since its U.S. goods imports exceed its exports, and because Trump linked the rate so clearly to Bolsonaro’s trial.

    Brazil offered no immediate reaction to news of the U.S. investigation. On Monday, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said it had yet to receive a response from Washington to an offer it made in trade talks two months ago.

    During his first term, Trump used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to justify a spate of tariffs against China. It was also used to investigate other countries for digital services taxes on U.S. tech firms.

    In a statement, USTR said Brazil disadvantaged U.S. firms by setting lower tariffs on exports of other trading partners and accused it of failing to battle corruption.

    It added that Brazil also charged substantially higher tariffs on U.S. ethanol exports, and “appears to be failing” to enforce laws against illegal deforestation, which it said harmed the competitiveness of U.S. timber producers.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural News – Progress on rates reform – but only half the picture – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers is welcoming the Government’s moves to rein in soaring council rates but says key elements are missing from the reform bill announced yesterday.
    “The proposed legislation rightly refocuses councils on core services – roads, water, rubbish, and basic infrastructure – something we’ve long called for,” Federated Farmers local government spokesperson Sandra Faulkner says.
    “New financial performance measures, benchmarking and more regular public reporting should help drive greater transparency and accountability.”
    But Faulkner says while the Local Government (Systems Improvements) Amendment Bill also contains some regulatory relief tweaks, it fails to address a major pressure point: the constant loading of councils with new, unfunded mandates.
    There’s also no sign of ditching the 30% cap on uniform annual charges, or direction to councils they should use this tool more to distribute costs more fairly, instead of relying on property value-based rates that hit farmers hard.
    “Federated Farmers is in no doubt that many councils need to show more financial discipline.
    “Data shows the average dairy farmer’s rates in 2024/25 were $23,000, a 25% increase in the last five years. Rates for sheep and beef farms average $19,000, a 35% increase since 2020/21.
    “These are huge amounts to come out of farmers’ budgets year after year and our rural families are really feeling the pressure,” Faulkner says.
    Local Government Minister Simon Watt says the Government is working at pace to develop a rates cap model, expected later this year.
    “Federated Farmers supports the idea – but it has to be well-designed,” Faulkner says.
    “A lot of careful thought will be needed to get this right. There needs to be off-ramps for councils facing legitimate cost pressures for essential infrastructure like roads.
    “Councils still need to be well-funded in the interests of maintaining robust infrastructure.”
    She also warns a cap could affect Local Government Funding Authority credit ratings, potentially driving up borrowing costs for councils.
    “The last thing councils need are higher debt interest costs from LGFA, the principal lender at competitive rates to local authorities.”
    Faulkner says the bill and upcoming select committee hearings are a good chance to finally tackle bigger questions about council costs and funding.
    “Minister Watts has ruled out new taxes or revenue tools for councils, with the Government saying there’s still scope to get better value from current rates. But that ignores half the equation.
    “The bill acknowledges council rates rises are being driven by rising council costs, particularly for critical infrastructure.”
    The Federated Farmers ‘Restoring Confidence in Local Decision-Making’ blueprint calls for local road and bridge maintenance and renewal costs to be funded 90% from road user charges, rather than the current situation where ratepayers fork out just under 50% of these costs.
    “And we think there should be local referendums for any large council commercial projects – such as stadiums and conference centres – if they cost more than $500 per rateable property.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Investments Sector – NZ SUPER FUND STAKEHOLDER UPDATE

    Source: New Zealand Super Fund

    Nelson-Tasman State of Emergency

    NZ Super Fund-owned farms and orchards in the top of the South Island seem to have escaped the worst of the recent weather, with extensive cleaning up required but no significant damage to trees or infrastructure. Our thoughts are with those of our neighbours who have been hit hard by successive storms and heavy rain events over the past few weeks. The FarmRight team has been out in the community helping where it can.

    Kaingaroa Timberlands expands plantation area

    Kaingaroa Timberlands (KT), in which the Guardians has a 42 percent shareholding, recently announced it had bought 9,200 hectares of forestry land from Te Waihou Holdings Ltd.

    Ryan Cavanagh, Chief Executive of KT subsidiary Timberlands, said the transaction underscored KT’s long-term commitment to New Zealand and its confidence in the forestry industry:

    “By expanding our estate, we are not only securing the future of forestry in the Central North Island, we are also positioning ourselves to make further investments in our operations, driving further economic growth and job creation. It will help ensure New Zealand can remain a global leader in responsibly managed forestry.”

    Ryan said the transaction preserves the land’s established role in commercial forestry and supports the South Waikato region’s economic and environmental objectives.

    Select Committee Report tabled

    The Finance & Expenditure Select Committee has presented a report on the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation to Parliament. The Committee’s report draws on our appearance before them on 2 April, and covers topics including performance, tax status, domestic investments, and the Elevate NZ Venture Fund. The full report can be found here.

    Guardians Board Member joins Business Hall of Fame

    Ahead of her induction next month into the NZ Business Hall of Fame, Guardians Board member Hinerangi Raumati talked to the NBR’s Mike McRoberts about the growing influence of kaupapa Māori in corporate New Zealand, and her own efforts to integrate Māori values and perspectives into mainstream boardrooms.

    “There is a certain group dynamic that can happen in a room full of men … just bringing a different lens to things, as well as having a holistic view of the world, is what my approach has always been,” said Hinerangi – referring to a time in her career when she was frequently not only the sole Māori at the decision-making table but also the only woman.

    Hinerangi also told the NBR that while it’s important to recognise what has been achieved, more remains to be done.

    “None of us should sit on our laurels in terms of what we’ve achieved, and we shouldn’t lower our expectations either. Just keep raising the bar on what we’ve done. There’s good things being done in this country … we should all be proud of those things.”

    Go to the Business Hall of Fame website for more information on Hinerangi and the other 2025 laureates; click here to read Mike McRoberts’ full story (paywalled). 

    Super Fund reintroduces buyout strategies

    After stepping back from private market buyouts more than ten years ago, the NZ Super Fund is re-entering the global arena with a commitment of around US$800 million, reports i3Insights’ Florence Chong.

    Doug Bell and Sian Orr from our External Investments & Partnerships team talked to Florence about how this initiative reflects a broader strategy designed to enhance international diversification, leverage specialist external managers, and integrate sustainability and other ESG considerations into the NZ Super Fund’s private markets programme.

    Read the full article here: https://nzsuperfund.cmail20.com/t/d-l-suikyut-hujkdust-o/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Politics – Farmers welcome halt to new plan changes

    Source: Federated Farmers

    The decision that councils will be stopped from rushing through new restrictive plan changes is welcome news to farmers, Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says.
    “Councils across New Zealand have been continuing to push ahead with new district plans that put farms under restrictive overlays, such as Outstanding Natural Landscapes and Significant Natural Areas.
    “This is despite the fact any plan changes may only have a shelf life of months, given the Government int

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Krasniy Oktyabr Inc. USA Issues Alert on Eviscerate Dry Salted Vobla “Aral Silver”

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    July 15, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    July 15, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesFoodborne Illness
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Potential Foodborne Illness – Clostridium botulinum

    Company Name:
    KRASNIY OKTYABR INC. USA
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    ARAL SILVER VOBLA

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    EVISCERATE DRY SALTED VOBLA ARAL SILVER

    Company Announcement
    KRASNIY OKTYABR INC. USA. of BROOKLYN, NY, is recalling its “ARAL SILVER VOBLA” brand “ARAL”, because the product was found to be uneviscerated.
    The fish were distributed nationwide through retail stores. The product comes in a clear plastic vacuum packaged bag with a blue label, containing two whole fish inside marked “Product of Kazakhstan”.
    The recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets food inspectors and subsequent analysis by NYS Food Laboratory revealed the product was not properly eviscerated prior to processing.
    The sale of uneviscerated fish is prohibited because clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Uneviscerated fish have been linked to outbreaks of botulism poisoning. Symptoms of botulism include dizziness, blurred or double vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.
    No illness has been reported to date in connection with this problem.
    Consumers who have purchased packages ‘DRY SALTED VOBLA ARAL SILVER’ are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 718-858-6720.

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    718-858-6720

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    07/15/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Hosts HHS Secretary Kennedy & USDA Secretary Rollins for First ‘MAHA’ Roundtable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) hosted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, alongside farmers from across the country and agriculture experts, for the inaugural Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) roundtable on Capitol Hill. The conversation centered on how agriculture aligns with the MAHA movement, emphasizing the critical role of soil health in producing nutrient-dense food.
    “As a fifth-generation Kansas farm kid and a physician, I recognize that producing nutrient-dense foods for a healthier America starts with healthy soil,” said Senator Marshall. “Today, I was privileged to welcome Secretary Kennedy, Secretary Rollins, farmers, and agriculture experts from across the country to Capitol Hill for the first MAHA roundtable. Focused on soil health, I believe healthy soil leads to healthy food and healthy people, fostering a healthier America. MAHA will thrive due to the dedication, collaboration, and partnership of those who joined us today.”
    “America’s farmers and ranchers are not just stakeholders in this fight—they are the foundation of it,” Secretary Kennedy said. “I was proud to join Senator Marshall and Secretary Rollins today to meet directly with ranchers, farmers, and agricultural experts who are driving our shared mission to Make America Healthy Again.”
    “Farmers are at the heart of the Trump Administration’s mission to Make America Healthy Again. Thank you to Senator Marshall for gathering our great farmers and ranchers to discuss the role soil health plays in growing healthy foods. I look forward to continuing to support American agriculture as producers work towards healthier, more fertile soil,” said Secretary Rollins.
    Click HERE for additional photos.
    Background:
    As chair of the Senate Agriculture subcommittee on Conservation, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, Senator Marshall has long fought for better agriculture practices and healthier foods in America. He is also the founder of both the MAHA Caucus and the Food is Medicine Caucus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural News – Government delivers lifeline for flood-affected farmers – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers are welcoming the announcement of a $600,000 Government support package to help flood-affected farmers in the Nelson Tasman region get back on their feet.
    “This funding is desperately needed to support recovery efforts on the ground and will make a real difference for farming families,” says Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford.
    “We’re incredibly grateful that the Government have recognised this need early and taken practical steps that will allow clean-up work to get underway immediately.”
    The Government package includes $50,000 for the Farmers Adverse Events Trust, established by Federated Farmers, and will be matched dollar-for-dollar by donations from other farmers.
    Langford has visited many impacted farmers over the past fortnight, and will be on the ground again today surveying the damage and assessing what further support might be needed.
    “Each farm is completely different. Some have only had minor damage that they will be able to fix themselves, but others will definitely need some significant help,” Langford says.
    “That’s where Federated Farmers are going to be focusing most of our efforts. We need to prioritise those who have been hit hardest and then work our way out from there.
    “What this $50,000 from the Government means is that we can start work almost immediately with diggers, bulldozers and fencers from later this week.
    “That’s the kind of support these farmers need the most right now. They need boots on the ground, shovels in the dirt, and heavy machinery starting to roll in.”
    Langford says Federated Farmers will be playing a key role in coordinating this work but more donations will still be required to fund recovery efforts over the coming weeks.
    “We really need New Zealanders to get in behind these farmers with donations. It doesn’t matter if they’re large or small, every dollar counts and will make a difference.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    July 15, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations, with Severance leading as this year’s most-nominated series and The Studio becoming the most-nominated freshman comedy in history

    Global phenomenon Severance scores 27 nominations for hit second season, including Outstanding Drama Series and nine performance category nominations

    Breakout comedy The Studio sweeps with 23 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, making history with the most nominations for a freshman comedy and most overall acting nominations this year

    Apple TV+ leads as the only network to land multiple title nominations across Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories, as The Studio, Severance, Slow Horses, and Shrinking land top program nominations, alongside Apple’s first-ever Outstanding Television Movie nod for The Gorge

    Apple also lands the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total

    Apple Originals honored with nominations across 14 titles, including Severance, The Studio, Slow Horses, Shrinking, Presumed Innocent, The Gorge, Bad Sisters, Dope Thief, Disclaimer, Pachinko, Your Friends & Neighbors, Dark Matter, Deaf President Now!, and Bono: Stories of Surrender

    CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA Apple TV+ today earned a record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations across 14 hit Apple Original titles for this year’s 77th Emmy Awards. Severance became this year’s most-nominated series with 27 nominations, and The Studio made history as the most-nominated freshman comedy series with 23 nominations in total. Additionally, with top program nominations for drama (Slow Horses) and comedy (Shrinking), Apple TV+ became the only network to have multiple titles nominated in the Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories. Apple also landed the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total.

    “Everyone at Apple is celebrating the talent, creativity, and hard work of all of our Emmy nominees this morning,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Severance and The Studio have exceeded our wildest expectations in earning the most nominations for both drama and comedy series, alongside the phenomenal Shrinking and Slow Horses. These shows have connected deeply with audiences around the world, and we’re incredibly appreciative to the Television Academy for recognizing the breadth of storytelling that has been an honor for us to champion. We send our warmest congratulations to all of today’s nominees.”

    “This record-breaking year is a milestone for Apple, and we’re especially proud of the continued impact our outstanding series nominees — Severance, The Studio, Shrinking, and Slow Horses — are having on global culture,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s Head of Worldwide Video. “These nominations honor bold storytelling, exceptional performances, and remarkable craftsmanship, and we’re deeply grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing these visionary creators.”

    Severance dominates as the most-nominated series this year, with 27 overall nominations, including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Adam Scott, Outstanding Lead Actress for Britt Lower, Outstanding Directing for Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné, Outstanding Writing for Dan Erickson, alongside recognition for outstanding performances by Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever, as well as nods across several craft categories.

    As the most-nominated freshman comedy series in history, in addition to Outstanding Comedy, The Studio scores Outstanding Lead Actor, Directing, and Writing for Seth Rogen; Outstanding Supporting Actor for Ike Barinholtz; and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara. It also earned five of the six nominations in the Outstanding Guest Actor category, including first-ever acting nominations for directors Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, alongside Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, and Anthony Mackie, plus an Outstanding Guest Actress nomination for Zoë Kravitz.

    In its sophomore season, Apple’s beloved Shrinking nabs its first-ever nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Harrison Ford is recognized with his first Emmy Award nomination for his celebrated performance in the series. Jason Segel nabs Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy, alongside Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress nominations for Michael Urie and Jessica Williams, respectively.

    Following last year’s Emmy Award win for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Slow Horses lands nominations for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Sir Gary Oldman, Outstanding Directing for Adam Randall, Outstanding Casting, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Will Smith.

    Apple Original Films’ The Gorge lands the first Outstanding Television Movie nomination for Apple TV+, as Apple Original documentaries Deaf President Now! and Bono: Stories of Surrender are also recognized.

    Apple TV+ series stars lead with the most performance nominations overall, earning 31 acting category nominations, including 10 top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in The Studio, nine nominations for the stars and guest stars of Severance, and four nominations each for performances in Shrinking and Presumed Innocent. Dope Thief star Brian Tyree Henry also scores a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, as Sir Gary Oldman lands his second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Slow Horses, and Sharon Horgan is recognized with her second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the BAFTA Award-winning Bad Sisters.

    The nominations were announced today by the Television Academy, and the winners will be unveiled at the Creative Arts ceremonies on September 6 and 7, and the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on September 14, 2025.

    To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 580 wins and 2,761 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso and historic Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.

    In total, Apple scores 81 Emmy Award nominations, including:

    Severance (27)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Adam Scott
    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Britt Lower
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Zach Cherry
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tramell Tillman
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: John Turturro
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Patricia Arquette
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Jane Alexander
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Gwendoline Christie
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Merritt Wever
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Jessica Lee Gagné
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Ben Stiller
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Dan Erickson
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series 
    • Outstanding Choreography For Scripted Programming 
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Drama Series (X3)
    • Outstanding Title Design
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode
    • Outstanding Stunt Performance

    The Studio (23)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ike Barinholtz
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kathryn Hahn
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Catherine O’Hara
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bryan Cranston
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Dave Franco
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Ron Howard
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Mackie
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Martin Scorsese
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Zoë Kravitz
    • Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
    • Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Heck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Contemporary Costumes For A Series
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Single Camera Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling 
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Shrinking (7)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Segel
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Harrison Ford
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Michael Urie
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jessica Williams
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Slow Horses (5)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Gary Oldman
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Will Smith
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Adam Randall
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series

    Presumed Innocent (4)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Bill Camp
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Peter Sarsgaard
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Ruth Negga

    Disclaimer (2)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Cate Blanchett
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie

    Bad Sisters (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Sharon Horgan

    Dope Thief (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Brian Tyree Henry

    The Gorge (2)

    • Outstanding Television Movie
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special

    Deaf President Now! (2)

    • Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
    • Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim

    Pachinko (2)

    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)

    Your Friends & Neighbors (1)

    • Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

    Bono: Stories of Surrender (1)

    • Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Special

    Dark Matter (1)

    • Outstanding Title Design

    Nominees for Outstanding Commercial (2)

    • “Heartstrings” — Apple AirPods Pro
    • “Flock” — Apple Privacy

    Severance
    In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work … and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.

    The Studio
    In The Studio, Seth Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of embattled Continental Studios. As movies struggle to stay alive and relevant, Matt and his core team of infighting executives battle their insecurities as they wrangle narcissistic artists and craven corporate overlords in the ever-elusive pursuit of making great films. With their power suits masking their never-ending sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting decision, marketing meeting and award show presents them with an opportunity for glittering success or career-ending catastrophe. As someone who eats, sleeps and breathes movies, it’s the job Matt’s been pursuing his whole life, and it may very well destroy him.

    Shrinking
    Shrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

    Slow Horses
    This darkly funny espionage drama follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.

    Presumed Innocent
    Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together. The star-studded ensemble cast of the thriller also includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle and Renate Reinsve.

    Disclaimer
    Disclaimer is a gripping psychological thriller in seven chapters, starring Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Written and directed by five-time Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón, “Disclaimer” is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Renée Knight. Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets. As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys her life and her relationships with her husband Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and their son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The ensemble cast includes Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Hoyeon, and features Indira Varma as the narrator.

    Bad Sisters
    Bad Sisters season two returns to follow the lives of the Garvey sisters played by Sharon Horgan as Eva, Anne-Marie Duff as Grace, Eva Birthistle as Ursula, Sarah Greene as Bibi and Eve Hewson as Becka. Two years after the “accidental death” of Grace’s abusive husband, the close-knit Garvey sisters may have moved on, but when past truths resurface, the ladies are thrust back into the spotlight, suspicions are at an all-time high, lies are told, secrets revealed and the sisters are forced to work out who they can trust.

    Dope Thief
    Based on Dennis Tafoya’s book Dope Thief, the series follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern Seaboard.

    The Gorge
    Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy. When the cataclysmic threat to humanity is revealed to them, they must work together in a test of both their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.

    Pachinko
    Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.

    Your Friends & Neighbors
    After being fired in disgrace, a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors’ homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, only to discover that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined.

    Deaf President Now!
    The story of the greatest civil rights movement most people have never heard of. Deaf President Now! recounts the eight days of historic protests held at Gallaudet University in 1988 after the school’s board of trustees appointed a hearing president over several very qualified Deaf candidates. After a week of rallies, boycotts and protests, the students of Gallaudet University triumph as the hearing president resigns and beloved dean Dr. I. King Jordan becomes the university’s first Deaf president. The protests marked a pivotal moment in civil rights history, with an impact that extended well beyond the Gallaudet campus, and paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Deaf President Now! features exclusive interviews with the five key figures of the movement, including the DPN4 — Jerry Covell, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Tim Rarus and Greg Hlibok — alongside I. King Jordan, as well as archival and scripted elements. The film also incorporates an experimental narrative approach called Deaf Point of View, using impressionistic visual photography and intricate sound design to thrust the audience into the Deaf experience.

    Bono: Stories of Surrender
    Bono: Stories of Surrender is a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief… As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the tour, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.

    Dark Matter
    Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

    All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.

    Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

    About Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone; iPad; Apple TV; Apple Vision Pro; Mac; popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others; Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation, and Xbox gaming consoles; and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.1About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.

    Press Contacts

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government announces $600,000 support package for flood-affected farmers, growers and foresters

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is increasing its financial contribution to support rural communities in the Nelson Tasman Region, with additional funding to help farmers, foresters, growers and rural contractors recover from recent severe weather events.

    Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay speaking during a visit to the Tasman District today announced an additional $600,000 in Government and industry support, bringing the total Government financial contribution for the affected primary sector to $500,000.

    “These regions have experienced significant damage to forests, farms and rural infrastructure. This funding will help meet immediate recovery needs and help rural businesses get back on their feet,” Mr McClay says. 

    The support package includes:

    • A $300,000 Government contribution to the Mayoral Relief Fund tagged to the rural sector.
    • $100,000 contribution by the Government and Federated Farmers to the Farmers Adverse Events Trust to support with the immediate recovery needs for the most impacted pastoral farmers in the Nelson Tasman region.
    • $100,000 contribution by the Government and Horticulture New Zealand, to help the horticulture sector across the Top of the South.
    • $100,000 announced by Government in June to support and coordinate recovery efforts, including $20,000 for the Top of the South Rural Support Trust.

    “We continue to work with New Zealand Winegrowers to ensure appropriate support for affected vineyards, including the potential use of Enhanced Taskforce Green,” Mr McClay said.

    “Many farmers and growers are facing their second clean-up in a fortnight from floods and storm damage. Rural communities are resilient, but the relentless wet weather conditions have taken a toll. This support is designed to provide meaningful and direct assistance quickly,” Mr McClay says.

    MPI staff are on the ground working with the Rural Support Trust and industry groups assessing damage and coordinating assistance.

    “Farmers, foresters and growers will face many, many months of work to repair damage to their land and get their businesses back on track. We will continue to assess what further assistance might be required.”

    “Farmers and growers who need help or assistance should in the first instance contact their local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254,” Mr McClay said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defra Secretary of State at Water UK Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Speech

    Defra Secretary of State at Water UK Reception

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs delivered a speech at the UK Water Reception hosted at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems. 

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    [Political section removed]

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

     And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.    

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK promotes agricultural cooperation with the Guatemalan Ministry of Agriculture

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    World news story

    UK promotes agricultural cooperation with the Guatemalan Ministry of Agriculture

    British Ambassador, Juliana Correa, held a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food, María Fernanda Rivera, to strengthen collaboration in smart agriculture, biotechnology, and sustainable rural development.

    During the meeting, opportunities to promote British offerings in the agri-tech sector were discussed, including solutions in fertilizers, seeds, machinery, animal genetics, and technologies for water conservation and waste management. The interest of British companies in entering the Guatemalan market was highlighted, as well as the need to facilitate regulatory processes for biotech products. 

    The Embassy also highlighted the work of the UK Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF), which supports initiatives in Petén and the Trifinio region for biodiversity conservation, community development, and climate change adaptation. The importance of strengthening MAGA’s technical assistance in areas such as beekeeping, agroforestry systems, and value chains like cocoa was emphasized. 

    The meeting reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to the sustainable development of the Guatemalan agricultural sector, promoting strategic alliances, technological innovation, and comprehensive solutions to environmental and productive challenges.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defra Secretary of State at UK Water Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Defra Secretary of State at UK Water Reception

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs delivered a speech at the UK Water Reception hosted at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems. 

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    [Political section removed]

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

     And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.    

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Secures Key Provisions to Protect Rock Island Arsenal, Support Illinois Quantum Technology Research and Safeguard Care for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    July 15, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), secured several important provisions to support our state’s residents, Servicemembers, Veterans and economy in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that SASC recently approved last week and the full Senate will now consider. Some of the priorities Duckworth secured to help Illinoisans include protecting Rock Island Arsenal from any restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plans, expanding access to vital health care services for our state’s servicemembers, Veterans as well as military families and supporting research and development at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.  
    “The brave Illinoisans who serve our nation in uniform at home and abroad deserve to know that our country fully supports them as they and their families sacrifice to defend our country,”?said Senator Duckworth.?“While I do not support every provision in this bipartisan compromise, I’m proud I was able to secure several important provisions to benefit our state by protecting operations at Rock Island Arsenal, protecting health care access for our military and Veteran families and supporting groundbreaking quantum computing research in Chicago. I’m glad the Armed Services Committee included these important provisions in this year’s NDAA and I hope the full Senate approves it as soon possible.” 
    Key Duckworth provisions secured in this year’s Committee-passed NDAA that would support Illinoisans include:
    Supporting and Protecting Rock Island Arsenal Operations:
    By Protecting Jobs: This provision would restrict the Secretary of the Army from using any funds allocated for restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plan to integrate Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, helping ensure operations at Rock Island Arsenal are not affected unnecessarily.
    By Sustaining Workload and Industrial Base: This provision would establish a 5-year pilot program requiring DoD to give preference to public-private partnerships in arsenals, especially those non-public partners that ensure equitable workshare to DoD employees to protect critical skills. This provision would help ensure arsenals and factories, like Rock Island Arsenal, remain active and viable while preserving the skilled workforce, equipment and production capacity critical to the nation’s defense industrial base.
    By Constructing a Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal: The bill authorizes $50 million in Major Construction funds for a new addition to the Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal and to consolidate the existing facilities and make upgrades to meet DoD guidelines and safety requirements, ensuring that eligible families at Rock Island Arsenal have a safe, modern facility for childcare. 
    By Improving Predictive Manufacturing Analytics at Army Arsenals: Language urging the continued implementation of industrial control networks across our Army’s arsenals to enable the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data associated with the manufacture and repair of equipment and supplies. This work completed by MxD, the nation’s digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, located in Chicago, helps ensure the efficiency and security of the critical manufacturing completed at Rock Island Arsenal and the Army’s other arsenals.? 
    By Expanding Robotic Enhancements for Armaments Manufacturing: Language authorizing an additional $5 million for the Secretary of the Army to expand prototyping and production capacity by integrating robotics, automation and digital manufacturing into the munitions industrial base, further modernizing production at Rock Island Arsenal with technology pioneered by innovators in Chicago.? 
    By Improving the Governance of the Organic Industrial Base: Language directing the Army to analyze the effectiveness of their current governance and resourcing model for the Army’s arsenals, depots as well as ammunition plants and identify opportunities for changes to ensure the enterprise and its workforce can support the military’s munitions and sustainment requirements now and in the future. The Senator helped secure this provision alongside Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK). ? 
    Safeguarding Veteran Medical Care in North Chicago: This provision, led with Senator Durbin, would secure a one-year extension of the Joint Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, which supports the operations of the North Chicago-based Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). This provision will help safeguard continued access to vital services for military families and Veterans in the area.  
    Protecting Cities Like Chicago from the Trump Administration’s Overreach with the Military: A modified version of a provision of Senator Duckworth’s Military In Law Enforcement Accountability Act (MiLEAA) requires servicemembers identify themselves as part of the military when assisting federal law enforcement when operating in the United States. As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation’s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, this provision ensures that servicemembers identify themselves properly—to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties. 
    In light of the Trump administration’s increasing use of troops to support law enforcement within the United States, another provision will help ensure troops know how to responsibly operate within the bounds of domestic laws and protect American civil rights. This provision requires DoD to provide legal training to all servicemembers, including a refresher within 90 days of any mobilization or deployment, on their responsibilities under the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, defense support for civil authorities and standing rules for the use of force within the United States.
    Strengthening Domestic Suppliers of Critical Uniform Components: Language prohibiting the Department of Defense from sourcing clothing, fabrics or components from countries of concern—such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia—when using domestic sourcing waivers under the Berry Amendment, to prevent further weakening of the U.S. clothing and textile industrial base and bolstering Chicago’s top-quality garment industry.
    Investing in Quantum Technology in Chicago: Language recognizing the importance of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) program, which aims to build a commercially useful FTQC by 2033, and encouraging the Department to concurrently prepare algorithms to operate those machines, while the hardware is being built. This provision recognizes the importance of the development of the first FTQC, which is being built at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, Illinois. 
    Championing Domestic Manufacturing in Belleville: Language requesting DoD provide data and analysis on the necessary war reserves for footwear and textiles, and the accompanying surge needs in the event of crisis or conflict. This report language is a modified version of the Senator’s Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act, which recognizes that our defense industrial base for combat boots needs investment in order for it to support our troops and help ensure they have the sturdiest and most protective boots in a possible war, like those manufactured in Illinois at Belleville’s Belleville Boot Manufacturing Co.
    Advancing U.S. Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation in Champaign: This provision would support the innovative work being done at advanced facilities like the University of Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub (iFAB) by requiring more information on how DoD is investing in this technology critical for national security.
    Encouraging Investment in Nuclear Energy and Domestic Printed Circuit Boards: Language allowing the Office of Strategic Capital to enter into investments in nuclear fusion and fission energy and directing OSC to explore printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assemblies, to ensure these critical technologies—which Illinois plays a central role in manufacturing and advancing—has sufficient capital investments to scale for warfighting. 
    Protecting Servicemembers from Dangerous PFAS in their Protective Garments: Language requiring the DoD to articulate its plan for acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat protective garments free from toxic PFAS chemicals as soon as possible.?Innovative Illinois research and development and manufacturing is leading the way on alternatives that protect servicemembers without relying on toxic chemicals.  
    Designing a New Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Scott Air Force Base: The bill authorizes $6 million in Planning and Design funds for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar to support the training and operational mission of the 126th Aerial Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base. The current hangar was constructed in 1956, remains in disrepair and no longer meets Department of Defense standards or mission requirements, making a new hangar critical to the Wing’s mission. 
    Renovating General Jones Readiness Center: The bill authorizes $5 million in Planning and Design funds for major alternations to the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago. This facility was built in 1931 and remains one of the largest readiness centers in the country. Renovating it to meet mission requirements is a top priority for the Illinois National Guard. 
    In addition to these provisions, Senator Duckworth also successfully worked to protect Universities like Northwestern University and University of Illinois from having their DoD funding for critical technological research cut unnecessarily. 
    Other key funding for Illinois projects contained in the committee-passed bill include:
    $5 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support forging annex at Rock Island Arsenal.
    $3.05 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support range control at Marseilles Training Center.
    $8 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support the Peoria Armory Readiness Center.
    $36 million authorized to boost Fort Sheridan area maintenance support activity.
    A full list of Duckworth’s priorities included in the FY26 NDAA can be found here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Highlights Key Investments Secured in Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    **Shaheen secured more than $14.7 million for critical projects across New Hampshire**

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill. In a unanimous vote, the Committee approved the bipartisan legislation, which would provide $27.1 billion in discretionary funding, including more than $14.7 million for critical projects across the Granite State, helping invest in a wide range of programs benefitting New Hampshire and the country.

    “As Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I’m proud to deliver this bipartisan bill that will help address the high costs that so many Americans are facing and invest in rural communities across the nation,” said Ranking Member Senator Shaheen. “The resources we secured will help support our efforts to tackle housing, food and energy costs, ensure New Hampshire’s farmers have the support they need, invest in the outdoor recreation economy, protect public health and more. I’m proud to have shaped this legislation in a way that benefits the Granite State and all of America.”

    Summary of Shaheen priorities included in the Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026:

    Defending Access to Food Assistance

    Senator Shaheen has long fought to protect access to food assistance programs that help families put food on the table. In the FY26 Ag-FDA bill, Shaheen helped secure $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to help low-income families receive healthy, nutritious food products like milk, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and more. Shaheen also helped fund the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) which provides food boxes for low-income older adults across the country.

    Shaheen, who is also the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, successfully fought for the inclusion of funding to fulfill America’s commitment to international food aid programs. Specifically, the bill provides $1.5 billion for Food for Peace and $240 million for McGovern-Dole Food for Education—a bipartisan defense of these programs that address world hunger, save lives and create additional markets for American farmers.

    Investing in America’s Rural Communities

    In the FY26 Ag-FDA bill, Senator Shaheen built on her work to support rural communities across the nation, including to address the affordable housing crisis. The bill fully funds the Rental Assistance program so that participating families can remain housed, provides funding to preserve the existing affordable housing portfolio and makes $1 billion in financing available for very low-income homebuyers, many of whom are first-time homeowners.

    Shaheen has continually fought for federal funding to help ensure Granite State communities have the resources needed to tackle the housing affordability crisis. In the FY24 Ag-FDA bill, Shaheen worked to include key provisions from her Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act. Those provisions were continued in the FY26 Ag-FDA bill. Shaheen’s standalone legislation would ensure that hundreds of thousands of low-income tenants in rural areas are able to maintain access to safe and affordable housing.

    Shaheen has also led legislative action in the Senate to support energy efficiency projects and initiatives. Shaheen secured $4 million for a new Energy Circuit Rider Pilot program in the FY26 Ag-FDA bill to help ensure communities in rural America can take advantage of cost savings from energy efficiency and clean energy projects. The provision is based on legislation Shaheen recently reintroduced, the Energy Circuit Riders Act, to establish a new grant program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to help eligible entities hire local, on-the-ground experts that travel to rural communities and provide technical assistance on projects that help spur economic development and reduce energy costs that help ease rural property tax rates. This pilot is modeled after a successful program in New Hampshire through Clean Energy NH.

    Protecting Public Health

    The FY26 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill also provides vital funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stay ahead of the curve on approving medical products, regulating the food supply and more. Shaheen worked in a bipartisan way to defend the FDA’s budget, providing more than $7 billion in funding for the agency. Shaheen secured the following funding to protect the public health of Americans:

    • $5 million and report language at the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research to develop and validate new surrogate endpoints, including C-peptide, that could help improve health outcomes and reduce disease burden for patients with Type 1 diabetes.
    • Gives the FDA the authority to seize and destroy illegal tobacco products at ports of entry, requires the Center for Tobacco Products to spend $200 million of their $712 million on enforcement activities and provides $2 million for the Coordination of the Interagency Tobacco Task Force.
    • Report language encouraging the FDA to prioritize the approval of biosimilar products.
    • Report language directing the FDA to provide a report on the challenges it faces preventing counterfeit drugs from reaching the market, including recommendations for how to address the problem.

    Supporting Farmers with Vital Tools and Groundbreaking Research

    Shaheen built on her longstanding work to support New Hampshire’s small and diversified farmers by defending the conservation tools used by the state’s agricultural producers to help protect and sustain their land’s natural resources. The FY26 Ag-FDA bill defends the Conservation Technical Assistance program, funding conservation activities at $949 million. The bill also maintains critical funding for Farm Service Agency staffing in county offices in the Granite State and makes $10.5 billion in farm loans available to help producers access capital across the country.

    Shaheen was also able to successfully include $2 million for New England Protected Agriculture research at the Agricultural Research Service. The University of New Hampshire is well-positioned to help lead this effort. This research will help improve cultivation practices and help farmers extend the growing season for fruit and vegetable crops.

    Supporting New Hampshire’s Outdoor Economy

    Shaheen also secured continued funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program (SNOTEL), including an additional $2 million to continue the ongoing study regarding potential Northeast expansion of this program. Senator Shaheen secured the initial $1 million for this study in FY23 government funding legislation. Shaheen recently introduced the bipartisan Snow Survey Northeast Expansion Act with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) to establish a SNOTEL network across the Northeast to track mountain snow accumulation and precipitation rates.

    Senator Shaheen also included the following Congressionally Directed Spending projects for New Hampshire, totaling more than $14.7 million.

    Recipient

    Project

    Account

    Funding ($)

    University System of New Hampshire

    Center for Excellence in Education and Discovery for Plant Science (CEED Plant Science)

    Research Facilities Act Program

    $1,925,000

    Belmont Police Department

    Drive to Safety

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $73,000

    Chesley Memorial Library

    Chesley Memorial Library Energy Efficiency and Emergency Power Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $95,000

    Cottage Hospital

    Cottage Hospital Asbestos Abatement

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,725,000

    Croydon School District

    Croydon Schoolhouse Renovation and Expansion

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,176,000

    Families Flourish Northeast Inc

    Interrupting Intergenerational Addiction

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,000,000

    Franklin Pierce University

    Renovation and Upgrade to Health Sciences Facilities at Franklin Pierce University, Rindge Campus

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,000,000

    Maplewood Station

    Maplewood Station Community Center

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $750,000

    The Walpole Foundation

    Walpole Village School

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $830,000

    Town of Bethlehem

    Bethlehem’s Transfer Station Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $750,000

    Town of Deerfield

    George B. White Solar Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $248,000

    Town of Gorham

    Replacement of Rescue Truck

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $301,000

    Town of Hampton

    Hampton Public Safety Pier

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $125,000

    Town of Hancock

    Hancock Fire Station Renovation Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $600,000

    Town of Unity

    Unity Fire Station and Emergency Community Shelter

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $2,100,000

    Town of Walpole

    Walpole NH Police Station

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $2,058,000

    TOTAL:

    		    

    $14,756,000

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global demand for meat and dairy set to rise, but climate and nutrition gaps remain

    Source: United Nations 2

    However, persistent nutritional gaps and mounting environmental pressures reveal a complex path ahead, according to a new study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – an influential international policy forum.

    The Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034, released on Tuesday, projects a six per cent increase in global per capita consumption of animal-source foods by 2034 – beef, pork, poultry, fish, dairy and other animal products.  

    The trend is most pronounced in lower middle-income countries, where intake is expected to rise by 24 per cent, far outpacing the global average.  

    “These projections point to better nutrition for many people in developing countries,” said Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the FAO.

    OECD‑FAO

    Agricultural Outlook 2025‑2034

    Increased incomes, better diets – but not for all

    The surge in consumption in middle-income economies is attributed largely to rising disposable incomes, changing dietary preferences and urbanisation. In these countries, daily per capita intake of animal-sourced foods is projected to reach 364 kilocalories, surpassing the 300 kcal benchmark.

    At the same time, consumption in low-income countries will remain low – reaching just 143 kcal per day, less than half the amount deemed necessary for a healthy diet – highlighting stark inequalities in access to nutrient-rich diets and the challenges ahead to ensure everyone is food secure.

    Mr. Qu urged greater efforts to ensure people in the lowest-income countries also benefit from improved nutrition and food security.

    Production expanding but emissions rising

    To meet rising demand, global agricultural and fish production is projected to increase by 14 per cent over the next decade, largely driven by productivity gains in middle-income nations.

    Output of meat, dairy and eggs is expected to grow by 17 per cent, while total livestock inventories are projected to expand by seven per cent.

    However, these gains come at an environmental cost: direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are set to rise by six per cent by 2034, despite improvements in emissions intensity.

    As production becomes more efficient, the emissions generated per unit of output will decline, but the overall footprint will still grow unless additional measures are taken.

    OECD‑FAO

    Agricultural Outlook 2025‑2034

    Other key findings

    • Cereal yields to grow 0.9 per cent annually, with harvested area expanding just 0.14 per cent per year – half the pace of the last decade
    • By 2034, 40 per cent of cereals will go directly to human consumption, 33 per cent to animal feed, and the rest to biofuels and industry
    • Biofuel demand set to rise 0.9 per cent annually, led by Brazil, India and Indonesia
    • Sub-Saharan Africa’s beef herd projected to grow 15 per cent, though productivity remains just one-tenth of North America’s
    • India and Southeast Asia will drive 39 per cent of global consumption growth by 2034; China’s share falling to 13 per cent from 32 per cent
    • High-income countries to see drop in per capita fats and sweeteners intake due to health trends and policy shifts

    A win-win: More nourishment, fewer emissions

    The report outlines a scenario in which nourishment improves for all, and agricultural emissions are reduced by as much as seven per cent below current levels by 2034.

    Achieving this dual outcome would require major investments to improve productivity, alongside widespread adoption of existing low-emission technologies such as precision farming, improved livestock feed and prioritising nutritional production.

    Future progress will depend on a blend of policy coordination, technological innovation and targeted investments – especially in countries where the gap between demand and nutritional value is stark.

    “We have the tools to end hunger and boost global food security,” said Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD.

    “Well-coordinated policies are needed to keep global food markets open, while fostering long-term productivity improvements and sustainability in the agriculture sector.”

    Pivotal role for global trade

    The Outlook also reiterates the importance of trade, given that 22 per cent of all calories eaten will have crossed international borders by 2034.

    “International trade will remain indispensable to the global agri-food sector,” the report stressed.

    “Multilateral cooperation and a rules-based agricultural trade are essential to facilitating these trade flows, balancing food deficits and surpluses across countries, stabilising prices and enhancing food security, nutrition and environmental sustainability.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic

    Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic
    jejohnson6

    FORT FISHER

    Gentle nudges, reminders and inspiration are all part of how the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) is enlisting the community to choose to refuse single-use plastic during Plastic Free July. Dedicating a month to sustainability can be just the jumpstart folks need to begin their green journey. From skipping the straw to refusing single-use plastic bags, the Aquarium is along for the ride. The Aquarium is a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources which oversees the state’s resources for the arts, history, libraries and nature.

    “By sharing ideas and inspiration, we hope that our community will discover there are some green ideas they can easily incorporate into their lives,” said Deyanira Romo Rossell, communications manager and green team member, NCAFF. “Whether you have already made strides toward refusing single-use plastic or are just beginning, there is something for you in our monthlong Plastic Free July campaign.”
    Greenspiration for Plastic Free July

    It’s all about choosing to refuse single-use plastic by being prepared with a greener alternative. Here are a few of the tips:

    • Refuse plastic cutlery. Opt for reusable utensils at parties, for lunch at work and even when picking up takeout.
    • Ditch disposable to-go cups and lids. Carry your own tumbler to load up on tea or coffee at your favorite cafe.
    • Avoid plastic produce bags. Bring your own produce bags to the grocery store, farmers market or produce stand and keep reusing them.
    • Get away from single-use plastic grocery bags. Keep reusable bags at the ready in your car, bike basket or any mode of transportation you use to get to the grocery store or farmers’ market.
    • Skip the Straw! Or find alternatives to plastic straws, including reusable stainless steel, glass, silicone or biodegradable/compostable made of bamboo, agave or wheat.  

    The Aquarium also walks the walk with composting bins for visitors on the food deck and in office areas for staff and volunteers. Everyone, from visitors to volunteers has access to the Aquarium water refill stations. The food vendor, SharkBites uses compostable cups, dinnerware and utensils for meals and drinks. The drink vending machines only dispense aluminum cans. The community is encouraged to follow along on NCAFF Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to find more clever tricks and clean ideas on how to live a greener life. Followers will find new greenspiration every day in July!

    About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher  
    The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington on U.S. 421 and less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. The Aquarium is one of three Aquariums and a pier that make up the North Carolina Aquariums, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium features a 235-000-gallon sand tiger shark habitat, an albino alligator, a bald eagle, a loggerhead sea turtle habitat and two families of mischievous Asian small-clawed otters.

    Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $15 ages 13-61; $13 children ages 3-12; $14 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; NC EBT card holders*: $3. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members. *EBT rate is applicable to a maximum of four tickets.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Jul 14, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic

    Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic
    jejohnson6

    FORT FISHER

    Gentle nudges, reminders and inspiration are all part of how the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) is enlisting the community to choose to refuse single-use plastic during Plastic Free July. Dedicating a month to sustainability can be just the jumpstart folks need to begin their green journey. From skipping the straw to refusing single-use plastic bags, the Aquarium is along for the ride. The Aquarium is a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources which oversees the state’s resources for the arts, history, libraries and nature.

    “By sharing ideas and inspiration, we hope that our community will discover there are some green ideas they can easily incorporate into their lives,” said Deyanira Romo Rossell, communications manager and green team member, NCAFF. “Whether you have already made strides toward refusing single-use plastic or are just beginning, there is something for you in our monthlong Plastic Free July campaign.”
    Greenspiration for Plastic Free July

    It’s all about choosing to refuse single-use plastic by being prepared with a greener alternative. Here are a few of the tips:

    • Refuse plastic cutlery. Opt for reusable utensils at parties, for lunch at work and even when picking up takeout.
    • Ditch disposable to-go cups and lids. Carry your own tumbler to load up on tea or coffee at your favorite cafe.
    • Avoid plastic produce bags. Bring your own produce bags to the grocery store, farmers market or produce stand and keep reusing them.
    • Get away from single-use plastic grocery bags. Keep reusable bags at the ready in your car, bike basket or any mode of transportation you use to get to the grocery store or farmers’ market.
    • Skip the Straw! Or find alternatives to plastic straws, including reusable stainless steel, glass, silicone or biodegradable/compostable made of bamboo, agave or wheat.  

    The Aquarium also walks the walk with composting bins for visitors on the food deck and in office areas for staff and volunteers. Everyone, from visitors to volunteers has access to the Aquarium water refill stations. The food vendor, SharkBites uses compostable cups, dinnerware and utensils for meals and drinks. The drink vending machines only dispense aluminum cans. The community is encouraged to follow along on NCAFF Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to find more clever tricks and clean ideas on how to live a greener life. Followers will find new greenspiration every day in July!

    About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher  
    The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington on U.S. 421 and less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. The Aquarium is one of three Aquariums and a pier that make up the North Carolina Aquariums, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium features a 235-000-gallon sand tiger shark habitat, an albino alligator, a bald eagle, a loggerhead sea turtle habitat and two families of mischievous Asian small-clawed otters.

    Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $15 ages 13-61; $13 children ages 3-12; $14 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; NC EBT card holders*: $3. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members. *EBT rate is applicable to a maximum of four tickets.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Jul 14, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Bryan Keogh, Managing Editor

    Protesters gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    The Trump administration was given the green light by the Supreme Court on July 14, 2025, to proceed with mass layoffs at the Department of Education – part of a wider plan to dismantle the agency. In doing so, the conservative majority on the bench overruled a lower court judge that had blocked the move.

    While the court didn’t explain its decision – and didn’t rule on the merits of the case – Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal justices who objected, issued a strongly worded dissent: “When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.”

    The Conversation has been following the administration’s efforts to take apart the Department of Education since President Donald Trump won the presidential election in November. Here are a few stories from our archives that explain the executive order targeting the department, why the agency has been in the crosshairs of conservatives, and some of the impacts of carrying out the order.

    1. Hollowing out education

    Trump has promised to eliminate the Department of Education since at least September 2023. What started out as a campaign promise eventually became the executive order he issued on March 20, 2025, released shortly after the administration announced plans to lay off about 1,300 of the 4,000 employees in the department.

    “Although the president has broad executive authority, there are many things he cannot order by himself,” wrote Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. “And one of those is the dismantling of a Cabinet agency created by law. But he seems determined to hollow the agency out.”

    And that’s what the Supreme Court says he can do while the case plays out in lower courts. Ultimately, Trump’s order creates a lot of “legal and policy uncertainty around funding for children in local schools and communities.”



    Read more:
    Mass layoffs at Education Department signal Trump’s plan to gut the agency

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is responsible for carrying out Trump’s executive order.
    AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.

    2. What the education secretary normally does

    The person directed to actually carry our the president’s order is the education secretary, Linda McMahon. She has called dismantling the department its “final mission.”

    But the secretary – and the department – have many other missions, such as managing students loans and administering Title I funding to help schools serving low-income students obtain an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status.

    “Every child in the United States is required to attend school in some capacity, and what happens at the federal level can have real-world impacts on students ranging from preschool to grad school,” wrote Dustin Hornbeck, a scholar of educational policy at the University of Memphis.

    In his article, Hornbeck explored the key duties of the education secretary and the role of the federal government in education, which he argued will continue even if the Education Department is abolished.



    Read more:
    US secretary of education helps set national priorities in a system primarily funded and guided by local governments

    3. Why MAGA targeted the department

    So why did Trump decide getting rid of the Education Department was a top priority and worth the legal risks?

    Fighting what he perceived as “wokeness” was likely one reason, wrote Alex Hinton, an anthropologist who has been studying U.S. political culture at Rutgers University − Newark.

    “First and foremost, Trump and his supporters believe that liberals are ruining public education by instituting what they call a ‘radical woke agenda’ that they say prioritizes identity politics and politically correct groupthink at the expense of the free speech of those, like many conservatives, who have different views,” he explains.

    Trump’s battle against DEI – or diversity, equity and inclusion – is of course a big part of that, but so too are what he and his supporters call “radical” race and gender policies.

    Hinton goes on to describe three other reasons – including supposed “Marxist indoctrination” and school choice – he argues that the MAGA faithful want to eliminate the Department of Education.



    Read more:
    Trump orders a plan to close Education Department – an anthropologist who studies MAGA explains 4 reasons why Trump and his supporters want to eliminate it

    4. It didn’t begin with Trump

    But conservative efforts to gut the department didn’t begin with Trump or MAGA. In fact, the Heritage Foundation, which created the Project 2025 blueprint for remaking the federal government, has been trying to limit or end its role in education since at least 1981 – just two years after the Department of Education was created.

    “In its 1981 mandate, the Heritage Foundation struck now-familiar themes,” including closing the Department of Education and ending funding for disadvantaged students, wrote Fred L. Pincus, a sociology professor focused on diversity and social inequality at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “And the Heritage Foundation called for ending federal support for programs it claimed were designed to ‘turn elementary- and secondary-school classrooms into vehicles for liberal-left social and political change.’”

    The conservative think tank struck similar themes in its Project 2025 playbook, though it went even further in calling out “leftist indoctrination” and “gender ideology extremism,” Pincus noted.



    Read more:
    Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency

    Changes at the Department of Education will have a big impact on students across the country.
    skynesher/E+ via Getty Images

    5. Impact on most vulnerable students

    After all the already planned layoffs go into effect, the Department of Education will have roughly half the staff it started the year with. That will have a significant impact on its ability to carry out its many tasks, such as managing federal loans for college and tracking student achievement.

    The department also enforces civil rights for schools and universities, and that office has been hit especially hard by the job cuts, wrote education professors Erica Frankenberg of Penn State and Maithreyi Gopalan of the University of Oregon.

    “The Office for Civil Rights has played an important role in facilitating equitable education for all students,” they wrote. “The full effects of these changes on the most vulnerable public school students will likely be felt for many years.”



    Read more:
    Big cuts at the Education Department’s civil rights office will affect vulnerable students for years to come

    This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

    – ref. Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads – https://theconversation.com/trump-free-to-begin-gutting-department-of-education-after-supreme-court-shadow-ruling-5-essential-reads-261218

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Bryan Keogh, Managing Editor

    Protesters gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    The Trump administration was given the green light by the Supreme Court on July 14, 2025, to proceed with mass layoffs at the Department of Education – part of a wider plan to dismantle the agency. In doing so, the conservative majority on the bench overruled a lower court judge that had blocked the move.

    While the court didn’t explain its decision – and didn’t rule on the merits of the case – Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal justices who objected, issued a strongly worded dissent: “When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.”

    The Conversation has been following the administration’s efforts to take apart the Department of Education since President Donald Trump won the presidential election in November. Here are a few stories from our archives that explain the executive order targeting the department, why the agency has been in the crosshairs of conservatives, and some of the impacts of carrying out the order.

    1. Hollowing out education

    Trump has promised to eliminate the Department of Education since at least September 2023. What started out as a campaign promise eventually became the executive order he issued on March 20, 2025, released shortly after the administration announced plans to lay off about 1,300 of the 4,000 employees in the department.

    “Although the president has broad executive authority, there are many things he cannot order by himself,” wrote Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. “And one of those is the dismantling of a Cabinet agency created by law. But he seems determined to hollow the agency out.”

    And that’s what the Supreme Court says he can do while the case plays out in lower courts. Ultimately, Trump’s order creates a lot of “legal and policy uncertainty around funding for children in local schools and communities.”



    Read more:
    Mass layoffs at Education Department signal Trump’s plan to gut the agency

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is responsible for carrying out Trump’s executive order.
    AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.

    2. What the education secretary normally does

    The person directed to actually carry our the president’s order is the education secretary, Linda McMahon. She has called dismantling the department its “final mission.”

    But the secretary – and the department – have many other missions, such as managing students loans and administering Title I funding to help schools serving low-income students obtain an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status.

    “Every child in the United States is required to attend school in some capacity, and what happens at the federal level can have real-world impacts on students ranging from preschool to grad school,” wrote Dustin Hornbeck, a scholar of educational policy at the University of Memphis.

    In his article, Hornbeck explored the key duties of the education secretary and the role of the federal government in education, which he argued will continue even if the Education Department is abolished.



    Read more:
    US secretary of education helps set national priorities in a system primarily funded and guided by local governments

    3. Why MAGA targeted the department

    So why did Trump decide getting rid of the Education Department was a top priority and worth the legal risks?

    Fighting what he perceived as “wokeness” was likely one reason, wrote Alex Hinton, an anthropologist who has been studying U.S. political culture at Rutgers University − Newark.

    “First and foremost, Trump and his supporters believe that liberals are ruining public education by instituting what they call a ‘radical woke agenda’ that they say prioritizes identity politics and politically correct groupthink at the expense of the free speech of those, like many conservatives, who have different views,” he explains.

    Trump’s battle against DEI – or diversity, equity and inclusion – is of course a big part of that, but so too are what he and his supporters call “radical” race and gender policies.

    Hinton goes on to describe three other reasons – including supposed “Marxist indoctrination” and school choice – he argues that the MAGA faithful want to eliminate the Department of Education.



    Read more:
    Trump orders a plan to close Education Department – an anthropologist who studies MAGA explains 4 reasons why Trump and his supporters want to eliminate it

    4. It didn’t begin with Trump

    But conservative efforts to gut the department didn’t begin with Trump or MAGA. In fact, the Heritage Foundation, which created the Project 2025 blueprint for remaking the federal government, has been trying to limit or end its role in education since at least 1981 – just two years after the Department of Education was created.

    “In its 1981 mandate, the Heritage Foundation struck now-familiar themes,” including closing the Department of Education and ending funding for disadvantaged students, wrote Fred L. Pincus, a sociology professor focused on diversity and social inequality at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “And the Heritage Foundation called for ending federal support for programs it claimed were designed to ‘turn elementary- and secondary-school classrooms into vehicles for liberal-left social and political change.’”

    The conservative think tank struck similar themes in its Project 2025 playbook, though it went even further in calling out “leftist indoctrination” and “gender ideology extremism,” Pincus noted.



    Read more:
    Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency

    Changes at the Department of Education will have a big impact on students across the country.
    skynesher/E+ via Getty Images

    5. Impact on most vulnerable students

    After all the already planned layoffs go into effect, the Department of Education will have roughly half the staff it started the year with. That will have a significant impact on its ability to carry out its many tasks, such as managing federal loans for college and tracking student achievement.

    The department also enforces civil rights for schools and universities, and that office has been hit especially hard by the job cuts, wrote education professors Erica Frankenberg of Penn State and Maithreyi Gopalan of the University of Oregon.

    “The Office for Civil Rights has played an important role in facilitating equitable education for all students,” they wrote. “The full effects of these changes on the most vulnerable public school students will likely be felt for many years.”



    Read more:
    Big cuts at the Education Department’s civil rights office will affect vulnerable students for years to come

    This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

    – ref. Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads – https://theconversation.com/trump-free-to-begin-gutting-department-of-education-after-supreme-court-shadow-ruling-5-essential-reads-261218

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ezell’s Cormorant Relief Act Clears House Natural Resources Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)

    Congressman Mike Ezell (MS-04) announced today that his bill to protect Mississippi’s aquaculture and fishing industries from overpopulation of double-crested cormorants has successfully passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support.

    The Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 streamlines the management of cormorant populations and restores much-needed flexibility to state and tribal wildlife agencies. These large, fish-eating birds have posed an increasing threat to fish farms and native species across the Gulf Coast, especially in Mississippi’s Fourth District.

    The Senate companion legislation is led by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR). 

    “This is a big win for our catfish farmers, sportsmen, and conservationists,” Ezell said. “The overpopulation of cormorants has had a serious impact on our aquaculture industry, and this bill gives local experts the tools they need to protect our fisheries and manage bird populations responsibly. It’s about common sense — putting decision-making back in the hands of the people who are closest to the issue and understand it best.”

    “Congressman Ezell’s Cormorant Relief Act puts American farmers back in the driver’s seat and gives them the tools they need to manage their aquaculture facilities,” House Natural Resources Chairman Westerman said. “It is commonsense policy that will ensure responsible management of cormorant populations. I’d like to thank him for his work on this legislation and look forward to working with him as the bill continues to advance.”

    “Reinstating the federal double-crested cormorant depredation order is critical for Mississippi’s catfish farmers, who lose millions annually to these predatory birds. This measure will empower producers to protect their livelihoods, ensuring a thriving aquaculture industry that supports our state’s economy.” Mike McCormick, President, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, said.

    “The population and range of cormorants have steadily grown in recent decades, leading to increased challenges for state and tribal fish hatcheries, the private aquaculture industry, and fisheries managers,” Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation said. “We applaud Representative Ezell, along with Reps Thompson, Guest and Kelly, for their leadership in addressing the growing cormorant depredation problem without any deleterious effects on cormorant populations.”

    For years, Mississippi producers have voiced concerns about the federal red tape involved in controlling cormorants, whose feeding habits can decimate fish stocks. The Cormorant Relief Act would empower state wildlife agencies to take action without waiting for burdensome federal approvals, while ensuring oversight remains in place to protect migratory bird populations. 

    The bill now heads to the House floor for consideration.

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    MIL OSI USA News –