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Category: Farming

  • MIL-OSI Russia: How was the animation and children’s film festival in the Moskino cinema park

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    One of the main events of the weekend at the Moskino cinema park was Moscow Festival of Animation and Children’s Cinema. It was visited by 14 thousand people. In addition, from May 31 to June 1, concerts, master classes and a parade of cartoon characters were held at the cinema park venues.

    Cinema Park as a point of assembly

    On May 31, a presentation of animation projects was held at the educational center. The works were presented by professional directors, animators, as well as aspiring filmmakers — university students.

    The jury included Vladimir Vereshchagin, curator of the children’s and family direction of the Kinopoisk platform, Kirill Kiychenko, CEO of Paranoid Animation Studio, Vasily Solovyov, CEO of Visual Story, Sergey Melnikov, Deputy CEO of Mosrazvitie, and others. The experts assessed the quality of the animators’ work and the originality of their ideas, and presented them with memorable gifts.

    “Film production is currently actively developing, including animation projects, and quantity is turning into quality. Producers strive to create exactly the content that the viewer needs, and the film park makes their work much easier. Just a few years ago, we could not even imagine that such a place would appear in our industry, so I am delighted with what I saw here. The technology and versatility of this site in terms of the number and variety of decorations are amazing. And holding pitching sessions and conferences promotes the exchange of experience,” shared producer Vasily Solovyov.

    At an educational event dedicated to the creation of animation and visual content, trends in the development of children’s programs were discussed, as well as the role of musical and theatrical projects in the life of the city.

    The speakers included producer Vladimir Vereshchagin, editor-in-chief of the Karusel TV channel Tatyana Tsyvareva, producer Sergei Netievsky, deputy head of the Moscow Department of Information Technology Boris Frolov and others.

    “It is very important now to create family content that parents and children would watch. Our TV channel shows exactly these kinds of films, TV shows and cartoons. It is especially pleasant that domestic content is of interest. Its share on the channel has increased significantly and today amounts to about 75 percent. The top 20 popular animated series include projects that have magic and sorcery. Therefore, it is important for us that representatives of the film industry continue their active work, and the Moskino cinema park, in turn, will help to implement their ideas,” Tatyana Tsyvareva emphasized.

    The filmmakers walked around the film park’s sites and noted that each of them is unique. Thus, producer Vladimir Vereshchagin said that he is very pleased to see how everything that was invented is brought to life. The film park was created as a place for filming in one place – and now this is exactly how it is. There is an amazing site “Provincial Cities of Europe”, built for the future film “Buratino”, the necessary decoration “Center of Moscow” to film city life without blocking the streets, “Cathedral Square” and many others. The film park is becoming a popular place among tourists. Muscovites and guests of the capital can see the sets in which famous films were shot, learn about the filmmaking process and, most importantly, spend time with their families.

    Producer Kirill Kiychenko shared his impressions of the Moskino cinema park venues and noted that the future lies with it. In the near future, a number of music festivals, historical reconstructions and other holidays for the whole family are planned there.

    Children’s party at the Moskino cinema park

    The children’s holiday on the weekend began with a fairy-tale parade. Accompanied by drummers, about a hundred animators in costumes of favorite characters from Soviet and modern cartoons, including Cheburashka, Prostokvashino, The Adventures of Buratino, Smeshariki, Winnie the Pooh and many others, walked through the territory of the cinema park.

    On the central square, children and parents took part in a fun concert program: they danced to the songs “Chunga-Changa” and “Babushki” from the cartoon “Three Cats”, did exercises, played with balloons and soap bubbles. They also recalled the words from the famous songs “Where Childhood Goes” and “The Mammoth’s Song”.

    In addition, during thematic master classes, children played drums in a music tent, created flower arrangements and drew their favorite characters. The most active young guests took part in tug-of-war games and building a wall using soft cubes.

    The aspiring actors played in the staged filming of the movie “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession”, which took place on the “Cathedral Square of Moscow” stage. Children and adults dressed up as Streltsy and courtiers and performed the scene of the tsar’s exposure.

    The Cowboy Town set hosted a shoot based on the fairy tale “Aibolit”. The participants dressed up as animals cured by the genius doctor and witnessed his joke: to save himself from the treacherous Barmaley, Aibolit had to give the villain castor oil.

    Moscow Cinema Universe

    The Moskino cinema park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s “Moscow – City of Cinema” project and an object of the Moscow cinema cluster, which is being developed by the capital Department of CultureThe first stage of creation has already been completed here: 24 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built, including the sets “Center of Moscow”, “Moscow in the 1940s”, “Vitebsk Station”, “Cathedral Square of Moscow”, “County Town”, “Cowboy Town”, “St. Petersburg Bar” and other sites.

    The Cinema Park is actively developing as a cultural and leisure venue. Exhibitions, master classes, lectures, meetings with famous actors and other events for Muscovites and guests of the capital are held here.

    The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino Film Park, the Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proyezd), the Moskino Film Factory, the Moskino Cinema Network, the Film Commission and the Moskino Film Platform.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154733073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Queensland government is cancelling renewable energy projects. Can the state still reach net zero?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute

    Johan Larson/Shutterstock

    On the surface, Queensland’s new government is doing exactly what it pledged before winning office in October – repealing the state’s ambitious renewable energy targets and cancelling a huge pumped hydro project near Mackay.

    But since the start of the year, the Crisafulli LNP government has gone further, and it’s less clear where it’s heading.

    Last week, the government abruptly cancelled the A$1 billion Moonlight Ridge wind farm proposal, citing insufficient consultation and a lack of community support.

    At the same time, the government announced it would open another 16,000 square kilometres of the state for gas exploration. The government is also planning to open new gas peaking plants and keep its coal plants open longer.

    So, is the Queensland government backsliding on renewables and climate change?

    The Crisafulli government is still committed to net zero by 2050. Because Queensland still owns its own transmission infrastructure and power plants, the state could shift to clean energy faster than other states. But at present, they don’t appear to be in a rush.

    Many solar farms have already been built in the Sunshine State.
    Lakeview Images/Shutterstock

    Slowdown under way

    Previous Labor governments in Queensland announced plans for large pumped hydro installations as a way to store energy to be available when intermittent wind and solar are not. The largest of these pumped hydro projects was the Pioneer-Burdekin proposal near Mackay, which the government has now canned.

    The Crisafulli government has also asked the Queensland Investment Corporation to examine the financial viability of two other major proposals, the Borumba pumped hydro scheme inland from the Sunshine Coast and the Copperstring transmission project linking Townsville and Mount Isa. This isn’t unusual – new governments often review projects announced by their predecessors.

    Another recent announcement is drawing stronger criticism, however. In April, the Crisafulli government announced plans to make sure large solar and wind farms have the social licence to operate. This, the government announced, would bring the “same rigorous approval processes as other major developments” to bear on renewables.

    If these plans become law, they are likely to make it substantially harder and slower to build large renewables projects.

    The cancellation of the Moonlight Ridge wind farm proposal is instructive. Of the 508 individuals who wrote in response to the development, only 142 were local. In his decision, planning minister Jarrod Bleijie noted: “the representations that I received evidence that the project has not acquired overriding community acceptance”.

    What’s being proposed looks messy. The peak body for renewables in Queensland is highly sceptical, while miners and farmers have also signalled concern.

    But while the Moonlight Ridge cancellation drew headlines, two other wind farm proposals have been approved after being asked to show they had consulted adequately.

    No is easy, yes is hard

    It’s easy to take office and reject the work of predecessors. It’s far harder to outline what will replace it.

    In contrast to other east coast states, Queensland has largely kept control of its sprawling electricity system. The government owns most large coal and gas power plants and all the transmission infrastructure.

    While the new government has indicated renewed support for private sector energy investment, it has provided support for government-owned corporations to develop new gas peaker plants. By contrast, there are very few proposals for new gas plants further south.

    In one sense, it’s no surprise Queensland’s new government has eased off on renewables. Its coal plants are relatively new, and largely owned by the government. This may reduce the urgency for developing a new energy plan, but only for a few years. Planning for a smooth energy transition is a major task, as demonstrated by southern states.

    The state has also profited hugely from gas exported from Gladstone. The government now receives around $1 billion from oil and gas royalties a year.

    Go-fast federally, go-slow at state?

    The thumping Labor majority at this year’s federal election means, at a national level, work on the clean energy transition will accelerate. But this transition is only possible if state and federal governments coordinate well.

    The responsibility for building and maintaining electricity systems in Australia largely falls to the states and territories. But managing large power grids on the east and west coasts requires national-level coordination.

    What the federal government can do, by and large, is set a goal and stump up the cash. As former Labor prime minister Paul Keating once quipped, “never get between a state premier and a bucket of money”.

    The federal government is running a funding program to support renewable generation and storage projects across the country. Three Queensland renewable projects have been approved under this program, including solar farms with battery storage.

    It’s hard to see the state government moving to block these projects.

    Where does this leave us?

    Queensland is signalling it’s not enthused about having an open gate for new renewable projects. Adding time consuming and expensive new consultation hurdles may cause prospective renewable developers to pack up and head south or west.

    Yet the policy’s strategic intent is unclear and is not necessarily against clean energy for the state. Many projects are already under way. The Crisafulli government has shown interest in smaller scale pumped hydro schemes as a way to store energy. And gas peaking plants will be a necessary evil in a high-renewables grid, acting like an emergency diesel generator for the rare periods without enough wind, sun or water.

    The big test will come later this year in the form of the state government’s five year energy plan. Will it deliver the investment to meet the net zero objective while maintaining affordable and reliable power? Right now, many in the clean energy industry are taking a wait-and-see attitude.

    Tony Wood may own shares through his superannuation in companies impacted by energy sector policies

    – ref. The Queensland government is cancelling renewable energy projects. Can the state still reach net zero? – https://theconversation.com/the-queensland-government-is-cancelling-renewable-energy-projects-can-the-state-still-reach-net-zero-257958

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: PNG’s Namah calls for tighter bio controls, patrols on Indonesian border

    By Scholar Kassas in Port Moresby

    A Papua New Guinea minister has raised concerns about “serious issues” at the PNG-Indonesia border due to a lack of proper security checkpoints.

    Culture and Tourism Minister Belden Namah, who is also the member for the border electorate Vanimo-Green, voiced these concerns while supporting a new Biosecurity for Plants and Animals Bill presented in Parliament by Agriculture Minister John Boito.

    He said Papua New Guinea was the only country in the Pacific Islands region that shared a land border with another nation.

    According to Namah, the absence of proper quarantine and National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA) checks at the border allowed people bringing food and plants from Indonesia to introduce diseases affecting PNG’s commodities.

    Minister Namah, whose electorate shares a border with Indonesia, noted that while the PNG Defence Force and police were present, they were primarily focused on checking vehicles coming from Indonesia instead of actively patrolling the borders.

    He clarified the roles, saying, “It’s NAQIA’s job to search vehicles and passengers, and the PNGDF’s role is to guard and patrol our borders.”

    Namah expressed concern that while bills were passed, enforcement on the ground was lacking.

    Minister Namah supported the PNG Biosecurity Authority Bill and called for consistency, increased border security, and stricter control checks.

    Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smucker Votes in Favor of One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

    WASHINGTON—Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It was approved in the House of Representatives by a vote of 215-214.

    “Last November, the American people gave President Trump and the Republican-led Congress a mandate for change. House Republicans today took a critical step to bring the transformative One Big Beautiful Bill closer to final passage. This bill will deliver for the American people by extending tax relief for hardworking families and small businesses, securing our border, unleashing American energy dominance, achieving peace through strength, and critically –making real, measurable reductions in federal spending. This bill secures more savings than any other reconciliation bill in American history – protecting families from both a historic tax hike and the hidden costs of unchecked federal borrowing. Passing this legislation will be a first step in righting our fiscal trajectory and I remain committed to the hard work ahead of addressing our $36 trillion and growing national debt,” said Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11). 

    Click to watch Rep. Smucker’s comments in support of the measure: 

    BACKGROUND ON THE ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT:

    Extending Tax Relief for Hardworking Families and Small Businesses, courtesy of the Committee on Ways and Means

    • Make permanent the lower tax rates and brackets for all taxpayers, the doubled guaranteed Standard Deduction, and the Child Tax Credit, preventing a $1,700 tax hike on PA-11 taxpayers providing for their families.
    • Increase the Child Tax Credit by $500 to combat Bidenflation.
    • Raise annual real wages by $2,100 to $3,300 per worker.
    • Increase real annual take-home pay for a median-income household with two children by roughly $4,000 to $5,000.
    • Provide tax relief for: overtime pay for hourly workers, cut taxes for tipped workers, and provide relief for seniors.
    • Expand and make permanent the 199A small business deduction to 23% – creating over 1 million new Main Street small business jobs and generating $750 billion in economic growth at American small businesses.
    • Protects family farms from the death tax that would threaten future generations of farmers. 

    Securing our Border

    • Makes significant investments in personnel, resources, and technology to maintain operational control of the border and enforce America’s immigration laws, building on President Trump’s administration’s immediate work to make America safer.
    • Hires 18,000 new personnel to enforce America’s immigration laws. 

    Unleashing American Energy Dominance 

    • Acts to ramp up American energy production including by cutting bureaucracy and streamlining permitting processes.
    • Ends wasteful spending and ineffective energy programs including those in the “Green New Deal.” 

    Achieving Peace Through Strength 

    • Invests in America’s arsenal to ensure our selfless servicemen and women continue to be the best equipped fighting force in the world ready to respond to any threat, including targeted investments in improving servicemember quality of life programs.
    • Expands naval capabilities, restocking of American munitions, supporting soldier readiness.
    • Defends America through the creation of a Golden Dome missile defense system and continued funding of nuclear deterrence programs. 

    Reductions in Federal Spending

    • Changes the way that Washington operates, delivering real reductions in federal spending—nearly $1.7 trillion in estimated mandatory savings.
    • Saves hundreds of billions through repeal of provisions in the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” passed during the Biden administration.

    Preserving And Protecting Critical Safety Net Programs and Encouraging Personal Accountability

    • Preserves critical programs like Medicaid for those truly in need.
    • Roots out waste, fraud, and abuse of federal safety net programs to ensure they remain accessible to those in need.
    • Implements and strengthens common sense work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP, ensuring that able bodied unemployed individuals contribute or make efforts to better themselves.
    • Ensures states cannot support illegal immigrants through Medicaid.

    This legislation is fiscally responsible: 

    • The $4.12 trillion estimated cost of the legislation is more than fully offset by:
      • Nearly $1.7 trillion in estimated mandatory savings, slowing the rate of growth of future spending.
      • $2.6 trillion in expected revenue resulting from a growing economy.  

    According to the White House Council of Economic Advisors, the legislation will: 

    • Boost the level of short-run real GDP by 3.3 to 3.8 percent and long-run real GDP by 2.6 to 3.2 percent.
    • Raise annual real wages by $2,100 to $3,300 per worker.
    • Increase real annual take-home pay for a median-income household with two children by roughly $4,000 to $5,000.
    • Save over 4 million full-time equivalent jobs from being destroyed.
    • Facilitate $100 billion of investment in distressed communities.

    The legislation contains provisions authored by Rep. Smucker, including: 

    • Permanent Tax Relief and Certainty for Small Businesses: Permanently increasing and enhancing the small business tax deduction, known as Section 199A of the tax code. Smucker’s Main Street Tax Certainty Act has the support of 187 Members of the House and the legislation has broad support among stakeholders in PA-11 and across the nation.  
       
    • Expanded Support for Individuals with Disabilities Using ABLE Accounts: Smucker’s bipartisan ENABLE Act to allow individuals with disabilities and their families to save and invest in tax-advantaged accounts without jeopardizing their eligibility for essential federal support programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, is included making these tax provisions permanent. 
       
    • Improved Access to Primary Care: The Ways and Means Committee’s proposals include Smucker’s Primary Care Enhancement Act, which would clarify provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to remove barriers for individuals with Health Savings Accounts from using those funds to access Direct Primary Care, a health care delivery model which provides high-quality care at lower cost for individuals of all ages and incomes across America.

    # # # 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Davids Stands with Kansans to Oppose Devastating GOP Cuts to Medicaid, Food Assistance

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a virtual press conference to call out the devastating impact of House Republicans’ budget — particularly its deep cuts to Medicaid. The partisan budget, backed by President Trump, would also slash emergency food assistance and programs hardworking Kansans rely on every day to pay for more than $1 trillion in tax giveaways for billionaires and large corporations.

    “We should be focused on cutting waste and making life more affordable for Kansans,” said Davids. “Instead, this partisan budget does the exact opposite — rips away health care and food assistance from the people who need it most. Kansans deserve policies that invest in the middle class, not ones that line the pockets of billionaires at their expense. That’s why I’m fighting to protect Medicaid, preserve critical programs, and stand up for hardworking families across our state.”

    WATCH: Davids hosts press conference with Kansans affected by Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts

    At today’s press conference, Davids was joined by Kansans directly impacted by proposed Medicaid cuts in the Republican budget. Mark and Patty Hink spoke about their son Brian, who relies on Medicaid for critical services and medications provided at a disability services provider in Overland Park. Samantha Denzin Armistead shared how her brother Connor, an adult with intellectual disabilities, depends on KanCare’s Home and Community Based Services to attend day programs that give him purpose and stability. Corey Craig, CEO of Monarch Hospice & Palliative Care, provided insight into how these cuts would harm health care providers and seniors across the state.

    President Trump and U.S. House Republicans are pushing a budget that would make the largest cuts to Medicaid and emergency food assistance in American history — all to fund more than $1 trillion in tax giveaways for billionaires. These extreme cuts would force Kansans to pay more to put food on the table and stay healthy.

    • Cuts to Health Care: The Joint Economic Committee estimates that more than 16,000 people in Kansas’ Third District would lose health care coverage under this bill — including 13,000 through the Affordable Care Act and another 3,000 through Medicaid. These cuts would lead to more hospital closures, reduced services, and worse care for all Kansas families, especially in rural communities, where more than half of hospitals are already at risk of shutting down.
    • Cuts to Food Access: In Kansas’ Third District alone, 8,000 households could lose access to the emergency food assistance they rely on through this bill. Also, up to 27,000 grocery stores nationwide may be forced to close due to lost revenue, worsening food deserts, especially in rural communities. These cuts would reduce farm income by more than $30 billion and threaten good-paying jobs.

    To fight back against this reckless and harmful budget that will raise costs, Davids introduced a series of amendments early this morning. Her goal is to protect Kansas families and bring common sense and stability back to our economy and government. Davids’ original amendments include:

    • Health Care
    • Agriculture
      • Animal Disease Protection: Stops job cuts at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, which protects farmers and food from dangerous animal diseases.
      • Tariff Study: Requires the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study how U.S. tariffs hurt farmers, from higher supply costs to lost market access.
    • Research
      • Medical Research Funding: Unfreezes all National Institutes of Health (NIH) research money and protects existing medical research contracts, including at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.
      • Science Grants: Makes the National Science Foundation (NSF) keep its promises and funding for science projects already approved and signed, including at public universities in Kansas.
    • Jobs
      • Manufacturing Partnerships: Ensures Kansas Manufacturing Solutions and similar groups keep getting federal support each year.
      • Energy Assistance Program: Saves jobs and funding for the team that runs Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps families pay heating and cooling bills.
      • Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit: Protects the 45X tax credit that domestic manufacturers use to help build clean energy technology and create good-paying jobs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Vale Nick Trandos

    Source: South Australia Police

    The Cities of Joondalup and Wanneroo offer their sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Nick Trandos OAM JP, who has passed away, aged 90.

    Nick leaves a legacy of leadership and service to Wanneroo and Joondalup, highlighted by his prominent roles in the development of Hillarys Boat Harbour and the Mitchell Freeway extension to Ocean Reef Road in 1988.

    His fundraising and lobbying played a large part in securing two major projects that would transform the district.

    Born in Kefalari, Greece in 1934, Nick came to rural Wanneroo in 1949 with his family, where he finished his schooling before working in the family vegetable garden.

    He started in local government in 1960 on the Wanneroo Road Board and served 24 years as an elected member in Wanneroo between 1960 – 1966 and again from 1970 to 1988.

    The last President of the Shire of Wanneroo and the first Mayor of the City of Wanneroo, Nick represented the Council on the Joondalup Development Corporation, which was established in 1976 to oversee the development of Joondalup City Centre.

    Nick was a staunch advocate of the Joondalup City Centre concept and closely involved in Wanneroo Council decisions that would impact the future direction of Joondalup.

    Active outside of local government, he founded Olympic Kingsway Sports Club and was twice club President and served as President of the WA Market Gardeners’ Association for 25 years and National President of the Australian Vegetable Growers’ Federation (1983-85).

    An Honorary Freeman of both Joondalup and Wanneroo, Nick was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for community service in 1988.

    Remembered as a man with great vision and community spirit, Nick’s first and deepest love was always his family.  He will be sorely missed.

    Vale Nick Trandos. Thank you for all you have done for our region. May you rest in peace.  

    Linda Aitken, Wanneroo Mayor

    Albert Jacob, Joondalup Mayor

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, B&B Gates & Supply

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: B&B Gates & Supply of Lyon County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “The Pollema family has built B&B Gates & Supply on a foundation of community, craftsmanship, and care—creating American-made products paired with excellent customer service,” said Chair Ernst. “What began in an unheated shop has grown into a thriving family business, dedicated to keeping family farms and clients across the Midwest gated and moo-ving livestock where they need to go.”  
    In 1996, hog and cattle farmers Barry and Patty Pollema started B&B Gates & Supply on their family farm in Doon, Iowa. The business steadily grew from a part-time operation into a full-service livestock gates manufacturer. Due to its growth, the B&B Gates & Supply moved its operation into a 50,000-square-foot facility along Highway 75 in 2021. That same year, they built a retail store that served as a one-stop shop for agricultural necessities. Today, the family business has grown to employ more than 34 team members, with several of Barry and Patty’s children taking on key roles in the business. This year, B&B Gates & Supply will celebrate its 29th anniversary.
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Is a Guest on Univision 41

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on Univision 41 with Mariela Salgado. The Governor spoke on the detrimental effects of the Trump administration’s federal cuts on the State of New York, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and congestion pricing.

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: Governor, I think the economy is always a factor. We look from the pandemic; it’s been a cycle that’s been affecting everybody — not only New Yorkers, but the entire country — and there’s uncertainty. You just approved your Budget, it’s been approved. Congratulations about that.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you, thank you.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: There’s a lot of things that people are going to see right away in their pockets. Thinking as a parent, I think about the lunch they’re going to see in schools immediately; more possibilities with child care, that’s something that parents are going to see right away. Beautiful.

    We have to wait for the child credit, and, correct me if I’m wrong, one thing that there’s confusion, and I would like clarification on that, people ask me on the streets — I’m a news reporter, so I’m always on the road, “When are we getting the checks, the inflation checks?” Can you give us clarity on that?

    Governor Hochul: My vision for the State and lifting families up who have been hit so hard with our current economy was to put more money back in their pockets. In fact, I said, “Your family is my fight,” and within that, we decided to focus intensely on affordability. And, as you mentioned, there’s a $1,000 tax credit for every child under the age of four, $500 for older children. So that’s money back in parents’ pockets when they file their taxes next year.

    We have the largest middle class tax cut in the last 70 years — that’s money back in their pockets when they do their taxes; and also covering the cost of school lunches and breakfasts — that’s, on average, about $1,600 per child in each family.

    And you mentioned the inflation rebates, and this is so important. I’ve gone to bodegas, I’ve gone to grocery stores, I’ve gone all over shopping with moms. I’m a mom, I know what it’s like to try to use the coupons and make things stretch. That’s going to be $400 in many family’s pockets — it’s starting this fall.

    So when they’re getting ready for back-to-school shopping or trying to get ready for the holidays. I know that’s an important time. So all of this is being rolled out, but you know what it adds up to? About $5,000 back in families’ pockets at a time when, as you said, the economy is really challenging and people are worried about whether tariffs from the federal administration.

    What does a tariff mean? It’s a tax. It increases the prices of everything. And our residents have been hit so hard with COVID, and inflation and now the worry that there’s going to be — the shelves will be empty when it comes time for Christmas shopping. So families are under duress, stress, and my job as the first Mom Governor is to understand that — I do understand it, but also how can I relieve that stress?

    And so, I’m glad you asked because I want people to know that help is on its way.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: It’s coming now? This fall?

    Governor Hochul: Yes.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: That’s great — people were thinking it was next year. So I’m going to mention tariffs because I was jumping to that too because everything is kind of weaving together. Trump administration being on a legal battle right now trying to impose tariffs in other countries, and this is — even though the court international trade has said that he didn’t have the — he doesn’t have the power to do so to kind of control commerce, but his lawyers claim that there is an emergency at the national level, economic emergency, and it needs to be done and that creates uncertainty, in a way.

    And we would like to know how you feel about that — do you agree with President Trump and do you see any impact in New York State in our economy because of tariffs?

    Governor Hochul: Seeing very much an impact in New York State, and I’ll give you a few examples. First of all, New York City gets much of its produce, it’s a grocery, it’s food from Upstate farmers. Upstate New York farmers are paying more for everything because of the tariffs, so our own products for the grocery store are going to be more expensive.

    People are not coming to our city who are — Canadians are coming from Europe; our tourism is starting to decline and that’s going to help start to affect not just our tourism, but also, people would be shopping in stores and helping the economy get stronger by their sales and sales tax revenues that we collect.

    So we can feel the effect all over that. I think there’ll be a shortage of supplies and shortages of commodities and products that we get from places like China because it’s going to be just too expensive, and either the retailers won’t buy the product and put it on the shelves or the prices will be higher. That’s going to happen as a direct result of the Trump tariffs and I support some targeted tariffs to make sure that we’re not being taken advantage of —

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: Right because eventually, wouldn’t more tariffs, the taxes — wouldn’t that help us eventually? As far as income for the United States.

    Governor Hochul: That’s assuming that everything made offshore will come back and be made in the United States — everything. We’re focused on the economy that has good paying jobs, lifts people up, keeps people not struggling around the poverty line, but really helps families be able to pay for their rent and — if they’re able to, fortunate to have a house — pay for the mortgage, and utilities and child care.

    But I don’t see a lot of those jobs coming back here; I really don’t see that happening as a result of this. Just look back to where this economy was back in December, early January. Economists around the world say, “We’re in really good shape right now.” People’s 401-ks were in better shape, people’s savings were better, prices were starting to see a turn downward. And all of a sudden with these tariffs that just sent chaos into the global market, sent chaos into the stores, sent chaos into everyone’s lives, and that’s what we’re trying to process right now, but it’s going to have a very negative impact on New York families. That’s why we’re sounding the alarm about it.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: And the way you do your following Budgets, would that have an impact on your Budget as well?

    Governor Hochul: Yeah, of course. Of course. It’s going to reduce our revenues that come into the State, and we fund $254 billion worth of services — that’s everything from covering Medicaid, which, as you know in Washington, is very much jeopardized.

    Our health care is going to be very negatively impacted, and one out of three New York residents receive Medicaid right now. It’s mostly little kids and senior citizens in nursing homes, and they’re slashing so much money that people are going to lose health care. Some of our safety net hospitals, whether it’s in the Bronx or Brooklyn — where I was yesterday — they’re going to lose the support they need to stay alive, and as a result, even people who are not on Medicaid won’t have a hospital to go to — their services will be cut.

    So there’s this huge ripple effect on everyday lives. It’s going to affect our Budgets when we try to do what we can with less revenue coming in and less money from the federal government. With Medicaid alone, they’re planning to cut $13.5 billion from the State of New York, $3 billion cut from our hospitals. Our hospitals need that federal money and Washington is turning their back on our residents — and basically, it’s Robin Hood in reverse. They’re taking money from the poor to give tax breaks for the very wealthiest and I am so opposed to that and all New Yorkers I believe should stand with us and oppose that.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: Well, that was my next question that you mentioned actually, that over seven million New Yorkers are enrolled in Medicaid and about a third are children, as you were talking about. My understanding is that the Big Beautiful Bill is aiming to put new restrictions because the Trump administration really wants to make sure that people are using it accordingly but people are going to lose some of their services. So, what can New York do to help them? Why is it a problem for people to work and have hours put in? Why is that going to cancel their services? Why is that going to leave them without Medicaid?

    Governor Hochul: What the Republicans have done in the House of Representatives and supported by seven Republicans from the State of New York who were voting against the interest of their own constituents — that passed, it has major cuts to Medicaid and it is not just about people working. But we have the majority of people on Medicaid do go out and earn a paycheck every day; it just doesn’t give them enough money, their wages are just too low, and so they need Medicaid. It doesn’t mean they’re not working.

    But, on the other hand, I can’t expect little kids to work; I can’t expect a senior citizen getting care in a nursing home to work. I mean, it’s absolutely unreal. People with disabilities? They can’t work. So they’ve made up this whole dynamic. We’re saying, “We won’t cut your services. We’re just going after the work issue and making them work.”

    That’s not what the challenge is. They’re cutting money to fund tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, and it’s just wrong. It’s cruel and it hurts the most vulnerable. And this program has been in place for over 60 years and it’s lifted people up and gives them the dignity of health care — everybody deserves it. It’s going to create havoc, real problems in the State of New York, because so many people use this primary form of health insurance.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: Is there any place from the Budget that you can take to supplement that?

    Governor Hochul: We received $93 billion every year in support from the federal government. There is no state in this country that can make up for all those cuts; and it’s not just Medicaid — it is education cuts, it is child care, it is nutrition programs. At the same time, I’m trying to cover the cost of lunches and breakfast, and put money back in people’s pockets. They’re making it impossible, harder to survive for struggling families, and that is what is so wrong about this and why here in the State of New York, our view is completely different. I know who I’m fighting for — I’m fighting for New York families and families that start out struggling, but are here because they want to live the American dream and get a chance to get ahead. The federal government is standing in our way.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: I have to touch immigration quickly, Governor, because the Trump administration have cut the DPS which was put in by the Biden administration. Hundreds of thousands benefit from that and now we’re seeing ICE agents waiting for people who are trying to do their appointments, hearings and we’re seeing people being arrested. What is your take on that? And also, do you agree this being a tool to deport people? And what do you also think about Mayor Adams’ participation in all the plans that the Trump administration has, because some people are considering that a betrayal to the immigrant community?

    Governor Hochul: What the ICE agents are doing right now is contrary to what Donald Trump said when he was running for office and what Republicans said when they got elected and now control both Houses in Washington. They said they were only going after the “worst of the worst” criminals: serious offenders, the murderers, the rapists. We want those individuals removed and the State of New York will cooperate with ICE in those cases where you show there’s a warrant, or a subpoena or a court order that says, “These individuals have committed these crimes here or in their home country, and all immigrant communities would want them removed to keep us safer.”

    But they weren’t supposed to go after the people that are working in our bodegas, and working in health care — home health care aids — working in agriculture all around the state, just struggling to lift up their own families. And I think it’s important that they’re really tricking, people that are following the rules, were granted legal status with temporary protective status — many Venezuelans, in particular. They came here with the promise of a legal status while they applied for asylum, and now they took that away from them and left them here without a legal basis for being here, and now they’re exposed and vulnerable.

    And those who are checking in, going down to immigration officers and saying, “Here I am. I’m doing what you require me to do as I’m on that path to hopefully receive asylum.” They’re setting up traps for them and I’m so appalled by this that there’s families being separated, people who did nothing, teenagers pulled from their mothers and sent to a country that they were never raised in as older children.

    With respect to the City of New York, I can’t address that. All I know is that our policies in New York State are rock solid. We’ll help you, ICE, with serious offenders, remove them. Someone serves time in a prison for a crime, they’re removed at the end — but short of that? Those who are here to live the American dream, they’re already here.

    Yes, we don’t want open borders. We don’t want open borders, but can we find a path to legitimate citizenship for those who have already arrived? Can we just do that? It shows our compassion. We have the Statue of Liberty in our harbor. That’s a symbol of our values as New Yorkers. And what is happening now — it’s shocking at a scale that people are living in the shadows, living in fear, afraid to go to school, afraid to go to churches, afraid to go shopping and this is not the America people were promised.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: You had a victory with congestion pricing, at least in courts, but you do have a relationship with President Trump. How would you grade that? How is your relationship with him in that issue and other issues?

    Governor Hochul: When the President was first elected, I knew my responsibility was to always put New Yorkers first, and that means at least having an open door, a relationship with the President and his administration on areas where we can find common ground. For example, Penn Station: that is a building that should be magnificent, it should be welcoming, it should be something that we’re proud of, but it takes billions of dollars to renovate it and bring it back to life and I’ve worked with President Trump to get that moving ahead — that is actually happening.

    But there’s areas where I said, “I’ll work on infrastructure and bringing money back to New York, but if you attack our values, everything we stand for as New Yorkers, then I’ll be in conflict with you. I’ll have to stand up and fight against you.” And, so, it’s a complicated relationship. I will work when it’s to the advantage of New Yorkers and good for them, but I’ll also stand up and say, “No, that’s wrong, and we’re not going to cooperate.” So we’ll see how it unfolds over the next few years.

    Mariela Salgado, Univision 41: Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural leader on a mission to help farmers minimise waste

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    The focus of the workshops will be about getting farmers to think about their purchasing decisions. Instead of opting for products that could be wasted after a single use, she is encouraging farmers to choose sustainable products with Agrecovery stickers signalling they’re part of a recycling scheme.

    Trish said her biggest hope is that after finishing a workshop, people would leave with the confidence to make one decision a month towards minimising and managing waste.

    “This month it might be Fun Day Friday, where you take a load to the recycling depot and have a fish and chip lunch with your workers. That’s one change, and then next month you might look at doing something with your silage or baleage wrap or composting.”

    Taranaki dairy farmer Trish Rankin is running workshops across Waitaha to help farmers minimise waste

    From monthly skip bins to recycling pro

    In 2017, Trish and Glen were sharemilking in Taranaki when they started noticing they had a skip bin of waste collected every month.

    “I started to think — ‘how do we have this much rubbish on the farm, and it’s all going to landfill, there must be another option’.”

    In 2019, through the Kellogg Leadership Programme, Trish began researching waste minimisation on farms and how a circular economy model could be developed in New Zealand.

    She found growing requirements for manufacturers of on-farm products to be a part of a recovery scheme.

    The missing link was that many farmers still didn’t know what they could recycle and how, because it hadn’t been well communicated, she said.

    “The great thing about the workshops is people can share solutions. It’s not me telling people what to do—someone might have a solution for tractor batteries and someone else might know more about recycling bale wrap. That way we can learn from each other.”  

    Trish said many farmers were unaware they were already paying a product recovery levy.

    “Let’s just say I buy a $1000 drum of alkaline. $75 of that might be a levy to get that collected, but you don’t know you’ve paid that and instead you’re paying more money to get it collected in your skip bin,” she said.

    Farmers are trying to do better

    There were many changes people could make to better our environment and sometimes that could feel overwhelming, which was why Trish suggested focusing on one goal at a time.

    “The ‘should be’ list can be very long in farming. You ‘should be’ doing better for your animals, for your people, for your climate. Sharing knowledge and experiences farmer-to-farmer, and breaking it down, is empowering,” Trish said.

    More information

    View rural waste workshop event details and learn how to safely dispose of chemicals and reduce and recycle plastic and other on-farm waste on our rural waste prevention and management webpage.

    RSVP: To attend the Christchurch CBD event, hosted by us at our Turam St office, register via our

    online form or email us at events@ecan.govt.nz by Monday 16 June.

    Workshops outside of Christchurch are being organised by catchment groups in the region. You can contact them directly for more details:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Farmer satisfaction with banks better – but fragile

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Farmers are feeling more satisfied with their banks, pointing to improved communication and less ‘undue pressure’, Federated Farmers’ latest Banking Survey shows.
    “It’s good to see things are improving but farmers’ trust in their banks is still fragile,” Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre says.
    “Where farmers have given positive feedback in the survey, it’s usually about their individual managers, not bank policy.
    “When those individual staff leave, that trust can erode quickly.”
    Nearly 700 farmers responded to the May survey, with 60% of them ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their bank.
    That’s up from 53% in Federated Farmers’ November 2024 survey but well shy of the 80% peak rating recorded in 2017.
    “It’s helped that over the last year banks have been grilled by the select committee inquiry on banking competition that Federated Farmers pushed for,” McIntyre says.
    “There has been a lot of scrutiny and banks have definitely been feeling the pressure, so it’s good to see them start to lift their game as a result.”
    In the survey, 61% of farmers rated their bank’s communication as good or very good – the best result since 2020.
    Just on 18% of farmers said they were feeling undue bank pressure, down from 24% six months earlier and the lowest rating recorded since 2018.
    “Many farmers said bank pressure has eased over the past six to 12 months, with some noting their bank had become more understanding or backed off earlier demands,” McIntyre says.
    “However, for those still under pressure, the situation remains serious.
    “A few farmers shared difficult stories with us, including being forced out of farming altogether.”
    One farmer said: “We’ve sold the farm. If the bank had been more understanding, things might have been different.”
    The survey shows interest rates on farm mortgages have also eased by about 1% since late 2024 to an average of 6.52%.
    “Even so, we’re still very concerned that, compared with average residential mortgage interest rates, farm mortgage interest rates are around 0.92% higher – and were about 1.12% higher late last year,” McIntyre says.
    From 2016 until 2021, the margin of difference hovered between about 0.6% and 0.35%.
    “These don’t seem like big differences, but when total agricultural lending is around $61 billion, a 1% margin difference puts $600 million of extra interest costs on the sector each year.
    “It’s crazy how much more money farmers are having to shell out to the banks in interest payments.
    “Part of the problem is the unnecessarily conservative Reserve Bank capital requirements, and the recent decision to review those settings is very welcome,” McIntyre says.
    “What we desperately need as well is stronger competition among banks in the rural sector. That would really help lower costs for farmers and drive better bank performance.”
    In the open comment section of the May survey, many farmers said they were still paying far too much in interest.
    Several expressed frustration that banks were quick to hike rates, but slow to pass on savings when the OCR falls.
    “OCR drops come through like a feather. Increases hit like a brick,” one said.
    The May survey also found that just under 20% of farmers said their bank has inquired about their farm’s emissions profile or environmental footprint as part of loan requirements.
    Westpac and ASB were much more likely to ask such questions, at 32% and 40% respectively.
    “Federated Farmers’ view is that our democratically elected Government is the correct body to be setting emissions and environmental policy, not banks,” McIntyre says.
    “Farmers are closely watching what’s happening with Bills passing through Parliament, promoted by MPs Andy Foster and Mark Cameron, that would rein in banks’ ability to make lending decisions on non-commercial grounds.”
    Foster’s proposed law would prohibit banks from refusing loans or services purely for environmental or emissions reasons. May survey responses show 70% of farmers support such a law (18% oppose, 12% unsure).
    Other key findings from the survey:
    Farm Debt Levels: 84% of farmers surveyed have a mortgage. The average mortgage in the survey was $4.7 million, compared to $4.4 million six months ago.
    Overdraft Use Declining: Only 76% of farms now have an overdraft facility, down from 88% a decade ago.
    Overdraft Limits: Average overdraft limits have risen to $349,000. Arable farms saw the largest increase (from $500k to $718k).
    Overdraft Interest Rates: Rates have dropped. The average is now 9.0%, down from 10.0%. Rabobank offers the lowest (7.3%), while BNZ remains highest (9.7%).
    Efficiency Concerns: 19% of farmers feel their bank isn’t allowing them to structure debt as efficiently as possible – down slightly from 23% in November. Rabobank and ANZ performed best; Westpac performed worst.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation

    Senators to DOI Acting Inspector General: “We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, joined his ENR colleagues in urging U.S. Department of the Interior Acting Inspector General (IG) Caryl Brzymialkiewicz to evaluate the consequences of the Trump Administration’s workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The Senators warned that these cuts are preventing the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress, including supporting essential water infrastructure projects in California and across the West.
    According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants — approximately 25 percent of the agency’s entire workforce — since the Trump Administration began its assault on the federal workforce in January. Additionally, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request proposes a $600 million (34 percent) cut to BOR funding, jeopardizing important water infrastructure projects.
    “Recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity,” wrote the Senators.
    BOR is the largest wholesale water supplier in the United States — operating many critical California water management projects and delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people and 10 million acres of farmland. The farmland managed by BOR produces over 60 percent of the nation’s vegetables and more than 25 percent of its fruits and nuts.
    BOR is also the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operates generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year.
    The Senators expressed concern over the lack of strategy and harm to public safety that these workforce reductions pose.
    “Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety,” continued the Senators.
    “BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions,” added the Senators.
    The Senators concluded by pushing the IG to investigate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR prevent the Bureau from carrying out its obligations. The letter was led by ENR Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and signed by fellow ENR Democratic members U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Earlier this year, Senators Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) pushed the Department of the Interior to prevent further federal workforce cuts to BOR, warning of the devastating effects of these reductions on water supply systems in California and across the nation. In that letter, Padilla and Schiff highlighted three vital water projects that depend on the expertise of Reclamation staff for managing water in the West: the Klamath Project, the Central Valley Project (CVP), and the Lower Colorado Regional Office. In the face of public pressure from the Senators and 14 California water officials, BOR paused a planned additional round of workforce cuts. Padilla and Schiff previously urged the Department of the Interior to immediately stop its freeze of Inflation Reduction Act funding for the Lower Colorado River System Conservation and Efficiency Program, which is managed by BOR.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Acting Inspector General Brzymialkiewicz:
    We write to request that your office evaluate the extent to which workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (“Bureau” or “BOR”) prevent the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress. The Bureau is the largest wholesaler of water in the United States—delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people. The Bureau is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operate generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year. However, recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity.
    According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants since the administration began its assault on the federal workforce. The positions reportedly eliminated include mechanics, engineers, and fish biology specialists—personnel with considerable expertise. Through firings of probational workers, buyouts, early retirements, and other related actions, BOR has shrunk by 25 percent. This workforce reduction has lacked a coherent, mission- and safety- driven strategy and instead led to the departure of experienced personnel—some with over 20 years of experience—leaving the Bureau susceptible to operational disruptions.
    Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety. BOR manages over 450 dams throughout 17 western states. Previously, BOR’s dam safety program identified over 300 high and significant hazard dams at more than 200 facilities. The age and complex nature of dam systems necessitates having experienced staff trained in the operation of such systems. In fact, as your office identified in a September 2023 report, approximately 90 percent of BOR’s dams are more than 50 years old and “[a]ging dams increase the risk of dam failures.” BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions.
    Your office is responsible for promoting “accountability, integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within” the DOI and identifying “ways to improve the DOI’s programs and operations by offering specific, actionable recommendations that lead to positive change.” We therefore urge you to evaluate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR inhibit the Bureau from carrying out its obligations.
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nimanode Positions To Become The OpenSea of AI Agents On XRP Blockchain – Presale Momentum Accelerates

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Excitement is building across the XRP community as Nimanode ($NMA), the first AI agent platform on the XRP Ledger, positions itself as the premier destination for intelligent automation within the Ripple ecosystem.

    Amid growing bullish sentiment around XRP — driven by XRP Futures trading going live seasoned investors from major ecosystems like Cardano ($ADA) and Solana ($SOL), are turning their attention to the Nimanode Presale, eager to secure early exposure to what many see as a foundational layer for on-chain AI infrastructure.

    Pioneering AI Agents on XRP

    Nimanode is strategically emerging as the leading marketplace and launch platform for autonomous AI agents on the XRP Ledger. Just as OpenSea redefined digital ownership through NFTs, Nimanode is redefining utility through AI agents that work, evolve, and earn on-chain.

    Designed specifically to offer a no-code gateway to intelligent, on-chain automation at scale. Nimanode offers services from solo builders to enterprises — to deploy intelligent agents that automate smart contracts, optimize DeFi strategies, assess protocol risk, and manage tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

    This transformative model brings a new dimension to DeFi and AI adoption in the XRP ecosystem, by combining modular AI technology with XRPL’s unmatched speed and low transaction costs, opening up a new era of AI x Blockchain, with real monetization potential built into every deployment.

    Join Nimanode Presale

    Why Investors are Flocking to The Nimanode Presale

    The presale surge has captured the attention of prominent crypto investors including notable whales from the BNB, ADA and SOL communities. All looking to position themselves early in what many believe could be the next DeFi breakout project.

    From the desk of the development team at Nimanode, they are set to deliver an Agentic workforce handling various tasks autonomously. Features of these ecosystem include but not limited to

    Zero-Code Agent Builder – Easily create and configure AI agents through a drag-and-drop interface

    Autonomous Execution – Agents perform on-chain tasks, react to data feeds, and interact across dApps

    Agent Marketplace – Build, deploy and monetize AI agents within a Nimanode ecosystem

    XRPL Integration – High-speed, low-cost, and eco-friendly infrastructure to power scalable agent activity

    $NMA Token – Powering the Nimanode Ecosystem

    The native $NMA token is the backbone of the Nimanode platform, unlocking utility and benefits across their ecosystem through:

    • Agent Deployment: Lower fees for launching and customizing AI agents.
    • Staking Rewards: Earn passive income by staking $NMA tokens.
    • Marketplace Access: Use $NMA to buy, license, or upgrade agents.
    • Governance: Participate in DAO proposals and help shape platform evolution.

    At the end of the presale, $NMA will list on DEXs at a 25% higher price, offering early participants immediate upside on their investments.

    How to Join The Nimanode Presale

    Joining in the NimaNode Presale is quite straightforward for anyone seasoned investors and newbies alike.

    Setup an XRP-Compatible Wallet: Ensure you have a non-custodial wallet capable of receiving XRP native tokens like Xaman Wallet.

    Purchase XRP: Acquire XRP from reputable exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Bybit.

    Participate in the Presale: Visit the NimaNode presale page (https://nimanode.com/presale), send your XRP to the provided presale address, and secure your $NMA tokens.

    The last cycle gave us DeFi protocols and NFTs. This cycle is shaping up to be about autonomous infrastructure and Nimanode is at the heart of it.

    Don’t Miss Out – Secure your $NMA Tokens

    Learn more about Nimanode

    Website: https://nimanode.com

    Twitter/X: https://x.com/nimanodeai

    Telegram: https://t.me/nimanodeAI

    Whitepaper: https://docs.nimanode.com

    Contact:
    Nick Lambert
    contact@nimanode.com

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by Nimanode. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/675f22df-2345-47a3-9ac2-1187fab5183a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newhouse Demands Accountability in Regional EPA Office

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Newhouse Demands Accountability in Regional EPA Office

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin requesting an investigation into communications between anti-agriculture activist organizations and federal civil service employees. 

    “I am writing today to request you investigate collaboration between environmental activist groups and career staff that has appeared to permeate throughout the Region 10 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office in Seattle, Washington,” Rep. Newhouse wrote. 

    “The purpose of the federal government is to provide Americans with essential services, including navigating the complex regulatory burden placed on farmers. This coordination is appalling and should be investigated; if career staff did in fact coordinate with activists to target farmers, then those staff are not worthy of a taxpayer-funded salary.” 

    Earlier this year, the Cow Palace dairy in Yakima County, Washington, closed its doors after years of litigation from the EPA. This follows the closure of Liberty Dairy, also in Yakima County, in the fall of 2024. 

    Dan Wood, Executive Director, Washington State Dairy Federation, said “We appreciate efforts by Rep. Newhouse to bring appropriate review of years-long suspect behavior by certain EPA staff. Activists, their attorneys, EPA staff, and DOJ staff have been coordinating together to drive animal agriculture out of business.  They have changed science reports, coordinated legal strategies, and hidden public documents. This sort of waste, fraud, and abuse needs to be brought to light and ended. Government at all levels must act with integrity, work within the bounds of laws for accountability, and refrain from carrying activist agendas.” 

    Ben Tindall, Executive Director, Save Family Farming, said “Washington state’s farmers have waited far too long for accountability from the EPA. While rogue officials in Region 10 have run unchecked, family farms and rural communities—especially in Central Washington—have suffered real and lasting harm. We are grateful to Congressman Newhouse for raising this issue directly to the top leadership in Washington DC. His efforts are an important step toward exposing and ending the abuse of power that has gone on for years behind closed doors.” 

    Read the full letter here. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra’s best burgers, as voted by you

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Here are the results:

    There’s a new food van on the block, and it’s serving up delicious American-style burgers.

    The ‘Oklahoma smash’ beef burger and fried chicken burger have our mouths watering.

    The burger van is popping up at various locations and markets around Canberra, so keep an eye out on their social media channels for their next stop.

    Made with fresh local ingredients, this burger joint is a Canberra favourite.

    The menu has plenty of variety. Pick from their signature beef or chicken burgers or upgrade both to a deluxe with bacon. Plant-based eaters can enjoy the ‘BrodVeg’ made with a house-made veggie patty.

    Brodburgers are decent in size, so arrive hungry!

    This burger spot caters for villains of all sizes.

    If you’re after a regular size burger, go for their traditional chicken and beef options, or one of the vegetarian options including halloumi or veggie patties.

    If you’re feeling hungrier (or more evil) than usual, they have ‘super villain’ burger options. They also have a ‘small villain’ option for the kids.

    Northsiders are loving BZ Burger’s menu.

    From traditional beef and chicken burgers to wild turkey-maple glazed fried chicken, halloumi and prawn burgers – they’ve got something for all burger-lovers.

    With it’s vibing beer garden and American style-menu, Greasy’s is a local favourite.

    You can’t go past their classic ‘Greasy’ beef burger or the southern-fried chicken burger. They also have a vegan-burger option.

    Hot tip: on Tuesdays, you can get a free drink with any burger.

    You can find Grill’d venues on northside and southside.

    They have a range of burger fillings, buns and sauces to choose from including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

    This burger spot in Dickson has an extensive burger menu.

    Pick from traditional beef and chicken burgers to pulled meat or vegetarian options like their mushroom burger.

    They also have snack sized burgers as a lighter option, or for those feeling hungrier – a 1kg burger!

    Awesome chips and awesome burgers.

    Kingsley’s offer single and double fillet chicken burgers, as well as schnitzel and tender burgers.

    Seasonings include tandoori, Cajun and southern fry.

    This old school takeaway shop is so good, it’s been listed in the Good Food Guide.

    They have many burgers to choose from. Some menu highlights include their ‘Cheesy McCheese Face’ beef burger, chilli fish burger and the halloumi burger with pesto.

    Plus, they have a video game machine and pinball machine to keep you entertained while you wait for your food.

    Milky Lane’s burger menu is packed full of deliciousness and hip-hop flair.

    Burgers include ‘Big Poppa’, a towering stack of wagyu beef, maple-smoked bacon, American cheese, and truffle aioli, and ‘Lil Weezy’, which features southern fried chicken, mac & cheese patties, and creamy ranch dressing.

    Patty Smith’s menu is a celebration of bold flavours and Australian produce.

    Highlights include the ‘Kickin’ Chicken burger’ made with a chicken fillet, slaw, tomato, and their OG hot sauce, and the ‘Mac Daddy’ beef burger with gooey mac & cheese on top.

    Torrens Takeaway, Torrens

    This beloved takeaway shop in Torrens has an extensive burger menu.

    Pick from many variations of beef and chicken burgers or upgrade to a scotch fillet steak burger – yum.

    They also have veggie burgers and egg and bacon burgers.

    Located at Kingston shops, this retro-style burger joint is serving up deliciously stacked burgers.

    Take your pick of spiced, smashed or fried meats, loaded with brie or American cheese, or if you’re after a vego option check out their crumbed portobello burger.

    Read more like this:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Speaks About Trump’s Attack on Green Jobs at Energy Action Network (EAN) and EAN Climate Workforce Coalition Forum

    US Senate News:

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

    WINOOSKI, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined a forum hosted by the Energy Action Network (EAN) and the EAN Climate Workforce Coalition on how Congressional policy and budget decisions may impact Vermont’s energy transformation and climate action initiatives, including Vermont’s climate workforce. 
    “President Trump has put Big Oil first, and his attacks on green jobs prove it. He and his administration are walking back our global climate goals, gutting tax credits that help folks make energy efficiency home upgrades, and slashing green jobs and climate research. Vermonters have made their opposition to Trump’s actions clear—I’ve heard from hundreds of folks across our state who are deeply concerned about how Republicans’ budget will raise costs for families, businesses, and farmers,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll continue to join Senate Democrats in standing up to these attacks and fighting for a clean energy future.” 
    Republicans’ reconciliation bill will repeal clean energy programs established through the historic Inflation Reduction Act and raise energy costs for American households and businesses. It will eliminate jobs in manufacturing, clean technologies, and budding industries, and has already sown economic uncertainty throughout the energy sector. 
    The legislation advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives would effectively repeal many of the clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act while expanding fossil fuel production and subsidies. Specifically, the bill: 

    Rescinds unspent funding for clean energy grant programs in the Inflation Reduction Act;  
    Eliminates or effectively eliminates most clean energy tax credits including: 

    Electric Vehicles Tax Credit for new and used vehicles;  
    Energy Efficiency Home Improvement Tax Credit; 
    Clean Electricity Investment and Production Tax Credits; 
    Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit; and 

    Mandates oil and gas leases on public lands and allows Big Oil companies to pay the government to fast-track environmental reviews. 

    All told, Republicans’ plans will have drastic consequences for the economy. Studies predict that repealing the Inflation Reduction Act will eliminate 790,000 jobs, increase energy costs for American consumers by $32 billion between 2025-35, and shrink the U.S. economy by $190 billion in 2035. President Trump’s policies have already killed $14 billion in clean energy investments and 10,000 new energy jobs since he took office. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alford Requests Report Reviewing Biden Administration’s Use of Race-Based Criteria in Relief for Farmers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

    Following groundbreaking investigative reporting from NewsNation, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the USDA’s Inspector General (IG), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting a report within 90 days on the Biden Administration’s continued use of race-based, DEI criteria in loan relief programs for farmers, even after a federal court ruled it unconstitutional.

    Read the full letter here or below:

    “Dear Secretary Rollins, Comptroller General Dodaro, and Inspector General Sorensen,

    “I am writing to urgently request a review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs authorized by the Biden Administration. As first reported by NewsNation, socially disadvantaged farmers were provided additional loan relief in Section 1005 of the American Rescue Act. Picking winners and losers within American Agriculture is a disservice to both consumers and producers and deserves immediate attention. Simply put, this is racial discrimination.

    “Specifically, Section 1005 provides funding for the USDA to pay off outstanding farm loan debts of up to 120 percent for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. As defined in Section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, ‘socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher’ means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group, essentially ensuring white farmers could not receive loan forgiveness.

    “As a result, several Caucasian farmers sued in federal court alleging that this provision was race-based and unconstitutional. Even though the federal court judge agreed that constitutional harm was found, the Biden Administration’s USDA did not cease their wrongful and racial distribution of assistance. In fact, the administration turned toward the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to continue offering assistance specifically for farmers with socially disadvantaged status. This is outrageous and any program based on race is inherently unconstitutional, racist, and wrong. Our nation’s farmers work sunup to sundown to feed, fuel and clothe the world, regardless of the color of their skin, and none of them deserve this type of discrimination.

    “I am proud of the steps President Trump and his administration have taken and continue to take to eliminate DEI from our government. Which is why it is of the upmost importance we investigate these programs and their implications on American farmers. I implore you to complete a report outlining the scope of socially disadvantaged farmer programs under the Biden administration, their geographical reach, and their financial impact within 90 days.

    It is essential that this egregious overreach never occurs again. Our farmers and ranchers should be empowered as the backbone of America.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Free camping, day-use parking & activities to celebrate State Parks Day June 7

    Source: US State of Oregon

    ALEM, Oregon—Every year Oregon State Parks begins the busier season with a small thank you to its visitors — free camping and day-use parking on State Parks Day.

    State Parks Day has been a tradition since 1998 to thank Oregonians for their long-standing support of the state park system. It falls on the first Saturday of June, which is June 7 this year.

    “We are honored to steward and share these places with Oregonians and all our visitors. We appreciate their commitment to preserving and maintaining Oregon’s special places. We would not have the park system that we have today without their support,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption.

    Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will waive day-use parking fees at the 25 parks that charge them and camping fees for all tent, RV and horse campsites on June 7. State Parks Day also includes free events at many state parks.

    Park staff have worked hard over the last few months getting parks ready for the busier season and State Parks Day. The list of projects includes everything from clearing storm damage, with as many as 180 downed trees near Nehalem, to moving mountains of muck or sand to re-open camp loops. Now parks are ready to welcome visitors for State Parks Day and the busier season.

    State Parks Day Events

    • The Cove Palisades will host a free festival that celebrates the diverse history, food and culture of Central Oregon from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Festival of the Land, includes Dutch oven cooking demonstrations, kids’ games and activities, petting zoo, educational displays, mini farmers market and more.
    • L.L. Stub Stewart will host a star party in partnership with OMSI and Rose City Astronomers at 9:30 p.m. in the Hilltop Day-Use Area. Visit OMSI’s website on the day of the party for possible weather-related cancellations: https://omsi.edu/whats-on/
    • Carl G. Washburne will host a free State Parks Day BBQ from noon to 1 p.m.
    • Spring Valley Access will host a trail work party from 9 a.m. to noon. The event includes clearing brush, raking debris and picking up trash.
    • Tryon Creek State Natural Area invites visitors to explore its Interpretive Nature Center, navigate its extensive trail system and attend a guided hike.
    • Prineville Reservoir will host a free State Parks Day BBQ from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. near the Dark Sky Observatory.
    • Silver Falls will host an exhibit about the emerald ash borer (EAB) and its role as a threat to Oregon’s ash trees 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oregon State Parks and Oregon Department of Forestry staff will be on hand to share information about the importance of ash trees and this destructive invasive beetle.
    • Collier: will offer a guided tour through Collier Logging Museum 11 a.m. to noon so visitors can learn about old logging camps and what machines they used to make life easier.
    • Fort Stevens will host disc golf lessons 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fort Stevens State Park-Historic Area Columbia Shores Disc Golf Course.
    • Harris Beach we have a multi-park scavenger hunt where visitors can seek natural formations, unique flora and historical locations. Pick up scavenger hunt cards at Harris Beach registration booth or from ranger or host at Alred Loeb.

    For a list of Oregon State Parks events, visit the event calendar at stateparks.oregon.gov/

    For camping availability, please check oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com or visit first-come-first served sites: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=reserve.first-come

    About State Parks Day

    State Parks Day began in 1998 to celebrate the support of visitors around the state. It’s one of three days a year that Oregon State Parks waives the day-use parking fees. Other days include Green Friday the day after Thanksgiving and First Day Hikes on New Year’s Day.

    About Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

    The mission of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is to provide and protect outstanding natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations. The department manages 254 Oregon State Parks comprising more than 100,000 acres. Learn more at stateparks.oregon.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Harder Announces $3 Million in Disaster Relief for Valley Cherry Farmers and Processors, Calls on USDA to Expedite Federal Disaster Declaration

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

    Follows last week’s state-level disaster declaration over poor cherry harvest

    Federal declaration would unlock new federal aid for Valley farmers

    STOCKTON – Today, following last week’s disaster declaration over poor Valley cherry harvests, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) announced a purchase of up to $3 million of dried sweet cherries to assist cherry farmers during this challenging harvest year. The funding, made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Section 32 authority, will help stabilize the market and create alternative outlets for the current crop and ensure family cherry farms and processors stay afloat.

    Poor cherry harvests hit the Valley hard:

    “The Valley is the fruit and nut basket of the world, and in our community, 1 in 3 jobs depends on agriculture,” said Rep. Harder. “When crops fail, it’s not just a bad season—it’s an existential threat to local families and our entire economy. This $3 million in emergency support will help our cherry farmers and processors weather the storm. But it’s just the first step. I’m calling on USDA Secretary Rollins to immediately expedite a federal disaster declaration so we can unlock the full range of resources our growers need not just to survive this season, but to come back stronger.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Congress Comes Back into Session, Rep. Craig Continues Leading Charge to Protect SNAP, Urges Senate to Reject Cuts to Food Assistance

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, as Congress comes back into session following a week-long district work period, U.S. Representative Angie Craig is continuing to lead the charge to protect the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and ensure Minnesota’s kids, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities can put food on the table. 

    Last month, House Republicans passed a partisan budget bill that cut nearly $290 billion from SNAP – a program that is under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Agriculture.

    As the top Democrat on the Committee, Rep. Craig has been sounding the alarm about potential cuts to SNAP for months, consistently speaking out about the impacts they will have on working families across Minnesota – like her own family, who relied on food assistance at various points during her childhood. Last month, Rep. Craig led a two-day markup during which she and her Democratic colleagues offered amendments to the budget bill, while Republicans were largely absent or silent. She also testified against the bill’s SNAP cuts before the House Committee on Rules during an overnight hearing that lasted more than 21 hours. 

    “The Republicans’ budget will make America hungrier, poorer and sicker. Parents struggling to afford groceries for their families and seniors living on fixed incomes will have their food taken away if this bill becomes law,” Rep. Craig said in response to House Republicans’ passage of their partisan budget bill. “At a time when grocery prices are going up and retirement accounts are going down, we must protect the basic needs programs that help people afford food and health care.”

    “As a mother and someone who needed food assistance at periods in my own childhood, I condemn this attempt to snatch food off our children’s plates to fund tax breaks for large corporations,” Rep. Craig continued. “I call on my Senate colleagues to stop this attack on working Americans that takes food away from families and threatens a full, five-year bipartisan farm bill.”

    Below is a timeline of Rep. Craig’s efforts to combat House Republicans’ reckless cuts to SNAP. 

    House Republicans’ budget bill shifts up to 25% of SNAP’s cost share from the federal government to individual states. In Minnesota, the state government would have to fill a $220 million gap in order to ensure that the more than 440,000 Minnesotans who receive food assistance through SNAP are able to stay on the program. 

    SNAP also helps support Minnesota’s economy. According to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families $1.2 billion in SNAP benefits have been spent at Minnesota grocery stores, farmers markets and food retailers – generating up to $1.50 in economic activity for every dollar spent. 

    According to data from the National Grocers Association, SNAP supports 4,099 jobs, $206 million in wages, $18 million in state taxes and had a $616.7 million economic impact on retailers, grocers and supplier industries in the state. According to an analysis by the Center for American Progress, 88 retailers in Minnesota are in danger of closing due to these cuts. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $21.6M Awarded to Support NY Dairy Farms

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced nearly $21.6 million has been awarded to 103 farms across the state through the Dairy Modernization Grant Program to support New York’s dairy industry. The funding, first announced in the Governor’s 2024 State of the State address, will help New York’s dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives invest in new equipment, expand storage capacity, and strengthen their operations, particularly as they face extreme weather events, providing a critical boost to New York’s dairy industry. The announcement comes as the State officially kicks off the celebration of Dairy Month this June.

    “New York’s dairy industry is the backbone of our agricultural economy, supporting thousands of jobs across our rural communities,” Governor Hochul said. “With this $26 million investment through the Dairy Modernization Grant Program, we’re giving hardworking dairy farmers and cooperatives the tools they need to grow, innovate and lead in a changing market. This is how we honor our agricultural legacy — by making sure it has a strong and sustainable future.”

    The awards were announced this morning at a special event at Glory Days Farm, a 120-cow dairy farm in Lowville, Lewis County. New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball was joined by partners from the Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF), who administer this grant program on behalf of the Department, in addition to other North Country dairy farm awardees, Lowville Producers Dairy Cooperative Inc., New York Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Lewis County Soil and Water Conservation District, and elected officials to celebrate these awardees.

    As part of the program, Glory Days Farm, a New York State Grown & Certified participant, will now be able to install new equipment needed on the farm, including a 3,000-gallon bulk tank, washer, two new compressors, and a permanent generator to maintain power supply in the event of extreme weather. The project will improve storage capacity, which will prevent dumped milk and provide a cost savings to Glory Days Farm by allowing them to move to every-other-day milk pickup and reducing stop and hauling costs. New cooling technology will help the farm save energy and ensure milk quality, while the on-demand generator will allow for milk transfer in the event of disruptions.

    A regional breakdown of the awards made across the State is listed below. A complete list of projects awarded for a total of $21.57 million can be found here.

    • Capital Region: nine farms were awarded a total of nearly $1.8 million.
    • Central New York: 18 farms were awarded a total of more than $3.9 million.
    • Finger Lakes: 20 farms were awarded a total of more than $4.3 million.
    • Mid-Hudson: One farm was awarded more than $147,000.
    • Mohawk Valley: 11 farms were awarded a total of more than $2.1 million.
    • North Country: 15 farms were awarded a total of more than $3.3 million.
    • Southern Tier: 13 farms were awarded a total of nearly $2.6 million.
    • Western New York: 13 farms were awarded a total of more than $2.7 million.

    The Dairy Modernization Grant program awarded eligible applicants for projects to expand on-farm milk storage capacity, improve the transportation and storage of milk, and strengthen the dairy industry. The program supports the needs of dairy farmers by facilitating the installation of critical technological and infrastructural improvements that will improve dairy supply chain efficiency and avoid the need for raw milk dumping during emergency events.

    Funding for the Dairy Modernization Grant Program is a part of Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State and her overarching commitment to the dairy industry, including additional funds dedicated in the FY26 Enacted Budget to support a $10 million second round of the program, and further funding dedicated to research and to implement climate-resilient practices on dairy farms.

    This investment builds on the commitment that Governor Hochul has made to support sustainability in the agricultural industry, including for dairy farms. Under the Governor’s leadership, the FY26 Enacted Budget provides an additional $5.25 million from the Environmental Protection Fund over the previous year for agricultural programs and initiatives that also benefit New York dairy farms, such as the Climate Resilient Farming grant program and the Agricultural Non-Point Source Abatement and Control program, that are helping farms to implement environmentally sustainable practices and combat climate change. Additional allocations for the Farmland Protection Program and the State’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts will also support the New York dairy community.

    Since taking office, Governor Hochul has made significant strides in expanding the dairy manufacturing sector in New York. In the last few years, New York has celebrated investments across the state, including a $650 million fairlife production plant in Webster, the $518 million Great Lakes Cheese packaging and manufacturing facilities in Franklinville, and a $30 million expansion to the Agri-Mark cheese manufacturing facility in Chateaugay, helping New York continue to be the leading producer of milk in the Northeast. Most recently, the Governor announced Chobani, which opened its first U.S. plant in 2005 in New York, will build a 1.4 million square foot, $1.2 billion facility in Rome, Oneida County, capable of producing over one-billion pounds of high-quality dairy products per year. There are currently nearly 300 world-recognized dairy processing plants across New York.

    New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of New York agriculture and our state’s dairy industry, which is so critical to our agricultural economy. Our dairy farmers and processors are second to none when it comes to the care they give to the land and their animals and the quality of their milk products. I am so pleased to see this funding being awarded to these deserving farms, who will now have the additional resources they need to ensure that they can continue to provide the very best milk and dairy products, and keep operations and the supply chain going, even in the event of severe weather or emergency events.”

    Farm and Food Growth Fund President and CEO Todd Erling said, “New York State is the country’s fifth largest dairy producing state, with almost 3,000 farms. The majority are family-run and generational operations which this grant program largely benefits. Ensuring efficient and updated infrastructures will not only strengthen and safeguard the supply chain, but will also help to build forward-looking opportunities for the next generation of dairy farmers. Thanks to our hard working farm families, and with the support of Governor Hochul, New York continues to be a leader in our regional food system.”

    Glory Days Farm Owners The Beyer Family said, “Our aspiration is for our farm and farms like ours to remain viable for future generations. The Dairy Modernization Grant Program gives farms like ours the opportunity to progress and innovate, and continue being the lifeblood of our communities. This program encourages the adoption of efficient technology that improves food safety with more consideration to environmental impacts, securing the future of dairy in New York.”

    State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “New York is in the top five of dairy states producing some of the best products in the country. Dairy is our largest agricultural sector and a powerful contributor to our state and local economies, which is why supporting this leading industry is a major state priority. The Dairy Modernization Grant Program helps our dairy farmers and processors future-proof their operations, ensuring that New York dairy maintains its high standards while advancing efficiency and resiliency. I’m proud to have helped champion this grant program in our state agriculture budget and want to congratulate all of the local dairies and processors, including Uplands Farm in Millbrook, that received funding awards!”

    Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “In order for New York to maintain its prominence as a leading dairy state, we have to make important infrastructure investments. The Dairy Modernization Grant Program provides needed technology and upgrades for our dairy farms and cooperative dairies. I am thankful that all of our partners in state government recognize and support the hardworking men and women who make up New York’s largest agricultural sector.”

    Northeast Dairy Producers Association Executive Vice President Tonya Van Slyke said, “For generations, New York’s family dairy farms have been leaders in progressive, science-based management practices that improve efficiencies in the barns, the fields, and the milking parlors, along with storing and transporting milk. The Dairy Modernization Grant Program helps address challenges family dairy farms face and will make a significant impact by providing solutions for increased on-farm milk storage capacity, new technology, and improved efficiencies in transportation for the farms that were awarded grant opportunities. We appreciate the Governor’s continued investment in our family dairy farms, as we work together to protect New York’s food security and cement the state’s position as a leader in dairy.”

    New York State Farm Bureau President David Fisher said, “New York’s dairy industry is critical to the agricultural and economic health of our state. The Dairy Modernization Grant Program is not only a significant step in improving operations for farmers across New York, but also in making a commitment to agricultural sustainability. With Dairy Month upon us, we celebrate dairy farms of all sizes and the farmers who bring fresh, nutritious products to the table every day.”

    About the Dairy Industry in New York State

    New York State has roughly 3,000 dairy farms that produce over 16 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation’s fifth-largest dairy state. The dairy industry is the state’s largest agricultural sector, contributing significantly to the state’s economy by generating nearly half of the state’s total agricultural receipts and providing some of the highest economic multipliers. New York’s unique and talented dairy producers and processors contribute significantly to the state’s agriculture industry, economy and the health of our communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Topeka farmer indicted for defrauding federal government

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with defrauding the federal government, by selling crops that he used as collateral for a federal government loan.

    According to court documents, Steven W. Porubsky, 48, of Topeka is charged with one count of conversion of mortgaged collateral.

    Porubsky is accused of intentionally defrauding the Farm Service Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), by converting to his own use agricultural products that were mortgaged to the USDA.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.

    OTHER INDICTMENTS

    Jesse J. Rivera, 43, of Topeka was indicted on one count of theft of government property. The Railroad Retirement Board is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How medieval lessons for managing floods could help those facing them in northern Italy today

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marco Panato, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Department of History, University of Nottingham

    Saint Fredianus diverts the Serchio River by Filippo Lippi, 1438
     Wikiart

    Northern Italy has been hit by a series of devastating floods in recent years. In March 2025 and the previous autumn, heavy rainfall hammered the region, swamping fields, farms and towns. More than 3,000 had to leave their homes in Emilia-Romagna, between Bologna and Ravenna.

    The downpours caused widespread floods, landslides, and infrastructure damage. This has been a repeated event since 2023 when the area saw what has been called the worst flood in a century.

    While climate change is a major factor behind the likelihood of these disasters, human neglect has worsened the risk. Decades of poor maintenance of drainage canals and ageing riverbanks – some of which are medieval, like those in Bologna – have made the Po valley particularly vulnerable.

    As the meteorologist James Parrish has explained, when dried-out soil suddenly receives half a year’s rainfall in two days, even modern flood defences cannot cope, especially in a landscape prone to waterlogging.

    According to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research and the data collected in 2021 by the National Institute of Statistics, in Emilia-Romagna alone, over 2.5 million live in areas of high or medium flood-risk.

    Yet if today’s floods feel apocalyptic, history tells us that living with floods is nothing new in these territories. Medieval communities faced similar challenges and how they lived with water may offer lessons for today.

    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.

    Since the earliest times, people in the Po valley developed what the historian Petra van Dam calls an amphibious culture: a way of life that continuously adjusted to the threats and benefits posed by rivers. From the Terramare and Etruscan cultures in the second and first millennium BC (but even earlier) to the middle ages and in some cases even now, communities did not just fight floods; they integrated them into their daily lives and economies.

    After the fall of the Roman state, Italy entered a period of intense political, socio-economic, climatic and environmental change. As archaeological and historical research shows, settlements from this period often clustered near waterways despite their risks.

    Every year, rivers overflowed destroying crops or buildings. Evidence of these events comes from contemporary narratives, such as the life of Saint Fredianus, and in the flood layers buried in the soil. Traces are even found in cave minerals in the Apuan Alps.

    Why live so close to something so destructive? Because rivers also brought huge benefits like fertile land, irrigation, mills, fish, woodlands and trade.

    Communities adapted in practical ways. They grew crops suited to wet soils, grazed animals in seasonal marshes, and even breached riverbanks on purpose to let in muddy water that deposited rich sediment for farming. To stay dry, they also built houses on natural or artificial high grounds above floodwaters.

    These strategies show a deep resilience in medieval societies, something to keep in mind also in the current situation.

    A shared responsibility

    In early medieval Italy, people dug canals and drained wetlands not just to farm new land, but also to manage flooding and redirect rivers. These projects were often led by monasteries, landowners, and farmers, who worked together out of necessity.

    Research research from the Maremma wetlands in Tuscany shows how communities and rulers cooperated to maintain dikes, drainage channels, and salt pans (where seawater was left to dry and leave behind salt). Local know-how and labour mattered as much as political coordination and investment.

    Today, people often expect the state to manage floods. But public response is not always quick or fair. For instance, in Traversara, a village severely hit by floods, locals were furious towards proposed mandatory insurance policies, feeling abandoned by authorities.

    Modern flood defence relies heavily on centralised systems, satellite monitoring and major infrastructure projects. These tools are crucial, but not enough.

    Historical lessons suggest that effective flood resilience must also incorporate local (historical) knowledge and community participation. Some solutions include restoring spaces for rivers to overflow safely and continuous targeted maintenance of canals and levees.

    Strengthening and adapting Italy’s consorzi di donifica – local organisations responsible for drainage and water management – could revive a model of shared governance that proved successful for centuries.

    As recently suggested in the response strategies to the 2023 floods, responsive resilience takes teamwork. National, regional, and local actors must coordinate. In this case, adopting an “amphibious” mentality – one that views rivers not just as threats but as central, living elements of the landscape – could help reshape flood policy.

    Combining historical understanding with modern science and community empowerment can guide better ways to live with water. Medieval societies, through trial and adaptation, managed to coexist with their rivers. Relearning from them today could help build more sustainable futures in flood-prone regions – not only in Italy, but across the globe.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Marco Panato 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. How medieval lessons for managing floods could help those facing them in northern Italy today – https://theconversation.com/how-medieval-lessons-for-managing-floods-could-help-those-facing-them-in-northern-italy-today-257062

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Xbox celebrates Pride: Games foster connection, support and chosen family

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Xbox celebrates Pride: Games foster connection, support and chosen family

    So, we’re celebrating our heroes, players, and stories with heartfelt touches, creative moments, and a space to be exactly who you are. You belong here, and we’re proud to compete by your side.

    Overwatch 2 – An always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your
    allies as one of Overwatch’s 40 distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.

    Play Overwatch 2 Today

    Thirsty Suitors  – From Outerloop Games, Thirsty Suitors is a stylish, story-driven adventure that unfolds through turn-based battles, skateboarding, and cooking. Help Jala confront her mistakes, make up with her exes, reconcile cultural differences, and become the person she was meant to be. Easy, right?
     
    Play Thirsty Suitors Today

    Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world. Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.

    Play Dragon Age: The Veilguard Today

    Spirit Swap: LoFi Beats to Match-3 To – Samar is a young witch working the spirit-swapping night shift in the eastern outskirts of Demashq. A recent spike in spirits crossing over from another dimension breaks the chill atmosphere of their night shift, so with her trusty FamiliarZ by her side, she sets off into the city to find out what’s happened. With a popular band scheduled to kick off their big comeback tour in Demashq, Samar needs to work quickly before the city is overrun with stans and spirits alike!
     
    Play Spirit Swap: LoFi Beats to Match-3 To Today

    Psychroma – A psychological horror side-scroller set in a haunted cyberpunk house. Collect cards and explore the memories stored on them to piece together your past. But the deeper you go, the more you expose yourself to the brightest heat, the warmest color… Discover the hidden corridors and uncover the sordid past of a house out of time and place within a futuristic cyberpunk city. Collect the memory cards of three main characters, An underground cultist, an ambitious philanthropist, and a drifter.

    Play Psychroma Today

    Xbox Gear Shop

    The Xbox Gear Shop is celebrating Pride 2025 by bringing back our most popular designs for a limited time! These classic designs were made by and with the LGBTQIA+ community, and will be available through Pride month only, and only in the Xbox Gear Shop!

    Blizzard Gear Shop

    Celebrate Pride month with the new Blizzard 2025 Pride Collection exclusively on the Blizzard Gear Store!

    Led by the Blizzard LGBT+ Employee Network, this year’s Pride Collection features all-new logo designs for each of our games, available on t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and hoodies—all benefitting* GLAAD from June 2 through June 30, 2025.

    *From June 2, 2025, to June 30, 2025, Blizzard Entertainment will donate 100% of the amount Blizzard receives from Blizzard’s e-commerce store operator from the sale of each of the products from the 2025 Blizzard Pride Collection to GLAAD. This represents approximately 25% of the purchase price (less any chargebacks, refunds, and Value Added Taxes (VAT), or similar taxes paid.)

    Gaming with Impact

    Rewards members in the United States can earn and donate points to organizations supporting LGBTQIA+ communities with Xbox. The organizations below will be available on the Rewards hub:

    • GLAAD: Founded in 1985, GLAAD – the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization – works with television, film, video games, Spanish-language media, journalists, and social media to tell stories and consult on LGBTQ media representation. GLAAD tackles tough issues and provokes dialogue that leads to cultural change through increased media accountability, public campaigns, corporate engagement initiatives, and advocacy programs that help to ensure 100% inclusion and acceptance of the LGBTQ community. (US)
    • Outright International: Outright International is dedicated to working with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) human rights movement, document and amplify human rights violations against LGBTIQ people, and advocate for inclusion and equality. (US)

    Xbox players 18 and older can earn Rewards points in various ways, such as playing games, completing Game Pass Quests (terms apply), and purchasing games and other eligible items at the Microsoft Store (exclusions apply). Start earning for impact today and redeem your points for great rewards. Donate your points on the Rewards hub or on the Rewards redeem page.

    Wallpapers and Dynamic Backgrounds

    The Xbox Pride Month design is available today as an Xbox wallpaper and dynamic background on console – follow these steps to apply the dynamic background:

    • Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
    • Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Personalization > My background > Dynamic backgrounds.

    You can choose between Games, Xbox, or Abstract dynamic backgrounds. Choose the background art that you want with the A button.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Nonprofit Executive Admits $2.3 Million-Dollar Student Meal Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – The owner of a nonprofit on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in funds intended to feed low-income Missouri children, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Cymone McClellan, 32, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She admitted that she and Terra Davis, 43, submitted $2.3 million worth of false and fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services from about January 2019 to June 2022, on behalf of their nonprofit, Sister of Lavender Rose (S.O.L.R.). Davis was McClellan’s second-in-command at S.O.L.R.

    McClellan and Davis submitted false reimbursement claims for a total of 860,876 meals that they purportedly supplied to Missouri children. But McClellan actually only purchased enough food and milk to serve fewer than a quarter of those meals, her plea agreement says.

    McClellan provided bogus sign-in sheets to DHSS falsely claiming to have taken the attendance of meal recipients at certain food distribution locations. S.O.L.R. submitted management plans to DHSS falsely asserting that state meal reimbursement dollars were spent only in connection with the provision of meals to low-income children, and that the nonprofit did not use meal money to make purchases over $5,000. McClellan’s management plans also falsely claimed that all checks were signed by her finance director, who was not a signor on S.O.L.R.’s account.

    McClellan admitted spending $60,000 of the money that was to be used for feeding children for the down payment on a house in Collinsville, Illinois. She spent another $86,172 on a house in Florissant, Missouri, and almost $135,000 more to buy five vehicles: a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2012 Chevrolet Express G3500 van, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris van, a 2012 Ford E350 box truck and a 2018 Lexus RX SUV.

    As part of her plea, McClellan has agreed to forfeit the vehicles and houses. At her sentencing, now set for August 26, she will be ordered to repay the rest of the money.

    Davis pleaded guilty in December to the same wire fraud conspiracy charge. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.  

    Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Roy Sends a Letter to Ambassador Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Urging Action Against the New World Screwworm (NWS)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Chip Roy (R-TX)

    Washington, D.C.  – Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21) sent a letter to Ambassador Ronald D. Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, urging for action against the northward spread of the New World Screwworm (NWS).

    “While the U.S. has effectively eradicated NWS in the past, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that the NWS has recently been detected as far north as the Mexican state of Veracruz, roughly 700 miles from the U.S.’s southern border. If an outbreak were to occur in Texas, the USDA estimates it could cause $1.8 billion in damage to the state’s economy – devastating ranchers’ entire livelihoods. If left unaddressed, the NWS will have catastrophic impacts on the U.S. cattle industry and our country’s food supply.

    While Mexico has taken some action to try and contain the NWS spread, those efforts remain wholly insufficient. I respectfully request that you leverage all available diplomatic tools to urge the Mexican authorities to fully cooperate with U.S. officials and spur Mexican authorities to take aggressive action to contain the NWS spread. My constituents in the 21st congressional district, many of whom rely on ranching for their livelihoods, cannot afford delays.”

    Read the full letter below.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Amit Shah chairs review meeting on world’s largest cooperative food grain storage scheme in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi to discuss the progress of the world’s largest cooperative food grain storage scheme, a flagship initiative of the Modi government aimed at bolstering rural economies and achieving self-reliance under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The meeting was attended by Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar and Murlidhar Mohol, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Food and Public Distribution, Food Corporation of India (FCI), NABARD, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), and other key institutions.

    Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah emphasized that the scheme aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sahkar Se Samriddhi (Prosperity through Cooperation). He highlighted its dual objectives of boosting India’s economic growth by contributing to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generating rural employment opportunities. The scheme is designed to enhance the financial viability of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) by increasing their income through active participation in the storage initiative.

    To ensure the scheme’s success, Shah called for expanding loan facilities for PACS under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and urged immediate action to strengthen their financial condition. He directed the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution and FCI to undertake a nationwide mapping of warehouses to streamline implementation based on regional needs. Additionally, he instructed FCI, the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF), the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), and State Warehousing Corporations to integrate PACS with as many warehouses as possible to maximize their involvement.

    The meeting also resolved to encourage states and state-level marketing federations to engage more PACS in the scheme, fostering a robust cooperative supply chain. Shah stressed the importance of coordinated and timely implementation to ensure the initiative becomes a cornerstone of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Sahkar Se Samriddhi.

  • MIL-OSI Security: Olds — Olds RCMP and partners charge female with property crime offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On May 5, 2025 at approximately 3:05 p.m., Olds RCMP received a complaint of a suspicious male carrying two chainsaws who ran towards a U-Haul vehicle, jumped in it and then dangerously fled the area.

    RCMP officers located the U-Haul vehicle and attempted to stop it on Highway 587 when it drove into the Red Lodge Provincial Park entrance/exit gate, damaging the gate. Innisfail and Didsbury RCMP, as well as Police Dog Services, also responded to the area to attempt to locate and stop the vehicle.

    At 3:44 p.m., Olds RCMP received another complaint that a farmer’s land was damaged, along with other wire fencing on several properties. The U-Haul was located on Range Road 12 and Highway 587, with the female driver walking southbound on Range Road 12, away from the U-Haul. RCMP quickly arrested the driver and continued a search for other suspects who were inside the U-Haul. A short time later, neighbours and residents of the area assisted the RCMP with information leading to the arrest of the outstanding suspects. RCMP conducted a search of the U-Haul and found stolen property, including a tool bag, as well as the two stolen chainsaws.

    A 52-year-old individual, a resident of Wetaskiwin, Alta., was arrested and charged with the following:

    • Mischief Under $5000
    • Possession of Stolen Property
    • Flight from a peace officer
    • Dangerous operation
    • Trafficking Identity

    Following a judicial interim release hearing, the 52-year-old individual was released from custody to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Didsbury on June 2, 2025.

    Olds RCMP remains fully committed in building safer communities by working in partnership with our community as well as through investigative and enforcement efforts to achieve this goal. Olds RCMP would like to thank neighbouring RCMP detachments who assisted during this operation as well as the members of the public. The investigation continues.

    If you have any further information you can contact Olds RCMP at 403-556-3324, If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LaLota Welcomes Oysterponds Shellfish of Orient to House Small Business Showcase

    Source: US Representative Nick LaLota (NY-01)

    Washington, D.C. — Rep. Nick LaLota (NY-1), a member of the House Small Business Committee, welcomed Oysterponds Shellfish Co., the largest oyster farm on Long Island, to the House Small Business Showcase on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

    “Small businesses like Oysterponds Shellfish are the backbone of Long Island’s economy and a testament to the values that define our region. Aquaculture plays a vital role in preserving our maritime heritage, supporting good local jobs, and providing fresh, sustainable seafood to communities across the Northeast,” said LaLota. “Owners Phil Mastrangelo and Brian Tuthill exemplify the long hours, deep dedication, and personal sacrifice that small business owners invest in their craft, their customers, and their employees. I was proud to have them represent our district at the House Small Business Showcase. Oysterponds Shellfish is a powerful example of how local innovation and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand—strengthening our economy while protecting the Long Island Sound for future generations.”

    Background:

    The House Small Business Showcase provides Members of Congress with a platform to spotlight the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of small businesses within their districts.

    Owned and operated by Phil Mastrangelo and Brian Tuthill, Oysterponds Shellfish is a family-owned business located in Orient, NY. The farm cultivates oysters using sustainable methods in the waters of Long Island’s East End. The company continues the local shellfishing tradition, supplying its oysters to local establishments, including the Halyard, North Fork Table & Inn, and Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market. The company also offers raw bar services for events and is committed to delivering fresh, high-quality oysters while honoring the maritime heritage of the East End.

    LaLota serves as Chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure and as a member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – Floods in the north of the country: humanitarian situation worsens

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Yangon (Agenzia Fides) – Extensive flooding, caused by heavy rains that lasted for about a week, has affected northern Myanmar, particularly the Sagaing region and Kachin State. The emergency further complicates the lives of the civilian population, already severely affected by four years of civil conflict. Furthermore, in the Sagaing region, the earthquake of March 28 caused damage to homes and infrastructure and displaced thousands of people. “The situation in the districts affected by natural disasters is serious. Floods have inundated the upper part of Kachin State; villages in the mountainous areas are underwater, as are refugee camps in the city of Chizaw. Many rivers, such as the Malikha, have overflowed, and agricultural lands are completely flooded due to the continuous rains,” a local source from the Catholic community in Kachin State told Fides. “Farms have been submerged in Laeshi City, in the Sagaing Region, as have villages along the banks of the Arayati river. River levels usually rise in late June or July, at the height of the rainy season, but this year the rains have arrived early, causing premature flooding. Unfortunately, this is the harvest season, so the losses are particularly severe,” the source explains. “The local population is finding it increasingly difficult to cope. They are mostly farmers who have already been affected by the war and are now also suffering the effects of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. Humanitarian aid is increasingly needed for thousands of displaced people, whose number continues to grow,” he adds. A new report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights confirms the worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, fueled by military violence and economic collapse. The document, which will be presented at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council in early July, describes the situation as “increasingly catastrophic, marked by incessant atrocities that have affected all aspects of life.” According to the report, the economic crisis has had a severe impact on already disastrous humanitarian conditions. Myanmar is estimated to have lost around $94 billion since the coup to date, and its gross domestic product is not expected to return to pre-2021 levels before 2028, even if recovery were to begin today.The UN Human Rights Council calls for “a multifaceted response to the crisis,” including “urgent humanitarian support, cross-border assistance for displaced populations, and increased political commitment” from the international community. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 2/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cheaper food or a compromise on standards? Why the UK’s trade deal with the US is sounding alarm bells

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Manoj Dora, Professor in Sustainable Production and Consumption, Anglia Ruskin University

    I Wei Huang/Shutterstock

    British farmers and food safety campaigners have been sounding the alarm over the recent deal struck between the UK and US. The agreement offers unprecedented access to US agricultural exports such as beef and ethanol into the UK market.

    While some hailed this as a breakthrough after previous talks stagnated under Joe Biden’s administration, critics argue it could undercut domestic producers, introduce lower standards for food and even compromise public health. With the cost of living remaining high, cheaper US imports may look appealing to British consumers. But many fear the products may come at a longer-term cost.

    The UK government has insisted it will not compromise on standards. Hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken remain banned. But critics are sceptical. At the White House, US trade officials suggested food rules should be based on science, hinting at renewed pressure to permit products currently excluded by UK law.

    But public opinion in the UK strongly supports high food standards. Surveys show most UK consumers reject hormone-fed beef and chlorinated chicken, valuing animal welfare and food safety. Given this, any shift toward US-style practices could trigger a backlash.

    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.

    The deal’s language – promising to “enhance agricultural market access” – raises concerns that this may be only the first step. Food safety advocates fear a slow erosion of standards under commercial pressure.

    Under the terms of the deal, the UK will allow in 13,000 tonnes of US beef tariff-free — a huge change from the 1,000-tonne cap (with a 20% tariff) previously in place. In exchange, the US will grant a matching quota for UK beef.

    The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) welcomed improved US market access. But domestically, many farmers feel exposed.

    They worry that cheap US beef, even if hormone-free, will undercut UK cattle raised under stricter welfare and environmental rules. Feedlot beef from the American Midwest is typically cheaper, prompting fears of price pressure.

    The NFU says this could be a “disaster” for British farming. Supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsbury’s say they will continue sourcing 100% British beef, but farmers fear US meat could enter the wholesale and catering sectors.

    There’s also concern about ethanol – a biofuel typically sourced from crops such as corn or wheat and used primarily as a petrol additive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The UK has eliminated a 19% tariff and opened a quota of 1.4 billion litres of US corn ethanol.

    But this threatens domestic bioethanol plants, which purchase millions of tonnes of British wheat each year for ethanol production. It plays a crucial role in supporting UK arable farming and rural economies.

    The NFU has warned that this could destabilise farm incomes, reduce local feed supplies and endanger the production of CO², which is used widely in food packaging, refrigeration and the carbonation of drinks across the UK industry. The NFU said the deal overlooked the complex role these plants play in the UK’s food system.

    UK consumers have been feeling the effects of rising food prices.
    Steve Travelguide/Shutterstock

    But cheaper imports could ease grocery bills in the UK, a welcome prospect given food price inflation peaked at more than 19% in 2023. Cheaper beef might help households increase their protein intake. For lower-income families, for example, small savings on staples could really improve nutrition.

    However, not all cheap calories are healthy. Britons are already encouraged to eat less red meat on health grounds. Increased access to cheaper beef could nudge intakes beyond recommended levels.

    Restaurateur Henry Dimbleby, the UK government’s former food strategy lead, has argued that undermining domestic standards for short-term savings risks health and environmental setbacks.

    Not just any commodity

    Food safety is another issue. While the government says all imports will meet UK standards, future trade negotiations could challenge that. Country-of-origin labelling and enforcement will be essential for consumer confidence.

    There’s also the risk of more ultra-processed food entering the UK. The deal may increase imports of US cereals, drinks and snack foods. While not inherently unsafe, many health advocates worry about worsening rates of obesity and diabetes if heavily processed products become cheaper and more common in the UK.

    Trade can bring benefits — but food isn’t just another commodity. It intersects with health, environment and rural life. The NFU warns that Britain’s high standards shouldn’t be quietly traded away under pressure from US agribusiness.

    The UK government claims it has preserved food protections while expanding trade. What will be key is whether consumers see real savings, as well as whether supermarkets stick to British meat. If not, it remains to be seen whether UK farmers can compete or if they will be squeezed out.

    Crucially, UK regulators must hold the line if the US pushes harder. A prosperous deal should not just mean more trade — but safer, healthier and fairer food for all.

    Manoj Dora 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. Cheaper food or a compromise on standards? Why the UK’s trade deal with the US is sounding alarm bells – https://theconversation.com/cheaper-food-or-a-compromise-on-standards-why-the-uks-trade-deal-with-the-us-is-sounding-alarm-bells-257755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –