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Category: Agriculture

  • MIL-OSI Global: How farmers can install solar panels in fields without damaging the rest of their operation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Austin Kay, Researcher in Sustainable Advanced Materials, Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials, Swansea University

    Snapshot freddy/Shutterstock

    As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

    One approach to decarbonising agriculture involves integrating solar panels – or photovoltaics (PVs) – into fields of crops, greenhouses and livestock areas. Often known as agrivoltaics, this can help farmers reduce their carbon footprint while continuing to produce food.

    Agrivoltaics can also mitigate one of the main criticisms often made of solar power – that solar farms “waste” vast tracts of agricultural land that could otherwise be used for food production. In reality, solar farms currently occupy only 0.15% of the UK’s total land – not much compared to the 70% of land devoted to agriculture.

    The simplest example of an agrivoltaic system would be conventional, crystalline silicon PVs (the market-leading type of solar panels), installed in fields alongside livestock. This method of farm diversification has become increasingly popular in recent years for three main reasons.

    First, it enhances biodiversity as it means the fields are not being used for just one crop (monoculture), undergoing regular crop rotation, or being harvested for silage. Second, it increases production as livestock benefit from the shade and the healthier pasture growth.

    Finally, the solar farm has reduced maintenance costs because livestock can keep the grass short. All this is achieved while the solar panels provide locally generated, clean energy.

    However, if they’re not set up properly, agrivoltaics may still cause problems. One of the most important challenges, when used in fields where crops are grown, is balancing the need for sunlight between crops and solar panels. Crops need light to grow, and if solar panels block too much sunlight, they can negatively impact crop yields.

    This issue varies from place to place. In countries with fewer sunny days like the UK, the panels need to let more sunlight through. But in places like Spain or Italy, some shade can actually help crops by reducing the stress of intense heat during summer months. Finding the right balance is tricky, as it depends on local conditions, the type of crop, and even the needs of pollinators like bees.

    An agrivoltaic canopy installed in France.
    Jacopo Landi/Shutterstock

    The complexity deepens when we consider the type of PV material used. Traditional solar panels aren’t always suitable because they often block the wavelengths (colours) of light needed by plants.

    This is where newer materials, like organic semiconductors and perovskites, are ideal as they can be customised to let crops get the light they need while still generating energy. Unlike traditional inorganic semiconductors, which are essentially crystals of metal and metalloid atoms, organic semiconductors are molecules mainly made of carbon and hydrogen. Perovskites, meanwhile, are like a hybrid of organic and inorganic semiconductors.

    In fact there are thousands of combinations of these materials to choose from, with scientific literature containing a plethora of options. Figuring out which one works best can be a daunting task.

    This is where computational tools can make a big difference. Instead of testing each material in real-world conditions – which would take years and be incredibly expensive – researchers can use simulations to predict their performance. These models can help identify the best materials for specific crops and climates, saving both time and resources.

    The tool

    We have developed an open-source tool that helps compare various PV materials, making it easier to identify the best options for agrivoltaics. Our tool uses geographical data and realistic simulations of how different PV materials perform.

    It considers how light travels through these materials and reflects off them, as well as other important performance measures like voltage and power output. The tool can also take lab-based measurements of PV materials and apply them to real-world scenarios.

    Using this tool, we simulated how much power different PV materials could generate per square metre over the course of a year, across various regions. And we calculated how much light passed through these materials to ensure it was enough for crops to thrive.

    An agrivoltaic installation over raspberry crops in the Netherlands.
    Jacopo Landi/Shutterstock

    By running these simulations for multiple materials, we could identify the most suitable options for specific crops and climates.

    Tools like ours could play a critical role in decarbonising the agricultural sector by guiding the design of agrivoltaic systems. Future research could combine these simulations with economic and environmental impact analyses. This would help us understand how much energy we can expect from a solar panel over its lifetime compared to the resources and costs involved in producing it.

    Ultimately, our tool could help researchers and policymakers in selecting the most efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly ways to decarbonise agriculture and move us closer to achieving global net-zero emissions.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Austin Kay is a Postgraduate Student at Swansea University and receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through program grant EP/T028513/1 Application Targeted and Integrated Photovoltaics.

    – ref. How farmers can install solar panels in fields without damaging the rest of their operation – https://theconversation.com/how-farmers-can-install-solar-panels-in-fields-without-damaging-the-rest-of-their-operation-239625

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHNEIDER INTRODUCES THE EXPANDING CLEAN FUEL PRODUCTION ACT

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

    LINCOLNSHIRE, IL — Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), with Reps. Dan Kildee (MI-08) and Julia Brownley (CA-26), introduced today the Expanding Clean Fuel Production Act which would extend for ten years the Section 45Z clean fuel production credit. 

    The Inflation Reduction Act created the clean fuel production credit (CFPC) for transportation fuel with zero or low greenhouse gas emissions, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This credit currently expires at the end of 2027 and this bill would extend it for ten additional years, making the credit available through 2037. 

    “I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Reps. Kildee and Brownley to extend the SAF credit, boost production of clean fuels and position the U.S. as a global leader in production and use of sustainable fuels,” said Rep. Schneider. “A ten-year extension would allow for sustained investment in production to accelerate the transition to cleaner fuels and to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry, in particular. We are already seeing the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act’s investments on U.S. production of sustainable fuels.” 

    Schneider authored the tax credit for the production of SAF which was included in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 and aims to halve carbon emissions in the aviation sector.  

    The credit was inspired by a SAF credit included in the Sustainable Skies Act, which Rep. Schneider authored with Reps. Kildee and Brownley in 2021. The credit was ultimately enacted in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, will transition into the CFPC in 2025, and will expire in 2027. SAF producers are eligible for a tax credit of $1.25 to $1.75 per gallon. 

    “The 45z tax credit has been critical in helping to ramp up U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuel,” said Rep. Brownley. “However, we needed to extend the credit long-term to provide market certainty and to ensure a safe and reliable supply of SAF to meet the needs of the aviation industry. I appreciate Congressman Schneider and Congressman Kildee’s partnership on this bill, and I look forward to working with stakeholders in the environmental, energy, and aviation community to extend the 45z credit and promote U.S. investment in this critical domestic fuel source.” 

    “In my home state of Michigan, we have already seen the harmful effects of climate change on our Great Lakes,” said Rep. Kildee. “This legislation will help us continue producing clean energy and fuels here in the United States, to help create good paying jobs, provide new markets to Michigan farmers, and reduce carbon emissions from airplanes and other vehicles,”  

    “As the leading U.S. airline in SAF use and advocacy, we know that extending incentives for U.S. SAF producers by a full ten years is a necessary first step to grow the industry,” said Lauren Riley, Chief Sustainability Officer for United Airlines. “The continued leadership of Representatives Schneider, Kildee and Brownley is helping to assure U.S. competitiveness in SAF and clean fuels, while boosting U.S. agricultural producers and rural communities. We look forward to working with Representatives Schneider, Kildee and Brownley and their colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that this tax credit is both extended and enhanced in a way that will maximize investment in SAF and other clean, low-carbon fuels.” 

     “Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is the single most important method to decarbonize aviation in the coming decades, and LanzaJet applauds the leadership of Representatives Schneider, Kildee, and Brownley in advancing SAF tax incentives that will catalyze domestic investment in this critical sector,” said Jimmy Samartzis, LanzaJet CEO. “As the original sponsors of the IRA’s SAF Blender’s Tax Credit via the Sustainable Skies Act, Reps Schneider, Kildee, and Brownley continue to lay the foundation for a vibrant U.S. SAF industry by providing for ten years of policy certainty for domestic SAF producers via this important bill.  We look forward to continuing to work with Representatives Schneider, Kildee, and Brownley to develop policy proposals that will both extend and enhance the IRA’s short term SAF tax credits and enable achievement of the goals of the SAF Grand Challenge.”   

     “We applaud Representative Schneider and his colleagues Representatives Kildee and Brownley for their efforts to extend incentives for SAF,” said Alison Graab, Executive Director of the SAF Coalition. “We look forward to working with them on both an extension as well as enhancing and strengthening the incentive. Advancing sustainable aviation fuel demonstrates a clear commitment to the environmental and economic promises SAF holds, and incentives that are durable and attract investment are essential to unlocking that potential and driving the progress needed to sustain and grow the SAF industry.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS discusses water security challenges with Namibia and Botswana agencies

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The USGS Office of International Programs’ Science Advisor for International Water John Lane and USGS Water Mission Area Hydrologic Networks Branch Chief Molly Wood visited Namibia and Botswana on an assignment of the U.S. Ambassador’s Water Experts Program (AWEP). AWEP is administered by the Department of Interior International Technical Assistance Program (DOI ITAP) with funding from the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. 

    USGS scientists met with representatives of the water sector in both countries, including government ministries, bulk water suppliers, municipal utilities operators, multinational water commissions, private consultants, and U.S. Embassy staff. 

    Namibia and Botswana have semi-arid to arid climates and are undergoing severe drought. Water resources for drinking water supply, livestock watering, mining, and industry are stretched thin. The Namibia and Botswana governments are seeking technical support for improved understanding and use of available water resources.

    Discussions centered on potential USGS support to Namibia and Botswana agencies to

    • Leverage remote sensing datasets to improve understanding of water availability,
    • Improve hydrologic monitoring networks to increase access to hydrologic data to inform water resource management decisions, and
    • Collaboratively develop scientific solutions to better manage groundwater and surface water resources to address the ongoing drought.

    DOI ITAP posted on Facebook about the visit.

    USGS employees Molly Wood (3rd from left) and John Lane (3rd from right) with staff from the Namibia Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, after a workshop on geophysics data collection.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas, Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $1 Million to Support Affordable Housing for Oregon Farmworkers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06), along with Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $956,333 for a project to rehabilitate Villa Del Sol, a multifamily affordable housing complex in McMinnville that serves farmworkers and their families.

    “Despite being the backbone of our agricultural economy, many farmworkers still can’t afford to feed their families or put a roof over their heads. As the daughter of a former farmworker, I’m committed to changing that reality – which is why I am so proud to announce this federal funding for Community Home Builders in Yamhill County,” said Rep. Salinas. “These dollars will be used to deliver safe, affordable housing for farmworkers and their families here in the mid-Valley. It’s a critical step in the right direction, and I’ll keep fighting for investments just like this one that will help us make housing more accessible and affordable for Oregonians.”

    “Housing is a human right, and farmworkers in Oregon deserve affordable and secure living options,” said Sen. Wyden. “I’m gratified this McMinnville housing complex has earned nearly $1 million in federal funds to provide that housing for farmworkers and their families. And I’ll continue pressing for similar investments in housing for agricultural workers and every person statewide.”

    “Making sure families have access to safe and affordable housing in the communities where they work is essential,” said Sen. Merkley. “This federal investment will help ensure safer, more modern housing for the farmworkers in Yamhill County who work every day to help feed families across Oregon and America. I will keep fighting to deliver necessary housing resources like this so everyone in our state can thrive and live healthy lives.”

    “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA Rural Development has invested over $1 billion in creating safe, affordable housing options for rural Oregonians,” said USDA Rural Housing Administrator Joaquin Altoro. “We are proud of our partnership with Community Home Builders and it is an honor to see these investments increase the health and wellbeing of Oregon’s farm workers.”

    The funding comes from USDA Rural Development’s Off-Farm Labor Housing Program, which helps property owners make health and safety repairs, accessibility improvements, energy efficiency upgrades, and more to benefit their tenants. Across five states, the Off-Farm Labor Housing Program is awarding a total of $18 million in grants and loans to improve approximately 500 homes, including Villa Del Sol in Oregon.

    Community Home Builders in Yamhill County will use the $956,333 federal award to significantly rehabilitate eight two-bedroom, 12 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom units at Villa Del Sol. The improvements will not only enhance living conditions for the 24 tenants who are expected to benefit from the project, but all future farmworkers and their families who will call the housing complex home. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Together with Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Partners, Announces Eradication of 774,829 Cannabis Plants and 106,141 Pounds of Illegally-Grown Cannabis Worth over $353 Million

    Source: US State of California

    LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with local and federal law enforcement partners, today announced the eradication of 774,829 illegally cultivated cannabis plants and 106,141 pounds of processed cannabis, as well as 282 arrests in 36 different counties across California as part of Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC) program. The total underground market price for these seizures is valued at approximately $353 million. EPIC is an interagency task force focused on combating the illegal cannabis market, cannabis enforcement work, and investigating and prosecuting civil and criminal cases with a focus on environmental, economic, and labor impacts from illegal cultivation.

    “California has the largest safe, legal, and regulated cannabis market in the world, but unfortunately illegal and unlicensed grows continue to proliferate,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The EPIC program was forged out of our recognition of the need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses the broader implications of the underground cannabis market. This includes tackling the environmental damage caused by these illicit activities, as well as the economic ramifications that arise from unregulated cultivation. Furthermore, there is a growing concern about labor exploitation within this underground market, where workers may face unsafe conditions and unfair treatment. I want to express my gratitude to the various partners involved in this effort, including local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Together, we are working toward a solution that not only curtails illegal activities but also promotes a sustainable and equitable cannabis industry in the state.”

    “California has the largest state park system in the country with 1.59 million acres of park land to protect,” said California State Parks Law Enforcement Assistant Chief Jeremy Stinson. “Unfortunately, illegal cannabis cultivation is a serious threat to that land with more than 400 sites documented. California State Parks appreciates being a partner agency within EPIC to help address this issue. Protecting our state’s natural resources for all Californians and future generations is an important part of our mission. We look forward to continuing this valuable partnership to preserve and protect California’s state parks system.” 

    “California cannabis enforcement has a long way to go to ensure that the illicit cannabis doesn’t make it into the legal market,” said San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. “Partnerships like EPIC are a major step forward in tackling this problem.”

    Over the course of the 2024 season, EPIC teams operating in Northern, Central, and Southern California, conducted 665 operations, recovered 201 weapons, and removed infrastructure, including dams, water lines, and containers of toxic chemicals, such as carbofuran, methyl parathion, aluminum phosphate, zinc phosphide, and illegal fertilizers. Carbofuran, in particular, poses untold risks to public health. A lethal insecticide that is effectively banned in the United States, carbofuran remains on plants after application and seeps into soil and nearby water sources. 

    In 2024, EPIC operations were conducted in the following 36 counties:

    • Alameda: 1 site, 751 plants eradicated
    • Butte: 5 sites, 4,397 plants eradicated
    • Colusa: 3 sites, 10 plants eradicated
    • Contra Costa: 2 sites, 5,010 plants eradicated
    • El Dorado: 8 sites, 2,174 plants eradicated
    • Fresno: 31 sites, 52,796 plants eradicated
    • Glenn: 1 site, 747 plants eradicated
    • Kern: 60 sites, 89,819 plants eradicated
    • Kings: 1 site, 539 plants eradicated
    • Lake: 48 sites, 42,776 plants eradicated
    • Lassen: 1 site, 7,359 plants eradicated
    • Los Angeles: 3 sites, 3,684 plants eradicated
    • Madera: 3 sites, 1,230 plants eradicated
    • Mariposa: 2 sites, 1,368 plants eradicated
    • Mendocino: 116 sites, 133,702 plants eradicated
    • Nevada: 33 sites, 28,428 plants eradicated
    • Riverside: 79 sites, 136,601 plants eradicated
    • Sacramento: 13 sites, 46,042 plants eradicated
    • San Bernardino: 23 sites, 27,845 plants eradicated
    • San Diego: 7 sites, 9,301 plants eradicated
    • Santa Barbara: 1 site, 362 plants eradicated
    • Santa Clara: 2 sites, 1,012 plants eradicated
    • Shasta: 67 sites, 51,289 plants eradicated
    • Siskiyou: 98 sites, 67,943 plants eradicated
    • Stanislaus: 6 sites, 5,103 plants eradicated
    • Trinity: 38 sites, 32,381 plants eradicated
    • Tulare: 7 sites, 5,468 plants eradicated
    • Tuolumne: 2 sites, 7,637 plants eradicated
    • Ventura: 3 sites, 7,891 plants eradicated
    • Yuba: 2 sites, 1,164 plants eradicated
    • Monterey: reconnaissance only
    • Napa: reconnaissance only
    • San Benito: reconnaissance only
    • San Luis Obispo: reconnaissance only
    • Santa Cruz: reconnaissance only
    • Solano: reconnaissance only

    The EPIC program focuses on the investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal cases relating to illicit cannabis cultivation with a focus on environmental and economic harms and labor exploitation. EPIC is a multi-agency collaboration led by DOJ in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service; the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration; the California National Guard, Counter Drug Task Force; the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program; California State Parks; California Environmental Protection Agency; and other local law enforcement departments.

    EPIC marks an evolution in DOJ’s cannabis enforcement work, reflecting the issues and concerns arising from operations each summer. EPIC works in close coordination with DOJ’s Cannabis Control Section, Special Prosecutions Section, and Tax Recovery and Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force to build investigations and prosecute civil and criminal cases.

    B-roll of the operations produced by DOJ are available for use by producers and members of the media. Please contact agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov. 

    Graphics of 2024 EPIC season statistics are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Helps US Forest Service Go Green After 2024 Lake Fire

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Researcher Bonnie Powell walks through the Smith River Complex Fire firecamp in September 2023. Photo by Bonnie Powell, NREL

    What started as a small vegetation fire in Santa Barbara County in July quickly became one of the biggest wildfires of California’s 2024 fire season.

    Over the first five days alone, the 2024 Lake Fire grew to over 28,000 acres and prompted evacuations of over 2,000 people. The fire would eventually consume 38,664 acres and, even with more than 3,500 firefighting personnel, took over a month of hard, dangerous work to contain. The 2024 Lake Fire was not an anomaly: Even with its massive size, it was only one of the thousands of wildfires in California this year.

    When a wildfire threatens communities, wildland firefighters from all over the United States come together to mitigate its impact on ecosystems and prevent it from approaching inhabited areas. This means that much of the staging and preparation made by wildland firefighters often happens in remote areas with limited access to resources and supplies needed to sustain thousands of trained personnel. Although logistically challenging, deploying wildland firefighter basecamps closer to the fire, and further away from urban areas, also allows firefighters to more easily fight wildfires at their source.

    Office trailers at the Diamond Complex Fire camp use rooftop solar panels to generate electricity for its operations in September 2024. Photo from Samuel Wu, USFS

    One of the biggest challenges of supplying isolated wildland firefighter camps has always centered around fuel. Until recently, gasoline- and diesel-powered generators have been the go-to solution for providing electricity to much-needed catering, showering, handwashing, and coordination facilities. In addition, logistics staff planning firefighting efforts operate out of trailers or yurts that must have power for laptops, monitors, printers, HVAC systems, lights, and more.

    Generators have been an effective way to ensure availability of power but are noisy, require regular refueling, and produce high levels of toxic emissions over time. The costs can add up as well, and it is estimated that in one year, U.S. Forest Service firefighting efforts use approximately $8 million or 2,000,000 gallons of diesel fuel—just to run generators in fire camps—enough to power more than 4,000 passenger cars for a year. Additionally, as digital technology becomes essential to improving the effectiveness of wildland firefighting, electricity demands continue to grow, and new solutions are needed to ensure uninterrupted energy generation in remote areas.

    A solar-powered light tower was deployed at the McClellan Fire in California in 2014. Photo from Denise Kusnir, USFS

    The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has a long-running partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and its Greening Fire Team (GFT)—a group of interagency employees dedicated to promoting sustainable firefighting operations and achieving net-zero environmental impact on all large fire incidents by 2030—with the aim to integrate more renewable energy methods and infrastructure into the national wildfire mitigation and control strategy. Over the last few years, this partnership included close collaboration with the USFS National Technology and Development Program (NTDP), a problem-solving organization that seeks and implements solutions to problems and technical challenges faced by agency employees and partners.

    “Our work with NREL is resulting in excellent data collection of equipment loads and power usage analyses with the goal of making fire camps more efficient without compromising their mission or safety,” said Samuel Wu, national Greening Fire Team cochair and project manager at the NTDP. “NREL engineers have become critical team members for the NTDP project and for the wider scope of work pursued within the GFT.”

    When NREL first began working with USFS over 20 years ago, researchers identified ways to improve the operational efficiency of fire camps, including pinpointing means to reduce energy use, water use, and waste generation. The laboratory and USFS share a vision of sustainability, and they collaborated on creating systems and plans to expand those practices—an initiative that was well received by staff and wildfire-fighting crews on the front lines of some of the most destructive fires in the United States.

    NREL found that many fire camps had some renewable solar-powered solutions, but these were often limited in their utility and procured by individuals in limited quantities. By working together, multiple potential opportunities for improvement were identified and, over the last nine years, USFS developed the infrastructure needed to create systemic access to sustainable camp practices, including recycling, hardware adoption, and diversification of energy sources.

    A hybrid solar light-and-power trailer was deployed in 2022 at the Black Fire in New Mexico. Photo from Margie Guzman, USFS

    Expertise from NREL helped make the adoption of renewable energy infrastructure within fire camps a systematic process, with more effective guidance and management systems becoming available to administrators and fireteam leaders. One of the most recent examples is the adoption and installation of solar light towers and high-efficiency lighting to replace traditional diesel-powered lights. When practical, wildfire camp managers can request solar light towers, or hybrid towers with back-up diesel generators, to provide area lighting that reduces fuel usage for these assets by up to 100%, reducing the overall running costs by as much as 30%.

    During the recent Lake Fire, NREL and the GFT successfully piloted several renewable energy solutions that put their ideas into practice. By integrating solar power and battery energy storage systems into fire camp operations, camp leaders were able to more efficiently power office trailers, light towers, and toilets and bring critical command and control systems online quickly. New types of solar panels allowed the Lake Fire basecamp to be more energy independent, with solar cells performing well even in smoky conditions. Additional access to batteries also ensured long runtimes, to supplement any drops in supply.

    A solar trailer was tested by the USFS National Technology and Development Program during its 2024 Industry Week in San Dimas, California. Photo from Elmer Balceta, USFS

    NREL and the USFS believe that sustainable methods in wildland firefighting can help improve the effectiveness of firefighting practices while lowering the human footprint in remote wilderness areas. Fire camps can strain the resources of nearby communities by using local water supplies and producing large amounts of trash, in addition to creating unnecessary pollution and ecological degradation from diesel-powered generators that can be alleviated with sustainable practices and renewable energy. Together with USFS and the GFT, NREL is advancing the integration of renewable energy methods into fire camps and making new types of energy generation accessible to wildland firefighters across the nation.

    “It’s incredible what can be accomplished when we pair a deep understanding of complex issues in wildland fire operations with the expertise and perspective of NREL staff,” Wu said. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with NREL and other partners as we strive to reduce waste and advance sustainability in fire incident operations.”

    Learn more about the Forest Service’s Greening Fire Team, the NTDP, and how organizations can partner with NREL.

    Tags: Solar,Energy Storage,Energy Security and Resilience,Partnerships,State Local Tribal

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 10/21/2024 Blackburn, Rose, Tennessee Delegation Call for Urgent Aide to Farmers Devastated by Helene

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), U.S. Representative John Rose (R-Tenn.), and the entire Tennessee Congressional Delegation sent a letter urging U.S. House and Senate leadership to provide meaningful disaster relief for Tennessee farmers in the weeks ahead. 

    Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend of Florida as a Category 4 storm. While assessments are ongoing, Helene is on track to become one of the deadliest and most devastating hurricanes to hit the United States. In the letter, Members of the Tennessee Delegation highlighted the important role federal agricultural disaster assistance will have in helping Tennessee farmers recover.

    “In Tennessee, some areas received nearly 10 – 15 inches of rainfall in addition to runoff from surrounding states, drowning crops and littering fields with debris. Ruined ready-to-harvest crops and forage, flooded pastures, equipment loss, and distressed livestock have left farmers questioning how their operations will move forward and how they will provide for their families,” wrote the Tennessee Delegation. “Producers, who are already engulfed by the ongoing farm financial crisis, will require meaningful disaster assistance to stand up their operations and continue farming.”

    CO-SIGNERS:
    • The letter was also signed by Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Reps. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.).

    Click here for the full text of the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. Reports Earnings of $3,421,623 or $1.09 per Share for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMPSTEAD, Md., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), the parent company of Farmers and Merchants Bank (the “Bank” and, together with the Company, “we”, “us” and “our”), announced that net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $3,421,623, or $1.09 per common share (basic and diluted), compared to $5,003,107, or $1.63 per common share (basic and diluted), for the same period in 2023. Higher interest expense as a result of the Federal Reserve rate increases over the last two years was the primary reason for the decline in net income. The Company’s return on average equity during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was 8.53% compared to 13.45% for the same period in 2023. The Company’s return on average assets during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was 0.57% compared to 0.91% for the same period in 2023. Loan growth for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $49 million, an annualized growth rate of 12.5%.

    Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was $1,123,127, or $0.36 per common share (basic and diluted), compared to $1,432,139, or $0.46 per common share (basic and diluted), for the third quarter of 2023. The Company’s return on average equity during the three months ended September 30, 2024 was 8.05% compared to 11.54% for the same period in 2023. The Company’s return on average assets during the three months ended September 30, 2024 was 0.56% compared to 0.77% for the same period in 2023.

    Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $722,419 lower when compared to the same period in 2023 due to a decrease in the net interest margin to 2.67% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 3.04% for the same period in 2023. The decline in the net interest margin was partially offset by a $62.7 million increase in average interest earning assets to $775.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $713.2 million for the same period in 2023. Higher interest expense was the driving factor in the lower net interest income. The Federal Reserve interest rate decreased by 0.50% in late September after aggregate increases of 5.25% from March 2022 through August 2023. The net aggregate increase of 4.75% caused the cost of deposits and borrowings to increase by 119 basis points to 2.71% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 1.52% for the same period in 2023. In addition, average interest bearing liabilities increased by $69.9 million to $624.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from $554.6 million for the same period in 2023. The taxable equivalent yield on total average interest-earning assets increased 64 basis points to 4.86% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 4.22% for the same period in 2023, partially offsetting the higher cost of funds. Despite the recent Federal Reserve rate decrease and the projected decreases in November and December of 2024, no significant improvement in the net interest margin is expected during the remainder of 2024.

    The Bank entered into several interest rate swaps structured as fair value hedges during 2023 and 2024, some in combination with the purchase of mortgage backed securities, which are intended to offset the impact of higher interest expense by improving interest income on debt securities. The notional amount of interest rate swaps outstanding at September 30, 2024 was approximately $99 million. Our loan portfolio is comprised primarily of commercial real estate loans with fixed rates for five-year terms. As those loans reprice, our net interest margin should improve. In addition, our current strategy is to increase the diversification of our portfolio with commercial and industrial loans, which are typically adjustable rate loans and would provide an immediate higher yield in today’s interest rate environment.

    No provision was recorded for credit losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we recorded a $570,000 recovery.

    Noninterest income increased by $160,505 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, primarily as a result of a $142,794 gain on insurance proceeds for our Upperco location and a $34,180 increase in service charges on deposit accounts, offset by $31,922 loss on the sale of debt securities. Noninterest expense was $1,117,921 higher in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, due primarily to a $488,857 increase in other expenses, a $311,155 increase in occupancy and furniture and equipment costs, and a $317,909 increase in salaries and benefits. The increase in other expenses was due primarily to costs associated with our core system conversion that is projected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024, ATM related expenses, and legal fees incurred for stockholder matters. Also, the Bank’s FDIC assessment expense increased due to higher FDIC assessment rates. The increase in occupancy and furniture and equipment was due primarily to the renovations and new equipment for the Upperco location which was placed in service at the end of the first quarter and the new Towson location that was placed in service during the second quarter. The increase in salaries and benefits was due to normal annual salary increases as well as the hiring of several new employees primarily in the commercial loan production department.

    Income taxes decreased by $668,351 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023 due to lower earnings before taxes. The effective tax rate decreased to 22.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 from 24.9% for the same period last year due to an increase in the amount of nontaxable income included in pretax income year over year.

    Total assets increased to $818 million at September 30, 2024 from $800 million at December 31, 2023. Loans increased to $572 million at September 30, 2024 from $523 million at December 31, 2023, an annualized rate of increase of 12.5%. Investments in debt securities decreased to $180 million at September 30, 2024 from $184 million at December 31, 2023. Deposits decreased to $674 million at September 30, 2024 from $681 million at December 31, 2023. The Company’s tangible equity was $52 million at September 30, 2024 compared to $45 million at December 31, 2023.

    The book value of the Company’s common stock increased to $18.81 per share at September 30, 2024 from to $16.74 per share at December 31, 2023. Book value per share at September 30, 2024 was reflective of the $14 million unrealized loss, net of income taxes, on the Bank’s available for sale (“AFS”) investment portfolio as a result of the significant rise in interest rates over the last 30 months. Changes in the market value of the AFS investment portfolio, net of income taxes, are reflected in the Company’s equity, but are not included in the income statement. The AFS investment portfolio is comprised of 62% government agency mortgage backed securities which are fully guaranteed, 33% investment grade non agency mortgage backed securities, 1% investment grade corporate and municipal bonds, and 4% subordinated debt of other community banks. There is no indication of credit deterioration in any of the bonds and we intend to hold these investments to maturity, so no actual losses are anticipated. There is no impact on regulatory capital because the Bank elected many years ago to not include in the calculation of regulatory capital changes in the market value of the AFS investment portfolio regardless of whether they are positive or negative.

    The Bank began utilizing the Federal Reserve Bank’s Bank Term Funding Program (“BTFP”) during the second quarter of 2023 and had borrowings of $54,000,000 outstanding at September 30, 2024, with a maturity date of January 15, 2025, an increase of $21,000,000 from December 31, 2023. Eligible collateral for the BTFP includes mortgage backed securities which are valued at par instead of market providing greater availability than other facilities. The BTFP also provides competitive fixed rates for up to a one-year term and advances can be refinanced or paid off in full or in part at any time. The Federal Reserve Bank stopped new BTFP advances on March 11, 2024. This facility, along with our Federal Home Loan Bank facility, other borrowing lines available, unpledged securities, brokered deposit access, and cash, provided us with access to approximately $332 million of liquidity at September 30, 2024.

    Gary A. Harris, President and CEO, commented “We are pleased that our loan portfolio has grown at an annualized rate of 12.5% during the first nine months of the year, demonstrating that our investment in additional loan production staff and facilities is paying off. Our asset quality remains high and our liquidity position remains strong. Due to the sunsetting of our existing core operating system, our core system conversion will occur on October 28, 2024. While it will increase our expenses in 2024, the new system will be a substantial digital upgrade that will position the bank for future growth, provide for significant efficiency gains and an enhanced customer experience moving forward. The Federal Reserve interest rate decreased by 50 basis points in September and additional cuts are expected over the remainder of 2024 and 2025. These cuts are too late in 2024 to have any significant impact on our net interest margin, but should provide for improvement in 2025.”

    About the Company

    The Company is a financial holding company and the parent company of the Bank. The Bank was chartered in Maryland in 1919 and has over 100 years of service to the community. The Bank serves the deposit and financing needs of both consumers and businesses in Carroll and Baltimore Counties along the Route 30, Route 795, Route 140, Route 26, and Route 45 corridors. The main office is located in Upperco, Maryland, with seven additional branches in Owings Mills, Hampstead, Greenmount, Reisterstown, Westminster, Eldersburg, and Towson. Certain broker-dealers make a market in the common stock of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc., and trades are reported through the OTC Markets Group’s Pink Market under the symbol “FMFG”.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements (as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be the same as those anticipated by management. These statements are evidenced by terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “should,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” and similar expressions. Although these statements reflect management’s good faith beliefs and projections, they are not guarantees of future performance and they may not prove true. These projections involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, see the section of the periodic reports filed by Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission entitled “Risk Factors”.

     
     
    Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Unaudited)
         
      September 30, December 31, *
        2024     2023  
         
    Assets
         
    Cash and due from banks $ 16,271,388   $ 44,404,473  
    Federal funds sold and other interest-bearing deposits   570,479     285,864  
    Cash and cash equivalents   16,841,867     44,690,337  
    Certificates of deposit in other banks   100,000     100,000  
    Securities available for sale, at fair value   159,499,031     164,084,673  
    Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost less allowance for credit losses of $36,894 and $35,627   20,197,994     20,163,622  
    Equity security, at fair value   531,958     507,130  
    Restricted stock, at cost   1,016,000     863,500  
    Mortgage loans held for sale   759,200     –  
    Loans, less allowance for credit losses of $4,190,882 and $4,285,247   571,562,379     523,308,044  
    Premises and equipment, net   7,441,171     6,583,452  
    Accrued interest receivable   2,362,330     2,180,734  
    Deferred income taxes, net   6,736,681     8,312,482  
    Other real estate owned, net   1,226,245     1,242,365  
    Bank owned life insurance   15,218,368     14,930,754  
    Goodwill and other intangibles, net   7,028,178     7,034,424  
    Other assets   7,009,579     5,939,309  
      $ 817,530,981   $ 799,940,826  
         
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
         
    Deposits    
    Noninterest-bearing $ 108,442,303   $ 115,284,706  
    Interest-bearing   565,302,419     565,678,145  
    Total deposits   673,744,722     680,962,851  
    Securities sold under repurchase agreements   2,885,496     6,760,493  
    Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta advances   5,000,000     5,000,000  
    Federal Reserve Bank advances   54,000,000     33,000,000  
    Long-term debt, net of issuance costs   11,799,931     13,212,378  
    Accrued interest payable   2,581,429     1,482,773  
    Other liabilities   8,357,055     7,344,040  
        758,368,633     747,762,535  
    Stockholders’ equity    
    Common stock, par value $.01 per share, authorized 5,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 3,145,974 in 2024 and 3,116,966 shares in 2023   31,460     31,170  
    Additional paid-in capital   30,837,137     30,398,080  
    Retained earnings   41,826,204     39,433,185  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (13,532,453 )   (17,684,144 )
        59,162,348     52,178,291  
      $ 817,530,981   $ 799,940,826  
    * – Derived from audited consolidated financial statements    
     
    Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Consolidated Statements of Income
    (Unaudited)
         
      Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
        2024     2023     2024     2023  
             
    Interest income        
    Loans, including fees $ 7,901,509   $ 6,609,039   $ 22,021,236   $ 19,023,308  
    Investment securities – taxable   1,623,113     996,586     4,794,495     2,528,793  
    Investment securities – tax exempt   141,258     137,254     415,629     416,626  
    Federal funds sold and other interest earning assets   180,572     258,818     860,922     469,721  
    Total interest income   9,846,452     8,001,697     28,092,282     22,438,448  
             
    Interest expense        
    Deposits   3,910,840     2,239,808     10,243,652     5,010,624  
    Securities sold under repurchase agreements   13,069     12,110     49,113     23,949  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances and other borrowings   64,713     39,289     109,230     452,272  
    Federal Reserve Bank advances   647,882     378,500     1,910,411     391,763  
    Long-term debt   125,103     145,001     387,408     444,953  
    Total interest expense   4,761,607     2,814,708     12,699,814     6,323,561  
    Net interest income   5,084,845     5,186,989     15,392,468     16,114,887  
             
    Recovery of credit losses   –     (75,000 )   –     (570,000 )
             
    Net interest income after recovery of credit losses   5,084,845     5,261,989     15,392,468     16,684,887  
             
    Noninterest income        
    Service charges on deposit accounts   209,078     195,566     621,179     586,999  
    Mortgage banking income   43,035     33,585     66,362     92,514  
    Bank owned life insurance income   102,831     89,748     287,614     261,595  
    Loss on sale of debt securities   –     –     (31,922 )   –  
    Fair value adjustment of equity security   19,808     (13,769 )   13,837     (15,343 )
    Loss on disposition of furniture and equipment   (5,157 )   –     (5,157 )   –  
    Gain on insurance proceeds   –     –     142,794     –  
    Other fees and commissions   81,425     78,096     234,688     243,125  
    Total noninterest income   451,020     383,226     1,329,395     1,168,890  
             
    Noninterest expense        
    Salaries   1,878,411     1,916,804     5,848,178     5,643,742  
    Employee benefits   548,892     348,048     1,596,751     1,483,278  
    Occupancy   274,580     229,135     798,597     645,398  
    Furniture and equipment   327,198     246,896     897,503     739,547  
    Other   1,042,142     1,005,065     3,165,922     2,677,065  
    Total noninterest expense   4,071,223     3,745,948     12,306,951     11,189,030  
             
    Income before income taxes   1,464,642     1,899,267     4,414,912     6,664,747  
    Income taxes   341,515     467,128     993,289     1,661,640  
    Net income $ 1,123,127   $ 1,432,139   $ 3,421,623   $ 5,003,107  
             
    Earnings per share – basic $ 0.36   $ 0.46   $ 1.09   $ 1.63  
    Earnings per share – diluted $ 0.36   $ 0.46   $ 1.09   $ 1.63  
             
    Contact: Mr. Gary A. Harris
      President and Chief Executive Officer
      (410) 374-1510, ext. 1104
       

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: No home left behind: a postcode approach to electrification

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gill Armstrong, Researcher in architecture and urban planning, Climateworks Centre

    EndeavourEnergy

    In Australia and overseas, it’s clear that homes without gas – running on clean energy – are healthier, have cheaper power bills, and produce lower greenhouse emissions.

    The emissions part is crucial. Collectively, homes are responsible for 10% of Australia’s greenhouse emissions. But how do we get Australia’s 11 million homes to ditch gas and switch to electricity for cooking, hot water and home heating?

    The current approach is slow and piecemeal. State and local governments offer incentives to individual households, but few adopt them. For those that do, little coordinated support and guidance is available. The households must deal with suppliers and tradies on their own, which can be a frustrating and lonely process.

    A pilot project to electrify 500 homes in a single postcode south of Sydney could show a better way. After a two-year campaign by residents, “Electrify 2515” has won A$5.4 million in federal funding, along with industry support. Challenges remain, but this pilot promises to demonstrate how household electrification can be accelerated and coordinated at scale.

    As independent climate transitions specialists within Monash University, Climateworks Centre has no direct involvement in this project. But our ongoing Renovation Pathways Program focuses on ways to decarbonise Australia’s existing houses and bring about a national renovation wave. So we are watching with keen interest.

    Testing extra incentives

    The 2515 postcode sits between Wollongong and Sydney in New South Wales. It covers the suburbs of Austinmer, Clifton, Coledale, Scarborough, Thirroul and Wombarra.

    The pilot encourages households to retire three types of gas appliance: water heaters, space heaters and cookers. Financial subsidies of up to $1,000 off electric hot water systems, reverse-cycle air conditioners and induction cooktops, and up to $1,500 off home batteries, are available. Higher subsidies are available to low-income households.

    Successful applicants receive the subsidies as a discount on the purchase price of these new electrical appliances, rather than a rebate. Money for this is coming from the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

    Such incentives prompt households within a single community to make the switch together, retiring their electric appliances before their gas appliances fail or break, speeding up the transition.

    A fully subsidised smart energy device, valued at around $1,500, is also installed in every home to track and optimise energy use. Subsidies are also available for upgrades to switchboards where required to meet modern safety standards.

    Rooftop solar and electric vehicle chargers can also be purchased through the pilot, but will not be subsidised.

    How it works.
    Electrify 2515

    The 2515 difference

    2515 is not the first community to rally behind clean energy. Grassroots initiatives are scattered around the country, such as in Yackandandah in northeast Victoria, Parkes in central west NSW, and Broken Hill in far west NSW.

    Home energy pilot projects are also already underway through the Cooperative Research Centre Race2030, which partners with industry and research institutions. But these initiatives, along with those at a state and local government level, tend to recruit individual households across a wider geographic area.

    In contrast, Electrify 2515 offers holistic support for households within a community. It is not driven by a single government program, or by a gas supply problem – which was the case for the people of Esperance in Western Australia.

    By electrifying 500 homes in a single community, Electrify 2515 will provide a tangible measure of what’s required to drive rapid household electrification. The main challenge isn’t technological – it’s social. The technology is here. Getting the social drivers and settings right, at scale, is the key.

    The holistic approach will demonstrate what consumers need to make the shift from gas to electricity. This includes what conversations are needed and which incentives enable all households to act in a coordinated way.

    Local 2515 residents explain why everyone should join them in applying for the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot.

    The bright side of a community approach

    The whole-of-community focus brings technical and financial advantages.

    After completing an application form and receiving an offer, households receive guidance and support from the installation partner Brighte, a commercial company that provides consumer loans for clean energy appliances such as solar panels and batteries. The service streamlines the decision-making process, which is often the biggest barrier stopping households from progressing with electrification.

    Being able to work with a larger number of homes at once is likely to streamline and scale up installation with dedicated teams of installers and tradespeople.

    It also helps build households’ trust in literature about payback times and financial benefits through friendly neighbourhood conversations and, importantly, through access to local real-world evidence, not just theory.

    Thermal efficiency is also key

    The electrification pilot is a solid starting point, especially for a community in a relatively mild coastal climate such as postcode 2515.

    For homes in more extreme climates, or for inefficient older homes – which a lot of Australia’s homes sadly are – the fundamental thermal efficiency of the building must be improved alongside electrification of appliances.

    The thermal efficiency of homes can be improved by insulating ceilings, walls and floors, double-glazing windows and sealing gaps. These measures make a home more comfortable for occupants. They can also reduce peak demand on the energy network and save on household energy bills.

    Electrify 2515 currently focuses on appliance upgrades but adding thermal efficiency upgrades could take it to the next level. Without these upgrades, there is a risk of households in harsher climates using more electricity in a heatwave if homes are draughty and inefficient.

    There are various ways to upgrade a home’s capacity to stay cool in summer and warm in winter.
    Climateworks Centre, 2023, Climate-ready homes: Building the case for a renovation wave in Australia.

    When paired with electrification, thermal upgrades could save Australian households around $2,200 annually on their energy bills (based on 2023 gas and electricity prices), according to Climateworks Centre analysis.

    Projects like Electrify 2515 should include both home thermal efficiency improvements and electrification efforts, particularly for communities in harsher climates in order to maximise benefits to households.

    Electrification challenges

    Electrify 2515 caters for low-income households, by offering higher subsidies to households in the lowest 25% income percentile to ensure these groups comprise 25% of community buy-in.

    Renters are encouraged to put their hand up too. But it may still be challenging to encourage their landlords to invest in upgrades.

    Further challenges include decarbonising homes that cannot generate electricity from rooftop solar panels due to being shaded by taller buildings or trees. This can sometimes be an issue for homes in colder winter climates with higher annual energy demands, such as Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT.

    Building momentum for widescale rollout

    The technology for all-electric homes exists. Now we must identify the key social drivers and settings required to spur Australia’s electrification wave.

    Electrify 2515 is a promising approach. It’s a way to build momentum, showcase technology at scale, and prompt meaningful discussions around the benefits and challenges of getting off gas.

    This program, and others like it, can provide a tangible real-world foundation to bring about bills savings, emissions reductions and healthier homes across Australia. And it will help ensure no one is left behind.

    Climateworks Centre is a part of Monash University. It receives funding from a range of external sources including philanthropy, governments and businesses.

    – ref. No home left behind: a postcode approach to electrification – https://theconversation.com/no-home-left-behind-a-postcode-approach-to-electrification-241471

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AFCD holds “Sail into Fun” Leisure Fisheries Expo (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is holding the “Sail into Fun” Leisure Fisheries Expo today and tomorrow (October 19 and 20) at Domain Mall in Yau Tong. The Expo showcases the diversity of local leisure fisheries activities through a series of workshops, guided tours, seminars, plays and sales booths featuring fisheries products.

         Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, remarked that the “Sail into Fun” Leisure Fisheries Expo is one of the key promotional initiatives aiming at facilitating the development of local leisure fisheries, as outlined in the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries. Through participating in a variety of leisure fisheries activities, members of the public can experience and understand the heritage of fisheries’ history and culture, as well as recognise Hong Kong’s precious marine and cultural resources. This initiative aims at promoting the blue economy, facilitating the sustainable development of fisheries, and creating new opportunities for the development of both the fisheries and tourism industries.

         The “Sail into Fun” Leisure Fisheries Expo brings together a range of unique leisure fisheries-related activities across Hong Kong, including workshops on fish net weaving, pearl and shell jewellery making, salted fish curing, Gyotaku printing and fish sketching. Additionally, there are Lei Yue Mun Sam Ka Tsuen guided tours and plays showcasing the culture of fishermen. The Expo also features a variety of unique seminars, including firsthand accounts from fishermen about the culture of a fishing village, experts’ sharing on the history of local pearl cultivation and tips on selecting different fisheries products. These activities foster public appreciation of fisheries’ history and culture through the imprints left by the fishermen and the fisheries industry of the past. There are also sales booths offering high-quality local fisheries products and fishery-related handicrafts for members of the public to purchase on-site.

         The “Sail into Fun” Leisure Fisheries Expo is open from noon to 7pm. Members of the public are invited to join for free. No prior registration is required for the seminars and plays, while a limited number of seats for the workshops and the guided tours are available on-site for reservation. The event schedule can be found in the Annex.

         Developing leisure fisheries is one of the key directions outlined in the Blueprint. Through integrating fisheries culture and ecological resources, the Government aims to assist the upgrade and transformation of the industry. The AFCD will continue to provide fishermen with training courses, exchanges and field visits related to leisure fisheries, and encourage the trade to launch pilot projects of developing leisure fisheries activities based on commercial modes of operation through funding support from the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund. The AFCD will, at the same time, enhance promotion of local leisure fisheries, as well as explore suitable modes of development for leisure fisheries in Hong Kong and opportunities for jointly developing leisure fisheries in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Flower business thrives in China’s Dounan

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The air is charged with anticipation as an auction commences at the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

    Giant screens flicker with the pulse of the market, displaying the ever-changing prices of fresh-cut flowers. Auctioneers make swift decisions, and soon the auctioned flowers will embark on journeys far and wide, not just within the country but to over 50 overseas markets.

    Official data shows that daily transaction volume at the auction trading center, located in Dounan of Kunming, is as high as 6 million stems.

    In the afternoon, Yang Tao delivers 2,000 bundles of blooms to the flower market. A second-generation flower grower, Yang bears witness to the transition of Dounan.

    Residents in Dounan began planting flowers in 1983. In the 1990s, they embarked on the path of commercial cultivation and trading of fresh-cut flowers. At that time, farmers and traders sold flowers on the main road of Dounan Village, forming a 50-meter-long “Dounan flower street.”

    Over the following decades, flowers grown in Dounan were sold to more regions across the country. In 1999, China’s first professional flower-trading market was established in Dounan.

    Since then, Dounan has further developed and strengthened its flower industry chain, progressively establishing itself as the largest fresh-cut flower trading hub in Asia. Now seven out of 10 fresh-cut flowers in China come from Dounan.

    Every day, over 1,700 varieties of fresh flowers are traded in Dounan, which has established itself as the national center for trade, logistics, financial services and big data information of flowers, as well as a convention and exhibition hub for flower tourism.

    Dounan’s blooming flower industry has also consolidated China’s role as a major player in the global flower market.

    With about 1.5 million hectares dedicated to flower cultivation and more than 5 million people involved in the industry, China has become the world’s largest flower producer, and an important flower trader and consumer.

    A guideline jointly issued by China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs proposed that by 2025, the annual sales of the country’s flower industry will reach 300 billion yuan (about 42 billion U.S. dollars), and more than 700 billion yuan in 2035.

    Such promising market prospects have encouraged flower growers to keep improving their know-how and updating cultivation techniques.

    “The introduction of advanced technologies and an integrated smart irrigation system for water and fertilizer has revolutionized our cultivation techniques,” Yang said.

    “This has led to a substantial increase in both the yield and quality of our roses. Now, a team of just four workers can efficiently manage 1.3 hectares of flower fields,” he said, adding that during peak holiday periods, the high market demand means he can sell 140,000 roses in a single day.

    The flower industry has ignited a wave of prosperity that extends far beyond itself.

    “We have a thriving market centered on the flower industry. We have established cooperation with 49 logistics enterprises, nearly 12,000 brands, over 10,000 flower brokers, 350,000 flower wholesale markets and florist shops across the country,” said Qian Chongjun, the executive president of Yunnan Dounan Flower Industry Group.

    As the flower industry flourishes, a ripple effect is transforming the surrounding areas of Dounan. The blossoming logistics, financial services and tourism sectors are all contributing to a vibrant economic boom in the region.

    To Yang, the industry brings a palpable sense of happiness and fulfillment, bringing him a comfortable income while providing a service to thousands of customers seeking flowers to adorn their homes or as a romantic gift.

    “My life has taken a significant step forward thanks to the flowers,” he said, adding that he has recently invested in a new refrigerated truck and hired a driver as the volume of business continues to grow.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The other Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The other Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away
    The other Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (October 20) that the other Common Squirrel Monkey of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) that was put under isolated surveillance was found dead today. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will conduct necropsy on the animal body, to ascertain if the cause of death was the same as the other cases earlier.     At present, one De Brazza’s Monkey that has been isolated since October 13 is still under isolated surveillance and given medication. A total of 11 animals of the HKZBG have passed away since October 13.     The LCSD will continue to close the Mammals Section of the HKZBG, to closely monitor the health conditions of the animals, and continue to provide protective gear and health monitoring for staff who take care of animals. At present, the health conditions of staff concerned are normal. The LCSD has all along been communicating with the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health and the AFCD to ensure that appropriate protective measures are taken.

     
    Ends/Sunday, October 20, 2024Issued at HKT 19:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Genome sequencing developed to trace COVID is now protecting babies in intensive care from infectious diseases

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rhys Thomas White, Scientist, Genomics and Bioinformatics, ESR

    Getty Images

    Anyone who has spent time inside a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) knows it’s intense.

    For the tiny babies cared for in these wards, any infection could prove fatal. Great care is taken to prevent the spread of pathogens, but outbreaks still occur.

    Traditionally, detecting outbreaks within a NICU has been reactive – only after multiple babies fall ill at the same time.

    Our research is advancing the use of whole-genome sequencing technologies to detect outbreaks early and stamp out bacteria before they threaten more babies.

    From reactive to proactive

    NICU outbreak surveillance usually involves monitoring rates of illness and identifying spikes and long-term trends that may point to a pathogen circulating on the ward.

    When a potential outbreak is identified, bacteria may be cultured and retrospectively sequenced to determine if they can be linked to a shared source or transmission on the ward.

    Wellington Regional Hospital has changed its approach to infection surveillance in the NICU. Rather than waiting for infants to fall ill, they are using the same sequencing technology we developed at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) for genomic contact tracking during the COVID pandemic.

    Infants in the unit have diagnostic swab samples taken as part of routine practice. If any key bacteria are cultured from these samples, they are sequenced promptly to identify possible transmission events in near real time. This allows us to monitor the situation closely and respond quickly to emerging outbreaks.

    Genome sequencing allows NICU teams to monitor infectious bacteria before babies fall ill.
    Getty Images

    Because not all infants carrying a particular bacterial strain will experience a severe infection, this proactive approach can detect an outbreak before any babies fall ill.

    And because whole-genome sequencing decodes the entire genetic makeup of bacteria, it also provides the NICU team with information on how pathogens are related to each other. This allows them to differentiate one-off cases imported to the unit from any circulating within it.

    This level of detail allows for precise infection monitoring and fast, informed decisions on outbreak control.

    A case study

    This shift was recently tested when proactive genomic surveillance showed two infants in the NICU had eye infections caused by the same organism, an uncommon strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

    MRSA is notorious for its resistance to common antibiotics, making it particularly dangerous in hospitals.

    The onsite sequencing showed the two cases were likely linked. The priorities were to establish whether other infants were affected and limit the pathogen’s spread as quickly as possible. Screening of infants in the NICU found six more carrying the same strain of MRSA (though none with serious illness).

    This meant these infants could be isolated rapidly and the outbreak contained before any others developed a significant infection. ESR’s experience as genomic contact tracers helped establish how these infections spread in the unit.

    An outbreak response takes up resources and involves multiple steps, from the initial confirmation of the infection and its transmission route to communication with parents.

    This proactive approach to infection surveillance provides an early-warning system. It means the NICU team can be confident an outbreak is underway and act quickly to contain it.

    MRSA in New Zealand

    The power of genome sequencing extends beyond immediate outbreak control.

    By comparing the genomic data generated in the lab to that collected in national surveillance projects, our team was able to show the strain that caused the eye infections may have emerged in the early 1990s.

    This strain has slowly accumulated the genes required to evade first-choice antibiotics, underpinning the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    We also highlighted the power of genomics to reveal connections when we found the MRSA strain causing illness in the NICU was related to bacteria collected from cattle. This discovery underscores the concept of “One Health” – the idea that human health, animal health and environmental health are inextricably linked.

    The data suggest bacteria from a cow milk tank and from babies in a hospital may have shared a common ancestor at some point.

    Future focus

    As we continue to unravel the complex world of microbes, tools like whole-genome sequencing offer hope in the ongoing battle against infectious diseases. The work at Wellington Regional Hospital’s NICU is just the beginning.

    From protecting our most vulnerable newborns to uncovering unlikely connections between farm animals and hospital patients, genomic technology is changing how we combat infectious diseases.

    As this technology continues to evolve, it promises to play an increasingly crucial role in safeguarding public health, one DNA sequence at a time.

    In the face of growing antibiotic resistance and emerging pathogens, this proactive, genomics-based approach to infection control may well be our best defence.

    We would like to acknowledge the contributions by Max Bloomfield and the teams at Awanui Labs, and Emma Voss and team at Livestock Improvement Corporation.

    Rhys White received a travel bursary from Oxford Nanopore Technologies and a travel grant from the UK Microbiology Society.

    David Winter and Suzanne Manning do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Genome sequencing developed to trace COVID is now protecting babies in intensive care from infectious diseases – https://theconversation.com/genome-sequencing-developed-to-trace-covid-is-now-protecting-babies-in-intensive-care-from-infectious-diseases-240299

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Problems arising from the EU’s agreement with the Mercosur countries – E-001995/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001995/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Nikolas Farantouris (The Left)

    The protests by farmers in the first quarter of 2024 across the EU demonstrated, among other things, the problems stemming from the finalisation of the EU’s agreement with the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). Specifically, it was emphasised that the agreement does not reflect the challenges facing EU agriculture, such as the climate crisis, food security issues and the war in Ukraine, while huge disparities exist between EU and non-EU farmers in terms of labour, social and environmental matters and production standards. Talks on the agreement remain stalled on the key point of the ‘mirror clauses’, for the application of the same standards to products imported from the Mercosur countries. On 7 February Commission Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič announced to the European Parliament that ‘the conditions for the conclusion of the Mercosur agreement are not met’[1]. However, on 8 February Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, responsible for trade, said that ‘work is continuing’[2].

    In view of this:

    • 1.At exactly what stage are the negotiations for the finalisation of the EU’s agreement with the Mercosur countries?
    • 2.Have European farmers’ reasonable requests for the removal of the inequalities created by the agreement been incorporated into the negotiations?

    Submitted: 9.10.2024

    • [1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-conditions-complete-mercosur-trade-deal-not-met-yet-2024-02-07/
    • [2] https://www.lafranceagricole.fr/libre-echange/article/862757/le-dossier-mercosur-continue-malgre-la-france
    Last updated: 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Governments helping fruit sector seek new opportunities

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    The governments of Canada and Ontario are helping 128 apple, tender fruit, and table grape producers grow more popular and hardy varieties of produce. The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, with funding through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), is supporting these projects through a $4.4 million investment.

    $4.4 million investment enabling fruit growers to meet consumer demand

    Oct. 21, 2024 – Toronto, Ontario  –  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    The governments of Canada and Ontario are helping 128 apple, tender fruit, and table grape producers grow more popular and hardy varieties of produce. The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, with funding through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), is supporting these projects through a $4.4 million investment.

    Growers are replanting more than 94 acres of apples and more than 60 acres of tender fruit and table grapes. The range of fruit varieties being planted are considered by the sector to have greater appeal with changing consumer tastes, and are more resilient to increase yield, improve hardiness, and enhance resistance to pests and diseases. This includes fruits such as Coral Star and Summer Serenade peaches and Gala and Honeycrisp apples.

    The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative is a 3-year, $8 million initiative providing eligible fruit producers with cost-share funding to purchase vines or trees of popular fruit varieties. Applications are still being accepted for tender fruit, table grapes and wine grapes. Under the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, eligible producers can receive 75% of cost-share funding for plants.

    The Sustainable CAP is a 5-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories. 

    Quotes

    “Ontario’s fruit producers are vitally important to Canada’s agriculture sector. The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative will help them stay competitive and increase their resiliency, while ensuring folks have access to the locally grown fruit they enjoy.”

    – The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. 

    “In its first year, the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative is already helping Ontario fruit producers to be more competitive, so they can provide and market more popular products for consumers to enjoy,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Supporting agri-food production is part of our Grow Ontario Strategy, and it’s helping to drive economic growth in Ontario’s $50 billion agri-food sector.”

    – Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

    Quick facts

    • Agricorp is delivering the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative. 

    • The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative is helping Ontario reach the goals outlined in the Grow Ontario Strategy, which include increasing the consumption and production of food grown and prepared in the province by 30% by 2032.

    • Building sector capacity and growth through realizing the potential of value-added agri-food and agri-products were among the top priorities set for Sustainable CAP by the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers in The Guelph Statement.

    • For more information about OMAFA programs and services, contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre (AICC) by phone at 1-877-424-1300 or by email at ag.info.omafa@ontario.ca.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For media:

    Annie Cullinan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
    annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Ottawa, Ontario
    613-773-7972
    1-866-345-7972
    aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@agr.gc.ca
    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
    Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    Makena Mahoney
    Minister’s Office
    Makena.Mahoney@ontario.ca

    Meaghan Evans
    Communications Branch
    OMAFRA.media@ontario.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Farmer blames weather app after rain washes slurry down road

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Farmer Ben Hembrow blamed rain which he claimed had not been forecast. But his fields were saturated with slurry which began running down a road.

    Slurry run off Huntham Farm in Stoke St Gregory into a lane.

    Somerset farmer Ben Hembrow applied slurry to fields growing winter wheat and claimed that heavy rain, which he said had not been forecast, led to slurry running into surrounding ditches and road drains near his Stoke St Gregory farm.

    This resulted in fines and costs to Hembrow and the farm totalling over £20,000.

    Appearing before District Judge Brereton at Yeovil Magistrates Court on Wednesday 16 October 2024, Hembrow, 36, of Huntham Farm, Stoke St Gregory, Somerset admitted two charges relating to causing slurry pollution. The company, Huntham Farm Ltd, also admitted one charge of causing a polluting discharge.

    Slurry put on fields ahead of rain

    In a case brought by the Environment Agency, the court heard that an officer went to the farm on a wet Sunday in February 2022, following a report of slurry running down a road and into a surface water drain close to the farm in Stoke St Gregory.

    The officer found fields saturated in slurry and observed slurry entering nearby watercourses and ditches. While investigating, Hembrow arrived on scene, visibly shaken. He attempted to reduce the impact by blocking a ditch and used sub soiling equipment to help break up the surface of the soil and prevent further run-off. Despite his actions the investigation later showed that over 1.5km of watercourse, as far as the confluence with the Sedgemoor Old Rhyne Site of Special Scientific Interest, had been impacted.

    Weather app blamed for forecasting ‘just 1mm of rain’

    During interview Hembrow claimed that the weather app he used had predicted only 1mm of rain the day after the slurry was applied. The agency’s investigation established that heavy rain had been forecast to fall on the Sunday throughout the week by numerous weather forecasters including the BBC and the app used by Hembrow. No checks on the physical condition of the soil had been made, no soil test pits to assess soil structure had been dug.

    Hembrow claimed he was not in breach of regulations to prevent pollution due to measures he had taken before spreading and specifically stated that, given the weather forecast he had consulted, he did not believe the application of slurry gave rise to a risk of pollution.

    A fine to reflect the slip in standards

    Summing up, District Judge Brereton acknowledged Hembrow to be a hard-working farmer committed to modern technology and farming practices. However, she also concluded that the fine imposed should reflect that the standards of farming had fallen well below what is expected. She also referenced aggravating features, specifically that Hembrow had previously been prosecuted for offences in 2016 and 2021.

    Hembrow, as an individual, was fined £525 for failing to plan the slurry applications. Huntham Farm Ltd was fined £8,000 for causing pollution and ordered to pay the agency’s full costs of £11,564.25.

    ‘Anything spread on the soil was likely to run off’

    David Womack, senior environment officer for the Environment Agency, said:

    This pollution event was avoidable but occurred because Mr Hembrow failed to carry out the most basic checks to assess if the land he was spreading slurry on was suitable.

    Previous land management had led to the fields being compacted – anything spread on the soil was therefore likely to run off, even in moderate rainfall conditions. He wrongly assumed risk assessments for slurry application would be done by his agronomist – but it was his responsibility to do this just prior to the slurry being applied.

    Additional weather checks would also have alerted Mr Hembrow that wet weather was very likely to occur immediately after he chose to apply slurry. Since 2018 there have been specific laws to ensure organic manure applications are planned and that they take into account weather forecasts and soil conditions.

    Background

    The charges:

    Ben Hembrow: 

    • On and before the 13 February 2022 you, Ben Hembrow, did cause an unpermitted water discharge activity, namely the discharge of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter from Huntham Farm, Stoke St Gregory, Somerset into inland fresh waters. Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(b) and Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. 
    • On and before the 13 February 2022 you, Ben Hembrow, did fail to plan the application of organic matter, namely slurry, to agricultural land at Huntham Farm, Stoke St Gregory, Somerset so as to give rise to a significant risk of agricultural diffuse pollution. Contrary to Regulations 4(1)&4(2) and Regulation 11 of the  Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018. 

    The company: 

    • On and before the 13 February 2022 you, Huntham Farm Ltd, did cause an unpermitted water discharge activity, namely the discharge of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter from Huntham Farm, Stoke St Gregory, Somerset into inland fresh waters. Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(b) and Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NEW Swap 2 Stop with free vapes this Stoptober

    Source: City of York

    Swap 2 Stop is a new nationwide campaign, being offered by the York Health Trainers, which is aimed at encouraging smokers to make the switch from smoking to vaping to improve their health.

    Smokers are addicted to nicotine, not tobacco. It’s the tar and toxic chemicals produced in tobacco smoke that kill, so switching from smoking to vaping is a positive health move.

    York residents, who are smokers, aged 18 years and over can now get free personal, confidential support alongside free vapes or nicotine replacement products for 4 weeks, or up to 10 weeks if they join the main smoking behaviour change programme.

    By self-referring online or by calling the team, residents will be able to gain access to full smoking support with an appointment with a Health Trainer.

    Or alternatively, residents can access the Swap 2 Stop Vape offer, which is a free, 4 week vape starter kit that will be posted out to them.

    Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, said:

    “Stopping smoking completely and for good is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing.

    “It lowers your risk of getting cancer and other illnesses, saves you money and stops the harm caused to those around you from passive smoke.

    “Stopping smoking at any age can lengthen and improve your quality of life, even if you have a smoking-related illness. Stopping smoking is difficult, but by switching to vaping with the help of our Health Trainers, it can help you quit smoking forever.”

    Peter Roderick, Director of Public Health, at City of York Council, said:

    “Swap2Stop is about encouraging smokers to make the switch to vapes.

    “One of the reasons we’re supporting this national scheme is that smoking is the single biggest cause of cancer. It causes more than 16 different types of cancer. There’s also great savings to be made and if you smoke 20 a day, you could save around £2,500 a year.

    “As the director of public health, I’m very clear that this scheme is for over 18 year olds and that we need to protect young people from using vapes. This scheme is about helping people quit smoking and they’re not for teenagers or young people. Through schools, we’re offering lots of help and support to help teens quit vaping.”

    Kevin Spencer gave up smoking after 50 years by switching to vapes, with the support of health trainer Fiona Lambeth.

    At his first appointment, Fiona explained the effect smoking was having on his body, and he did a simple breath test that showed the amount of carbon monoxide in his blood. She then talked through the different nicotine therapy options on offer.

    Kevin said:

    She gave me the option of using them all, and I used the patch for a couple of days, but the vape is the one I’ve taken to, it’s really good. 

    “I received all the equipment on the Saturday morning, and by Saturday dinner time I’d stopped smoking! I’ve never looked back and never had a cigarette since.

    “Fiona was absolutely fantastic, she was understanding, she knew exactly what was needed, she kept in touch to ask how I was doing – it’s a brilliant service.”

    There’s also a whole host of support and advice for people thinking about quitting smoking for good, including step-by-step videos to help them on their quitting journey. Or for more help, call 01904 553377 today!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Zetes invests in Autonomous Mobile Robots company Robotize

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Zetes invests in Autonomous Mobile Robots company Robotize

    Zetes’ investment in Robotize was a natural progression, as both companies share a common mission: to deliver value-added solutions that enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities.
    Pierre Lambert, CEO of Zetes, commented: “We are excited about our new investment in Robotize. Both of our companies are driven by the same values—delivering top-tier solutions that empower our customers and elevate service quality. This perfectly aligns as well with our mother company, Panasonic. Together, we will develop comprehensive solutions that will enhance internal logistics operations and support our customers’ evolving needs.”
    Anders Pjetursson, CEO of Robotize, echoed this enthusiasm: “Joining forces with Zetes opens up new possibilities for us, as our first successful collaborations have already demonstrated. Zetes’ impressive portfolio of customers provides the perfect foundation to expand our capabilities as our specialized AMRs are a perfect fit with Zetes high-quality business applications.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Mercosur – E-002035/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    11.10.2024

    Question for written answer  E-002035/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Anna Bryłka (PfE)

    Negotiators of the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries held another round of meetings in Brasilia from 7 to 9 October 2024. According to press reports, an agreement is expected to be ready for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in mid-November in Rio de Janeiro. In January, Mercosur negotiations were nearing the finish line, but were pushed back due to mass protests by farmers ahead of the European Parliament elections.

    The EU’s trade agreement with Mercosur is being heavily criticised by all European agricultural associations and unions. The agreement will open up the EU market, with its heavily regulated industry and agriculture, to economies not bound in any way by those regulations.

    In light of the above:

    Does the agreement contain any obligations for Mercosur countries in terms of agricultural regulation, e.g. in relation to tackling deforestation, and if so, what are they?

    Submitted: 11.10.2024

    Last updated: 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bharat Tex 2025 gains international momentum:

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Bharat Tex 2025 gains international momentum:

    Ministry of Textiles organises interaction session with over 30 Countries

    Bharat Tex 2025 to focus on scale, sustainability and skills

    India is looking at a shared future, a future that is sustainable, equitable and prosperous for all of us: Shri Pabitra Margherita

    Posted On: 22 OCT 2024 2:07PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Textiles organized an interactive Session with Foreign Missions in India for Bharat Tex 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi yesterday. The event saw participation from over 30 Foreign Missions in India namely Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Montenegro, Malaysia, Mongolia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Taiwan, Togo, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

    Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita graced the event as the Chief Guest. The session was also attended by Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Rachna Shah; Special Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Shri P. Kumaran; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri Rohit Kansal; Trade Advisor, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Shubhra; industry leaders and officials.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Minister invited the ambassadors and representatives of various countries to proactively participate in Bharat Tex 2025. Describing it as the largest and the most comprehensive textiles event ever, he described Bharat Tex as a unique effort to bring the entire value chain of textiles under one roof. He highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of the Indian textile industry in finding innovative solutions for the challenges posed by the global textile industry. He underlined that Bharat Tex will reaffirm the attractiveness of India as a reliable, sustainable sourcing destination as well as an investment destination at a large scale for textiles. The sector has the potential to provide large scale employment across the value chain and touch the lives of people across all social spheres. With innovation, collaboration, and the Make in India spirit at its core, this event is an embodiment of the 5F vision of the Prime Minister- Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, he added.

     

    Ms. Rachna Shah also highlighted the role of Bharat Tex in the Global Textiles Industry. She invited the attendees to participate as a Partner Country in the mega textile global event. Further she emphasised on India’s focus on the Textiles sector with strong policy support backed by various incentives and schemes including PLI and PM-MITRA Parks.  

    Bharat Tex is a mega global textiles event being organized by a consortium of Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and supported by the Ministry of Textiles. Scheduled to be held from February 14 to 17, 2025 BHARAT TEX 2025, is positioned as a global scale textile trade fair and knowledge platform. The event will be held simultaneously at two state of the art venues: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi and India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida. While the main event will be held from February 14-17 at the Bharat Mandapam and will cover the entire value chain of textiles, exhibitions pertaining to handicrafts, garment machinery and ethnic apparel will be held from February 12 to 15 at the India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida.

    Bharat Tex 2025 aims to build on the resounding success of the first edition in 2024. Built around the twin themes of resilient global value chains and sustainability, this year’s show promises to be even more vibrant and attractive than the first edition, attracting top policymakers, global CEOs, international exhibitors, and global buyers. A record number of over 5,000 Exhibitors, 6,000 international buyers from over 110 countries and over 1, 20,000 visitors are expected to participate in this year’s event.

    The Bharat Tex 2025 exhibition will feature dedicated pavilions for Apparel, Home Furnishings, Floor Coverings, Fibres, Yarns, Threads, Fabrics, Carpets, Silk, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Technical Textiles, Apparel Machinery, Dyes & Chemicals and many more. It will also have a retail High Street focusing on India’s fashion retail market opportunities.

    The textile mega event will also provide a platform for global textiles dialogue covering conference, seminars, CEO roundtables, and B2B and G2G meetings across various key topics such as Industry 4.0, Sustainability, Global Value Chain, Investment, Trade among other areas.

    Attendees can look forward to live demonstrations, cultural events, and fashion presentations, designer and brand exhibitions and sustainability workshops, and expert talks. Bharat Tex 2025 aims to serve as a unique and consolidated platform to showcase India’s full textile value chain, while highlighting its strengths in fashion, traditional crafts, and sustainability initiatives.

    ***

    VN

    (Release ID: 2067001) Visitor Counter : 79

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Enjoy an evening of Doric Banter and Beats at Aberdeen Art Gallery

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    A special event presenting a modern take on the North East region’s mother tongue of Doric takes place at Aberdeen Art Gallery on Friday (26 October). 

    Supported by the Doric Board, Banter and Beats will showcase some of the best up-and-coming local talent in an evening of spoken word and music. The event, which takes place in the Art Gallery’s Cowdray Hall, is offered on a ‘pay what you can’ basis. No booking required. 

    The programme is hosted by Aiberdeen Mannie (Duncan Dallas), a social media influencer from Aberdeen. His short and funny videos on day-to-day life as a ‘middle-aged mannie fae Aiberdeen’ have seen him amass over 16k followers on Instagram. He was nominated as Scots Media Person of the Year at the Scots Language Awards in 2022.  
     
    The evening’s line-up includes: 
     
    Jackill (Jack Hughes), an influential rapper, writer and producer from Aberdeen. He has been involved in the Scottish Hip-Hop scene for over ten years and released his debut album A Day With The Jackal to acclaim in 2019. Five years in the making, the album is driven by Jackill’s social commentary about the world around him. Alongside being a musician, he works in local communities delivering workshops to young people and adults experiencing barriers to the arts. 

     

    Aberdeenshire folksinger Iona Fyfe has become one of Scotland’s finest singers. In 2021, she became the first singer to win the coveted title of Musician of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. Iona is a fierce advocate for the official recognition of the Scots Language, leading a successful campaign to pressure Spotify into recognising Scots and add it to its list of languages. Honoured at the Scots Language Awards with the title of Speaker of the Year in 2021, Iona performs both folk and pop songs in the Scots language, remaining true to her rooting in tradition. 

     

    Spoken word artist and writer Jo Gilbert’s debut poetry collection, WTF is normal anyway?, was published by Seahorse Publications in August 2022. Jo’s work is influenced by a myriad of things – music, art, poetry, film, history, prose, photography, sound, landscape, class, and people – filtered through personal experience and innumerable factors that weave the direction our creative paths take. Jo was a recipient of a Micro-Commission Award from Aberdeen Art Gallery in 2020. 
     
    Banter and Beats – an Evening of Doric 
    Friday 25 October 
    Aberdeen Art Gallery – Cowdray Hall, 7:30pm-9pm (doors open 7pm) 
    Pay what you can to support our programme 
    Café open for refreshments.  

     
    View of Aberdeen exhibition is on display in Gallery 15 at Aberdeen Art Gallery (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 11am-4pm, admission free), and is a constantly evolving exhibition which aims to reflect people’s views on Aberdeen as a city to live and work in.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jimmy Doherty is named Visiting Professor at ARU

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 22 October 2024 at 13:16

    The farmer and conservationist will help support the next generation of scientists

    Farmer, conservationist and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty has taken on an important new role as Visiting Professor at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

    The announcement was made today [22 October] on the first day of the Chelmsford Science Festival, organised by ARU, which runs until Tuesday, 29 October.

    Jimmy is the much-loved presenter of programmes including Jimmy’s Farm, Jimmy and the Wild Honey Hunters, Jimmy Doherty in Darwin’s Garden, Jimmy’s Global Harvest, Museum of Life, Jimmy and the Whale Whisperer, Jimmy’s Big Bee Rescue and most recently Jimmy and Shivi’s Farmhouse Breakfast. Alongside his wife, he runs the popular Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park near Ipswich, which he has farmed since 2002.

    Jimmy studied animal biology and entomology at university, and part of his role within ARU’s new Writtle School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences will see him help to inspire the next generation of farmers and scientists.

    In conjunction with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, ARU will run joint education and research projects, which includes plans for a new PhD studentship in conservation.

    ARU is home to approximately 40,000 students across a range of courses and campuses. After ARU merged with Writtle University College in February of this year, the 370-acre campus on the outskirts of Chelmsford became ARU Writtle.

    With an impressive reputation for animal, agriculture and horticulture courses, ARU Writtle features a campus farm that’s home to sheep, pigs and cattle, an Equine Training and Development Centre featuring stables and riding arenas, and a state-of-the-art Canine Centre including hydrotherapy clinics. In total, there are around 200 different species at ARU Writtle, including reptiles, birds and small mammals.

    Jimmy said:

    “I’ve had the incredible honour of being Chancellor of Writtle University College, and I’m thrilled that my connection with Writtle is continuing following the merger with Anglia Ruskin University. 

    “To be involved with Anglia Ruskin University is a real privilege. There are so many strong connections between the work that I do and the fantastic research and teaching taking place at ARU Writtle, so I can’t wait to get started in my new role of Visiting Professor, helping to inspire the next generation of scientists, farmers and conservationists.

    “Science is obviously really important in young people’s education, but it’s vital to this region’s economy, bringing in billions of pounds in sectors like medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture. And also looking into the future of dealing with this climate crisis, it’s going to be the scientists that come up with the solutions.

    “It’s also exciting to be taking up this role at ARU at the start of the Chelmsford Science Festival, as the theme of this year’s festival – planetary health – aligns so closely to my own values of protecting the environment to allow everything to thrive.”

    Professor Laurie Butler, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Science & Engineering at ARU, said:

    “We are immensely proud to be welcoming Jimmy Doherty to his new role within the university. 

    “Science and innovation have inspired Jimmy throughout his career journey, and we know that his knowledge, expertise and personal experiences will help to support and influence students across disciplines including the life sciences, animal behaviour, agriculture and conservation.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Learning About Landscape Architecture on the UConn Research Farm

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    At UConn, the disciplines of plant science and landscape architecture are housed in a single department.

    This arrangement provides unique opportunities for students like Brianna Collazo ‘26 (CAHNR), a landscape architecture student who spent this past summer working on the UConn Plant Science Research & Education Farm, which serves both plant science and landscape architecture projects.

    “It’s lovely,” Collazo says. “There are so many opportunities that have been opened and so many events where we get to socialize and learn from one another.”

    Collazo had explored several academic pathways while at Manchester Community College before coming to UConn. She took courses in everything from computer science to sculpture before realizing she was interested in architecture. Given this and her love of being outside, the landscape architecture program at UConn was a perfect fit.

    “When I was looking up majors similar to architecture, I found landscape architecture and I did a little bit of research and I was like ‘wow, I think I’ll really like doing this’,” Collazo says.

    Collazo says she quickly fell in love with the program at UConn.

    “I’m so excited to go to class every day,” Collazo says. “You can ask anyone, I’m usually the first one to get to studio and the last one to leave.”

    UConn’s landscape architecture program is nationally accredited and provides a close-knit educational atmosphere for around 60 students. Working closely with ten faculty, communities, and practicing landscape architects, students have the opportunity to participate in experiential learning across Connecticut.

    “Brianna is a wonderful ambassador for our program and department. She brings an infectious energy to all that she does. Her skills and thinking have grown tremendously over the past year and we can’t wait to see her work progress,” says Jill Desimini, program director for Landscape Architecture.

    During her sophomore year, Collazo decided she wanted to gain more practical experience to better prepare her for internships.

    She found an opening on the Research Farm and with encouragement from Travis Clark, the Research Farm manager, decided to apply.

    The Research Farm has been in operation for over 100 years supporting research, teaching, and extension work at CAHNR. The 153-acre facility is a short drive from UConn’s main campus in Storrs, making it uniquely accessible for students. There are over 50 research plots where faculty and graduate students conduct basic and applied scientific experiments in subjects like sustainable agriculture, turfgrass and soil science, greenhouse and nursery operations, and fruit and vegetable production.

    “The summer was really exciting,” Collazo says. “[Clark] was really happy to have me there and I felt like I was being cared for.”

    “I was excited to be able to bring Brianna on the farm this summer.  Her unique background in landscape architecture and her willingness to learn made her an asset to our team,” says Clark ’09 (CAHNR).  “This internship provided Brianna with a lot of the hands-on skills through experiential learning that will continue to be valuable to her throughout her career.”

    Over the summer, Collazo not only gained practical skills for working on a farm, but learned outside of her major about soil science, cover crops, and how to use different species for different purposes.

    “I wanted to take so much out of this experience,” Collazo says. “Every single day I would learn something.”

    Collazo also supported graduate students working on the farm over the summer and has continued assisting two: Julie-Ann Adorno, an advisee of Haiying Tao, associate professor of soil nutrition management and soil health; and Brian Garzon, an advisee of Mariana Fragomeni, assistant professor of landscape architecture.

    After this experience, Collazo decided she want to go to graduate school to continue her studies, looking at how to design agricultural sites for research.

    “Hearing about their passion and their work over the summer really got me to understand how much it takes to make a landscape, how much goes into the different systems of the outdoors, and how we need to combine all of those to create the best design to benefit us,” Collazo says.

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Exclusive Markets Honoured with “Top Trusted Financial Institution in the Financial Markets” Award in 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Exclusive Markets, a globally celebrated online multi-asset trading platform, has been awarded the prestigious title of Top Trusted Financial Institution in the Financial Markets, by Top 100 Trusted Financial Institutions at the Middle East Financial Markets Awards Ceremony 2024 | 2ndedition, held in Dubai. This recognition marks yet another milestone in the company’s continued journey of excellence and trust-building within the financial industry.

    Trust is the cornerstone of Exclusive Markets’ operations. As a financial institution operating in highly dynamic and complex global markets, the company has consistently prioritised transparency, integrity, and reliability in every aspect of its service. From secure trading platforms to customer-first policies, Exclusive Markets has set itself apart by fostering a deep sense of trust among its clients, enabling them to confidently navigate the world of trading.

    While receiving the award, Lambros Lambrou, CEO of Exclusive Markets, expressed his gratitude for this recognition, stating, “At Exclusive Markets, trust isn’t just a value, it’s a fundamental part of who we are. Receiving the ‘Top Trusted Financial Institution’ award is an incredible honour and a reflection of our ongoing efforts to ensure our clients and partners feel secure and supported at every step of their trading journey.”

    This award highlights the growing importance of trust in the financial markets, especially as traders seek reliable partners in an increasingly complex landscape. As Exclusive Markets continues to evolve and innovate, its commitment to fostering trust will remain at the forefront of its mission, paving the way for continued growth and success in the global financial arena.

    About Exclusive Markets

    Exclusive Markets is dedicated to providing traders with a robust, secure, and transparent platform for investing in a variety of financial instruments. With a focus on cutting-edge technology and holding ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certification by MSECB, Exclusive Markets offers traders an exceptional platform that seamlessly integrates advanced features with user-friendly interfaces.

    Traders can access a wide array of trading instruments, including CFD stocks, commodities, forex, and spot metals. The company’s expert team is committed to meeting the evolving needs of its clients by continually expanding its range of products and services, allowing traders to invest according to their preferences.

    Risk Warning: Trading involves risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6274d2b5-b001-47e1-bf0d-224d1e190174

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AFCD laid charges against Mainland fisherman deckhands suspected of using snake cages for fishing and local coxswain (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (October 22) laid charges against six Mainland fisherman deckhands suspected of engaging in fishing using snake cages (a type of cage trap banned in Hong Kong waters) on a local fishing vessel in waters off Hei Ling Chau and a local coxswain on board.

         A joint operation was conducted by the AFCD together with the Hong Kong Police Force yesterday (October 21). A local fishing vessel was suspected of engaging in fishing using snake cages and was intercepted at around 11am on the same day for investigation. Some fishing gear (including snake cages and winches) on board was seized by the AFCD.

         After the investigation, charges were laid against the seven men who were suspected to have violated the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171). They will appear at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 23). 

         Only a vessel registered under the Ordinance can be used for fishing in Hong Kong waters and only the fishing methods listed on its Certificate of Registration of Local Fishing Vessel can be employed for fishing by the vessel. The conditions of the Certificate of Registration of Local Fishing Vessel regarding cage traps stipulate that any collapsible cage traps should not be connected in any way to another; or should not exceed five metres in any of its extended dimensions. Hence, fishing using snake cages is in breach of the registration conditions. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.

         A spokesman for the AFCD stressed, “The Government is committed to combatting illegal fishing activities in Hong Kong waters. The AFCD will continue to step up patrols and take stringent enforcement action.”         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Risk Strategies Acquires George W. Blaisdell Insurance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Risk Strategies, a leading national specialty insurance brokerage and risk management firm, today announced the acquisition of George W. Blaisdell Insurance, a well-established agency focused on employee benefits based in Hampton Falls, NH. The acquisition further enhances the presence and capabilities of the Risk Strategies Employee Benefits Practice in its New England region. Terms of the deal were not announced.

    Founded in 1988 by its principal, George W. Blaisdell, the agency has been a successful, specialized provider of employee benefits insurance and related services to clients across the New England region. The agency primarily specializes in designing and delivering group benefit plans to employers of all sizes. It also offers individual health and Medicare supplements, as well as 401k services.

    “We are excited to welcome George W. Blaisdell Insurance to the Risk Strategies family,” said John Greenbaum, National Employee Benefits Practice Leader, Risk Strategies. “Their expertise and strong reputation in the employee benefits space align perfectly with our strategic goals. We look forward to using our combined strengths to build new business and deliver exceptional value to our clients.”

    Company founder George W. Blaisdell brings over 35 years of experience and specialty expertise in providing clients with expert guidance and robust employee benefits plans. With a diverse client base throughout New England across various industries, Blaisdell is dedicated to designing and delivering group plans tailored to meet the unique needs of organizations of all sizes.

    “Joining Risk Strategies is a significant milestone for our agency,” said Blaisdell. “With their resources and support, we can continue to grow and provide our clients with even better service and solutions. We are thrilled to become part of such a dynamic specialty organization.”

    Blaisdell is the second benefits-focused addition to the Risk Strategies National Benefits Practice in the New England Region this year. In June, it was announced that Risk Strategies had acquired Baker Benefit Group, with operations in Maine and Connecticut.

    Additionally, Risk Strategies made two other benefits-focused acquisitions in 2023: Connecticut-based May, Bonee & Clark in April and Massachusetts-based Strategic Benefit Solutions in September.

    Other notable acquisitions in the New England region in recent years include Gerard B. Tracy Associates in 2019, CBG Benefits in 2018, and Mosse & Mosse Associates in 2017.

    “We have one of the industry’s most knowledgeable employee benefits practice,” said Ed Flanagan, New England Region Leader, Risk Strategies. “Adding Blaisdell to the group is further demonstration of our commitment to deepening this expertise at all levels of the organization.”

    To learn more about Risk Strategies, please visit riskstrategies.com.

    About Risk Strategies

    Risk Strategies, part of Accession Risk Management Group, is a North American specialty brokerage firm offering comprehensive risk management services, property and casualty insurance and reinsurance placement, employee benefits, private client services, consulting services, and financial & wealth solutions. The 9th largest U.S. privately held broker, we advise businesses and personal clients, have access to all major insurance markets, and 30+ specialty industry and product line practices and experts in 200+ offices – Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Grand Cayman, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, DC. RiskStrategies.com

    Media Contact:

    Brittany Gould

    Senior Account Executive

    rsc@matternow.com

    978.518.4506

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Report calls for urgent action to reverse soil degradation in Europe

    Source: European Union 2

    Launched today at the EU Soil Observatory Stakeholder Forum, the 2024 State of Soils in Europe report assesses the state of soil degradation across the EU and other countries in the European Economic Area, including Ukraine, Türkiye, and the Western Balkans. The report shows alarming status and trends, with soil degradation getting much worse in recent years, and highlights the need for immediate action to reverse this trend. 

    For example, overall soil erosion is estimated to amount to 1 billion tonnes per year across the EU. At present date, approximately a quarter (24%) of EU soils are affected by water erosion, mainly in cropland, with projections referring to a possible increase of 13-25% by 2050. Unsustainable water erosion affects about a third (32%) of agricultural land. The mechanical agitation of soil, a common practice in agriculture, can also initiate soil degradation. This phenomenon, called tillage erosion, can have a significant impact on cultivated fields. Other forms of erosion include wind erosion and crop harvesting, among others.

    Nutrient imbalancesare also on the rise: they are now estimated to affect 74% of agricultural land. These changes to the composition of soil can have negative consequences. For example, nitrogen surplus is increasing and can be harmful to human health, crops, eco-systems, and the climate. Meanwhile, soil organic carbon, which is essential to keeping soil healthy, is decreasing in agricultural areas. An estimated 70 million tonnes of this organic carbon were lost from the mineral soils of croplands across the EU and UK between 2009 and 2018.

    The degradation of peatlands is also concerning. These wetlands are essential carbon sinks: they absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and store them, contributing to mitigate climate change. When they deteriorate, peatlands can release those gases back into the atmosphere. In the EU, peatland drainage is responsible for around 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions. 50% of peatlands in the EU are now estimated to be degraded, many of which have been irreparably damaged.

    Outside the EU, the situation is similarly dire – particularly in Ukraine, where military activities have caused severe soil destruction. Over 10 million of Ukraine’s 60 million hectares of land are estimated to be degraded because of Russia’s invasion. Recovery from this damage could take decades or even centuries. In Türkiye, approximately 1.5 million hectares of land have salinity issues, which can impact both agricultural productivity and ecosystem health. The Western Balkans have reported over 100 identified contaminated or potentially contaminated sites due to mining and industrial activities, although the true extent of soil pollution in these areas remains unknown.

    The importance of soil monitoring and new legislation

    The State of Soils in Europe report is a collaboration between the Joint Research Centre and the European Environment Agency. It sets out the scale of the problem facing Europe today, but it also aims to reinforce and build capacities among the soil research community, while enhancing the engagement of soil users and society.

    The EU Soil Observatory (EUSO) has already laid the foundation for better soil monitoring, using advanced tools to improve the quality of data on soil erosion, soil organic carbon levels, and nutrient imbalances. Together with other collaborations and soil monitoring networks, EUSO is also giving a clearer understanding of how agricultural practices and climate change are impacting Europe’s soils.

    The EU Soil Monitoring Law aims to ensure that soil degradation is assessed more accurately by creating a monitoring framework, to promote sustainable soil management and to identify potentially contaminated sites. It will standardise data collection across EU member states, ensuring that the insights gathered by EUSO and initiatives like the Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS-Soil) are implemented effectively.

    As part of the common agricultural policy (CAP), the sustainable use of agricultural soils is already supported through the CAP Strategic Plans in all Member States by a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for farmers. For the period 2023-2027, 47% of the European farmland (compared to 15% in the past) will receive support for actions aimed at improving soils or avoiding soil degradation, including by water erosion. 

    The EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ is a large-scale applied R&D funding programme that supports the EU soil strategy, the upcoming Soil Monitoring Law, and the CAP. The Mission funds actions to establish harmonised soil health monitoring in the EU; to develop and promote the adoption of sustainable soil management practices and technologies to restore soil health; and to provide advice and education on soil health to managers and citizens. The Mission has invested €435 million so far and has created the first of a network of 100 living labs, with more than 1000 testing sites across a wide range of land-use sectors (agriculture, forestry, industry, urban and regional planning) across Europe. The Mission currently encompasses 50 projects, which are contributing to increase and improve the knowledge of the state of soils in the EU.  

    Protecting our soils: a shared responsibility

    Tackling soil degradation is vital for achieving the EU’s environmental, agricultural, and climate goals. The numbers are clear: soil degradation has worsened significantly in the last decade, but with collective action, enhanced monitoring, and legislative support, the EU can restore this vital resource and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

    Background:

    The EUSO Stakeholder Forum serves as the platform for the formal presentation of the 2024 report, bringing together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe. Discussions focus on future strategies for reversing soil degradation trends, with particular attention to the upcoming soil legislation and how it facilitates more comprehensive restoration efforts across the continent. With the EU Soil Strategy, the EU Soil Mission, and the Soil Monitoring Law on the horizon, the EU is positioning itself to implement coordinated actions that could dramatically improve soil health in the coming years.

    Related links

    JRC report: The state of soils in Europe

    Article in Nature: Policy implications of multiple concurrent soil erosion processes in European farmland

    European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC)

    EUSO Stakeholders Forum

    Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) project

    Soil health

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: One De Brazza’s Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passes away

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    One De Brazza’s Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passes away
    One De Brazza’s Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passes away
    ********************************************************************************

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced that the De Brazza’s Monkey of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) which had been put under isolation since October 13 was found dead today (October 22). The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has conducted a necropsy on the animal body to ascertain the cause of death.     A total of 12 animals of the HKZBG have passed away since October 13. After receiving necropsy, pathological diagnosis and laboratory tests results by relevant government departments, and ruling out other possible causes of illness, it is confirmed that the cause of death of the 11 animals deceased earlier is sepsis induced by bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Similar lesions were also found in the tissues of relevant organs of the 12th monkey that died today. Pathological diagnosis and testing are in progress.     The LCSD will continue to close the Mammals Section of the HKZBG to closely monitor the health conditions of the animals. At present, the health conditions of the 78 mammals are normal. The LCSD will also continue to provide protective gear and health monitoring for staff who take care of animals. The health conditions of staff concerned are normal.      The LCSD has all along been communicating with the AFCD and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, and has implemented appropriate protective measures and stepped up cleaning in accordance with their recommendations.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, October 22, 2024Issued at HKT 21:58

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: De Brazza’s Monkey dies

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Leisure & Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced that the De Brazza’s Monkey at the Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) that has been under isolation since October 13, was found dead today.

    The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department then conducted a necropsy on the animal to ascertain the cause of death.

    A total of 12 animals at the HKZBG have passed away since October 13.

    After receiving the necropsy, pathological diagnosis and laboratory test results by relevant government departments, it was confirmed that the cause of death of the previous 11 animals was sepsis induced by bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei.

    Similar lesions were also found in the tissues of the organs of the monkey that died today.

    The LCSD will keep the HKZBG’s Mammals Section closed to monitor the health conditions of the animals. The health conditions of the 78 mammals are normal.

    It will also continue to provide protective gear and health monitoring for staff who take care of animals. The health conditions of the staff concerned are normal.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Leads Groundbreaking for Casa de Peregrinos Facility in Chaparral, Commits to Strengthening Food Security

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    CHAPARRAL, N.M. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) joined community leaders for the groundbreaking ceremony of Casa de Peregrinos’ new facility in Chaparral to highlight the importance of addressing food insecurity, particularly in rural areas. 

    “I’ve always said that hungry children can’t learn, seniors can’t thrive and families can’t get ahead if they’re worried about their next meal. For nearly 40 years, Casa de Peregrinos has been a lifeline for families in our community, helping put food on the table,” said Vasquez. “Today, we’re taking another big step in that fight against food insecurity, ensuring that more families have access to the support they need here in Chaparral. As your Congressman, I’ve made it a priority to support legislation that strengthens food security and expands access to nutritious meals.”

    Vasquez commended Casa de Peregrinos for its ongoing work to address hunger and ensure that vulnerable populations, including schoolchildren, seniors and families in remote areas, have access to nutritious meals. The new facility in Chaparral represents a critical investment in the region’s efforts to combat food insecurity and ensure no family goes hungry.

    Vasquez also announced that he helped secure $300,000 in federal funding for Casa de Peregrinos to build a new food pantry in Hatch, which will extend food access to some of New Mexico’s most rural communities. He highlighted the ongoing need for federal programs like SNAP and WIC, noting that nearly one in four households in southern New Mexico relies on SNAP. He vowed to continue fighting for a Farm Bill that supports new farmers, families and healthy food as a member of the House Agriculture Committee.

    Vasquez also touted his work on initiatives such as the CSFP Tribal Nutrition Sovereignty Act, which empowers Tribal communities with greater control over their food programs, and the School Meals Expansion Act, which ensures more students receive free meals.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025
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