NewzIntel.com

Category: Farming

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Open Polytechnic connection blooms at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

    Source: Open Polytechnic

    Open Polytechnic was well represented at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2025 recently, by Megan Parker, Academic Staff Member in floristry for the distance learning organisation, along with former horticulture graduate and well-known landscape designer Bayley LuuTomes.
    While Megan, who was head judge, enjoyed working alongside various inspiring floral designers on stage, her biggest highlight this year was being invited by Bayley who is a host on the TV show, My Dream Green Home, to collaborate on The Welcome Garden.
    How did this opportunity come about?
    Megan and Bayley had both attended the Singapore Flower Festival in 2024, where Bayley had an informal discussion with the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Executive Director Trent Cornish.
    “I knew Megan was an amazing florist and said to myself, one day I would love to collaborate with her on a project,” Bayley said.
    “While designing The Welcome Garden, an opportunity presented itself to incorporate her skills and abilities.”
    The Welcome Garden
    The Welcome Garden is the first garden that the public sees when they enter the main gates of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.
    According to Bayley, The Welcome Garden delved into the concept of “Endless Possibilities”, inviting us to liberate our minds and dream freely.
    “It’s about breaking free from the boundaries that shackle our creativity, being brave enough to explore unlimited potential, and daring to venture beyond the norm,” he says.
    “The Rubik’s Cube stands as my symbol of this movement and serves as the inspiration for this year’s Welcome Garden at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.”
    Inside the cube Megan created the heart of the cube, the eye of the cube, along with the dreamcatcher.
    “It had to be colourful, picking up the colours of the cube and be tropical to connect with the planting,” Megan said.
    Megan’s piece also had lights, so it looked amazing when the gardens were open at night-time.
    Bayley’s horticulture journey
    According to Bayley, horticulture is in his blood.
    “From a very young age my inspiration came from my mother who gave me a small corner of the family garden, to grow what I wanted,” he said.
    “She grew food for the family, while I wanted to grow beautiful flowers.”
    This creative side led him to pursue a career in design working in advertising. After a few years Bayley made the decision to leave the world of advertising to follow his dreams of a career in landscaping.
    He took a job working as a gardener in Wellington, before enrolling in Open Polytechnic’s National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) which he completed in 2012.
    “Open Polytechnic opened many doors to the industry I was about to step into at the time,” Bayley said.
    “Not only was I armed with the horticultural knowledge that programme provided, it also enabled me to understand plants on a level that improved and enhanced my landscape design.”
    Megan’s role as head judge
    Megan has been a member of the New Zealand Professional Florists (NZPF) since 1985.
    This experience has seen her judge competitions at international shows and events.
    Megan has been the appointed head judge of the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show since 2019.
    This year there were 90 entries to mark, making it an extremely busy time.
    Megan loves the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, which had more than 110,000 people in attendance.
    “We have nothing like this in New Zealand not even on a small scale any longer,” she says.
    The experience of being involved in the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, provided opportunities for Megan to converse with other show attendees, including ākonga (learners) and their very proud and supportive families.
    “The floristry students and tutors I spoke with were blown away that we (Open Polytechnic) teach both Level 2 and Level 3 online,” she says.
    “I love to share how this process is possible, what we actually teach and the results we gain.”
    Megan joined Open Polytechnic in 2017 and was also involved in helping to set up Open Polytechnic’s first online Level 2 floristry course, which started in 2019.
    “I believe we are breaking ground at the Open Polytechnic with our floristry courses with the way in which we deliver a practical course with great results,” Megan says.
    She also recently received an Associate of Honour, (AHRIH), the highest award possible from the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture’s (RNZIH) at the New Zealand National Awards.
    To find out more about studying floristry at Open Polytechnic, go to www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Federated Farmers – Save our sheep billboards hit Wellington

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers have taken the fight for the future of New Zealand sheep farming to the streets of Wellington, with bold digital billboards visible directly from Ministers’ Beehive offices.
    The message to politicians is clear and concise: sheep are not the problem – stop planting productive farmland in pine trees for carbon credits.
    “We wanted this campaign to be bold and directly in politicians’ faces. That’s the only way we’re going to get their attention,” Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Toby Williams says.
    “Sheep farming is in crisis. We need the Government to urgently wake up to the impact poor policy is having on our farming families and rural communities.
    “Each year we’re losing tens of thousands of hectares of productive farmland.
    “Where sheep and lambs once grazed there’s now nothing but pine trees as far as the eye can see.”
    Between 2017 and 2024, more than 260,000 hectares of productive sheep farming land were plastered in pine trees – never to return to pasture.
    In just one generation New Zealand has lost over two-thirds of our national flock, reducing from over 70 million sheep in 1982 to fewer than 25 million sheep today.
    “Our national flock is declining by almost a million sheep every year and the number one driver is carbon forestry,” Williams says.
    “Farms are being converted to forestry because Government policy is screwing the scrum and making it more profitable to plant pine trees than to farm sheep.
    “The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is effectively subsidising pine trees to offset fossil fuel emissions, and that’s pushing farming families off the land and destroying rural communities.”
    New Zealand is the only country in the world that allows 100% carbon offsetting through forestry, with other countries recognising the risk and putting restrictions in place.
    Federated Farmers is now calling on the Government to urgently review the ETS and fix the rules to either limit or stop the offsetting of fossil fuel emissions with forestry.
    You can sign the petition at www.saveoursheep.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing in diplomacy to strengthen economic ties

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australian kids BYO lunches to school. There is a healthier way to feed students

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liesel Spencer, Associate Professor, School of Law, Western Sydney University

    Getty Images/ courtneyk

    Australian parents will be familiar with this school morning routine: hastily making sandwiches or squeezing leftovers into containers, grabbing a snack from the cupboard and a piece of fruit from the counter.

    This would be unheard of in many other countries, including Finland, Sweden, Scotland, Wales, Brazil and India, which provide free daily school meals to every child.

    Australia is one of the few high-income countries that does not provide children with a daily nutritious meal at school.

    As families increasingly face food insecurity and a cost-of-living crisis, here’s how school lunches could help.

    School lunches are important

    During the week, children get a third of their daily food intake at school. What they eat during school hours has a significant impact on their health.

    Australian children have much higher rates of obesity than children in countries with healthy lunch programs.

    As children’s diets affect physical and cognitive development, and mental health, poor diet can also affect academic performance.

    International research shows universal school meal programs – where all children are provided with a healthy meal at school each day – can improve both health and educational outcomes for students.

    The problem with BYO lunchboxes

    In Australia, children either bring a packed lunch or buy food at the school canteen. But the vast majority of these lunches don’t meet kids’ dietary needs.

    As a 2022 Flinders University report notes, more than 80% of Australian primary school lunches are of poor nutritional quality. Half of students’ school-day food intake comes from junk food and fewer than one in ten students eat enough vegetables.

    While these figures are based on 2011–2012 data, subsequent national survey data does not show significant improvements in children’s healthy diet indicators, including fruit and vegetable consumption. Time pressures on carers mean pre-packaged food can be a default lunchbox choice.

    At the same time, many families with school students are not able to provide their children with healthy lunches. Food insecurity — not having regular access to enough safe, healthy and affordable food — affects an estimated 58% of Australian households with children, and 69% of single-parent households.

    Hot weather also raises food safety concerns, as it’s hard to keep fresh food cool in schoolbags.

    School meals programs in Australia

    There are some historical examples of providing food to children at school in Australia. This includes the school milk program which ran from 1950s to 1970s. There were also wartime experiments in the 1940s. For example, the Oslo lunch (a cheese and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread, with milk and fruit) was provided at school to improve the health of children.

    Today, there is a patchwork of school food programs run by not-for-profit organisations providing breakfast and/or lunch, and various schemes, including kitchen garden and school greenhouse programs.

    There are also pilot schemes providing hot meals. For example, in Tasmania, the current pilot school lunch program feeds children in participating schools a hot lunch on some days of the week with state government support. Evaluation of the program showed strong benefits: healthier eating, calmer classrooms, better social connections from eating lunch together, and less food waste.

    The 2023 parliamentary inquiry into food security recommended the federal government work with states and territories to consider the feasibility of a school meals program.

    In May, the South Australian parliament opened an inquiry into programs in preschools and schools to ensure children and young people don’t go hungry during the day.

    What would it take to introduce school meals?

    Rolling out universal school meal programs across Australian schools would require cooperation between government and private sectors.

    It could build on what already exists – including canteens, school gardens, food relief and breakfast clubs – to create a more consistent and inclusive system.

    There’s a strong evidence base to guide this, both from Australian pilot programs and international examples.

    Decisions would have to be made about regulation and funding – whether to opt for a federally-funded and regulated scheme with federal and state cooperation, or a state-by-state scheme.

    Funding mechanisms from international models include fully government-funded, caregiver-paid (but with subsidies for disadvantaged families) and cost-sharing arrangements between government and families.

    Costs per child per day are around A$10, factoring in economies of scale. Some pilot programs report lower costs of around $5, but involve volunteer labour.

    More research is needed to determine parent and community attitudes and model these funding options, including preventative health benefits.

    Delivery models may also vary depending on each school’s size, location and infrastructure. This could include onsite food preparation, central kitchens delivering pre-prepared meals, or partnerships with not-for-profit providers.

    Ultimately, providing food at school could save parents valuable time and stress, and ensure all Australian students can access the health and education benefits of a nutritious school meal.

    Liesel Spencer has undertaken volunteer work for the Federation of Canteens in Schools (Australia).

    Miriam Williams has undertaken volunteer work for the Federation of Canteens in Schools (Australia).

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

    – ref. Australian kids BYO lunches to school. There is a healthier way to feed students – https://theconversation.com/australian-kids-byo-lunches-to-school-there-is-a-healthier-way-to-feed-students-257465

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Lutnick for Decimation of NOAA, Illegal Cancellation of Digital Equity Act Funding, More

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Q&A with Sec. Lutnick***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department. Senator Murray slammed what’s happening at the Department and President Trump’s thoughtless tariffs, and grilled Secretary Lutnick on the Department’s decision to completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund in the budget request, the Department’s failure to submit required budget justifications to the Committee, and the Trump administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars of funding from Senator Murray’s Digital Equity Act which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “You know, over the law few months, I am deeply concerned because we have seen: mass firings at NOAA that are really, seriously jeopardizing the weather forecasting that we all count on; funds have been frozen; grants and contracts have been abruptly cancelled; and agencies that were created by Congress in a bipartisan way have been shuttered unilaterally—really ignoring the law—and sweeping, thoughtless tariffs that are crunching small businesses and raising costs for families.

    “And we have even seen President Trump illegally block some emergency funding House Republicans included in their yearlong CR which has cut off funding your Department counts on for trade fairness, export controls, NOAA satellites, and more.

    “So, needless to say: I don’t think any of this helps advance the Department’s mission to spur economic growth and strengthen America’s competitiveness, and it does leaves me very seriously concerned about whether the Department is going to be able to carry out its job.

    “Now, before I turn to my questions, I do want to quickly raise your decision to cancel $48 million in Tech Hub funding for the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center in Eastern Washington and Idaho—alongside several other hubs. We had a chance to talk about this yesterday, but I want you to know I have a lot more questions than I think you answered.

    “This hub is really a partnership of industry, academia, the military, and governments at all levels. Cancelling that funding and further delaying progress at the tech hub really damages our defense industrial base and limits our ability to compete with China, as I told you yesterday. So, that is unacceptable, and I look forward to you resolving that as soon as possible.”

    [TRUMP REQUESTS TO ELIMINATE SALMON RECOVERY PROGRAM]

    Senator Murray began by explaining how important NOAA is to our nation’s fisheries and how important salmon are to Washington state’s way of life, calling out President Trump’s request to zero out funding for a key salmon program: “Now, I do want to ask you while you’re here, one of the agencies you oversee is NOAA. It is absolutely essential to supporting sustainable fisheries, protecting our natural resources, and making sure that we have accurate weather forecasts. Cutting away at NOAA—as you have been doing and as your budget proposes to do further—is going to do serious harm. Among other cuts, your budget would completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That would be a catastrophic failure—it would abandon our communities, our Tribes, and our industries who rely on salmon. And across the Pacific Northwest, salmon are not just fish—they are a way of life, and they are foundational to our economy and our culture. So, I would like you to explain quickly why you proposed that cut, and I want to ask you, did you consult with our Tribes or fishing communities who count on it before making that decision?”

    Secretary Lutnick replied, “The issues are that we do the same thing in multiple ways in NOAA. We have not cut any hydrologists, which are the people who study the water.”

    “You eliminated the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That is what I’m precisely asking you about. Did you talk to our tribes or fishermen before you did that?” Senator Murray pressed.

    “Of course,” responded Secretary Lutnick.

    Senator Murray said, “Well, I have spoken to the tribes, I’ve talked to the scientists, I’ve talked to the fishermen. No one—no one—in the Pacific Northwest supports those cuts. And I want everyone to know I will not vote for an appropriations bill that eliminates that funding.”

    [LACK OF TRANSPARENCY]

    Senator Murray then asked about the Department failure to present full budget justifications to Congress, “Now, staying on NOAA facilities like the Northwest Fishery Science Center, which is in Seattle, are really in dire need of investment. For this reason, this CJS Appropriations Subcommittee has long included language requiring the Secretary of Commerce to include the cost estimates for NOAA construction projects of more than $5 million, in the congressional budget justification materials, as well as the 5-year cost estimates for those projects. Are you aware of that requirement?”

    “My understanding is we filed our budget according to the CR with exact precision,” Secretary Lutnick replied.

    “Well, have you submitted the Department’s FY26 congressional budget justification? It did not include the list of projects, which it’s required to do,” asked Senator Murray.

    Secretary Lutnick continued to dodge, “My understanding is the CR had certain obligations for us, and we followed them with precision. That’s my understanding.”

    Senator Murray pushed back, “Well, the fact is that you are required by law to submit the NOAA PAC [Procurement, Acquisition and Construction] construction list to Congress with the budget. That wasn’t done. Can we get that list by Friday?”

    “I’ll happily take a look at it. And if it’s required, of course, I will send it,” said Secretary Lutnick.

    Senator Murray responded, “Okay. It is required.”

    [ATTACKS ON DIGITAL EQUITY ACT]

    Senator Murray turned her questions about President Trump’s recent announcement he is illegally planning to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, “Mr. Secretary, I wrote a law, it was called the Digital Equity Act, to help close the digital divide—and it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now, the Administration has arbitrarily cancelled billions of dollars for the Digital Equity Act, claiming it’s unconstitutional. This is a program that every state, Democrat and Republican, has applied for—every single state in the country. It distributes laptops in Iowa. It helped people get back online after Hurricane Helene washed away computers and phones in western North Carolina. It’s a program in rural Alabama where they taught seniors—including some who have never used a computer—how to use the internet. I want to ask you, has the Supreme Court declared this bipartisan law unconstitutional? Has any judge?”

    Secretary Lutnick sidestepped the question, “It will go through the courts and the courts will decide.”

    “No one has declared this unconstitutional—no one. Your job, Mr. Secretary, is to carry out the law that Congress has passed. You don’t get to keep laptops from our kids, because the President doesn’t care about kids in rural communities. My advice to you here—it is a law, it is not unconstitutional, and I would urge you to get those digital equity dollars out the door and save everyone the legal fees, because the law is very clear,” emphasized Senator Murray.

    [TRUMP’S THOUGHTLESS TRADE WAR]

    Senator Murray concluded by saying, “I just have a few seconds left, and I before I finish, I do want to underscore my state, Washington state, is one of the most trade dependent states in the nation. 40% of our jobs are connected to international trade and President Trump and your Department continue to pursue this chaotic tariff policy that businesses in my state stand to lose billions of dollars. I have heard from businesses across my state, from manufacturers, from small retailers. They are struggling to absorb the cost increases on everything from napkins to car parts. And this uncertainty has really left them scrambling which has delayed investments and caused serious supply chain disruptions, especially at our ports. These actions, in addition, have really harmed our relationships with our key allies like Canada. I heard Senator Collins here earlier talking about Maine being their neighbor—it is our neighbor in Washington state. They are one of our biggest trading partners. And let me be clear, this is causing chaos, disruption, anger. And we have got to get this resolved because farmers, our people and our small businesses and our communities, are really hurting.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baird, Salinas Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Agricultural Research and Innovation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) and Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) introduced the NSF and USDA Interagency Research Act to strengthen a longstanding interagency research partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote cross-cutting and collaborative research and development to enhance agricultural sustainability through advanced technological solutions.

    “As a farmer myself, our agriculture industry should have access to cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, to transform farming practices, improve severe weather predictions, better protect our crops, and grow crop yields,” said Congressman Baird. “Operating in a silo is never a good practice when it comes to research and development. By strengthening the partnership between the NSF and USDA, we can drive innovation, produce groundbreaking research, and tackle challenges facing our agricultural sector.”

    “Our bill will empower the National Science Foundation and Department of Agriculture to collaborate on research, development, and educational activities related to agriculture,” said Representative Salinas. “It would support our rural communities by developing strong workforce pathways, and it would ensure local producers can take advantage of the latest technologies. As our climate changes, farmers increasingly face changing growing seasons, worsening wildfires, and more frequent extreme weather events. This affects consumers too, who pay for these disruptions in the form of higher grocery prices. I thank Rep. Baird for his partnership on this legislation to ensure rural communities and farmers have the tools they need to thrive.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fish & Game reforms to modernise organisation

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Reforms to modernise and strengthen Fish & Game New Zealand will improve the national management of hunting and fishing resources and advocacy, while maintaining local control over local fishing and hunting rules, Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager has announced. 

    “I want to make it as easy as possible for Kiwis to go hunting and fishing in New Zealand. This long overdue reform to Fish & Game will refocus the organisation on its core job of managing our sport fishing and game bird resources and implement a more professional approach to national decision making,” Mr Meager says.

    “It is important to our economy that Fish & Game is a well-functioning, highly effective and efficient organisation. Licence holders are estimated to spend up to $138 million every year, and our hunting and fishing resources are the envy of the world, drawing in tourists from across the globe. 

    “Previous reviews have made clear current legislation is not fit for purpose, resulting in internal dysfunction, wasted revenue on duplicated activities and staff, variable governance practices, disconnect from licence holders and local advocacy which has overstepped the mark. These long-standing issues must be addressed.”

    The reforms will make several key changes, including:

    • Clarifying the roles and responsibilities so that regional Fish & Game councils focus on delivering hunting and fishing opportunities on the ground, with the New Zealand Council responsible for administrative tasks and policies.
    • Shifting to a nationalised fee collection system to reduce double handling of licence fees and ensuring funding follows the demand on the resource.
    • Making more licence holders eligible to vote and stand in Fish & Game elections and requiring councillors to comply with professional standards.
    • Requiring Fish & Game councils to better consider the interests of other stakeholders such as farmers and the aviation sector in decision-making.
    • Requiring a national policy around advocacy and restricting court proceedings to within that policy.

    A stand-alone Fish & Game Act will be created, to better recognise the organisation’s contribution to helping New Zealanders hunt and fish.

    “Sports fishing and game bird hunting are well-established traditions and important recreational pastimes for Kiwis. They have positive impacts on our regional economies and create wider benefits for tourism, wellbeing and our environment – making it even more crucial its regulator is modern and credible”, Mr Meager says.

    Legislation will be introduced this year, and the Select Committee will provide an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to provide feedback on the proposals.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on strengthening rural areas in the EU through cohesion policy – A10-0092/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on strengthening rural areas in the EU through cohesion policy

    (2024/2105(INI))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Commission report of 27 March 2024 entitled ‘The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas: key achievements and ways forward’ (COM(2024)0450),

    – having regard to its resolution of 15 September 2022 on EU border regions: living labs of European integration[1],

    – having regard to its resolution of 8 May 2025 on the ninth report on economic and social cohesion[2],

    – having regard to the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions of 15 March 2023 on targets and tools for a smart rural Europe[3],

    – having regard to the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions of 1 December 2022 on enhancing Cohesion Policy support for regions with geographic and demographic handicaps  (Article 174 TFEU)[4],

    – having regard to Articles 39, 174, 175 and 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

    – having regard to Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027[5],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’)[6],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013[7],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013[8],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy[9],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240[10],

    – having regard to the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014 of 7 January 2014 on the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds[11],

    – having regard to Principle 20 of the European Pillar of Social Rights on access to essential services,

    – having regard to its resolution of 4 April 2017 on women and their roles in rural areas[12],

    – having regard to its resolution of 8 March 2022 on the role of cohesion policy in promoting innovative and smart transformation and regional ICT connectivity[13],

    – having regard to its resolution of 13 December 2022 on a long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas – towards stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040[14],

    – having regard to its resolution of 23 November 2023 on harnessing talent in Europe’s regions[15],

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 27 March 2024 on the 9th Cohesion Report (COM(2024)0149),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 30 June 2021 entitled ‘A long-term Vision for the EU’s Rural Areas – Towards stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040’ (COM(2021)0345),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food – Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations (COM(2025)0075),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 3 May 2022 entitled ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions’ (COM(2022)0198),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 25 March 2021 on an action plan for the development of organic production (COM(2021)0141),

    – having regard to the Commission report of 17 June 2020 on the impact of demographic change (COM(2020)0241),

    – having regard to the Commission green paper of 27 January 2021 on ageing – fostering solidarity and responsibility between generations (COM(2021)0050),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system’ (COM(2020)0381),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 – Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 17 November 2021 entitled ‘EU Soil Strategy for 2030 – Reaping the benefits of healthy soils for people, food, nature and climate’ (COM(2021)0699),

    – having regard to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 28 September 2018,

    – having regard to general recommendation No 34 (2016) of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the rights of rural women, adopted on 7 March 2016,

    – having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2022 on the EU action plan for organic agriculture[16],

    – having regard to the study commissioned by Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development entitled ‘The future of the European Farming Model: Socio-economic and territorial implications of the decline in the number of farms and farmers in the EU’, published by the Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies in April 2022,

    – having regard to its resolution of 24 March 2022 on the need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine[17],

    – having regard to its resolution of 3 October 2018 on addressing the specific needs of rural, mountainous and remote areas[18],

    – having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2021 on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives[19],

    – having regard to the Commission report of August 2019 entitled ‘Evaluation of the impact of the CAP on generational renewal, local development and jobs in rural areas’[20],

    – having regard to the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions of 26 January 2022 entitled ‘A long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas’[21],

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘How post-27 LEADER and CLLD programming could contribute to better implementation of the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas’[22],

    – having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 23 March 2022 entitled ‘Long-term Vision for the EU’s Rural Areas’[23],

    – having regard to its resolution of 19 October 2023 on generational renewal in the EU farms of the future[24],

    – having regard to Enrico Letta’s report on the future of the single market, published in April 2024,

    – having regard to the study requested by Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development, entitled ‘EU Cohesion Policy in non-urban areas’, published by the Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies in September 2020,

    – having regard to the declaration on the future of rural areas and rural development policy in the European Union, adopted by the Rural Pact Coordination Group on 12 December 2024,

    – having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Development (A10-0092/2025),

    A. whereas, currently, 137 million European citizens – nearly one in three – live in rural areas, which account for approximately 83 % of the EU’s territory; whereas one third of the population of rural areas lives in a border region; whereas 77 % of land used for farming (134 million hectares) and 79 % of forest (148 million hectares) are located in rural areas;

    B. whereas according to Eurostat, average income in rural areas is 87.5 % of average income in urban areas;

    C. whereas there are still disparities in cohesion policy funding between urban and rural areas, with urban areas receiving three times more cohesion funding than rural areas[25];

    D. whereas since 1991, in rural areas, the LEADER method, subsequently covered by the community-led local development policy instrument (CLLD) through local action groups (LAGs), has demonstrated that it can mobilise and empower local actors around innovative and tailored strategies;

    E. whereas rural areas are a cornerstone of the European economy, home to many ‘hidden European Champions’, and are integral to Europe’s cultural diversity; whereas they are essential for food production and security, serving as guardians of our landscapes, living rural heritage, social and cultural traditions; whereas they play a key role in promoting the strategic autonomy of the EU through the agricultural sector, which remains a strategic priority of the EU; whereas rural areas symbolise many of the aspects that make Europe attractive and liveable;

    F. whereas the promotion of minority languages can enhance awareness of local specificities, increasing the attractiveness of tourism and fostering economic activities linked to culture, education, craftsmanship and traditional products;

    G. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a shift in perception among the public, who have recognised the potential of rural areas as a solution to the challenges arising from crises by providing a safer, more sustainable and reliable living environment;

    H. whereas cohesion policy funds alone cannot answer the increasing needs and challenges faced by rural areas in the EU; whereas greater synergies and complementarities with other EU policies, in particular with the common agricultural policy (CAP), must be ensured in order to maximise the impact of investments in rural areas, advancing the modernisation of agriculture and the development of essential services and infrastructure;

    I. whereas over 40 % of land in rural areas is used for agriculture yet sadly the contribution of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to rural regions has decreased, both in economic and employment terms, to 12 % of all jobs and 4 % of gross value added;

    J. whereas Parliament’s study on the future of the European farming model notes that the EU could lose 6.4 million farms by 2040, falling from 10.3 million in 2016 to 3.9 million;

    K. whereas, in accordance with Articles 174, 175 and 349 TFEU, the EU aims to reduce development gaps between the different regions and coordinate its policies, including using the European Structural and Investment Funds to achieve the objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion, with a particular focus on rural areas;

    L. whereas all regions must remain eligible for funding in future cohesion policy, even strong regions facing significant transformation challenges;

    M. whereas regional actors have a deeper understanding of which projects should be prioritised for support through cohesion funds, ensuring that resources are allocated in a way that best meets the specific needs of their territories;

    N. whereas cohesion policy funds to rural areas should be further simplified with the objective of reducing administrative burdens, not only for the final beneficiaries but also for the relevant authorities, thereby also contributing to increased absorption rates;

    O. whereas rural areas in particular are facing demographic and structural challenges, such as ageing, population decline, brain drain, growing inequalities between men and women, disparities with urban areas, structural changes in the agricultural and forestry sectors, the consequences of natural disasters, the increase of energy and transport prices, a lack of services and infrastructure, in particular for vulnerable people and persons with disabilities, the impact of these challenges on income level and on the labour market, with a consequent higher unemployment rate, and a persistently large digital gap;

    P. whereas demographic challenges are particularly acute in the EU farming population, with the majority of farmers being over 50 years old;

    Q. whereas strengthening cohesion in rural areas requires the adoption of measures and initiatives aimed at supporting families, also by helping young people and parents in balancing family and professional life, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of those communities;

    R. whereas Europe’s rural areas and European farmers already play a crucial role in the climate transition, as they are the most affected by climate change both economically and socially, and whereas thanks to their efforts, some of the adverse impact of agriculture on the environment has been significantly reduced over the years; whereas the EU agricultural sector significantly reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 24 % between 1990 and 2021 and it is responsible for 72 % of renewable energy production and holds 78 % of the untapped potential;

    S. whereas demographic changes do not affect all countries and regions equally, but have a greater impact on less developed regions, as they exacerbate existing territorial and social imbalances; whereas solutions must be found for regional imbalances and for the uneven pace of convergence between regions, some of which remain stuck in a development trap; whereas less developed regions require particular attention and support, as is the case with the EU’s rural areas and the outermost regions, due to their specific characteristics;

    T. whereas the overall percentage of the population living in rural areas has fallen significantly across the EU over the past 50 years, particularly as a result of ageing and emigration; whereas the highest percentage of people over the age of 65 is found in rural areas[26]; whereas estimates suggest that by 2033 the population of Europe’s rural areas will have shrunk by 30 million people compared with 1993;

    U. whereas the lack of or poor access to healthcare, water services, affordable housing, transport, digital infrastructure, education, financial services and recreational and cultural activities worsen the reputation of regions, and particularly rural, borderland, inland, cross-border, mountainous, insular and outermost regions, as places to live and work, especially for women, young people, ageing populations and minorities; whereas cross-border areas are particularly affected by the lack of regional connectivity in terms of transport and digital infrastructure; whereas rural areas are strongly affected by the lack of stable employment opportunities, which forces young people, in particular women, to migrate;

    V. whereas the availability and quality of water play a critical role in ensuring equitable, sustainable and productive rural livelihoods;

    W. whereas greater emphasis should be placed on preventive measures to strengthen the resilience of Europe’s rural areas to natural disasters; whereas an integrated approach to water resources management is essential both to prevent floods and to cope with droughts, in particular through a coherent use of EU funds;

    X. whereas rural areas, especially in eastern, southern and Mediterranean Europe, are the most directly affected by energy poverty and face specific challenges related to desertification, forest fires, climate change and its associated asymmetrical risks, water resource scarcity and weak infrastructure, which require a targeted approach within cohesion policy;

    Y. whereas rural areas are home to the majority of the EU’s biodiversity, yet protected habitats and species remain in poor conservation status and continue to decline due to climate change and the degradation of soil and water quality, with a negative impact on natural resources; whereas biodiversity loss has severe economic consequences for the agricultural sector and negatively affects the attractiveness of rural tourism;

    Z. whereas the clean energy transition, the diversification of the economy and the expansion of renewable energy sources present significant opportunities for rural and less developed regions, allowing them to leverage their natural resources and geographic advantages and to exploit their full potential for the future production of renewable energy;

    AA. whereas these areas bear the brunt of depopulation, and whereas it is mainly young people leaving them as a result of job shortages and dim career prospects, and this fuels the rural exodus, resulting in an increased share of older residents and a greater risk of social isolation;

    AB. whereas rural areas have the highest share (12.6 %) of young people aged 15-29[27] not in employment, education or training (NEETs);

    AC. whereas generational renewal is one of the nine key objectives of the CAP;

    AD. whereas farms, dairy farms, wine-growers and olive oil producers across Europe go out of business every day, and few farms like these are managed by farmers below the age of 35; whereas the ambitious goals of the green transition entail opportunities and also risks for economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as for European agriculture;

    AE. whereas the way we produce food has shaped the landscapes that define Europe; whereas dynamic rural areas foster quality food production which in turn supports their economy; whereas reinvigorating these connections between food and territory and revitalising rural areas will be essential for the future of farming in Europe;

    AF. whereas a robust cohesion policy is essential to guaranteeing the effective application of the ‘right to stay’ principle in rural areas, which requires action on many levels, including by fostering economic stability and preventing depopulation; stresses that ensuring access to a basic set of public goods and services for all citizens, especially young people, regardless of where they live, is crucial; whereas it is necessary, to this end, to promote targeted investment in infrastructure, services, education, and innovation;

    1. Welcomes the Commission report of 27 March 2024 entitled ‘The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas: key achievements and ways forward’ and agrees with its overarching objectives;

    2. Takes note of the four areas of action underpinning the rural vision and the 30 actions making up the EU rural action plan; calls on the Commission and the Member States to place its implementation at the top of the agenda;

    3. Stresses the key role rural areas have to play in shaping the economic models and the social and territorial organisation of the various Member States, particularly as the cradle of agricultural and food production, but also as custodians of an irreplaceable cultural and landscape heritage; notes, however, that their significance remains under-appreciated and inadequately funded; believes that the EU has a duty to push for a true revival and regeneration of these areas, going to extra lengths to endow our rural areas with the right tools to overcome the considerable long-term challenges they are facing and which are having an ever greater impact on regional competitiveness and social cohesion, in order to preserve European diversity and ensure that the Union’s progress does not come at the expense of rural areas and their populations;

    4. Considers it important to develop short supply chains and to promoting the use of labelling schemes to acknowledge the quality and variety of traditional products from rural areas; stresses that public canteens, such as school and hospital canteens, can play a significant role in the development of short agrifood supply chains;

    5. Recognises the key role of small and medium-sized towns as development centres in rural regions and calls on the Commission and the Member States to specifically strengthen their economic, social and infrastructural functions, revitalise city centres, better utilise synergies between rural areas and large metropolitan regions, and ensure more balanced territorial development;

    6. Stresses the urgent need for measures to combat poverty in rural areas by developing targeted strategies to improve social security, create economic opportunities, and support particularly vulnerable populations, in order to break the cycle of poverty;

    7. Stresses that rural areas are key players in mitigating the effects of climate change; emphasises the need for increased investment in research and innovation for rural areas, particularly in the fields of sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, digital transformation and innovative mobility solutions, to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of rural regions and create energy self-sufficiency and new employment opportunities; encourages the sustainable management of forests and the prevention of forest fires, also by promoting the use of biomass which is gathered without harm to forest ecosystems;

    8. Calls for the expansion of renewable energy in rural areas based on their potential to reduce energy costs with the involvement of civil society and local communities; emphasises the need for financial incentives, measures such as renewable energy communities and simplified administrative processes to boost regional energy independence and sustainability while avoiding negative impacts on food production, land availability and prices, as well as on social cohesion; calls for a dedicated financing mechanism for the installation of photovoltaic, wind and other renewable energy sources;

    9. Calls for increased support for the preservation, restoration and conversion of older buildings, including historical buildings, churches and other places of worship, sports halls and schools in rural areas to improve energy efficiency, sustainability and safety; urges investments in the modernisation of public infrastructure while preserving historical structures where possible; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote targeted policies that support the renovation and energy-efficient retrofitting of rural housing, financial incentives for first-time rural homebuyers, in particular for young people and families, and the development of sustainable and affordable housing projects adapted to the needs of local communities that contribute to the attractiveness and revitalisation of these regions;

    10. Asks the Commission to assess and to implement Article 174, 175 and 349 TFEU in full to close the development gap among regions, including in relation to infrastructure, and to see to it that all EU policies not only apply the ‘do no harm to cohesion’ principle, but also that they follow a more assertive ‘promote cohesion’ approach wherever possible, particularly in rural areas and in areas particularly affected by industrial transition, demographic challenges and depopulation, and those at risk of depopulation, such as outermost regions, islands, border, cross-border and mountain regions;

    11. Calls on the Commission to devise a rural strategy for the post-2027 programming period; urges the Commission and the Member States to ensure the incorporation of a rural dimension in relevant policies and to make sure that the strategy promotes the economic and social development of rural areas and to allocate specific resources to the modernisation of agriculture, supporting rural small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-up and promoting short supply chains in order to make rural areas more connected, competitive, resilient and attractive to young people and investors, thereby ensuring balanced and sustainable development in the long term and enhancing the quality of life; stresses, in this regard, the importance of having a truly effective rural proofing mechanism at EU level so to assess the potential of all relevant policies and to mitigate any possible negative impacts they may have on rural areas;

    12. Stresses that in order to ensure the long-term prosperity of rural areas and support a strong agricultural sector to maintain this prosperity in rural areas, it is essential to strengthen the synergies between EU Structural and Investment Funds and Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, and the CAP in the next multiannual financial framework (MFF);

    13. Calls on the Commission to present, by 2027, a report on the application of the rural proofing mechanism to policies and interventions at EU level, as well as the results obtained;

    14. Calls on the Commission to prioritise focused investments and policy measures to support the transition to a new generation of farmers in order to modernise EU agriculture and create more opportunities in rural areas;

    15. Highlights the crucial role of cohesion policy for the development of rural areas as a decentralised, powerful tool for economic and social development, allowing all regions to tackle these specific challenges of the Union; underlines in this regard that cohesion policy should continue to be a key pillar of the MFF post-2027, with an allocation that is maintained at a minimum threshold equivalent to the current MFF 2021-2027 levels, ensuring its fundamental role in reducing regional disparities and shaping a more resilient and competitive Europe that leaves no one behind; calls for the option of providing adequate resources for rural and mountainous areas to be explored in the next cohesion policy framework and complementing GDP at regional level with other indicators; recalls that the fundamental principles of cohesion policy, such as partnership, multi-level-governance, a place-based approach and shared management, must be respected in order to foster development and to meet the specific needs and challenges of rural areas with a particular focus on tools supporting sustainable growth and development and youth and female employment, including among victims of violence against women, and improving services and infrastructure;

    16. Believes that smart specialisation and economic diversification strategies could promote more opportunities in rural areas; emphasises, in particular, the key importance of integrating the concept of smart villages into cohesion policy and of explicitly supporting the development of smart villages, with flexible funding and an integrated approach, as an innovative tool for enhancing the quality of life and revitalising rural areas and services through digital and social innovation and initiatives such as the promotion of working spaces in order to attract workers, including remote workers, and to contribute to revitalising local economies;

    17. Encourages initiatives that promote economic and social sustainability, including support for rural entrepreneurship, rural tourism and new business models based on innovation and digitalisation;

    18. Calls on the Commission to ensure a strong and holistic focus on the development of rural areas in the future cohesion policy, in such a way that all policy initiatives are consistent with the goal of reducing territorial disparities; believes it is essential to devise long-term strategies to support rural areas, centred on the principles of cohesion and sustainability and providing the necessary tools to address demographic, social and economic challenges, in order to ensure that these areas do not become forgotten places, but rather key players in Europe’s future without needing to continually depend on extraordinary measures; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to support the significant development of rural areas in the future cohesion policy, and to commit to setting up local info points and offering a platform and financial support to enable Member States to exchange information and best practice on funding possibilities, with a view to providing local authorities with effective support and assisting with resource management and the implementation of development initiatives; emphasises, furthermore, that the effective participation of regional, local and rural authorities and a strong administrative capacity are crucial for the reduction of the excessive administrative burden and complex requirements for recipients and for the effective execution of cohesion policy funds; highlights that multi-funding still appears difficult in some countries and calls on the Commission to enhance complementarities between the EAFRD and cohesion policy funds;

    19. Stresses the need for an integrated European strategy for the revitalisation of rural areas, including through the development of bio-districts, recognising their potential to diversify the rural economy by targeting fiscal, economic and social measures to maintain the active population; also highlights the value of introducing incentives for the relocation of health, education and public administration professionals, as well as the importance of partnerships between local authorities and the private sector for the creation of new jobs;

    20. Underlines that expanding integrated territorial investment (ITI) plans and unlocking their full potential could establish them as a cornerstone for integrated regional, local, and rural development; emphasises that strengthening ITIs’ role in rural areas is essential to foster territorial cohesion, enhance connectivity and drive inclusive economic growth by supporting key sectors such as agriculture, rural SMEs, tourism and renewable energy; calls, furthermore, for greater flexibility in ITI implementation, increased financial allocations and reinforced synergies with other EU funding mechanisms, including LEADER and CLLD, key instruments for fostering bottom-up participatory rural development and for keeping and restoring living and thriving local rural economies, to maximise impact and actively involve regional and local authorities and civil society in line with the partnership principle;

    21. Suggests that all relevant Directorates-General of the Commission conduct a territorial impact assessment of their respective policies at least twice per programming period; believes that these evaluations would establish a more precise baseline and identify ways to integrate the characteristics of rural areas into EU policies more effectively;

    22. Calls on the Member States to make full use of all measures supporting rural, inland, mountainous, insular and outermost regions, as well as cross-border regions and regions at the EU’s external borders, including those bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine which are most affected by the war, to mitigate economic disruption and to secure their future and prosperity; welcomes the new BRIDGEforEU Regulation and asks the Member States to implement it, enhancing the cooperation between cross-border regions to enable economies of scale when providing basic services and infrastructure in the rural areas affected;

    23. Stresses the diversity of the EU’s rural areas, for which the long-term vision calls for solutions that are tailored to the needs and resources of rural areas while reinforcing long-term strategies for sustainable growth; underlines in this regard the need to fully involve local and regional authorities, which are best placed to identify current challenges and needs at the regional and local levels; highlights the importance of maintaining a decentralised model for the programming and implementation of cohesion policy based on the principle of partnership and multi-level governance and a place-based bottom-up approach; calls, therefore, for the strong involvement of regional and local authorities to ensure more direct access for local and regional authorities to cohesion policy funds, reducing bureaucratic complexity and shortening disbursement times, through more streamlined procedures, intuitive digital platforms and increased technical support for local beneficiaries; proposes encouraging the use of pre-financing and advance payment schemes for small projects in rural areas;

    24. Stresses that centralisation may lead to bureaucratic inefficiencies and delays in fund absorption, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of EU investments in rural development;

    25. Highlights that the management approach to rural areas’ development policies needs to be coordinated, integrated and multi-sectoral in its implementation and that reinforcing a multi-level approach in line with the subsidiarity principle is essential to ensure its success;

    26. Highlights that resilience is essential to enable authorities at local and regional levels to mitigate, adapt to and recover from sudden challenges, ensuring community well-being, security and long-term sustainability;

    27. Calls for an adequate share of cohesion policy funding to be allocated to the border regions and calls in this regard for the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs) to be granted a higher degree of autonomy in selecting projects and using funds, in particular by designating EGTCs as managing authorities for Interreg programmes, strengthening their institutional and financial capacity; recommends furthermore that EGTCs be granted a more significant role in achieving policy objective 5, namely bringing Europe closer to its citizens;

    28. Underlines the need to strengthen democratic and political participation in rural areas by promoting active civic engagement and digital tools; calls on the Commission to support initiatives that foster local democratic processes to improve cohesion between urban and rural regions;

    29. Highlights the need for rural areas to be able to provide essential high-quality services of general interest to the public to improve their livelihood and to harness their strengths to achieve sustainable development, for which they should receive sufficient financial support; underlines, to that end, the need to provide equal access, in particular to vulnerable people and people with disabilities, to all healthcare services, transport and connectivity services, including innovative mobility solutions, specific plans for affordable housing, water services, education and training services, digital infrastructure, and other basic services such as postal and banking services, ensuring their accessibility and affordability in order to guarantee proper living conditions; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to facilitate access to funding and tailored support measures for social economy initiatives that address local needs and contribute to regional development and, at the same time, to reinforce the financial support offered to rural SMEs, in particular through easing access to financial resources, cooperatives and local value chains that foster economic diversification;

    30. Stresses the strategic importance of water resources for rural areas and highlights the need to provide sufficient resources, under the cohesion policy and in rural development programmes, for maintaining and upgrading the water network; recommends, in particular, the inclusion of measures to combat leakage, improve the efficiency of supply systems and promote the sustainable use of water resources in rural areas;

    31. Regards it as essential to place greater emphasis on preventive measures to enhance the resilience of Europe’s rural areas in the face of natural disasters; believes that an integrated approach to managing water resources is paramount in order to simultaneously prevent floods and tackle drought – two growing threats in many rural regions – within both agriculture and the food sector; acknowledges that depending on the context, building dams and reservoirs or upgrading existing facilities is a priority, while striking a balance between built infrastructure and relatively low cost soft measures, not least because they can be a clean source of energy; notes that although cohesion policy already supports initiatives in this area, additional projects and increased investment are needed, in line with national and regional risk management strategies, to ensure that rural areas are better prepared for, and able to withstand, climate-related extreme weather events;

    32. Stresses the growing threat of climate risks such as natural disasters, desertification and water scarcity for many rural areas in Europe, particularly in southern Europe and in the Mediterranean basin; calls on the Commission to promote forward looking adaptation strategies at national, regional and local levels, including water management, resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness, and calls for investments in innovative water infrastructure, such as the reuse of treated wastewater and smart irrigation systems, and the construction of reservoirs for rainwater harvesting;

    33. Notes that rural areas suffer from limited access to essential healthcare services, with a shortage of facilities and medical personnel, and therefore calls for improved access to quality healthcare, including mental health services;

    34. Calls on the Member States and local authorities to safeguard essential services that are vital to the development of rural areas by refraining from imposing economic constraints on healthcare in rural areas, as this would lead to the closure, or a fall in the number of, first-aid facilities and basic hospital structures, which should be strengthened;

    35. Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop a plan for mobile medical units and for telemedicine, the strengthening of medical services including medical spa services, community health nurses and digital health solutions and incentives for doctors working in rural and remote areas;

    36. Calls on the Commission to incorporate specific measures targeting areas identified as rural into its eHealth strategy, in order to provide local healthcare units with practical support for technological upgrades, and to promote the services such units offer; stresses that Member States should also be offered a screening programme targeting rural areas and that administrative support should also be put in place to assist with the drawing up of plans and prevention registers; calls on the Member States to take into account the particular characteristics of these areas and to encourage rural pharmacies to be set up, in order to specifically adapt pharmacy networks to a rural area, with coordination arrangements for medicines and medical devices supply, with the aim of streamlining and adapting the needs of healthcare units to the individual area; calls on the Member States to improve the provision of primary care and support services among these pharmacies termed ‘rural’;

    37. Highlights the key role that infrastructure development has to play in the economic and social growth of rural areas, given the need for transport systems, particularly public ones, with the capacity to improve connectivity and access to essential services, for energy networks, including renewables, and for suitable digital connectivity infrastructure; notes, in particular, that the quality of transport and digital connectivity should be improved so that people have easy access to labour, schools, hospitals, public services and job opportunities; underlines that road, rail and maritime transport links need to be developed or upgraded through EU co-funded programmes to reduce the isolation of rural areas, in particular from urban centres, narrowing the existing gap, and to facilitate sustainable mobility of people and goods; calls for a comprehensive strategy to improve mobility in rural areas, with a strong focus on sustainability, the expansion of charging infrastructure and the promotion of e-mobility; emphasises the need for targeted investments in public transport, shared mobility solutions and alternative transport models to ensure accessibility and connectivity for rural populations;

    38. Stresses that the digital divide between rural and urban areas remains significant, hindering equal opportunities for all residents; calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate investments in broadband connectivity, including 5G, better mobile coverage, high-speed internet networks, digital farming solutions and rural innovation hubs, ensuring that digital transformation benefits rural communities, while paying special attention to the regions less prepared for this transformation, including remote areas and outermost regions; stresses that these investments are crucial to enhancing productivity, supporting small farms’ entrepreneurship, facilitating remote working, accessing e-services and online teaching and ensuring that rural areas remain competitive in the digital age; stresses the need for digital literacy and vocational training initiatives to support the integration of digital technologies into the rural economy and to bridge the existing technological and economic divides;

    39. Stresses the importance and interconnectedness of military mobility, rural infrastructure development and regional security; underlines the overlap between the EU military mobility network and the Trans-European Transport Network;

    40. Calls for strategies to address vacant buildings and promote alternative housing concepts in rural areas, including affordable housing, renovation projects and intergenerational living; emphasises the need for incentives to repurpose empty properties, support community-driven housing initiatives and ensure sustainable, inclusive living spaces;

    41. Stresses the importance of promoting priority policies that support young people, as the main actors of the rural exodus, and calls on the Commission to ensure them an effective application of the ‘right to stay’ through targeted measures, designed to stem the demographic decline in rural areas and to encourage talented people to remain there; believes that individuals who wish to contribute to the development of their local communities should be provided with ample opportunities, and that it is therefore urgent to eliminate barriers and the significant disparities between young people in urban and rural areas in terms of access to high quality education, economic independence, social and political engagement, and intergenerational social interaction; calls for concrete measures and targeted funding programmes, including a brain drain action plan from the Commission, to support young people and young entrepreneurs, providing them with all the tools and resources they need to help them to access agricultural lands, jobs and business opportunities; notes that such measures should include improved access to public services, educational and cultural facilities, access to housing, low-interest loans and, with due regard to the principle of subsidiarity in fiscal matters, tax-related incentives to help young people build a stable future in line with their aspirations, without needing to abandon their place of origin, and creating incentives to settle down in or return to rural areas; considers it necessary, therefore, to promote measures to diversify the rural economy by harnessing local potential, including in areas outside agriculture and tourism, and to create quality jobs;

    42. Highlights the importance of boosting vocational education and training while also fostering youth-led initiatives and non-formal learning for young people to develop specific skills related to the economy of rural areas, as a tool for social cohesion and quality employment, with a view to combating depopulation in those areas;

    43. Highlights the key role of awareness raising and knowledge-sharing campaigns in advancing various education campaigns and programmes, and the importance of making them an integral part of school curricula; stresses the increasingly worrying data on early school leaving and to that end, calls on national and local authorities to reorganise their school systems to guarantee the right to education in their territories, bearing in mind the serious and objective difficulties they may face; calls on the Member States and local authorities, therefore, not to merge existing schools management structures in those areas;

    44. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide for new subsidised credit facilities that can support young entrepreneurs and women in their activities, including alternative forms of guarantees for access to credit; calls for financial support to empower young farmers, ensuring growth in rural economies;

    45. Welcomes the new EUR 3 billion loan financing package from the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group for agriculture, forestry and fisheries across Europe as a tangible initiative to close the funding gaps for SMEs in agriculture and the bio-economy and facilitate financing for young farmers and women; calls on the EIB Group to explore new forms of support to provide liquidity for actors along agricultural and rural value chains;

    46. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote local start-ups and incentive programmes for the return of young people and for the purchase and renovation of housing by young people in rural areas;

    47. Calls on the Commission to establish a European fund for youth entrepreneurship in rural areas, with a special focus on regions affected by high youth unemployment and brain drain; notes that this fund should support rural start-ups, innovative agriculture, sustainable tourism and digitalisation through dedicated financial instruments and tax incentives;

    48. Draws attention to the need for universal equal access to measures enabling everyone to develop the high-quality skills they need to achieve their professional goals, and to vocational and educational training; laments the fact that in rural areas, in many fields, the work of women is currently not rewarded with equal opportunities and conditions, as they often face extra challenges, including limited access to job opportunities, a lack of adequate measures to help them juggle work and family, and a shortage of childcare facilities; emphasises the need to foster an environment conducive to female employment, with support for all families, ensuring high quality early childhood education and care systems and parental support;

    49. Calls for increased support for women in rural areas, particularly through measures to improve access to employment, education, healthcare and social infrastructure, as well as protection from violence and violence prevention, to promote their economic and social participation; emphasises that targeted programmes should be created to support female entrepreneurs in rural regions in order to strengthen their economic independence;

    50. Stresses that support for women in rural areas is imperative for a variety of reasons, including promoting gender equality, fostering economic growth, advancing community development, reducing poverty and ensuring environmental sustainability; highlights that women play a multilevel role in rural development, as workers, farmers and business owners, and stresses that their importance in rural areas and local economies is often overlooked; stresses that special attention should be paid to women in rural areas when designing structural social support and regional development programmes; highlights that addressing these barriers is crucial for empowering women and unlocking their full potential in rural communities;

    51. Calls on the Member States and the Commission to boost awareness regarding existing and future EU funding possibilities for women entrepreneurs in rural areas and to make it easier for them to access financial support; encourages the Member States and regional and local authorities to make use of the existing EU structural and investment funds to promote women entrepreneurs;

    52. Calls for gender-equality employment policies and targeted measures to promote a better work-life balance in rural areas, including flexible working models, digital work opportunities, improved leisure and education offerings, and the promotion of community-based care and support structures for families;

    53. Urges the Commission to adopt measures to protect the family farming model that underpins the rural territory, is more environmentally friendly and guarantees food security in the EU; stresses the need for a EU system of incentives to limit the accumulation of agricultural land in private investment funds and the consequent increase in land prices; insists on the protection of small and medium-sized farms by strengthening the role of cooperatives and professional farmers in EU policies; furthermore, encourages the Member States to implement concrete measures to support these farms by simplifying access to credit, modernising rural infrastructure and giving impetus to agricultural cooperatives;

    54. Stresses the key role played by agriculture and the agri-food sector in food production, ensuring food security in the EU and job creation – a role worth championing since as it constitutes a mainstay of the local economy and is a key factor in ensuring sustainable land management, and also drives the growth and development of inland and rural areas, which often enjoy international recognition for their outstanding typical products; notes that it is necessary to help farmers innovate and diversify, while at the same time fostering farm competitiveness; believes that the transition to a more sustainable model requires a balanced approach, mindful of local specificities and the economic needs of rural communities, without imposing changes liable to hinder their long-term development; calls, in this regard, on the Commission and the Member States to take strong and targeted action by reducing excessive regulatory burdens and ensuring fair market conditions, to mitigate the decline in the number of farms and encourage generational renewal; calls for adequate support to promote food self-sufficiency and crop diversification; highlights in particular the specific structural challenges of the outermost regions and their rural areas;

    55. Urges the Commission and the Member States, in order to strengthen food security and ensure that European farmers do not face unfair competition from products that do not meet the same environmental, animal welfare and food security standards, to enforce strict equivalence of production standards for agricultural products imported into the EU and calls  on the Commission, in this regard, to ensure that trade agreements uphold European agricultural standards and ensure a level playing field for EU farmers;

    56. Acknowledges that the ambitious goals of the green transition entail opportunities as well as risks for EU agriculture; emphasises that the number of farms in the EU decreased between 2005 and 2020 by about 37 % and calls on the Commission and the Member States, in this regard, to take action to mitigate the decline in the number of farms and support their revenues and competitiveness, in order to stem the desertion of these areas and encourage generational renewal;

    57. Points to the need to simplify administrative procedures for accessing EU funds by reducing red tape for farmers and small rural businesses and improving coordination between the institutional levels involved in the management of funds in order to ensure that resources are provided more efficiently and in a more timely manner;

    58. Points also to the need to provide these areas, as well as businesses and farm and forest holders, with sufficient financial support, including support for the purchase and maintenance of equipment, with a view to increasing European competitiveness;

    59. Is fully aware that rural areas play a key role in the green and digital transitions; underlines that the transitions have to be implemented gradually, along the lines of achievable goals; calls in this regard for EU funding to be better linked with environmental sustainability and biodiversity protection;

    60. Highlights the need to support rural communities in European regions that have been most adversely affected by the trade in or export of Ukrainian agricultural products;

    61. Points to the importance of compensatory measures for farmers and rural businesses to ensure that the ecological transition is fair and practical and does not lead to new socio-economic disparities; highlight that for this transition to be successful, the full involvement and collaboration of all stakeholders, in particular farmers and foresters, will be key;

    62. Highlights that promoting agriculture is a necessary component of any strategy for rural development, but that on its own it is not sufficient, as not all people in rural areas are employed in the agricultural sector or live in agricultural structures;

    63. Recognises that tourism is frequently a major source of income for rural, mountainous, insular and outermost regions, as well as in the Mediterranean region, with the potential to encourage job creation and entrepreneurship and to draw in growing numbers of visitors curious to discover their nature, traditions and cultural heritage through the unique experiences on offer; believes, for that reason, that tourism should be supported through investment in the rural economy, in synergy with the agricultural, fishing, food and cultural sectors, and that the EU should promote the co-existence and further development of these sectors;

    64. Highlights that rural and agro-tourism can be a complementary activity to agriculture, offering opportunities for diversifying farm incomes and benefiting the development of rural areas, and that resources should therefore be allocated to the development of tourism and HoReCa activities;

    65. Underlines the need to promote rural tourism in a way that is sustainable; highlights the importance of optimising the economic benefits of tourism for rural areas, while minimising the potential negative impacts on local communities and ecosystems;

    66. Emphasises the importance of protecting and promoting linguistic minorities in the rural areas of the EU, recognising them as an integral part of Europe’s cultural heritage and as a driver of regional development; therefore calls on the Commission and the Member States to allocate cohesion policy resources to support projects for linguistic promotion, training, cultural tourism and local entrepreneurship connected to the linguistic and cultural traditions of the regions;

    67. Urges the Commission and the Member States to boost tourism in rural and depopulated areas or areas at risk of depopulation, by financing initiatives that enhance historic villages and traditional local products and establishing new green paths and other nature trails, as well as a label recognising outstanding environments in rural and nature tourism along similar lines to the ‘blue flag’ awarded to beaches;

    68. Notes that in some Member States, municipalities play a crucial role as drivers of regional economic development, benefiting from substantial tax revenues generated by their local economies; highlights that these revenues can motivate municipalities to invest EU cohesion funds in increasing their future tax base, promoting long-term local economic growth and securing long-term tax revenues; to this end, calls on the Commission, with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity in fiscal matters, to initiate a dialogue on the potential benefits of sharing taxes on economic activities with municipalities;

    69. Insists that excessive bureaucracy should not prevent farmers from focusing on sustainable food production and rural economic development; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include a strong rural dimension in the future cohesion policy regulations and to promote better regulation as a matter of priority, in order to reduce administrative burdens and to take steps to ensure the competitiveness of rural businesses, particularly SMEs, cooperatives and citizen-led communities, and to promote easier and more efficient access to funds, cost reductions and simplified application and evaluation processes for EU funding, especially for small beneficiaries; reaffirms that optimising procedures, cutting red tape and enhancing transparency are vital to improving access to the available resources; calls on the Commission, therefore, to provide adequate advisory services and technical assistance to managing authorities, thereby also contributing to increased absorption rates;

    70. Calls for a more integrated approach between EU industrial and cohesion policies, ensuring that regional development strategies are aligned with industrial transition efforts, particularly in northern, sparsely populated areas;

    71. Emphasises the importance of SMEs in technological sectors for rural digitalisation and economic resilience; calls on the Commission to ensure that public measures support local businesses and foster proximity-based economies, avoiding criteria that may disadvantage smaller enterprises;

    72. Stresses the need for better alignment between existing territorial development instruments and Structural Funds, including initiatives such as Harnessing Talent and the Covenant of Mayors;

    73. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Trade agreements: Morocco and Western Sahara – E-002098/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002098/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D)

    In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) ruled that the trade agreements between the EU and Morocco are invalid in the case of imports of goods from Western Sahara. This ruling has legal implications for the EU’s agricultural and fisheries agreements with Morocco and requires that products from Western Sahara carry an origin label without any reference to Morocco. In November 2024, the Commission stated during a hearing of Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development that a legal analysis of the ruling was being conducted, but to date, the current Commission has not yet proposed any solutions.

    Therefore, I ask the following follow-up questions:

    • 1.What plan has the Commission drawn up to adjust its trade policy with Morocco and Western Sahara in line with the October 2024 CJEU ruling, and what is the timeline for that plan?
    • 2.What are the implications of the CJEU ruling on the origin-labelling of goods imported from Western Sahara, in light of the declaration of invalidity of the trade agreement pertaining to goods from Western Sahara?

    Submitted: 26.5.2025

    Last updated: 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – OPEKEPE (Greek Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid) scandal – P-002152/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-002152/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR)

    Widespread irregularities and fraudulent government practices have been noted since 2005 in the management of direct payments through OPEKEPE. The practices are now being formally investigated by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), under threat of loss of accreditation.

    Following the revelations, the Government decided to abolish the Agency and transfer the critical payment and audit functions to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR). This choice raises serious questions regarding the management accreditation of the new body, the transparency of CAP payments and compliance with Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy, and in particular Articles 7 and 8 which set out the conditions for accreditation of paying agencies, the obligation of independence and sufficient operational and administrative capacity and the possible withdrawal of accreditation if the criteria are not met.

    Unfortunately, the withdrawal of accreditation will clearly mean the cessation of agricultural payments and the loss of European fund management for our farmers. At the same time, concerns about a cover up of political responsibilities and, ultimately, a lack of accountability are growing.

    In view of the above:

    • 1.Has the Commission assessed the legality of the transfer of OPEKEPE’s responsibilities to the IAPR?
    • 2.Has the Commission asked itself/established whether the conditions for management accreditation to disburse European aid are met by the IAPR?
    • 3.What measures does it intend to put in place from now on to ensure the independence, transparency and sound management of aid to Greek farmers?

    Submitted: 28.5.2025

    Last updated: 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sorensen Advocates for Peoria Ag Lab, Research Center Avoids Closure

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    PEORIA, IL – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced a major victory for the Peoria region, as the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR), also known as the Peoria Ag Lab, will remain open and is even slated for growth. The release of the administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) budget proposal includes potential growth for the NCAUR with research expansion.

    “When I heard this facility might be at risk, I made it a priority to make sure the administration and USDA leadership understood the value of this world-class research center. I’m proud to say our efforts paid off,” said Congressman Sorensen. “We made our case loud and clear. I want to thank every researcher, every advocate, and every voice who spoke up. The work being done in this facility supports farmers, strengthens our food systems, and helps fight climate change. I’m proud to have stood with our community to show how important the NCAUR is—not just to Peoria, but to our entire nation.”

    “For months, we feared NCAUR would be the next target amid sudden and harmful cuts to federal agencies. The silence from USDA leadership created a culture of fear, driving away talented staff. But when we reached out to our stakeholders—especially the farming community—their support was overwhelming and helped put NCAUR and ARS back on the map,” President of AFGE Local 3247, Ethan Roberts said. “We’re grateful to everyone who stood with us to protect the vital research we do for farmers and food safety.”

    Congressman Sorensen has been a fierce advocate for the Peoria Ag Lab, leading his colleagues in a detailed letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins this past March. The Congressman outlined the lab’s vital contributions to agriculture and the regional economy.

    The Peoria facility, which employs hundreds and supports both local agriculture and global research, is the largest federal employer in the region. The proposed budget not only protects those jobs but recognizes NCAUR’s cutting-edge work by highlighting its pennycress biofuel research as a leading example in the USDA’s New Products section.

    Final funding decisions will be made by Congress. Congressman Sorensen will continue to monitor the process and fight to make sure the Peoria Ag Lab remains fully protected.

    You can view the FY26 Budget for the Agricultural Research Service below.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Connecticut Delegation, Colleagues Statement Opposing USDA Secretary Rollins’ Illegal Restriction of Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04),and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) today joined 22 members of Congress from New England and Hawaii in issuing the following bicameral statement in response to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins illegally restricting relief funding to small and mid-sized family farms in New England, Alaska, and Hawaii:

    “On behalf of our States and small farmers, we oppose the Department of Agriculture’s decision to violate Congressional intent, and the statutory purpose of the small states block grant, known as the Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant program. This block grant was created specifically to bridge the gap between traditional disaster relief programs and uncovered losses experienced by small farmers who cannot access traditional crop insurance. 

    “USDA has dragged its feet for months on implementing this simple program, adding barrier after barrier to our States, and has now set an arbitrary deadline in a clear attempt to rush States into making a decision without sufficient information. USDA is demanding States either accept traditional disaster relief, which has failed most of our small farmers for years, or gamble on an unknown amount of repayment with little to no guidance from USDA. Once again, this choice would leave so many small farms to fend for themselves after a disaster.

    “The Secretary of Agriculture must execute the law as written to make these farmers whole. Our farmers know what they need best, and they have been left behind by traditional disaster relief before. This grant was created to address those shortcomings. Small farmers in our States deserve respect and fair treatment, not another bait and switch from Washington bureaucrats.”

    U.S. Representatives Richie Neal (D-Mass.-01), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.-03), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-05), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Bill Keating (D-Mass.-09), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Jared Golden (D-Maine-02), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.-01), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.-02), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Ed Case (D-Hawaii-01), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02), as well as U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also joined the statement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On President Trump’s Proposal To Codify Devastating DOGE Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 03, 2025
    If passed by Congress, the rescissions package offered by the White House will cut $9.4 billion in federal funding for critical government programs
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump released a rescissions package that, if passed by Congress, would codify cuts made by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency:
    “These sloppy and shortsighted rescissions slash public broadcasting and cut critical global health, HIV/AIDs, democracy, and other stabilization programs that save lives while helping to prevent wars and further develop markets for American goods, including Illinois farmers.  Programs that make up less than one percent of the federal budget are being cruelly cut to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest at the expense of the world’s most poor and our national security interests.  These rescissions are also dangerously targeting public broadcasting, which is critical to providing Americans, especially those in rural areas, with unbiased local news, educational programming, and emergency alerts.
    “We cannot allow this proposal, championed by President Trump, to erode the federal government.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces Restoration of Funding for Maine AgrAbility Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: June 04, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced the restoration of funding for the Maine AgrAbility program. This announcement follows reports that the University of Maine (UMaine) was unable to draw down funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)—which funds the Maine AgrAbility program—without any notice from the federal agency.
    “The Maine AgrAbility program has helped hundreds of workers across our state prevent serious injuries by providing training and technical assistance that help make high-risk jobs safer,” said Senator Collins. “I am glad that, following my discussions with Administration officials, this critical funding has been released so UMaine and its partners can continue to provide valuable guidance to our farmers, fishermen, and foresters.”
    According to UMaine, the Maine AgrAbility program serves more than 1,600 workers in Maine’s heritage industries, supporting numerous efforts, such as providing safety training to loggers on best practices to prevent slips, trips, and falls on the work site, reducing the risk of injury and helping to lower the rates of their workers’ compensation coverage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How did humans evolve such rotten genetics?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laurence D. Hurst, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at The Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath

    MaksEvs/Shutterstock

    To Shakespeare’s Hamlet we humans are “the paragon of animals”. But recent advances in genetics are suggesting that humans are far from being evolution’s greatest achievement.

    For example, humans have an exceptionally high proportion of fertilised eggs that have the wrong number of chromosomes and one of the highest rates of harmful genetic mutation.

    In my new book The Evolution of Imperfection I suggest that two features of our biology explain why our genetics are in such a poor state. First, we evolved a lot of our human features when our populations were small and second, we feed our young across a placenta.

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

    Our reproduction is notoriously risky for both mother and embryo. For every child born another two fertilised eggs never made it.

    Most human early embryos have chromosomal problems. For older mothers, these embryos tend to have too many or too few chromosomes due to problems in the process of making eggs with just one copy of each chromosome. Most chromosomally abnormal embryos don’t make it to week six so are never a recognised pregnancy.

    About 15% of recognised pregnancies spontaneously miscarry, usually before week 12, rising to 65% in women over 40. About half of miscarriages are because of chromosomal issues.

    Other mammals have similar chromosome-number problems but with an error rate of about 1% per chromosome. Cows should have 30 chromosomes in sperm or egg but about 30% of their fertilised eggs have odd chromosome numbers.

    Humans with 23 chromosomes should have about 23% of fertilised eggs with the wrong number of chromosomes but our rate is higher in part because we presently reproduce late and chromosomal errors escalate with maternal age.

    Survive that, then gestational diabetes and high blood pressures issues await, most notably pre-eclampsia, potentially lethal to mother and child, affecting about 5% of pregnancies. It is unique to humans.

    Historically, up until about 1800, childbirth was remarkably dangerous with about 1% maternal mortality risk, largely owing to pre-eclampsia, bleeding and infection. In Japanese macaques by contrast, despite offspring also having a large head, maternal mortality isn’t seen. Advances in maternal care have seen current UK maternal mortality rates plummet to 0.01%.

    Many of these problems are contingent on the placenta. Compare us to a kiwi bird that loads its large egg with resources and sits on it, even if it is dead: time and energy wasted. In mammals, if the embryo is not viable, the mother may not even know she had conceived.

    The high rate of chromosomal issues in our early embryos is a mammalian trait connected to the fact that early termination of a pregnancy lessens the costs, meaning less time wasted holding onto a dead embryo and not giving up the resources that are needed for a viable embryo to grow into a baby.

    But reduced costs are not enough to explain why chromosomal problems are so common in mammals.

    During the process of making a fertilisable egg with one copy of each chromosome, a sister cell is produced, called the polar body. It’s there to discard half of the chromosomes. It can “pay” in evolutionary terms for a chromosome to not go to the polar body when it should instead stay behind in the soon to be fertilised egg.

    It forces redirection of resources to viable offspring. This can explain why chromosomal errors are mostly maternal and why, given their lack of ability to redirect saved energy, other vertebrates don’t seem to have embryonic chromosome problems.

    Our problems with gestational diabetes are a consequence of foetuses releasing chemicals from the placenta into the mother’s blood to keep glucose available. The problems with pre-eclampsia are associated with malfunctioning placentas, in part owing to maternal immune rejection of the foetus.

    Regular unprotected sex can protect women against pre-eclampsia by helping the mother become used to paternal proteins. The fact that pre-eclampsia is human-specific may be related to our exceptionally invasive placenta that burrows deep into the uterine lining, possibly required to build our unusually large brains.

    Our other peculiarities are predicted by the most influential evolutionary theory of the last 50 years, the nearly-neutral theory. It states that natural selection is less efficient when a species has few individuals.

    A slightly harmful mutation can be removed from a population if that population is large but can increase in frequency, by chance, if the population is small. Most human-specific features evolved when our population size was around 10,000 in Africa prior to its recent (last 20,000 years) expansion. Minuscule compared to, for example, bacterial populations.

    This explains why we have such a bloated genome. The main job of DNA is to give instructions to our cells about how to make the proteins vital for life.

    That is done by just 1% of our DNA but by 85% of that of our gut-dwelling bacteria Escherichia coli. Some of our DNA is required for other reasons, such as controlling which genes get activated and when. Yet only about 10% of our DNA shows any signs of being useful.

    If you have a small population size, you also have more problems stopping genetical errors like mutations. Although DNA mutations can be beneficial, they are more commonly a curse. They are the basis of genetic diseases, be they complex (such as Crohn’s disease and predispositions to cancer), or owing to single gene effects (like cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease).

    We have one of the highest mutation rates of all species. Other species with massive populations have mutation rates over three orders of magnitude lower, another prediction of the nearly-neutral theory.

    A consequence of our high mutation rate is that around 5% of us suffer a “rare” genetic disease.

    Modern medicine may help cure our many ailments, but if we can’t do anything about our mutation rate, we will still get ill.

    Laurence D. Hurst is the author of The Evolution of Imperfection, published by Princeton University Press. This was enabled by funding from The Humboldt Foundation and the European Research Council.

    – ref. How did humans evolve such rotten genetics? – https://theconversation.com/how-did-humans-evolve-such-rotten-genetics-255473

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: End of an Era: Landsat 7 Decommissioned After 25 Years of Earth Observation

    Source: US Geological Survey

    These Landsat 7 images showcase the first and last captures of the Las Vegas area, taken on July 4, 1999, and May 28, 2024, respectively. The images highlight the city, the surrounding desert landscape, and Lake Mead, using shortwave infrared (SWIR), near-infrared (NIR), and red bands to emphasize differences in vegetation, water, and urban growth. The final image, marking the satellite’s 25th anniversary, stands as a tribute to Landsat 7’s quarter-century legacy of Earth observation.

    While Landsat 7’s long watch over Earth comes to an end, Landsat 8, launched in 2013, and Landsat 9, launched in 2020, continue to work together to create a complete snapshot of Earth every eight days. Their successor—Landsat Next—is currently planned to launch in the early 2030s and provide even greater coverage and detail.

    Launched in 1999 as a joint mission of the USGS and NASA, Landsat 7 significantly enhanced Earth observations and provided a key part of the Landsat program’s five decade-plus record of imaging the planet’s surface. The satellite’s imagery will remain archived at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, continuing to support scientific discovery and decision-making for the future.

    “The Landsat satellites have delivered over 50 years of extraordinary science data, economic value and national security benefits by informing decisions in every sector of the economy—from monitoring drought in the West to guiding disaster recovery,” said Sarah Ryker, USGS Acting Director. “For 25 of those years, Landsat 7’s data helped farmers, land managers, city planners, and scientists, as well as communities around the world better understand and manage land, water, and other natural resources.”

    Landsat 7 achieved many milestones over its 25 years of operation and was the first Landsat to downlink data to the newly established USGS ground station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was also the first Landsat satellite to be fully operated 24/7 by the USGS after being launched by NASA. 

    Its Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor delivered improved high-resolution imagery that expanded its capabilities, capturing critical historical events such as the aftermath of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The satellite also contributed to important projects, including the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica, and inspired the “Earth As Art” collection, showcasing stunning visuals of the planet. 

    After ending its official mission in 2024, the USGS prepared Landsat 7 for decommissioning to follow responsible space practices and U.S. policies on keeping space clear of debris. The final steps included carefully lowering the satellite’s orbit to decrease the risk of collisions and ensuring that all energy sources, such as fuel and batteries, are depleted to prevent the satellite from accidentally turning back on or creating debris. As Landsat 7 begins this decommissioned phase, it will drift silently in orbit for about 55 years before reentering Earth’s atmosphere. 

    To learn more about Landsat 7’s distinguished mission, visit: LINK TO CENTER STORY

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: How AI can support better customer experiences

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: How AI can support better customer experiences

    CRM systems have come a long way since their inception in the 1990s. What began as digital rolodexes evolved over the decades to accommodate cloud hosting, mobile access, and integrations across an organization’s tech stack. But for many businesses, the core experience of using a CRM system hasn’t kept pace with the evolving expectations of modern customers, or the realities of the people managing those relationships.

    Legacy CRM systems often rely heavily on manual data entry. They’re difficult to adapt as businesses grow and are frequently designed more for reporting than for allowing sellers, marketers, and service teams to succeed in real time. While this might have sufficed when field reps had hours between customer visits or when service agents had time to type up detailed call notes, those conditions no longer exist.

    Discover a new AI-powered CRM solution with Dynamics 365 Sales

    Today’s customers do their homework. They research independently, engage across multiple digital channels, and expect seamless, personalized experiences. Meanwhile, customer-facing teams need tools that work in the flow of their day, not ones that add friction. Companies trying to meet these demands with yesterday’s systems are feeling the strain.

    With Microsoft Dynamics 365, organizations are embracing a modern, AI-first approach that redefines productivity and customer engagement. Embedded Microsoft Copilot capabilities help sellers and customer service agents work smarter by generating content, surfacing insights, and summarizing customer interactions.

    AI agents take this a step further, automating repetitive tasks and allowing teams to focus on what truly matters—building relationships and closing deals. In the near future, legacy CRM systems will become background systems, while AI-powered workflows will take center stage.

    Together, copilots and agents can accelerate your business outcomes. For example, imagine a sales rep preparing for a big client meeting. Copilot can pull together a summary of recent customer interactions, generate a tailored pitch based on account details, and suggest case studies that may be relevant to the customer. Meanwhile, an AI agent is working in the background, logging customer inquiries, triggering follow-up tasks, and updating the sales pipeline based on real-time interactions.

    Common CRM system challenges, and how an AI-first approach solves them

    Microsoft has worked with hundreds of companies navigating CRM system modernization, and while each journey is unique, several pain points come up time and again. Here’s a look at the most common challenges, and how organizations are overcoming them with Dynamics 365.

    The challenge: Disparate systems and data silos

    Legacy CRM systems often sit apart from the tools employees use every day. Sales leaders have to jump between systems to get a full view of the customer, resulting in time lost, inconsistent data, and disconnected experiences for both employees and customers.

    The solution: A unified platform

    Dynamics 365 provides a unified platform across sales, marketing, and service. It brings together internal and external data in one place through Microsoft Dataverse and connects with the Microsoft tools people already rely on, like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft Power BI. That means relevant insights are available in the flow of work and updates happen in real time, which can reduce manual effort and improve accuracy.

    The challenge: Lack of innovation

    Many organizations are trying to retrofit AI into systems that weren’t built for it. As a result, they miss out on the true potential of AI to personalize engagement, suggest next steps, and automate time-consuming work.

    The solution: AI integration

    Dynamics 365 is built with AI at its core. With embedded Copilot capabilities, sellers can draft emails, generate proposals, and summarize meetings based on real-time customer data. AI agents go even further by handling complete workflows, like qualifying leads or following up on customer inquiries. With tools like Sales Agent, Sales Chat, and Sales Qualification Agent, sales teams can scale their impact and focus on high-value interactions.

    The challenge: High total cost of ownership

    Legacy CRM systems often require costly add-ons, third-party integrations, and ongoing maintenance. The systems that once seemed quick to deploy become difficult to scale or adapt and drain resources instead of delivering value.

    The solution: Business value through consolidation

    Dynamics 365 consolidates capabilities on a single platform, reducing redundancy and unlocking efficiencies. Since it uses tools that many companies already use—like Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, and Power BI—organizations can get more from their existing investments.

    ABN AMRO, one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, embraced Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales and has lowered total cost of ownership for its customer engagement platform by up to 40%.

    Real-world results: What an AI-first CRM system looks like in action

    Companies that have made the leap to Dynamics 365 are already seeing measurable impact, including shortened sales cycles, improved responsiveness, and greater customer satisfaction.

    For instance, Lenovo, a global leader in technology solutions, used Dynamics 365 to build a unified global view of customer activity and power its digital sales transformation.

    “We’re seeing the benefit of having one standardized system and a global view to all geographies’ activities. This is the foundation for Lenovo’s sales digital transformation—enabling better connections and an increase in sales productivity and actionable insights.”

    Wei Bi, Business Strategy Senior Manager, Lenovo

    Lexmark, a global innovator in cloud-supported printing and internet of things (IoT) solutions, migrated from Salesforce to Dynamics 365 to streamline and modernize its sales operations.

    “We’ve been on the journey with Microsoft after moving from Salesforce to Dynamics 365 Sales. We’re excited to be one of the first customers to use Sales Qualification Agent and look forward to the ability to scale our sales team with agents and provide an exceptional experience to our customers.”

    Kyle Farmer, Vice President, Global Sales and Strategy, Lexmark

    Gardens Alive replaced its legacy CRM system with Dynamics 365 Customer Service, integrating voice, chat, and email channels through third-party connectors and unified routing. The result was a more than 7% improvement in customer service delivery.

    And the momentum continues. In our Fiscal Year 2025 Third Quarter Earnings, Satya Nadella stated: “When it comes to business applications, Dynamics 365 again took share as companies like Avaya, Brunswick, SoftCat, switched to (Dynamics 365) from legacy providers. Verizon, for example, chose Dynamics 365 Sales to improve the efficiency of its sellers”.

    More than a CRM system, Microsoft is a strategic resource in your transformation journey

    For CROs and CSOs, the decision to modernize CRM systems is about more than upgrading technology. It’s about unlocking new potential. Companies want more than just a vendor; they’re looking for a strategic partner to help them navigate change, scale intelligently, and lead with data and empathy.

    With Dynamics 365, Microsoft brings not only a powerful AI-first platform, but also a global ecosystem of expertise in sales, engineering, and business transformation. The result? A CRM system that’s intuitive, connected, and future-ready, so companies can deliver standout customer experiences and drive sustainable growth. 

    Ready to explore your own AI-first CRM system journey?

    Take a guided tour, see a demo, or start a free trial.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Floating bridge to run extended hours for iconic Round the Island Race 4 June 2025 Floating bridge to run extended hours for iconic Round the Island Race

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    The Cowes Floating Bridge will be operating extended hours this weekend to support the hundreds of crews and thousands of visitors expected for the Round the Island Race.

    The service will begin at 4am on Saturday, 7 June, to accommodate early morning preparations and crossings.

    It will continue running throughout the day and into the early hours of Sunday morning, with the final crossing scheduled for 1.30am on Sunday, 8 June.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces State Advisory Council to Bring Order to Cannabis Market

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces State Advisory Council to Bring Order to Cannabis Market

    Governor Stein Announces State Advisory Council to Bring Order to Cannabis Market
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    (RALEIGH) Today Governor Josh Stein released the following statement on the need to protect young people by bringing order to the unregulated cannabis market:  

    “Today all across North Carolina, there are unregulated intoxicating THC products available for purchase: just walk into any vape shop. There is no legal minimum age to purchase these products! That means that kids are buying them. Without any enforceable labeling requirements, adults are using them recreationally without knowing what is in them or how much THC there is. Our state’s unregulated cannabis market is the wild west and is crying for order. Let’s get this right and create a safe, legal market for adults that protects kids.  

    “That is why I am announcing a State Advisory Council on Cannabis. I am charging this group with studying and recommending a comprehensive approach to regulate cannabis sales. They will study best practices and learn from other states to develop a system that protects youth, allows adult sales, ensures public safety, promotes public health, supports North Carolina agriculture, expunges past convictions of simple THC possession, and invests the revenues in resources for addiction, mental health, and drugged driving detection.  

    “I want to thank members of the General Assembly for their interest in addressing this gaping loophole in state law. Let’s work together on a thoughtful, comprehensive solution that allows sales to adults and that is grounded in public safety and health. We can work together and get this right.”

    Governor Stein signed the Executive Order creating the Council on Tuesday morning. The Council will include representatives from the Office of State Budget and Management, the State Highway Patrol, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the General Assembly, and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Public Safety, Revenue, Transportation, and Justice.  

    Hemp and marijuana are both types of cannabis. The difference used to be how much THC was in the plant. Today, due to the cannabis industry’s unchecked and creative product development and packaging, the terms “hemp” and “marijuana” have lost their traditional meanings and are essentially the same thing. They both contain intoxicating levels of THC. As a result, anyone, no matter their age, can legally buy cannabis products in vape shops with high concentrations of intoxicating THC here in North Carolina. The status quo of zero protection of our kids is absolutely unacceptable. That’s why the work of this Advisory Council to recommend a regulatory structure for cannabis sales is important and urgent.  

    In the meantime, at a minimum, the General Assembly should prohibit the sales of products that contain intoxicating THC to anyone under 21 by requiring photo ID age-verification and require packaging that lets adults know what is actually in cannabis products, including the amount of THC.  

    Members of the Council are:  

    Co-chairs

    • Lawrence H. Greenblatt, MD, State Health Director & Chief Medical Officer, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    • Matt Scott, District Attorney, Prosecutorial District 20 (Robeson County)

    Members

    • David W. Alexander, Owner and President, Home Run Markets, LLC
    • Arthur E. Apolinario, MD, MPH, FAAFP, 2002-2023 Past President, North Carolina Medical Society; Family Physician, Clinton Medical Clinic
    • Joshua C. Batten, Assistant Director for Special Services, Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, North Carolina Department of Public Safety
    • Representative John R. Bell, North Carolina House of Representatives, District 10
    • Carrie L. Brown, MD, MPH, DFAPA, Chief Psychiatrist, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    • Mark M. Ezzell, Director, North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, North Carolina Department of Transportation
    • Anca E. Grozav, Chief Deputy Director, North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management
    • Representative Zack A. Hawkins, North Carolina House of Representatives, District 31
    • Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., Commander, North Carolina State Highway Patrol
    • Michael Lamb, Police Chief, City of Asheville Police Department
    • Peter H. Ledford, Deputy Secretary for Policy, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
    • Kimberly McDonald, MD, MPH, Chronic Disease and Injury Section Chief, Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    • Patrick Oglesby, Attorney and Founder, Center for New Revenue
    • Forrest G. Parker, CEO / General Manager, Qualla Enterprises LLC / Great Smoky Cannabis Company
    • Senator Bill P. Rabon, North Carolina Senate, District 8
    • Lillie L. Rhodes, Legislative Counsel, Administrative Office of the Courts
    • Gary H. Sikes, Owner, Bountiful Harvest Farm and Partner, Legacy Fiber Technologies
    • Senator Kandie D. Smith, North Carolina Senate, District 5
    • Keith Stone, Sheriff, Nash County  
    • Joy Strickland, Senior Deputy Attorney General, Criminal Bureau of the North Carolina Department of Justice
    • Deonte’ L. Thomas, Chief, Wake County Public Defender Office
    • Missy P. Welch, Director of Programming (Permits/Audit/Product Sections), Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission 
    Jun 4, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The establishment of an ecological compensation mechanism for the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers is planned to be completed by 2027

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — China will establish a unified inter-basin ecological compensation mechanism for the main rivers of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers by 2027 as part of a broader effort to improve water management, the Ministry of Finance announced Wednesday.

    According to a plan jointly released by the ministry and four other government departments, the mechanism will be extended to main channels and major tributaries of key river basins including the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers by 2035.

    Compensatory measures will become richer in content, more diverse in methods, improved in standards and mature in mechanisms.

    The central government will actively play a coordinating and guiding role in the implementation of this mechanism, rationally determining compensation indicators and funding volumes to ensure that they correspond to the situation with the protection of the aquatic ecological environment and an acceptable burden on local budgets.

    China first unveiled plans to establish compensation mechanisms for the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in 2021 and 2020, respectively. Since then, the country has made significant progress in preserving and restoring the ecology of these rivers.

    For example, the Yangtze River Basin has seen a recovery in aquatic biodiversity since a 10-year fishing ban was imposed in 2020. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 344 native fish species were recorded in the river between 2021 and 2024, 36 more than in the 2017-2020 period before the ban took effect.

    The Yellow River, China’s second-longest waterway, has also seen steady environmental improvements, including improved water security and environmental quality. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: New MLPerf Training v5.0 Benchmark Results Reflect Rapid Growth and Evolution of the Field of AI

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, MLCommons® announced new results for the MLPerf® Training v5.0 benchmark suite, highlighting the rapid growth and evolution of the field of AI. This round of benchmark results includes a record number of total submissions, as well as increased submissions for most benchmarks in the suite compared to the v4.1 benchmark.

    MLPerf Training v5.0 introduces new Llama 3.1 405B benchmark

    The MLPerf Training benchmark suite comprises full system tests that stress models, software, and hardware for a range of machine learning (ML) applications. The open-source and peer-reviewed benchmark suite provides a level playing field for competition that drives innovation, performance, and energy efficiency for the entire industry.

    Version 5.0 introduces a new large language model pretraining benchmark based on the Llama 3.1 405B generative AI system, which is the largest model to be introduced in the training benchmark suite. It replaces the gpt3-based benchmark included in previous versions of the MLPerf Training benchmark suite. An MLPerf Training task force selected the new benchmark because it is a competitive model representative of the current state-of-the-art LLMs, including recent algorithmic updates and training on more tokens. More information on the new benchmark can be found here. Despite just being introduced, the Llama 3.1 405B benchmark is already receiving more submissions than the gpt3-based predecessor saw in previous rounds – demonstrating the popularity and importance of large-scale training.

    Rapid performance improvements for key training scenarios

    The MLPerf Training working group regularly adds emerging training workloads to the benchmark suite to ensure that it reflects industry trends. The Training 5.0 benchmark results show notable performance improvements for newer benchmarks, indicating that the industry is prioritizing emerging training workloads over older ones. The Stable Diffusion benchmark saw a 2.28x speed increase for 8-processor systems compared to the 4.1 version six months ago, and the Llama 2.0 70B LoRA benchmark increased its speed 2.10x versus version 4.1; both outpacing historical expectations for computing performance improvements over time as per Moore’s Law. Older benchmarks in the suite saw more modest performance improvements.

    On multi-node, 64-processor systems, the RetinaNet benchmark saw a 1.43x speedup compared to the prior v3.1 benchmark round (the most recent to include comparable scale systems), while the Stable Diffusion benchmark had a dramatic 3.68x increase.

    “This is the sign of a robust technology innovation cycle and co-design: AI takes advantage of new systems, but the systems are also evolving to support high-priority scenarios,” said Shriya Rishab, MLPerf Training working group co-chair.

    Increasing diversity of processors, increasing scale of systems, broadening ecosystem

    Submissions to MLPerf Training 5.0 utilized 12 unique processors, all in the available (production) category. Five of the processors have become publicly available since the last version of the benchmark suite.

    • AMD Instinct MI300X 192GB HBM3
    • AMD Instinct MI325X 256GB HBM3e
    • NVIDIA Blackwell GPU (GB200)
    • NVIDIA Blackwell GPU (B200-SXM-180GB)
    • TPU-trillium

    Submissions also included three new processor families:

    • 5th Generation AMD Epyc Processor (“Turin”)
    • Intel Xeon 6 Processor (“Granite Rapids”)
    • Neoverse V2 as part of NVIDIA GB200

    In addition, the number of multi-node systems submitted increased more than 1.8x when compared to version 4.1.

    “The picture is clear: AI workloads are scaling up, systems are scaling up to run them, and hardware innovation continues to boost performance for key scenarios,” said Hiwot Kassa, MLPerf Training working group co-chair. “In-house large scale systems were built by few companies, but the increased proliferation – and competition – in AI-optimized systems is enabling the broader community to scale up their own infrastructure. Most notably, we see an increasing cadre of cloud service providers offering access to large-scale systems, democratizing access to training large models.

    “The industry is not standing still, and neither can we. MLCommons is committed to continuing to evolve our benchmark suite so that we can capture and report on the innovation that is happening in the field of AI.”

    Record industry participation

    The MLPerf Training v5.0 round includes 201 performance results from 20 submitting organizations: AMD, ASUSTeK, Cisco Systems Inc., CoreWeave, Dell Technologies, GigaComputing, Google Cloud, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Krai, Lambda, Lenovo, MangoBoost, Nebius, NVIDIA, Oracle, Quanta Cloud Technology, SCITIX, Supermicro, and TinyCorp.

    “We would especially like to welcome first-time MLPerf Training submitters AMD, IBM, MangoBoost, Nebius, and SCITIX,” said David Kanter, Head of MLPerf at MLCommons. ”I would also like to highlight Lenovo’s first set of power benchmark submissions in this round – energy efficiency in AI training systems is an increasingly critical issue in need of accurate measurement.”

    MLPerf Training v5.0 set a new high-water mark for the >200 submissions. The vast majority of the individual benchmark tests that carried over from the previous round saw an increase in submissions.

    Robust participation by a broad set of industry stakeholders strengthens the AI/ML ecosystem as a whole and helps to ensure that the benchmark is serving the community’s needs. We invite submitters and other stakeholders to join the MLPerf Training working group and help us continue to evolve the benchmark.

    View the results

    To view the full results for MLPerf Training v5.0 and find additional information about the benchmarks, please visit the Training benchmark page.

    About ML Commons

    MLCommons is the world’s leader in AI benchmarking. An open engineering consortium supported by over 125 members and affiliates, MLCommons has a proven record of bringing together academia, industry, and civil society to measure and improve AI. The foundation for MLCommons began with the MLPerf benchmarks in 2018, which rapidly scaled as a set of industry metrics to measure machine learning performance and promote transparency of machine learning techniques. Since then, MLCommons has continued using collective engineering to build the benchmarks and metrics required for better AI – ultimately helping to evaluate and improve AI technologies’ accuracy, safety, speed, and efficiency.

    For additional information on MLCommons and details on becoming a member, please visit MLCommons.org or email participation@mlcommons.org.

    Press Inquiries: contact press@mlcommons.org

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/25f6643c-9978-4344-8c45-75336a9497dd

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7781c2e5-02ce-4b69-b92b-c12c7e3a48fd

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin’s Protecting Children With Food Allergies Bill Adopted As Amendment In Senate Agriculture Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 03, 2025
    The legislation, which was added as an amendment to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, would train school food service staff to prevent and respond to food-related allergic reactions
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) bipartisan legislation, the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act, was adopted unanimously as an amendment to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.  Durbin’s amendment would ensure school food service staff receive essential training about food allergies, so that they are better equipped to prevent, recognize, and respond to food allergic reactions, which can save lives.
    “When parents drop their kids off at school, they should have peace of mind knowing that their children are safe with personnel who are trained to look out for their children’s food allergies,”said Durbin.  “Peanuts, eggs, soy, and milk are nutritious, and may be in school lunches or brought by classmates.  But for some kids, they are allergens that can be deadly.  Today, the Senate Agriculture Committee adopted my bipartisan Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act as an amendment to a larger bill, ensuring that kids will be safe in the event of an allergic reaction.”
    Food allergies are a growing public health concern.  Over the past two decades, the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. has more than doubled.  Approximately six million children are estimated to have food allergies, about two students per classroom.  Further, 20 percent of all epinephrine shots administered in schools are given to children who have undiagnosed food allergies—which makes it even more important for school food personnel to understand how to recognize and respond to an allergic reaction.
    USDA requires annual trainings to school food personnel who work under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).  Required trainings include modules in nutrition, health, and food safety standards.  USDA also makes available trainings that address food allergies, but those are not required as part of these annual trainings.  The Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act would add “food allergies” to the existing list of trainings to ensure that school food personnel receive essential information about food allergies. 
    The Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act has endorsements from: Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), and School Nutrition Association (SNA).
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government funds scheme to tackle on-farm drought risk

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Government funds scheme to tackle on-farm drought risk

    Fully funded expert-led studies to assess water security on farms open for applications.

    The Environment Agency have launched applications for a new round of specialist water assessments today (4 June), supporting farmer groups to collaborate on drought resilience measures and delivering on the government’s commitment to food security. 

    The £1.1 million package will support 12 fresh screening studies across England, known as Local Resource Options (LROs). They will assess the strengths and weaknesses of different water management options such as multi-farm reservoirs, treated wastewater recycling systems, or collaborative irrigation networks.  

    Last year, the fund provided 106 farms with recommendations and attracted positive responses from farmer groups for helping identify risks and facilitate greater co-operation between neighbours. 

    Proposals included building rainwater storage and distribution systems for growers of soft fruits like strawberries, wetlands to recycle treated wastewater for potato farmers or shared reservoir and irrigation networks to supply crops and aid peat restoration. 

    Environment Agency estimates suggest their top recommendations could provide an additional 12 billion litres of low-cost water per year to farmers, worth £53 million. 

    Philip Duffy, Environment Agency Chief Executive said:

    Farmers say responsible access to water is vital for food production and rural economies, particularly during prolonged dry weather.  

    This scheme will help us draw up plans for on-farm water storage that work for the environment and food production.

    Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food and Rural Affairs said:

    Every farmer knows you need water to grow. This programme supports farmers to find new ways to manage water collaboratively to protect food security, long term profitability and local communities. 

    Storing water on wet days for use during dry periods is a great way to sustainably secure our food systems and farming businesses against the threat of drought.

    Applications are open now for groups including at least two neighbouring farms and will close at 11:59 PM on 20 July 2025.  

    To apply or for further information, please visit the Environment Agency Water Hub

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Completes 2025 Article IV Mission to Malawi

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 4, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Justin Tyson visited Malawi from May 22 to June 3 to hold meetings with the Malawian authorities and other counterparts from the public and private sectors and civil society for the 2025 Article IV consultation. Discussions focused on policies to restore macroeconomic stability, and the structural reforms needed to foster strong, inclusive, and durable growth.

    Context, Macroeconomic Outlook, and Risks

    The Malawian economy has been buffeted by several shocks. Real GDP growth declined slightly to 1.8 percent in 2024 as a drought affected agricultural production, while foreign exchange and fuel shortages dampened economic activity. Over 20 percent of the population is facing high levels of food insecurity, up five percentage points over 2023. Headline inflation began easing in late-2024 and reaccelerated in early-2025 in the context of maize prices rising to historical levels, elevated money growth and an increasing official-parallel exchange rate spread.

    Fiscal and monetary policy has remained too accommodative. The FY2024/25 (April/March) fiscal balance fell short of budget targets and deteriorated relative to the previous year as revenue underperformed and expenditure ceilings were exceeded. Persistent and elevated domestic fiscal financing has fueled money growth and inflation, which in turn exerts pressure on the exchange rate. Monetary policy did not tighten sufficiently in the context of elevated government domestic borrowing. The broader reform momentum has been slowing.

    Consequently, domestic, and external imbalances worsened. The current account deficit expanded further to about 22 percent of GDP and gross reserves are critically low, pointing to an overvalued exchange rate. The official-parallel spread is wide and may reflect other factors beyond fundamentals. Malawi remains in external debt distress and domestic debt is growing.

    The macroeconomic outlook is subdued and dependent on the agricultural sector output and foreign grant support. Under current policies, the mission expects real GDP growth to be 2.4 percent in 2025 and gradually increase to 3.4 percent over the medium term. Inflation is projected to average 29 percent in 2025 and settle at around 14 percent over the medium term. The current account deficit is projected to improve to about 17 percent of GDP in 2025 based on lower fuel prices and a rebound in key exports. General elections, scheduled for September, have reinforced political-economy constraints to macroeconomic adjustment. After the expiry of the ECF arrangement, the Malawian authorities are designing a homegrown reform program.

    Risks are tilted to the downside. Lower-than-anticipated grant inflows and food production, additional global trade tensions, and delayed reforms could deepen macroeconomic instability. Greater-than-expected mining investment and production constitute an upside risk.

    Fiscal Policy

    Returning to a sustainable fiscal adjustment path is a priority. Tackling the rising interest bill will create space for domestically-financed investment and pro-poor spending, while also ameliorating the sovereign-bank nexus.

    Domestic revenue mobilization is urgently needed to achieve fiscal sustainability in an equitable way. This could be achieved through a combination of broadening the tax base and tax policy instruments (e.g., reducing exemptions, and personal and corporate income tax reform). Improving wage bill efficiency and rebalancing expenditures towards human capital and social protection could support these efforts.

    Staff welcomes public financial management improvements, which remain critical for strengthening fiscal governance and building public trust. The authorities have made progress in expanding the coverage of the Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS), bank reconciliations, and increasing the efficiency of public investment. Reform efforts should continue to, inter alia, enhance budget development, execution, and reporting, improve the procurement system, and strengthen State Owned Enterprises (SOE) oversight.

    Decisive steps are needed to restore debt sustainability. The authorities have achieved some progress with their bilateral creditors and continue to engage with their external commercial creditors to ensure that external debt is sustainable. Tangible progress on external debt restructuring could pave the way for new concessional inflows. This should be supported by steps to reduce the cost of domestic borrowing.

    Price Stability and Exchange Rate Policy

    Tighter fiscal and monetary policies would support disinflationary efforts and ease pressure on the exchange rate. High inflation hurts the economy in general, but especially the poorest and most vulnerable. A combination of more restrictive monetary policy and an urgent fiscal adjustment, including enhanced reporting on budget execution, could reduce broad money growth, support policy credibility and re-anchor inflation expectations. Structural constraints may also be contributing to entrenched inflation expectations.

    A unified and market clearing exchange rate is critical to reducing imbalances and supporting the authorities’ growth objectives. The current regime with a large and volatile spread between the parallel and official rate creates distortions, impedes exports, subsidizes some imports, and encourages informality and tax avoidance. Foreign direct investments and official aid flows are discouraged, and domestic revenues reduced. Eliminating these imbalances requires unifying the official and parallel exchange rates, at a level reflecting fundamentals and discounting speculative factors, and stabilizing the foreign exchange market. Consistency between the de facto exchange rate regime, the monetary policy framework and fiscal policy are needed to ensure sustainable growth.

    Financial Sector Policies

    The banking sector’s credit and foreign exchange risks should be monitored to preserve financial stability. While the sector is well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable, its significant exposure to government borrowing and the net foreign liabilities position within the banking sector require continued careful monitoring.

    Increased banking sector credit to the private sector would support economic growth. Fiscal adjustment would reduce crowding out of private sector due to public borrowing and support export-oriented investment. In addition, a lower inflation and interest rate environment would further support credit to businesses.

    Structural Reforms

    Improving the investment climate would help attract investment, diversify the economy, and move up the value chain. Sustained multi-year prudent fiscal policies and removing price distortions (e.g., re-activating the automatic fuel price mechanism) would bolster policy credibility and strengthen external competitiveness. Addressing key structural impediments to growth would durably support efforts to raise productive capacity, reduce inflation and improve self-sustainability, as envisaged under the authorities’ Agriculture, Tourism, Mining and Manufacturing (ATMM) policy umbrella.

    Further strengthening governance measures will support confidence in public service provision. Despite government reform efforts, including the two National Anti-Corruption Strategies, gaps persist. For example, the public procurement process and SOE operations would benefit from greater transparency and less discretionary decision-making.

    The IMF mission team thanks the Malawian authorities and all other interlocutors for the candid discussions and their hospitality.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Tatiana Mossot

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/04/pr-25175-malawi-imf-completes-2025-art-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Burger restaurant prosecuted for breach of food safety regulations

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    A burger restaurant’s operator has been prosecuted for failing to register as a food business as required by food safety and hygiene regulations.

    St Albans City and District Council‘s environmental health team launched an investigation into Total Cow, High Street, Redbourn, after a customer complaint.

    Enquiries revealed the business was not registered and Craig Pesch, the operator, was interviewed about the issue.

    A decision was later taken to prosecute and issue a court summons after Mr Pesch failed to agree to a caution.

    Mr Pesch admitted the offence of failing to register at a hearing at St Albans Magistrates Court on Wednesday 21 May.

    He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £26 and a contribution of £500 to the Council’s legal costs.

    Mr Pesch, in mitigation, apologised and said he had wrongly believed he was not required to register because he had registered a similar business in Hemel Hempstead.

    Councillor Terrie Smith, Lead for Environmental Enforcement, said after the hearing:

    Registering helps the Council keep an up-to-date list of all food businesses and plan hygiene inspections properly. It’s an important part of making sure food is safe and public health is protected.

    We work closely with food and drink businesses across the District to help them follow all the right safety and hygiene rules.

    Most businesses do a great job, and when there are issues, we usually sort them out by talking things through.

    But in this case, our environmental health team faced some pushback and felt they had no choice but to take legal action.

    This just goes to show that if a business ignores the rule – like failing to register – we will step in and take action if needed.

    The Environmental Health team offer a mentoring service, tailored to meet a business’s specific requirements and help it achieve the highest food safety standards. You can find out more here or enquire by emailing fhrs@stalbans.gov.uk.

    Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ecological compensation mechanism for Yangtze, Yellow rivers slated for 2027 completion

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

    Ecological compensation mechanism for Yangtze, Yellow rivers slated for 2027 completion

    BEIJING, June 4 — China is set to establish a unified cross-basin ecological compensation mechanism for the mainstreams of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers by 2027, as part of its broader efforts to improve water environment management, the Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday.

    According to a plan jointly issued by the ministry and four other government departments, the mechanism will expand to cover the mainstreams and major tributaries of key river basins, including the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, by 2035.

    The system will feature diversified compensation measures, flexible approaches, refined standards and a mature operational framework.

    China’s central fiscal authorities will play a coordinating and guiding role in implementing this mechanism — ensuring that compensation indicators and funding scales align with the water ecological conservation situation while remaining fiscally sustainable for local governments.

    China first introduced plans for Yangtze and Yellow river compensation mechanisms in 2021 and 2020, respectively. Since then, the country has made significant progress in terms of ecological conservation and restoration of these rivers.

    For example, the Yangtze River basin has seen a recovery in aquatic biodiversity following the imposition of a 10-year fishing ban in 2020. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 344 native fish species were recorded in the river from 2021 to 2024 — an increase of 36 species compared to the 2017-2020 period before the ban took effect.

    Meanwhile, the Yellow River, China’s second-longest waterway, has also experienced steady ecological improvements, including enhanced water security and environmental quality.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What a sunny van Gogh painting of ‘The Sower’ tells us about Pope Leo’s message of hope

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Virginia Raguin, Distinguished Professor of Humanities Emerita, College of the Holy Cross

    Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Sower at Sunset’ painting. Vincent van Gogh/ Kröller-Müller Museum via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-SA

    In his first general audience in Rome, Pope Leo XIV referred to Vincent van Gogh’s painting “Sower at Sunset” and called it a symbol of hope. A brilliant setting sun illuminates a field as a farmer walks toward the right, sowing seeds.

    Leo referred to Christ’s Parable of the Sower, a story in the Gospel that speaks to the need to do good works. “Every word of the Gospel is like a seed sown in the soil of our lives,” he said, and highlighted that the soil is not only our heart, “but also the world, the community, the church.”

    He noted that “behind the sower, van Gogh painted the grain already ripe,” and Leo called it an image of hope which shows that somehow the seed has borne fruit.

    Van Gogh painted “Sower at Sunset” in 1888, when he was living in Arles in southern France. At the time, he was creating art alongside his friend Paul Gauguin and feeling very happy about the future. The painting reflects his optimism.

    Van Gogh’s inspiration

    In November 1888, van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo, in whom he frequently confided, about “Sower at Sunset.” He described its beautiful colors: “Immense lemon-yellow disc for the sun. Green-yellow sky with pink clouds. The field is violet, the sower and the tree Prussian Blue.”

    ‘The Sower,’ by Jean-François Millet.
    Museum of Fine Arts, Boston via Wikimedia Commons

    Van Gogh’s painting was inspired by French artist Jean-Francois Millet’s 1860 painting, “The Sower.” But he transformed Millet’s composition, in which a dark, isolated figure dominates, and deliberately set the sower in the midst of a landscape transformed by the sun.

    Other artists, including the Norwegian Emanuel Vigeland, explicitly depicted the Parable of the Sower. Vigeland’s series of stained-glass windows in an Oslo church explains each passage’s meaning. As the sower works, some seeds fall by the wayside and the birds immediately eat them, indicating those who hear the word of God but do not listen.

    Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland’s ‘Parable of the Sower,’ 1917-19, Lutheran church of Borgestad, near Oslo, Norway.
    Virginia Raguin

    Some seeds fall on stony ground and cannot take root, a symbol of those with little tenacity. Others fall among thorns and are choked. Vigeland juxtaposed a dramatic image of a miser counting piles of money, indicating how the man’s life has become choked by desire for material gain.

    The final passage of the parable states that some seeds fell on good ground and yielded a hundredfold. Vigeland’s depiction shows an image of an abundant harvest of grain next to a man seated on the ground and cradling a child in his lap.

    What it says about Leo

    Van Gogh’s painting corresponds to many of the ideas the new pope expressed in the first days of his papacy. Leo observed: “In the center of the painting is the sun, not the sower, [which reminds us that] it is God who moves history, even if he sometimes seems absent or distant. It is the sun that warms the clods of the earth and ripens the seed.”

    The theme of the dignity of labor is also inherent in the image of the sower being deeply engrossed in physical labor, which relates to the pope’s choice of his name. The pope stated that he took on the name Leo XIV “mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution.” Leo XIII was referring to the social question of economic injustice in the meager rewards for workers even as owners made great profits from the Industrial Revolution.

    The pope saw Van Gogh’s image of the sower, like Vigeland’s, as a message of hope. That message, to him, fits with the theme of hope of The Jubilee Year proclaimed by Leo’s predecessor, Francis. Leo also expressed hope that humans listening to God would embrace service to others.

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

    – ref. What a sunny van Gogh painting of ‘The Sower’ tells us about Pope Leo’s message of hope – https://theconversation.com/what-a-sunny-van-gogh-painting-of-the-sower-tells-us-about-pope-leos-message-of-hope-258040

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Collision between a train and an agricultural trailer at Nordan Farm user worked level crossing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Collision between a train and an agricultural trailer at Nordan Farm user worked level crossing

    Investigation into a collision between a passenger train and an agricultural trailer at Nordan Farm user worked level crossing, near Leominster, Herefordshire, 22 May 2025.

    The train and trailer involved.

    At around 10:37 on 22 May 2025, the 08:30 Transport for Wales passenger service from Manchester to Cardiff struck a loaded agricultural trailer which was being hauled by a tractor across Nordan Farm user worked level crossing, near to Leominster. RAIB’s initial analysis indicates that the train was travelling at around  80 mph (129 km/h) when it struck the trailer. As a result of the collision, the trailer parted from the tractor and became wedged on the front of the train. The train then ran for around 500 metres under braking before it came to a stand.

    The train did not derail as a result of the accident but its leading vehicle, a driving van trailer, and some of the leading passenger coaches suffered damage. Of the 66 passengers and 8 staff on board, 6 passengers were reportedly treated for minor injuries. The tractor driver was uninjured. Damage was also caused to the trailer that was struck by the train and to track, lineside equipment and a second level crossing located beyond Nordan Farm.

    Nordan Farm user worked crossing is fitted with telephones. Users are directed by signs at the crossing to use the telephones to obtain permission from the signaller before opening the crossing gates and crossing the railway. The evidence available to RAIB shows that the driver of the tractor involved in this accident telephoned the signaller before using the crossing. 

    Our investigation will determine the sequence of events that led to the accident and will include consideration of:

    • the actions of those involved and any factors that may have influenced them
    • any previous incidents at Nordan Farm user worked crossing and how these may be relevant to this accident
    • the management of risk at this crossing and Network Rail’s wider strategy for assessing and mitigating risks at user worked crossings
    • any relevant underlying factors.

    Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

    We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

    You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unique Fellowship Program Gives Recent UConn Alumni a Seat at the State Government Table

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    After majoring in political science and human rights, and then completing a fast-track master’s in public policy, UConn alum Sudiksha Mallick ’23 (CLAS) ’24 MPP – who has long been interested in education policy – knew that she wanted to work in state government.

    “But I wasn’t sure exactly where,” she says, “and I was really looking for some sort of mentorship.”

    Eniola Fasola ’20 MA ’24 Ph.D. earned her master’s in economics and her doctorate in agricultural and resource economics from UConn and knew that she ultimately wanted to use her analytical acumen to do work that would have impact.

    “There’s something incredibly fulfilling about seeing your skills contribute to projects that can improve lives,” she says.

    With a background in city planning and an interest in public finance, Kevin Fitzgerald ’18 (CLAS) ’21 MPA knew that he wanted to contribute to policy changes in a way that allowed him to leverage both of those interests.

    “I was drawn to the opportunity to work on state projects,” he says. “I’d previously been in a few town halls, and had worked adjacent to the Department of Economic and Community Development, but really was drawn to the opportunity to contribute to new policy changes through DECD.”

    Kevin Fitzgerald ’18 (CLAS) ’21 MPA (Contributed Photo)

    Katarina Rodriguez ’16 (CLAS) ’21 MPA, who majored in human development and family sciences at UConn, is interested in data storytelling and the ways that it can be used to support public policies that affect individuals and communities.

    “Data storytelling is essentially using data, whether it’s quantitative or qualitative, to broadcast a narrative to an audience that is supported by hard numbers or the accounts of actual constituents,” she explains.

    Tazmaya Reid ’17 (CLAS) ’25 MBA has spent the years since she earned her undergraduate degree in political science and human rights working in the nonprofit sector on addressing health and educational disparities across the state.

    “In my work at a nonprofit, I supported individuals facing the same challenges, no matter where they lived,” she says, and she was interested in finding ways to work on those issues on a broader scale.

    With a background in communication, Carrie Titolo ’24 MPA was not new to the workforce – she’d already spent 15 years working in the nonprofit sector. But where she lacked experience after completing her Master of Public Administration at UConn was in government.

    “As someone with no prior experience in state government, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to learn the landscape without the immediate pressure of committing to a permanent role,” she says.

    That perfect opportunity for Titolo – and for each of these very different UConn alumni – is the Governor’s Fellowship Program, a unique public-private partnership that’s helping to cultivate cohorts of public service-minded professionals into the next generation of policymaking leaders in Connecticut.

    Bright Minds

    Launched in 2020, the Governor’s Fellowship Program – a joint effort supported by the Office of the Governor; the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, or DAS; the Yale University Tobin Center for Economic Policy; and Social Impact Partners for Connecticut – recruits early-to-mid-career candidates twice per year for fellowship placements within state government agencies, with the goal of providing emerging leaders with an opportunity to be involved and make a positive impact on the state by offering innovative ideas and fresh perspectives.

    “Fellows are selected and placed at state agencies based on skills and experience,” says Melissa Conway ’16 (CLAS), the chief administrative officer at DAS who coordinates the program. “The process is competitive, and as awareness of the program increases, so does the number of applicants. In recent recruitment cycles, we have received anywhere from 40 to 85 applications.”

    After a scoring, evaluation, and interview process that considers professional experience, analytical skills, subject-matter expertise, and communication skills, among other factors, qualified fellows are matched with agency requests that best suit both the candidate’s skills and the agency’s priorities.

    Eniola Fasola ’20 MA ’24 Ph.D. (Contributed Photo)

    “The state chooses the projects and sets the policy priorities,” says David Wilkinson, the executive director of the Tobin Center at Yale who helped to establish the fellowship program, “and we help bring bright minds from universities in the state to help deliver on agency objectives.”

    Fellowships are for one year, and are available to all applicants, not just those from UConn.

    But UConn has been well-represented in the program’s cohorts, and recent fellows from UConn have been placed in agencies spanning the scope of state government, including the Departments of Transportation, Economic and Community Development, Aging and Disability Services, and Social Services.

    And the work that they’re doing has both depth and reach. Previous governor’s fellows have written major legislation to remove lead from homes in Connecticut’s most vulnerable communities.

    They developed plans for allocating billions in federal pandemic relief dollars.

    They founded and chaired the Governor’s Afghan Evacuee Taskforce, an interagency-public-private-nonprofit working group focused on coordinated approaches to providing safe haven and resources for resettled evacuees in Connecticut.

    And they created and managed the Connecticut Communities Challenge, a competitive grant program to spur investment in high-quality, transit-oriented development.

    In addition to their individual projects, fellows in the program are given in-person and virtual group check-ins throughout the year as well as trainings, a speaker series, networking opportunities, and Fellows Days at the State Capitol in Hartford, where they have the opportunity to visit the Governor’s Office, tour the capitol, and meet the governor’s chief of staff.

    “Fellows have a unique opportunity to work directly with and learn from leaders in government,” says Conway. “While the work can be challenging at times, it is always meaningful, and the connections that fellows make through the program are lifelong.”

    Invited to the Table

    For Rodriguez, who is serving her fellowship in the Department of Aging and Disability Services, a lot of her time right now is spent using data from various programs and bureaus within the agency to produce results-based accountability “report cards.”

    “I’m answering three very basic questions: How much did we do, how well did we do it, and is anyone better off?” she says. “For example, how much did we do? You can answer that in terms of how much money was spent on a program, how many people were served, how many classes people attended of a specific program – how much work we did, how many service hours or how many caseload hours we provided.”

    But in the midst of the 2025 legislative session, Rodriguez has also been called upon to supply data that can help inform proposed bills before the General Assembly that can affect the agency’s constituents and staff.

    Katarina Rodriguez ’16 (CLAS) ’21 MPA (Contributed Photo

    “I love being invited to the table when there’s something pressing happening at the state level,” says Rodriguez, who was among the fellows able to attend the governor’s State of the State address this year.

    “We were up on the balcony, and we got to look down and see all the representatives,” she says. “And we were in a room where a lot of changes will be happening during a very crucial time in American politics.”

    The legislative session has also played an important part in Mallick’s fellowship experience thus far. Working out of the Office of the Governor, and reporting to the governor’s senior advisor, she’s gotten a crash course in legislative processes while also working on strategic initiatives surrounding youth family policy.

    “Being able to really implement the policies that we’re developing, and to actually be a part of their development, is really, really cool,” Mallick says. “But because I’m in the Capitol building every single day, I’ve been able to join the legislative team a little bit as well – really being able to understand the process better and being a part of bill tracking and coverage and all of that.”

    Mallick continues, “I’ve never worked in a place like this. There’s always something happening. Just being able to be in that space and seeing everything that’s going on is a huge learning opportunity every day.”

    For their fellowships, Fasola and Fitzgerald – both placed in the Department of Economic and Community Development – are working with the Institute of Data and Economic Analysis, or IDEA, on projects involving concentrated poverty in Connecticut, strengthening the bioscience industry, developing a recession response playbook, mitigating the economic impact of federal tariffs, streamlining efforts to clean up contaminated industrial properties, studying the state’s remote working needs, and exploring opportunities to address Connecticut’s need for housing.

    “IDEA is a cross-agency effort focused on developing data-driven policy solutions, exploring opportunities to enhance the agency’s initiatives,” explains Fitzgerald. “It’s a little bit of comparing what other states are rolling out and seeing if we can implement that in Connecticut, testing how effective our initiatives are, and gathering data on the results from current initiatives and looking at opportunities to improve them.”

    They’ve taken part in the agency’s work around this year’s legislative session as well.

    “One of my goals before joining the program was to better understand how to analyze and interpret legislative proposals,” Fasola says. “This fellowship has helped me make substantial progress in that area. I have had the chance to review and assess the economic implications of legislative bills, which has deepened my understanding of the policymaking process.”

    Within the Department of Social Services, Reid has served as a project manager and worked in the Opportunity Center initiative, which is aimed at streamlining access to services across multiple agencies.

    “The experience was exciting and kept me on my toes,” Reid says. “I loved the opportunity to collaborate on a multi-agency initiative, which was both engaging and meaningful. I’ve always been passionate about integrating business practices with human services. This experience reaffirmed that path for me and opened my eyes to the wide range of roles and opportunities available in government.”

    At the Department of Transportation, or DOT, Titolo reported to the agency’s deputy chief of staff, and she worked on a variety of workforce development programs, partnerships, and initiatives – especially those aimed addressing the agency’s need for engineers and highway and construction professionals.

    Carrie Titolo ’24 MPA (Contributed Photo)

    “Eric [Scoville, the deputy chief of staff] always made room for me to have a seat at the table and allowed me to take ownership of projects and run with my ideas,” Titolo says. “I loved working with people all across the agency in different roles, and building relationships with our education, nonprofit, and sister agency partners. I was able to apply my skills and talents in a new context, which was both interesting and challenging.”

    Since completing her fellowship earlier this year, Titolo has been hired full-time by the DOT. She’s currently serving as a special advisor to the commissioner for strategic partnerships and projects.

    And it’s that kind of success that’s part of the fellowship’s overall purpose, according to Wilkinson from the Tobin Center.

    “To see some of UConn’s brightest graduates working in state government, serving the people of Connecticut, is a major win for the Governor’s Fellowship,” he says, “and just what we hoped to achieve when we established the program.”

    Well-Positioned

    The inclusion of so many UConn alumni in the fellowship program, particularly alumni from the UConn School of Public Policy, wasn’t something planned, according to Ryan Baldassario ’16 MA ’22 Cert., the school’s director of engagement.

    “It naturally sort of occurred,” Baldassario says. “But I think that’s a testament to our alumni who are active in the public sector. They pursue career opportunities, whether we put it in front of them or not.”

    Public Policy alum Fitzgerald learned about the fellowship program shortly after it launched.

    Fasola, who studied in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, found it through the Tobin Center on LinkedIn.

    School of Business student Reid learned about the program from a community partner and close friend.

    “It felt like a sign, an opportunity to contribute from the top down,” she says.

    But for Titolo, Mallick, and Rodriguez, the School of Public Policy actually did put the opportunity in front of them – they all decided to apply after the school shared information about the fellowship through its alumni listerv.

    “We do have different tools to get career opportunities out to our alumni and to some of our current students,” Baldassario says. “We have an active listserv where we send out opportunities on a weekly basis, if not more frequently. We do encourage students and alumni to come to events – we have networking workshops other alumni events and we have an alumni council where these type of opportunities are shared out as well. We also have a private LinkedIn group that is dedicated to our alumni.”

    Sudiksha Mallick ’23 (CLAS) ’24 MPP (Contributed Photo)

    UConn’s MPA program, Baldassario explains, is also the only Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, or NASPAA, accredited Master of Public Administration program in the state, something that helps to position UConn’s students well once they graduate. UConn is also pursuing formal accreditation for its MPP program this year.

    “There’s other really quality programs at other institutions, but we do take that extra step to go to accreditation to make sure that we’re upholding those standards,” he says.

    “Our students get really good training in their classes,” says Angela Eikenberry, a professor and director at the School of Public Policy, “ and the classes they take, and what we offer – and why we offer it – is driven by a process that we have where we continually try to stay on top of what our students need to be successful.”

    That includes identifying needs within state government in Connecticut, and adjusting programs and training for students to help the state meet those needs, notes Eikenberry.

    Opportunities like the Governor’s Fellowship Program, notes Baldassario, benefit both the state and UConn graduates.

    “These opportunities are essentially allowing students to get more specific full-time experience in the public sector, and then it enables them to have a better idea of where they want to go after that,” Baldassario says. “Do they want to stay in that type of service? Do they want to stay in that type of public-sector work, or do they want to go somewhere different? Do they want to leave state service and go into the nonprofit space? And what skills transfer between those opportunities?”

    Passionate and Driven

    One of the Governor’s Fellowship Program’s greatest successes, according to Conway from DAS, has been the cultivation of leaders who are passionate about public service.

    “After completing their fellowship, many fellows have supported the public sector, either in positions in state government, nonprofits, or organizations that work closely with government,” she says. “In addition, the program has fostered strong networks among the fellows and state professionals by creating a collaborative environment that supports ongoing learning and professional development.”

    The six UConn fellows are now a part of that network, and when asked if they’d recommend the Governor’s Fellowship Program to another UConn alum, all six were emphatic with their endorsement.

    “I would definitely recommend this program, and would advise anyone interested to pursue it,” says Titolo. “It is not always easy to enter state service without prior experience, and this program provides a truly valuable on ramp – pardon the transportation pun – for qualified candidates looking to make a positive impact on local communities and learn more about how state government works.”

    For some, the opportunity to take charge of a project with the support of experienced and encouraging mentorship has proven to be one of the most invaluable parts of their experience.

    “You really get to take the initiative and say, ‘This is a project that I’m going to take charge of and lead in my time here,’ and then have the mentorship of people who have been in that field for a long time, and who have had a lot of success in that field,” says Mallick.

    “I’ve really appreciated the mentorship I’ve received from colleagues within DECD, like my chief of staff,” says Fitzgerald. “I really appreciate his guidance and introduction to state government, and his willingness to assign projects that are really tailored toward my interests.”

    Tazmaya Reid ’17 (CLAS) ’25 MBA (Contributed photo)

    But the fellows have also seen growth and changes in themselves through their fellowship experience.

    “This experience has definitely increased my confidence, and I’m able to now see the impact of the work that I’m doing directly on Connecticut citizens,” says Rodriguez.

    And they’ve found camaraderie amongst themselves as a cohort of like-minded professionals looking to play a role in the policies that impact Connecticut.

    “One of the most valuable components of the program for me has been the Fellows Day,” says Fasola. “This event has been a great platform to connect with other fellows, gain insights into their projects, learn from fellowship alumni and engage with program coordinators. The event offers a sense of community, provides mentorship and has shown me how the coordinators are invested in the work we do across various executive agencies and in our professional development.”

    “We’ve formed a really close cohort, and I think that being able to learn alongside them has been really valuable,” says Fitzgerald.

    “We’re surrounded by other people in the cohort who also are very passionate and driven – who really have this drive for public service, you can tell that they’re all really good people who want to give back,” says Mallick. “Having these people to bounce ideas off of, and this built-in support system – which I don’t think always comes with a job or employment – I think is one of the benefits.”

    “One of the most valuable parts was being part of a cohort of fellows, learning from one another, exploring different facets of government, and building lasting connections,” says Reid, who also noted that the format of the fellowship program, and the dedication of the support team, made all the difference.

    “Their commitment to our growth and success truly stood out and made the experience even more impactful,” Reid says. “I am forever grateful and honored to have the opportunity to be a fellow.”

    The next Governor’s Fellowship Program cohort will launch in late summer 2025; recruitment will reopen in fall 2025 for fellowships starting in January 2026.

    More information about the Governor’s Fellowship Program – including details on qualifications and application materials – is available online from the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services at portal.ct.gov/das.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Researchers and Industry Flock to UConn to Talk Poultry Innovations and Impacts

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) welcomed fellow researchers and poultry industry representatives from across the US and the world to the Storrs campus to continue their interdependent work on the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Poultry Project. 

    In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) awarded Kumar Venkitanarayanan, CAHNR senior associate dean of research and graduate education and professor of animal science, a $10 million grant in 2020 to lead the initiative. 

    The group of attendees came from around the world to join the meeting of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Poultry Project (Jason Sheldon/UConn Photo)

    “This group has made considerable progress on each component of our project – bird health, human health, and the environmental impact of the poultry industry,” says Venkitanarayanan. “This has been a collective effort, and being able to meet to continue discussing and sharing ideas keeps our work moving forward.” 

    At the two-day meeting, held at the Innovation Partnership Building, the multi-institutional group and its project teams discussed their on-going efforts to enhance broiler sustainability without antibiotics and ensure safe approaches to improve chicken, human, and environmental health. The meeting comes as the grant enters its final year and the group begins assessing the scope and breadth of the innovations and impacts made over the last five years. 

    Indu Upadhyaya, associate extension food safety education speaks at a meeting of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Poultry Project (Jason Sheldon/UConn Photo)
    Lively discussion at a meeting of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Poultry Project (Jason Sheldon/UConn Photo)

    The group has made a number of technological advancements to lower heat stress, improve bird welfare, generate energy from poultry litter, and reduce disease, including a UConn-patented probiotic spray method that improves the hatchability and the health of chicks. 

    Additionally, the project has also developed classes and outreach programs to train producers and the next generation of poultry farmers, including a class right here at UConn. 

    Their efforts to ensure the long-term viability, safety, and public trust in antibiotic-restricted poultry farming took a global perspective at the meeting. International speakers discussed poultry production practices around the world, including Mexico, Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Africa. 

    The meeting also featured an industry panel Q&A and a poster session. 

    “We approach our work from a One Health perspective, acknowledging the connection between the health of people, animals, and our environment,” says Venkitanarayanan. “This work is critically important for our society and CAHNR is a unique leader in this type of interdisciplinary research.” 

    Other institutions involved in this project are Appalachian State University, University of Arkansas, University of Georgia, Auburn University, Kansas State University, University of Maryland, University of Minnesota, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina State University, Pennsylvania State University, Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of Arkansas, Maryland, and Mississippi. 

    This research is supported by USDA NIFA award number 2020-69012-31823. 

    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 –