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Category: Horticulture

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Ernst, Colleagues Push to Secure Fertilizer Access for Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Agriculture Committee Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer, joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers in a letter urging Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to reinstate potash and add phosphate – both critical fertilizer ingredients – to the U.S. Critical Minerals List.

    The designation will support domestic production and strengthen supply chains, important steps to protecting food security and stabilizing the market for farmers. The lawmakers state that doing so will send a powerful message that the United States is serious about safeguarding the nation’s food supply.

    “The importance of potash to the nation’s economic and national security was recognized in 2018 when DOI included potash on its list of 35 critical minerals. However, under the previous administration, the 2022 update removed potash from the list—a decision that clearly warrants reconsideration. We appreciate President Trump’s support for reversing this in his March 20, 2025, executive order,” the members wrote.

    The U.S. depends on imports for approximately 85 percent of its potash needs, primarily sourcing it from Canada. Worldwide, only 14 countries produce potash, with Belarus and Russia accounting for nearly 40 percent of total production. The members emphasized that the United States must address the growing risks to the potash supply chain, including a return to domestic potash production as quickly as possible.

    “At the very heart of this issue are the American farmers who work tirelessly to feed Americans and much of the world. Fertilizers containing potash and phosphate are essential to maintaining soil fertility, improving crop yields, and ensuring consistent food production. Without access to a stable and affordable supply of these minerals, farmers face higher costs, reduced yields, and increased uncertainty—challenges that threaten their livelihoods and the food security of millions of American families,” the members wrote.

    “Potash and phosphate are essential to growing the food that sustains our nation, and we rely heavily on imports to get them. Global disruptions put farmers in a tough spot, driving up costs and hurting farm profitability,” said Iowa Soybean Association President Brent Swart. “Adding these minerals to the Critical Minerals List helps secure a stable, domestic supply, protecting both our farms and the wallets of everyday consumers.” 

    “Fertilizers, specifically potash and phosphate, are crucial tools in the toolbox that Iowa corn farmers rely on as they supply food, feed, fiber, and fuel globally,” said Iowa Corn Growers Association President and farmer from Galt, Iowa, Stu Swanson. “ICGA supports the relisting of potash and the inclusion of phosphate on the U.S. Critical Minerals List. We thank Senator Ernst for her ongoing advocacy for Iowa agriculture.”

    In the Senate, additional cosigners include Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.), along with Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.),  Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), James Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).

    In the House, the letter is led by Reps. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.). Additional cosigners include Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Scott Franklin (R-Fla.), Sharice L. Davids (D-Kan.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Brad Finstad (R-Minn.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), Nicholas A. Langworthy (R-N.Y.), John R. Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Eric “Rick” Crawford (R-Ark.), Michael Simpson (R-Idaho), David G. Valadao (R-Calif.), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Donald Davis (D-N.C.), Gregory F. Murphy (R-N.C.) and Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.).

    Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

    Background:

    Grassley has long advocated for family farmers in Iowa and across the country. Grassley and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the Fertilizer Research Act to shed light on market factors driving the cost of fertilizer by requiring the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a study on competition and trends in the fertilizer market to determine their subsequent impacts on price.

    Grassley also pressed Attorney General Garland to investigate anti-competitive activity and market manipulation in the fertilizer industry and urged President Trump to exclude potash under any proposed tariff regime.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Slotkin Work to Ensure Fertilizer Access for Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, are working to reinstate potash and add phosphate – both critical fertilizer ingredients – to the U.S. Critical Minerals List. In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the lawmakers explain this designation will support domestic production and strengthen supply chains, important steps to protecting food security and stabilizing the market for farmers.
    “At the very heart of this issue are the American farmers who work tirelessly to feed Americans and much of the world. Fertilizers containing potash and phosphate are essential to maintaining soil fertility, improving crop yields, and ensuring consistent food production,” the senators wrote. “Without access to a stable and affordable supply of these minerals, farmers face higher costs, reduced yields, and increased uncertainty—challenges that threaten their livelihoods and the food security of millions of American families.”
    “Potash and phosphate are essential to growing the food that sustains our nation, and we rely heavily on imports to get them. Global disruptions put farmers in a tough spot, driving up costs and hurting farm profitability,” said Iowa Soybean Association President Brent Swart. “Adding these minerals to the Critical Minerals List helps secure a stable, domestic supply, protecting both our farms and the wallets of everyday consumers.”
    “Fertilizers, specifically potash and phosphate, are crucial tools in the toolbox that Iowa corn farmers rely on as they supply food, feed, fiber, and fuel globally,” said Iowa Corn Growers Association President and farmer from Galt, Iowa, Stu Swanson.“ICGA supports the relisting of potash and the inclusion of phosphate on the U.S. Critical Minerals List. We thank Senator Ernst for her ongoing advocacy for Iowa agriculture.”
    U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) are leading the charge in the House.
    Read the full letter here.
    Background:
    Ernst works tirelessly on behalf of Iowa farmers and producers. She has consistently advocated for critical fertilizer access.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Insects are everywhere in farming and research − but insect welfare is just catching up

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bob Fischer, Professor of Philosophy, Texas State University

    Employees sort crickets by size at a farm in Thailand. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

    Did you know your lipstick might be made from beetles? Or that some cat food may soon be made from flies?

    People farm insects for all sorts of reasons: Farmers rear bees to pollinate billions of dollars of crops, textile companies raise silkworms for their cocoons, and cosmetic companies use cochineal beetles for dyes. Researchers also put insects to work in labs: Fruit flies have revolutionized genetics, cockroaches provide insights into neurobiology, and ants inspire AI-driven robots.

    On top of that, medical companies raise blowfly larvae to clean wounds, desert locusts for compounds that might help reduce the risk of heart disease, and lac insects for their secretions, which are used to coat pills.

    All told, trillions of insects are farmed each year across the globe – more than all other livestock combined. Each year, producers rear some 2.1 trillion black soldier flies alone – and, if industry trends hold, will be rearing three times as many in 2035. Currently, roughly 30 times as many insects are produced as the most-farmed “traditional” farm animal: the chicken.

    As an ethics professor, I think this raises pressing questions about what it means to treat insects humanely. Several years ago, I was skeptical that these questions were worth asking, as most questions about animal welfare center on pain – and I didn’t think there was much chance that insects could feel it. However, as science has uncovered more about insects’ abilities, the emerging field of insect welfare seems increasingly important.

    Dried, crushed female insects known as Dactylopius coccus, which will be used to produce natural red dye, at a farm in Mexico.
    AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

    New science of animal minds

    In the 17th century, many scientists believed that all nonhuman animals were mere machines that behaved as if they felt pain but didn’t actually experience it.

    While most scientists have long abandoned this view, researchers have not identified a definitive test for the capacity to feel pain in any nonhuman animal. There is no known brain structure or pattern of neural activity whose presence or absence settles the question. There’s no single behavior that decisively establishes pain, either.

    So, researchers look for several markers of pain that, taken together, support taking this possibility seriously. Some of these markers are neurobiological, such as specialized damage receptors and regions of the brain that integrate those signals with information from other senses. Some are behavioral, such as an animal making trade-offs between avoiding harm and pursuing rewards.

    Fruit flies, for example, are willing to cross electrical barriers that give them mild shocks to reach food. However, they won’t cross barriers that give them stronger shocks, even when very hungry. This suggests that there’s something more than simple reflexes at work: The animal is weighing different motivations to make a decision.

    Evidence like this keeps accumulating. Some bees can remember experiencing high heat and weigh this against the reward of sugar when it’s offered in hot containers. They also display emotion-like states, in that they respond to cognitive bias tests the way other animals do. These tests are used to assess how animals’ emotions influence their cognitive processes: Like people, animals handle uncertain situations differently if stressed or satisfied.

    Fruit flies become averse to temperatures that were once innocuous after researchers amputate their legs, just as some injuries in humans can lead to heightened pain sensitivity. Tobacco hornworm moth larvae and cockroaches tend to their wounds when hurt. And contrary to a common myth, many male praying mantises try to avoid being eaten by females; they don’t always just continue mating.

    Again, no single marker – or even the lot of them – proves that insects can feel pain. However, the accumulated evidence suggests that there’s at least a realistic possibility. This position is reflected in two scientific consensus statements: the 2012 Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness and the 2024 New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness, which are attempts to summarize the state of knowledge about many groups of animals.

    Humane practices?

    It’s widely acknowledged that it’s wrong to cause unnecessary pain in animals – an imperative codified in the ethical principles that U.S. federal agencies consult when making regulations about research. So, if insects can feel pain, as most Americans believe, then there is an ethical reason to protect their welfare.

    Of course, it isn’t certain that they can feel pain. So, precautionary reasoning becomes important: taking steps to reduce the risk of causing harm that are, in some sense, proportional to the magnitude of the risk. In other words, people who rear insects should take modest steps to reduce the risk that they are causing more pain than they need to cause.

    On some insect farms, a potential concern is injuries from cannibalism and aggression, which occur at greater rates when animals such as crickets are crowded together. The issue crops up in other farming systems as well: Chickens harm their flockmates when they don’t have sufficient room.

    There are also worries about slaughter. Typically, a humane death is fast, but many insects are killed using very slow methods, such as baking and microwaving. Grinding and boiling, by contrast, may be much quicker.

    Black soldier flies being grown as fish food live in laying-and-rearing aviaries at a factory in France.
    AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard

    In lab research, one potential concern is performing live dissections, once known as vivisection, without anesthetics or analgesics. The practice has been almost universally abandoned for vertebrate animals but is still routine with some insects. People have described many cases of insect neglect to me, including times when researchers have accidentally let insects starve or become fatally dehydrated after experiments conclude, rather than euthanizing them.

    Granted, it’s hard to be sure that any particular practice causes pain. If there’s a realistic possibility, however, then it’s worth considering alternative practices.

    As scientists have suggested, insect producers could reduce the number of animals in each container to reduce problems associated with crowding. They could investigate strategies for stunning insects before processing them, just as other animals are stunned before slaughter.

    In most countries, insect researchers are not legally required to follow the standard ethical guidelines for other animal researchers. But there is nothing to prevent insect researchers from following them voluntarily. These international guidelines recommend avoiding the use of live animals entirely when possible; using fewer live animals when they do need to be used; and refining practices to minimize the risk of pain and distress, such as giving insects anesthesia before dissection.

    It’s possible to treat insects more humanely. And since they may be able to feel pain, I believe it’s important to take reasonable steps to do so.

    Bob Fischer is on the board of the Insect Welfare Research Society and the Arthropoda Foundation.

    – ref. Insects are everywhere in farming and research − but insect welfare is just catching up – https://theconversation.com/insects-are-everywhere-in-farming-and-research-but-insect-welfare-is-just-catching-up-249585

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: KEYNOTE SPEECH by His Excellency Fiame Naomi Mata’afa Prime Minister of Samoa at the “Ceremony for the Official Commencement of the Construction of the Atele Storage Facility” – Atele Horticulture Centre, Nu’u,

    Source: Government of Samoa

    Prime Minister of Samoa Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa KEYNOTE REMARKS at the “Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Atele Packhouse”

    (Atele Horticulture Centre, Nu’u, Tuesday 18th February 2025@10 am)

    Reverend Iamafana Fa’a’u’uga,

    Honourable Ministers of Cabinet,

    Representatives of our Development partners,

    Representatives of the World Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),

    Distinguished Guests, Community Leaders, our dedicated farmers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all this morning, and it is my honour to address this significant occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Atele Packhouse; a project that represents progress, resilience, and opportunity for Samoa’s Agriculture sector.

    This project, valued at $4.5 million Samoan Tala, is a critical investment under the Samoa Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity and Marketing Project (SAFPROM). It is a testament to our government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the Agricultural sector, which is one of the lifelines of our economy and the very backbone of our rural communities.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the journey to this day has not been without its challenges. Since the launch of SAFPROM in March 2020, we have faced both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic obstacles that tested our resilience. The disruptions brought about by COVID-19 affected global supply chains, market access, and the livelihoods of many of our farmers and fishers. Yet, despite these challenges, the project has persevered, reaching over 3,000 farming households and communities across Samoa. This is a remarkable achievement that reflects the dedication of our people, the strength of our partnerships, and our collective vision for a more productive and sustainable Agricultural sector.

    The core objective of SAFPROM, is to enhance the productivity and market access of our farmers and fishers, by improving value chains, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and strengthening the institutions that support our food systems. This aligns perfectly with our national vision of ensuring food security, economic prosperity, and sustainable development for all Samoans.

    Today, we mark the beginning of the construction of a packhouse facility that will revolutionize the way we handle and market our agricultural produce. The Atele Packhouse will be a game-changer in post-harvest processing, quality control, and distribution. It will provide our farmers with the infrastructure they need to meet stringent market standards, reduce post-harvest losses, and ultimately increase their incomes. With a construction timeline of approximately seven months, this facility will soon stand as a symbol of progress, one that will open doors to greater economic opportunities and expand Samoa’s potential as a competitive player in the regional and global agricultural markets.

    Our Agriculture sector today faces increasing demands for quality and consistency in both local and export markets. Consumers, whether they are in Samoa or abroad, expect high standards in food safety, packaging, and traceability. The functions of this packhouse will directly address these demands. It will serve as a centralized hub for cleaning, sorting, processing, and packaging of our fresh produce, ensuring that our farmers can supply premium-quality products, that meet the expectations of buyers and consumers. More importantly, this facility will also support our efforts to increase agricultural exports, positioning Samoa to access high-value markets with confidence.

    Beyond its economic impact, the Atele Packhouse represents a broader vision of sustainability. By enhancing efficiency in post-harvest management, we are reducing food waste and optimizing the use of resources. This aligns with our commitment to building a resilient Agriculture sector, that is adaptive to climate change and supportive of long-term environmental sustainability.

    I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our development partners – the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – for their invaluable support and collaboration in making this project a reality. Your commitment to strengthening Samoa’s Agriculture sector has been instrumental in empowering our farmers, improving our food systems, and fostering economic growth. We deeply appreciate your partnership and look forward to continuing this journey together in the future.

    I also acknowledge the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministry of Finance, the dedicated farmers, and all stakeholders who have contributed their expertise and efforts to this project. Your hard work and commitment ensure that we continue to make meaningful progress in transforming our agriculture and fisheries industries.

    As we break ground today, let us reaffirm our shared commitment to advancing our Agriculture related development initiatives and efforts, and let us work together to ensure that this packhouse fulfills its purpose of supporting sustainable economic opportunities for our farmers and exporters. With determination and unity, I have no doubt that this project will leave a lasting beneficial impact on our Agriculture sector and the livelihoods of our people.

    May this groundbreaking event, be the foundation of a brighter future for Samoa’s farmers and exporters, and all those who depend on this vital industry.

    Thank you and may God bless Samoa.

    Photo by the Government of Samoa (Leota Marc Membrere)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australians in Film and Screen Australia Announce 2025 Participants in Talent Gateway and Global Producers Program

    Source: NSW Government puts trust in NAB to transform banking and payments

    03 04 2025 – Media release

    Top (L-R): Global Producers Exchange recipients Ramu Productions (Devina McPherson, Jodie Bell) and Unless Pictures (Meg O’Connell).Bottom (L-R): Talent Gateway recipients Jean Tong, Timothy Lee and Kacie Anning. 
    Australians in Film (AiF) and Screen Australia are pleased to announce the 2025 participants in the internationally recognized Talent Gateway (TG) and Global Producers Exchange (GPE).
    These highly coveted programs are designed to elevate Australian screen creatives, enhancing their professional skills and expanding their global reach.
    Running online since 2021, Talent Gateway supports Australian writer/directors who have demonstrated recent success, providing them with the tools, industry access, and relationships necessary to succeed on the global stage.
    Global Producers Exchange aims to strengthen Australian producers’ international capabilities by facilitating global collaborations and offering key insights to develop Australian stories with a global outlook.
    Peter Ritchie, Executive Director of Australians in Film, said, “Screen Australia’s strategic investment in expanding the international reach of Australian talent and businesses is essential for the continued success of Australian screen stories. These stories not only captivate international audiences but also generate significant economic growth, cementing Australia’s reputation internationally as a breeding ground for exciting new talent. We look forward to working with the outstanding 2025 participants.”
    Screen Australia COO Grainne Brunsdon said, “We’re thrilled to support the 2025 Talent Gateway and Global Producers Exchange participants, whose talents highlight the strength of Australia’s screen industry. These programs offer invaluable opportunities to expand their international reach and create new pathways for collaboration. As global demand for Australian stories continues to grow, initiatives like these ensure our talent remains at the forefront of the international screen community, driving both creative innovation and economic growth.”
    Supporting Partners for these programs include Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screenwest and VicScreen. Industry Partners are Australian Directors’ Guild, Australian Writers’ Guild, Screen Producers Australia, Screen Canberra, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory,  Screenworks and South Australian Film Corporation.
    Talent Gateway 2025 Participants:

    Clare Sladden (QLD): Clare is a Meanjin/Brisbane-based writer passionate about female-driven narratives. Her recent television credits include Good Cop/Bad Cop (Jungle Entertainment and Future Shack for Stan, Roku and The CW), NCIS: Sydney (Endemol Shine AU for Paramount+), and Sunny Nights (Jungle Entertainment & Echo Lake Entertainment for Stan, premiering in 2025). In the audio space, Clare wrote on the Wentworth spin-off podcast (Fremantle Media for Audible) and wrote and directed the narrative podcast Winding Road, starring Dacre Montgomery and Yael Stone. Clare has also received Screen Australia development funding for her debut feature, Sophie Next Door.
    Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes (NSW): This writing/directing duo from Sydney is known for their breakout work on Sissy, which was selected for SXSW and Sydney Film Festival, winning multiple audience awards globally. Their debut feature, For Now, garnered international festival nominations for Best Film. Recently, they received Premium Development Funding from Screen Australia for their next project, Cooch, and were named Inside Film’s Rising Stars. Their work continues to captivate global audiences with fresh and innovative storytelling.
    Jean Tong (VIC): Jean is a multi-talented writer and director for stage and screen. Their television credits include episodes of Heartbreak High (Netflix), Safe Home (SBS), and Erotic Stories (SBS). Jean’s stage work includes critically acclaimed plays like Hungry Ghosts (Melbourne Theatre Company) and Romeo is Not the Only Fruit (Malthouse Theatre). They were also the inaugural Melbourne Theatre Company Playwriting Fellow in 2023. Jean is currently directing the world premiere of Benjamin Law’s adaptation of Dying: A Memoir for Melbourne Theatre Company.
    Kacie Anning (NSW): Kacie is the creator, writer, director, and executive producer of Class of ’07 (Amazon Prime). She has directed and written for several high-profile series, including The Other Guy (Stan), Diary of a Future President (Disney+), Upload (Prime Video), and Hardball (ABC Me). She has won two Australian Directors’ Guild Awards. Her work as set-up director and EP on Madam (Channel 9), starring Rachel Griffiths, won Best Comedy Series at the Berlin Series Festival and Monte Carlo Television Festival.
    Thomas Wilson White (NSW): Thomas is an award-winning writer and director, best known for his work on the International Emmy Award-winning Heartbreak High (Netflix). His debut feature The Greenhouse (2021) won the Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film under $1M. Thomas is currently developing a slate of original TV shows and a second feature film while adapting a best-selling novel for Warner Brothers.
    Timothy Lee (NSW): Timothy is the co-creator and writer of the Australian neo-Western Territory (Netflix), which topped the charts in 11 countries and reached #2 globally on Netflix. He also wrote on Mystery Road (ABC) and Mystery Road: Origin, earning AACTA nominations for Best Screenplay in Television. His writing credits include Bump (Stan/Netflix), Doctor Doctor (Nine), and The Unlisted (Netflix).

    Global Producers Exchange 2025 Participants:

    Carver Films – Sarah Shaw and Anna McLeish (VIC): Carver Films is led by award-winning producers Sarah Shaw and Anna McLeish. Their 2023 feature Run Rabbit Run, starring Sarah Snook and directed by Daina Reid, premiered at Sundance and became the top-streamed English-language film on Netflix in Australia and the USA. Their previous credits include Relic (2020), Sunshine (2018), and Snowtown (2011), which debuted at Cannes Critics Week. Carver is currently in postproduction on Saccharine with director Natalie Erika James.
    Future Pictures – Matt Govoni and Adam White (VIC): Founded by Matt Govoni and Adam White, Future Pictures is known for producing world-class content. Their recent projects include Late Night with the Devil (2023), which premiered at SXSW and won Best Screenplay at Sitges, and Lone Wolf (2021), which premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Future Pictures continues to break box office records and achieve critical success in the global marketplace.
    Martin Brown Films – Martin Brown and John Collee (NSW): Martin Brown Films is a Sydney-based screen production company founded by Martin Brown and John Collee. Martin Produced Moulin Rouge and Co-produced Romeo+Juliet. John recently adapted the TV series Boy Swallows Universe, which was Netflix’s most successful Australian-made show to date. Martin and John are recognized individually for their expertise in content development and international co-productions. Their company has a number of exciting projects in development.
    Ramu Productions – Jodie Bell and Devina McPherson (WA): Based in Broome, Western Australia, Ramu Productions specializes in First Nations storytelling. CEO Jodie Bell, a Butchella and Jagera woman, has produced numerous award-winning short films and documentaries, including Putuparri and the Rainmakers. Devina McPherson, a Widi Yamatji and Noongar woman, is an experienced development and associate producer. Together, they focus on creating authentic First Nations content with a strong cultural lens.
    Thirdborn – Nicole O’Donohue (NSW): Thirdborn, founded by filmmakers Shaun Grant, Justin Kurzel and Nicole O’Donohue, is committed to developing bold films and premium television series. Their debut series, Exposure (2024), was nominated for seven AACTA Awards. With a focus on distinctive storytelling, Thirdborn partners with extraordinary cast, crew, and producers with a shared creative ambition and passion for original storytelling to deliver impactful narratives for global audiences. 
    Unless Pictures – Meg O’Connell (NSW): International Emmy-winning producer Meg O’Connell founded Unless Pictures, a creative production company known for innovative storytelling. Meg’s credits include the AACTA-winning Robbie Hood (SBS/NITV), the Rose d’Or-winning Content (ABC), and the international hit Bluey (ABC/BBC/Disney+). Her most recent project is the feature film Windcatcher (Stan/ACTF).

    AiF Media Enquiries:
    Jane Lunn 
    [email protected]  | +61 402 248 811 
    Media enquiries
    Maddie Walsh | Publicist
    + 61 2 8113 5915  | [email protected]
    Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu)
    + 61 428 767 836  | [email protected]
    All other general/non-media enquiries
    Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800  |  Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Kisan Rail Facilitates Swift Transport of Perishables from Surplus Regions to Markets Across the Country

    Source: Government of India

    Kisan Rail Facilitates Swift Transport of Perishables from Surplus Regions to Markets Across the Country

    Since August 2020, Indian Railways Operated 2,364 Kisan Rail Services, Transporting 7.9 Lakh Tonnes of Perishables; 65 Services from Gujarat Transported 18,250 Tonnes to Different Parts of the Country

    Railways, Agriculture and other Ministry with States and other Stakeholders Identify Key Circuits for Efficient Movement of Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Perishables Across India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:41PM by PIB Delhi

    Kisan Rail enables movement of perishables including fruits and vegetables from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions in reasonable time.

    Since the launch of Kisan Rail service on 7th August 2020, Railways have operated around 2,364 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables.  Out of these, 65 services have operated from Gujarat to different parts of the country, transporting 18,250 tonnes (approximately) of fruits and vegetables.

    Potential circuits for movement of vegetables, fruits and other perishables are identified in consultation with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Agriculture/Animal Husbandry/Fisheries Departments of State Governments as well as local bodies and agencies, Mandis etc., and services are planned on the basis of demands placed taking into consideration, operational feasibility.

    This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2118005) Visitor Counter : 40

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 1 Million Resources Hired Through GeM in FY 2024-25

    Source: Government of India

    Over 1 Million Resources Hired Through GeM in FY 2024-25

    GeM Revolutionises Government’s Manpower Outsourcing Service

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 12:20PM by PIB Delhi

    Digital procurement platform, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), has achieved a significant milestone by facilitating the hiring of over 1 million manpower resources by government organizations in the current fiscal year (2024-25). This milestone underscores GeM’s commitment to transforming public procurement through transparency, compliance, and efficiency.

    Manpower outsourcing of GeM provides government buyers with a seamless solution to hire outsourced resources. Over 33,000 service providers on the platform enable buyers to engage manpower based on diverse criteria, including minimum wages and fixed remuneration. Various skilled and unskilled roles such as Security Personnel, Horticulture Staff, Multi-Tasking Staff, Data Entry Operators, and Facility Management Professionals can be hired through the portal.

    Speaking on this achievement, CEO of GeM, Shri Ajay Bhadoo, stated, “GeM has harnessed digital capabilities and has emerged as a one-stop-shop for procurement of all possible services required by government buyers at various levels of administration. Our manpower outsourcing service not only simplifies the hiring process for government organizations but also ensures strict labour compliance through our comprehensive Service Level Agreement.”

    Key features of GeM’s manpower outsourcing service include:

    • Flexibility to select resources based on skills, profiles, educational qualifications, and experience
    • Specialized role categories addressing specific government needs
    • Transparent pricing models, including minimum wage and fixed remuneration options
    • Comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA) framework ensuring legal compliance and clear obligations for all parties

    GeM’s adherence with labour laws and regulations ensures that all transactions meet statutory requirements, providing government buyers with peace of mind while engaging outsourced resources.

    The milestone of 1 million manpower resources hired through GeM in FY 2024-25 demonstrates the growing trust and adoption of the platform across government sectors.

    Established in 2016, GeM provides government buyers with an end-to-end digital platform to carry out public procurement at cost-effective rates. In FY 2019-20, the platform expanded to include services as a separate segment, initially offering basic services like manpower hiring, cab hiring, security services, and cleaning & sanitation services. Over the last five years, GeM has expanded its portfolio to more than 330 services, including complex offerings like drone services, AR/VR services, cloud services, and cybersecurity services.

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas

    (Release ID: 2117636) Visitor Counter : 64

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Flower Show photo competition entries to close on April 15

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Hong Kong Flower Show photo competition entries to close on April 15 
         The photo competition is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB). The competition aims to promote community greening with impressive photographs of flowers and plants on display, interesting or touching scenes captured at the showground, and portraits of TVB artistes and Miss Hong Kong titleholders with beautiful garden displays as a background.
     
         The photo competition is divided into three categories: Category A – Portrait of TVB Artistes and Miss Hong Kong; Category B – Flowers; and Category C – Snapshots.
     
         Entries for Category A, comprising the Open and Student Sections, must be photos of TVB artistes and Miss Hong Kong titleholders taken by entrants to the activity, Portrait Photo Shooting Session, on March 13 at the showground in Victoria Park. Entries for Category B must be photos of flowers including garden displays or floral art exhibits taken at the showground during the show period. Entries for Category C must be photos of interesting features or moments at the flower show taken during the show period.
     
         Results of the competition will be announced in June on the flower show webpage. Winners will be notified in writing for the collection of prizes. All winning entries will be uploaded onto the flower show webpage for public viewing at the same time.
     
         For enquiries, please call 2601 8260 or refer to the flower show webpage www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2025/photo_rs.html 
         The HKFS is organised by the LCSD. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has supported the flower show for the 13th consecutive year and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
    Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Make the Feral Swine Eradication Program Permanent

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) today introduced the Feral Swine Eradication Act, which would extend and make permanent a pilot program to safeguard public health, agriculture, and local ecosystems against the threat of feral swine:  
    “Feral hogs can inflict serious economic and environmental damage to our agricultural communities by destroying crops, trampling farmland, and threatening other livestock,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would support our farmers, ranchers, and producers in Texas and across the country by promoting removal and restoration efforts to mitigate the risk posed by this invasive species.”
    “New Mexico’s farmers, ranchers, and producers play a vital role in supporting our state’s economy and it’s critical that their crops and livestock are protected from harm,” said Sen. Luján. “Feral hogs pose serious threats to New Mexico’s agriculture industry by disrupting their land, killing plants, and increasing the chance for unwanted weeds. That’s why I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that safely removes feral swine and protects New Mexico’s critical agricultural communities.”
    “Feral swine are a serious threat to the livelihoods of Alabama’s farmers. Feral hogs destroy crops, land, and undo months, if not years, of work by our farmers to feed our country,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Feral swine cause an estimated $50 million in damages annually to Alabama. Despite eradication efforts, the pigs are still running rampant throughout the South. And so today, I’m standing with Alabama farmers and taking action to fight back against this threat.”
    “In Georgia, feral hogs have been responsible for over $150 million a year in economic damage for our farmers. They destroy crops, damage pastures, and devastate livestock and horticulture,” said Sen. Rev. Warnock. “As a voice for Georgia farmers on the Senate Agriculture committee, I am committed to protecting this program to provide farmers and workers on the frontlines of our agriculture industry with the tools and resources needed to combat this destruction.”
    “I remain committed to supporting Alabama’s incredible farmers, including by addressing the devastating economic and environmental impacts of feral swine.  The Feral Swine Eradication Act would establish a permanent program to eliminate this threat,” said Sen. Britt. “I’m proud to introduce federal legislation to help mitigate the estimated $50 million in agricultural damage caused in our state each year and protect the livelihoods of farmers who continue to feed and clothe our nation.”
    Background:
    There are approximately six million feral hogs across the United States, which cause more than $2.5 billion in damages each year. The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to respond to rampant feral swine outbreaks and was implemented by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS). This program included feral swine removal by APHIS, restoration efforts supported by NRCS, and assistance to producers for feral swine control through grants with non-federal partners. NRCS and APHIS successfully carried out these pilot projects in ten states.
    This legislation is endorsed by the Texas Farm Bureau, Plains Cotton Growers, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Putting the chop on illicit tobacco crops

    Source:

    Illicit tobacco operations are not run by genuine farmers but by organised crime syndicates. These activities divert vital funds from the community and place them into the hands of criminals, who use the profits to fund other serious crimes.

    By staying informed and vigilant, everyone can play their part in keeping the community safe and ensuring a level playing field for legitimate businesses.

    With the tobacco growing season well underway, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is urging the community to be aware of signs that illicit tobacco is being grown, and report it to us.

    How to spot a tobacco plant

    Ever wondered if the plant you’re staring at in a field is a tobacco plantThis link will download a file or perhaps a type of vegetable? Here’s how to tell:

    • Height: A tobacco plant typically stands tall at around 2.5 metres.
    • Leaves and resemblance: Look for large, green leaves that might remind you of kale, cabbage, or even corn.
    • Flowers: Tobacco plants feature long, trumpet-shaped flowers that are pinkish-white.

    Next time you see a plant that fits this description, you might just be looking at a tobacco plant.

    How to spot illicit tobacco activity

    Ever wondered if there’s a secret tobacco operation happening right under your nose? Here are some telltale signs that might suggest the presence of illicit tobacco activity in your community:

    • Construction activities along creeks and rivers on private and public land.
    • Unexplained and potentially unlawful use of water resources.
    • Vans without markings constantly being loaded with cardboard boxes, potentially at odd hours of the day and night.
    • Excessive security measures such as cameras, locks or guards, in seemingly ordinary farms or shops.
    • The sound of machinery running overnight.

    How to report it

    If you suspect that illicit tobacco is being grown or manufactured in your community, report it to the ATO online at www.ato.gov.au/tipoff, or phone 1800 060 062. Community tip-offs are one of our best sources of information.

    A recent raid at a property in rural Victoria, prompted by a community tip-off, led to the seizure and destruction of over 16 tonnes of illicit tobacco. The amount seized is equivalent to the size of a young blue whale and has an estimated excise value of nearly $35 million. This operation, which targeted an organised crime syndicate, highlights the crucial role that community members play in combating illegal tobacco activities.

    The ATO urges everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity related to illicit tobacco production to the authorities. By working together, we can help protect our communities from the harmful impacts of illegal tobacco operations.

    Visit www.ato.gov.au/illicittobacco and download our infographic (PDF, 490KB)This link will download a file to learn more about illicit tobacco and how we are fighting back.

    Notes to journalists

    ATO stock footage and images are available for use in news bulletins from our media centre.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States hog inventory down slightly

    Source: US Government environment energy and agriculture

    WASHINGTON, March 27, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the 2023 Census of Agriculture data for the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) today.

    The most widely used statistics in the agriculture industry, the Census of Agriculture, is conducted every five years and provides the most comprehensive and impartial agriculture data at the island level. “We thank the producers who gave their time to complete the questionnaire. The Census of Agriculture data tells their agriculture story,” said NASS Administrator Joseph Parsons. “The agricultural census data provides vital data that helps shape policies, allocate resources, and support the growth and sustainability of agriculture in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

    Federal and local governments, agribusinesses, organizations, universities, and many more use the Census of Agriculture data to support funding research and programs to improve farming techniques and equipment, building infrastructure for high-speed internet, providing effective production and distribution systems as well as natural disaster preparation, response, and recovery assistance.

    Highlights from the 2023 Census of Agriculture for USVI:

    • There were 619 farms, up by 54 farms from the last census. Land in farms totaled 8,092 acres, with an average farm size of 13.1 acres.
    • The total value of sales was $4.2 million, with an average value of $6,787 per farm.
    • Vegetables represented the largest category of production, with sales of $2.2 million.

    The Census of Agriculture in USVI defined a farm as any place from which $500 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, in 2023.

    The full Census of Agriculture report as well as publication dates for additional data products from the census can be found at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SIU to probe National Skills Fund, DPWI, among others

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed five proclamations – two new and three amendments – authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of the National Skills Fund and the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.  

    In addition, the President has amended existing proclamations to expand the scope of investigations into the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Eskom, PetroSA, Transnet, South African Airways (SAA), the Department of Human Settlements, Alexkor, and the South African Council for Educators (SACE). 

    In a statement on Friday, the SIU said these investigations aim to recover financial losses suffered by the State. 

    National Skills Fund 

    “Proclamation 253 of 2025 authorises the SIU to investigate allegations of serious maladministration, improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees of the Department of Higher Education and Training, and the possible mismanagement of funds allocated to the National Skills Fund (NSF),” the SIU said. 

    The investigation will focus on procurement and contracting for the implementation of skills development programmes, training projects, and the appointment of implementing agents for the following projects: 

    • Yikhonolakho Woman and Youth Primary Co-operative Limited (NSF 16/1/3/21)
    • Dithipe Development Institute (Pty) Limited
    • Dzunde Farming Co-operative Limited – Rural Development
    • Dual System Apprenticeship Pilot Project – Port Elizabeth TVET College (NSF10/3/8/2/9)
    • Rubicon Communication CC
    • Centre for Education Policy Development (Fruitless & Wasteful Expenditure) — NSF 16/2/1/2 & NSF 10/4/4/3
    • Emanzini Staffing Solutions (Pty) Limited (NSF16/1/4/55 and/or 2016-NSFWIL — 0174)
    • ADA Holdings (NSF16/1/4/5, Ingewe TVET College — NSF/16/3/2/2 & Lusikisiki/ Bizana — NSF/16/1/2/3)
    • Ekurhuleni West TVET College (NSF16/1/2/39)
    • Passionate about People (Pty) Limited (NSF/16/1/3/12&16). 

    Additionally, the SIU will investigate any unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure by the NSF or the department. 

    The scope of the investigation includes any unlawful or improper conduct by suppliers, service providers, and other involved parties, occurring between 1 January 2013 and 28 March 2025, or related matters before or after this period.

    National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure 

    Proclamation 256 of 2025 authorises the SIU to investigate allegations of maladministration in the affairs of the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) relating to the appointment of travel agents in 2017 for the rendering of travel agency services, including flights, accommodation, and vehicle hire. 

    “The investigation will determine whether these appointments and related payments were conducted in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective; contrary to applicable legislation; or inconsistent with Treasury instructions, departmental manuals, policies, procedures, or other applicable prescripts. 

    “The SIU will also investigate any unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure incurred by the Department and any unlawful or improper conduct by officials, employees, service providers, or any other parties involved in the procurement of these services,” the SIU said. 

    The SIU added that the scope of the investigation includes any unlawful or improper conduct by suppliers, service providers, and other involved parties, occurring between 1 March 2017 and 28 March 2025, or related matters before or after this period. 

    Amendment of Proclamation No. R.206 of 2024 

    Proclamation 252 of 2025 amends Proclamation R.206 of 2024 to reflect the full scope of the SIU’s investigation into several state institutions. 

    The amendment corrects and clarifies the entities under investigation, which include the South African Broadcasting Corporation SOC Limited (SABC), Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa SOC Limited (PetroSA), Transnet SOC Limited, South African Airways SOC Limited (SAA), and the National Department of Human Settlements (formerly known as the National Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation). 

    The amendment substitutes the heading and paragraph 1 of the original Proclamation to formally add South African Airways as a state institution which will be subjected to an investigation of allegations of serious maladministration, corruption, and unlawful conduct in the affairs of these state institutions. 

    Amendment of Alexkor investigation to include additional institutions and broader scope 

    Proclamation 254 of 2025 amends Proclamation R.45 of 2021 to broaden the scope of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation beyond Alexkor SOC Limited. 

    The amendment now includes the Alexkor Richtersveld Mining Company Pooling and Sharing Joint Venture and the State Diamond Trader—collectively referred to as “the Institutions.” The amendment updates several references throughout the original Proclamation to reflect this expanded scope. 

    “The amended Proclamation authorises the SIU to investigate the procurement of and contracting for goods or services by or on behalf of the Institutions in relation to the marketing, valuation, sale (including decisions not to buy), and beneficiation of diamonds, and any income generated or lost, or payments made in respect thereof. 

    “The investigation will consider whether such conduct was contrary to applicable legislation, Treasury instructions, or the Institutions’ own policies and procedures,” the SIU said. 

    The SIU will also probe serious maladministration in the affairs of Alexkor SOC Limited in respect of contracts concluded with, and fees paid to, Regiments Capital (Pty) Limited. 

    The SIU will also investigate any related unauthorised, irregular, or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Institutions, as well as fraudulent, irregular, improper, or unlawful conduct by Board members, officials, employees, agents, service providers, traders, auctioneers, bidders, or buyers—particularly where such conduct resulted in undue benefit or concealed interests. 

    In addition, the Proclamation authorises the SIU to probe serious maladministration in the affairs of the institutions in respect of agreements or contracts with service providers and other diamond trade actors and specifically empowers the SIU to investigate contracts concluded with and fees paid to Regiments Capital (Pty) Limited by Alexkor SOC Limited. 

    The amended scope covers conduct occurring between 1 January 2014 (previously 1 October 2016) and the date of publication of this Proclamation and includes related matters outside this period if they are relevant to the investigation. 

    “Beyond investigating maladministration, corruption, and fraud, the SIU will identify systemic failures and recommend measures to prevent future losses.” 

    In accordance with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (SIU Act), the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during these investigations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action. 

    The SIU is also empowered to institute civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal to recover financial losses to the State resulting from acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REPS. LAUREN BOEBERT AND TOM TIFFANY’S GRAY WOLF BILL RECEIVES KEY HEARING IN HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lauren Boebert (Colorado, 3)

    WASHINGTON D.C.– The Pet and Livestock Protection Act introduced by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04) and Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) today received a key hearing in the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries.

    The bill delists the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List, prioritizes the safety and success of America’s agriculture community, removes the ability of progressive, activist judges to get in the way of science and allows states to set their own rules and regulations for managing their gray wolf population. 

    “The science is very clear on this issue: gray wolves should no longer be on the Endangered Species List,”said Congresswoman Boebert. “We can no longer put the livestock of ranchers and farmers in harm’s way by protecting a species that has fully recovered and does not recognize state boundaries. Administrations on both sides of the aisle have agreed this change needs to happen and I look forward to implementing this legislation into law so activist, progressive judges will no longer be able to put their ideology over the rights of ranchers and farmers across Colorado and America.”

    “We’ve all witnessed the slaughter of pets, livestock, and deer herds across rural America as a result of an unmanaged gray wolf population. The science is clear; the gray wolf has recovered. Rep. Boebert and I introduced the Pet and Livestock Protection Act to delist the gray wolf, restore state management, and protect the livelihoods of farmers and pet owners. Wolf management belongs in the hands of states, not distant D.C. bureaucrats,” said Congressman Tiffany.

    “The Pet and Livestock Protection Act would formalize what the Department of the Interior has repeatedly stated under multiple presidential administrations—that gray wolves are recovered, have exceeded the established delisting criteria, and that states should regain management authority as originally intended under the ESA,” said Dr. Nathan Roberts, Professor of Conservation and Wildlife Management at College of the Ozarks and testifying witness at today’s hearing. “The bills discussed today will promote responsible wildlife management and stewardship, helping to restore balance and ensure effective conservation practices.”

    Congresswoman Boebert’s entire opening statement from today’s hearing can be viewed HERE.

    Additional Reading:

    9News: Wolf from Great Lakes dies in Elbert County, Colorado

    USA Today: Colorado Gray Wolf killed after attacking 5 sheep in Wyoming

    The Gazette: Wolves from Canada Arrive in Colorado, Destination Unknown

    Colorado Sun: Ranchers hit Colorado with $580,000 in wolf depredation claims after gray wolf attacks on livestock

    Background:

    The Pet and Livestock Protection Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States. It also ensures this rule cannot be overturned through judicial review, preventing activist judges, like the California judge who vacated the rule in 2022, from relisting the gray wolf by judicial fiat.

    In 2020, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under President Trump delisted the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States through a process that included the best science and data available. At over 6,000 wolves at the time of delisting, the gray wolf has been the latest Endangered Species Act (ESA) success story with significant population recoveries in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions.

    Despite clear evidence of recovery, a California judge overturned the rule in 2022, relisting the gray wolf under the ESA. In Colorado, foreign gray wolves have been imported in from Canada despite strong pushback from local stakeholders and confusion about how to fund wolf depredation claims.

    31 Members of Congress cosponsored the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, including: Reps. Nick Begich (AK-At-Large), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Jeff Crank (CO-05), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Troy Downing (MT-02), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Harriet Hagemann (WY-At-Large), Andy Harris (MD-01), Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Richard Hudson (NC-09), Mike Kennedy (UT-03), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Max Miller (OH-07), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Andy Ogles (TN-05), Scott Perry (PA-10), Bryan Steil (WI-01), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), and Tony Wied (WI-08).

    Stakeholders that support the Pet and Livestock Protection Act include: American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), Hunter Nation, International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR), Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Blacktail Deer Foundation, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Conservation Alliance, Colorado Wool Growers, New Mexico Cattle Growers, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association, Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Whiteville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 23 Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Whiteville man was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.  On February 9, 2024, Marion Lamont Flowers, age 43, pled guilty to the charges.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2020, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Whiteville Police Department, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) began investigating Flowers for drug trafficking. Between December 2020 and July 2021, law enforcement oversaw seven controlled purchases of cocaine and methamphetamine from Flowers. On July 20, 2021, a confidential informant arranged to purchase 1 kilogram of methamphetamine from Flowers. When Flowers arrived to make the sale, he was apprehended by law enforcement and taken into custody. A search of Flowers’ vehicle recovered 893.8 grams of methamphetamine (97% purity), more than $2000 in cash and a loaded PH 13 handgun. l

    Based on surveillance during the investigation, Flowers was operating out of a hotel room at an EconoLodge. Agents executed search warrants on two rooms rented by Flowers and seized MDMA pills, Xanax pills, Alprazolam and Buprenorphine pills. They also seized 37 grams of cocaine base (crack), 249 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of fentanyl and nearly $4000 in cash.

    Flowers has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1995 when he was convicted of assault with intent to kill and robbery with a dangerous weapon for robbing a Hasty Mart Store. During the robbery, Flowers shot a customer in the neck. In 2004, he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon after robbing a BB&T bank. In 2016, Flowers pled guilty to possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine and to delivering cocaine. As the sentencing judge noted at Flowers’ hearing, Flowers has also performed poorly while incarcerated, incurring over 30 infractions while serving time for previous convictions.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Whiteville Police Department and the Columbus County Sheriff  investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00135-D-001.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USDA releases Census of Agriculture data for the U.S. Virgin Islands

    Source: US National Agricultural Statistics Service

    WASHINGTON, March 27, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the 2023 Census of Agriculture data for the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) today.

    The most widely used statistics in the agriculture industry, the Census of Agriculture, is conducted every five years and provides the most comprehensive and impartial agriculture data at the island level. “We thank the producers who gave their time to complete the questionnaire. The Census of Agriculture data tells their agriculture story,” said NASS Administrator Joseph Parsons. “The agricultural census data provides vital data that helps shape policies, allocate resources, and support the growth and sustainability of agriculture in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

    Federal and local governments, agribusinesses, organizations, universities, and many more use the Census of Agriculture data to support funding research and programs to improve farming techniques and equipment, building infrastructure for high-speed internet, providing effective production and distribution systems as well as natural disaster preparation, response, and recovery assistance.

    Highlights from the 2023 Census of Agriculture for USVI:

    • There were 619 farms, up by 54 farms from the last census. Land in farms totaled 8,092 acres, with an average farm size of 13.1 acres.
    • The total value of sales was $4.2 million, with an average value of $6,787 per farm.
    • Vegetables represented the largest category of production, with sales of $2.2 million.

    The Census of Agriculture in USVI defined a farm as any place from which $500 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, in 2023.

    The full Census of Agriculture report as well as publication dates for additional data products from the census can be found at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: From Farm to Table: Horticulture Development and Food Security in Uzbekistan

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Transcript

    Makhtob Odilova, Horticulture entrepreneur

    For many this is just a field, but for me it is the story of my life.

    Bukhara region, Uzbekistan.

    Makhtob Odilova, Horticulture entrepreneur

    I started business in agriculture, because the population is growing, and demand for tomatoes and cucumbers is also increasing. Before there were no tomatoes and cucumbers in our district.

    Entrepreneurship motivates people to do new things. I studied the opportunities in Bukhara and decided to start a greenhouse business.

    Makhtob was able to grow her business with the help of ADB. The project extended $154 million to horticulture entrepreneurs, channeled through local banks.

    It helped to finance and train entrepreneurs like Makhtob in areas like climate-smart agriculture, business planning, and market expansion.  

    ADB-financed Horticulture Value Chain Development Project (2017-2023) provided 359 subloans: 220 subloans for production of modern greenhouse complexes (195) and intensive gardens (25); and 139 subloans for storage improvement (83), processing (45), taro-packaging of fruit and vegetable products (4), and agricultural machinery purchase (7).

    Makhtob Odilova, Horticulture entrepreneur

    In 2020, during the pandemic, we took another $1 million loan so that our work would not stop. Using this loan we built a new greenhouse in Kagan district.

    Geographical distribution of subloans: Andijan (3.1%), Bukhara (17.0%), Djizzak (4.2%), Fergana (7.8%), Kashkadarya (6.6%), Republic of Karakalpakstan (1.2%), Khorezm (5.8%), Namangan (4.4%), Navoi (4.1%), Samarkand (10.7%), Sirdarya (13.5%), Surkhandarya (6.6%), Tashkent (15.0%). Participating banks: Asaka Bank, Davr Bank, Hamkorbank, Ipoteka Bank, Ipak Yuli Bank, NBU, SQB, Turon Bank.

    Makhtob Odilova, Horticulture entrepreneur

    When we planted in the soil, the yield was very low. After we switched to hydroponics, the yield significantly increased. In 2020-2023, we delivered to our population and exported about 600 tons of tomato.

    Horticultural exports increased from $6oo million in 2015 to $1.15 billion in 2022. Export volume in 2022: 648,483 tons of vegetables, 318,900 tons of grapes, 305,479 tons of fruits, 136,600 tons of melons.

    To help bring food from farm to table, ADB also supported the country’s largest modern grocery retail company, Korzinka. $12 million loan helped the company build its inventory buffers for food and pay suppliers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Kanokpan Lao-Araya, ADB Country Director for Uzbekistan

    ADB is happy to help boost food production and strengthen supply chains in Uzbekistan. This will not only help ensure food security, but will also create and preserve jobs, particularly for women and those in rural areas who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

    Makhtob Odilova, Horticulture entrepreneur

    My advice to women is to never be afraid of hard work. A woman should be a risk taker. Any woman can handle large business. Just believe.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Moore Reintroduce Bill to Boost Alabama Pecan and Tree Nut Farmers, Increase Healthier Options for Seniors  

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville is continuing his efforts to boost Alabama’s agriculture community and make healthy foods more accessible for Alabama’s more than 54,000 seniors by reintroducing the Farmers’ Market Expansion Act, legislation that would make pecans and other tree nuts eligible for the USDA’s Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). Senator Tuberville’s legislation would make tree nuts, including pecans and shelled nuts, available for participating seniors. AgriPulse first reported the bill’s introduction.
    “The Farmers’ Market Expansion Act would be a huge win for both our seniors and tree nut farmers by making it easier for seniors to incorporate pecans into their diet,” said Senator Tuberville. “Not only are pecans delicious, but they are a great source of nutrients needed for brain, bone, and heart health. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Congressman Moore to support Alabama’s farmers and Americans seeking healthier lives. As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Ag Committee, I’ll continue advocating for Alabama’s farmers and bringing important ag and nutritional priorities to the table.”
    U.S. Senator Ben Luján (D-NM) joined Senator Tuberville in introducing the legislation. U.S. Representative Barry Moore (R-AL-01) is leading companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Adding tree nuts, especially shelled pecans, to the Seniors’ Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program benefits Alabama producers and seniors,” said Rep. Moore. “Pecans are an important part of Alabama’s agriculture, and we are hopeful this legislation creates competitive markets for our tree nut producers. I am proud to work alongside Senator Tuberville to deliver this much needed legislation for Alabama’s farmers and the American people.”
    The Farmers’ Market Expansion Act is endorsed by the National Pecan Federation, Southeastern Pecan Growers Association, Almond Alliance, American Pistachio Growers, California Walnut Commission, Alabama Pecan Growers Association (APGA), Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries, Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA), Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA). Text of the bill can be found here. 
    “The attention to the pecan industry in Alabama continues to grow. The opportunity for Pecans to be added to the Senior Market Nutrition Program would be a huge win for Alabama growers. The pecan nut has the highest amount of Antioxidants of any tree.  The fit here is a benefit to all open additional market for growers provide high quality nutrition for seniors’.  Thank you, Coach, for your focus and commitment to Alabama Farmers,” said Brian Futral, President of the Alabama Pecan Growers Association (APGA).
    “I’m grateful to Senator Tuberville for reintroducing the Farmers Market Expansion Act. Alabama is home to 170 farmers markets and 114 farm stands that would benefit from adding tree nuts to the Seniors’ Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). Adding pecans to this program would provide our seniors with another healthy choice in addition to fresh produce, while also supporting Alabama’s hardworking pecan growers. This would be a win for our farmers, for our seniors and for Alabama agriculture,” said Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries Commissioner Rick Pate.
    “The Almond Alliance supports Senator Tuberville and Representative Barry Moore’s introduction of the Pecan and Tree Nut Producers Assistance Act, which would allow nutrient-dense, locally grown tree nuts—such as almonds—to be included in the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. This bill supports both the health of low-income seniors and the economic vitality of almond growers. Including nutritious, locally grown tree nuts in the program benefits consumers and producers alike,” saidAlexi Rodriguez, President and CEO, Almond Alliance.
    “The National Pecan Federation is proud to support the reintroduction of this legislation, which would include tree nuts in the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). The inclusion of pecans in the SFMNP will expand the market for pecan producers across the country and increase consumer access to a healthy and delicious product. We appreciate the opportunity to include pecans in new local markets that will benefit seniors in our communities,” said Larry Don Womack, Chairman of the National Pecan Federation.
    “The Southeastern Pecan Growers Association supports the reintroduction of the Farmers’ Market Expansion Act, which would include access to local pecans for eligible seniors. This potential market is especially important to our smaller growers who are actively looking to place their pecan products in local and community-based markets. The passage of this bill would create success for pecan producers across the Southeast, while providing consumer access to a new, highly nutritious product,” said Justin Jones, Chairman of the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association.
    BACKGROUND:
    The SFMNP provides fresh, nutritious, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey to eligible low-income seniors. These seniors must be 60 years of age or older and have a household income of no more than 185% of the federal poverty level. Eligible seniors can exchange coupons for program products at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. 
    According to the USDA, in fiscal year 2022, the SFMNP had 757,751 seniors participate and 15,089 farmers sold products through the program across the country. Annual program benefits vary per state between $20 – $50 per year, with over 54,000 eligible seniors in Alabama. 
    According to the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), common tree nuts are considered almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. With this legislation, these tree nuts would be eligible for the SFMNP.
    Alabama is one of the country’s top pecan producers, ranking eighth nationally. Growers across the state harvested approximately 3 million pounds across 9,000 pecan-bearing acres in 2022. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, Alabama had over 762 producers who harvested 7,276 pecan-bearing acres.
    During Farm Bill listening sessions throughout Alabama last Congress, Senator Tuberville had outreach from several pecan growers who were seeking to add pecans to the farmers’ market program. Pecan producers have had seniors seeking to purchase whole and shelled pecans through the program, but cannot due to current restrictions. 
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Drug Dealer Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison for Series of Fentanyl, Heroin, Fentanyl Analogue, and Cocaine Trafficking Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 102 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of violating federal drug trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Jervey Shackelford, 45, on March 25, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, Shackelford delivered or attempted to deliver fentanyl and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl to an undercover officer on six separate occasions between February 2022 and June 2022 on Pittsburgh’s North Side. In October 2023, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on Shackelford and his vehicle and recovered over 60 grams of fentanyl and 10 grams of cocaine, along with drug packaging materials. Additionally, in August 2024, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on an apartment utilized by Shackelford, during which officers recovered 11 bricks of fentanyl and heroin and approximately 100 grams of fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Shackelford possessed with an intent to distribute a total of over a quarter kilogram of mixtures of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and heroin across the various incidents.

    Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shackelford.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India, Singapore Sign Letter of Intent (LOI) on Green Shipping & Digital Corridor Collaboration

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India, Singapore Sign Letter of Intent (LOI) on Green Shipping & Digital Corridor Collaboration

    Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with Senior Minister Dr Amy Khor Attends the Signing Ceremony

    Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held Bilateral Meeting with Vice Minister Brigit Gijsbers of The Netharlands on Further Deepening Maritime Cooperation between the two countries

    “Fruitful discussion on using Dutch Global expertise to enable Cargo Movement in low draft rivers of Brahmaputra & Barak”: Sarbananda Sonowal

    Sarbananda Sonowal joined Dr Amy Khor to inaugurate India Pavillion at the ongoing Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 

    Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates ‘’ Pavillion, Presides over India Business Roundtable

    Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 8:16PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Shri Sarbananda Sonowal attended the signing ceremony of Letter of Intent (LOI) between India and Singapore on maritime digitalisation (Digital Corridor Collaboration) and Decarbonisation (Green Shipping) here today. Shri Sonowal was joined by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Enviornment and Ministry of Transport, Singapore. The LOI was inked by Shri R Lakshmanan, Joint Secretary, MoPSW, and Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

    Under the LOI, both sides will collaborate on maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation projects, including identifying relevant stakeholders who could contribute to the effort, and work towards formalising the partnership through a memorandum of understanding on a Singapore-India Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC).

    India is a leading player in information technology with the potential to become a major producer and exporter of green marine fuels.

    Singapore, as a key transshipment and bunkering hub, also supports a dynamic research and innovation ecosystem. The Singapore-India GDSC, when established, will enhance collaboration from both countries and help accelerate the development and uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies and the adoption of digital solutions. 

    Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The signing of this landmark LOI marks the bilateral

    collaboration as a significant step towards modernising maritime operations and advancing green shipping efforts. The Singapore-India

    Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will drive innovation, accelerate the adoption of low-emission technologies, and strengthen digital integration in the sector, allowing us to move India towards realising the vision of PM Shri Narendra Modiji’s ‘Viksit Bharat’. With India’s strength in Information Technology and green fuel production, along with Singapore’s role as a global maritime hub, this partnership will set new benchmarks in sustainability and efficiency in the maritime sector. We look forward to work closely to build a resilient, future ready maritime ecosystem that benefits both nations and the global maritime industry.”

    Seeking the Global Dutch Expertise for revamping India’s waterways rivers like Barak and Brahmaputra, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “With their rich experience and global expertise in dredging, river engineering, we can enable our diverse and rich riverine system with effective dredging techniques, modern inland vessel technology & water management. The Netherlands’ expertise in shallow-draft push barges, modular inland vessels, & LNG-powered river transport presents a valuable opportunity for India. We are keen to adapt these technologies to enhance cargo movement in low-draft rivers like the Brahmaputra & Barak, making inland waterways more efficient, sustainable, & economically viable. We see great potential for Dutch collaboration in India’s major projects like the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) and Brahmaputra River dredging. This will help us realise the vision of PM Shri Narendra Modi ji to empower the Northeast as the New Engine of Growth for an Atmanirbhar Bharat charting its course on becoming a Viksit country.” 

    The Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal also inaugurated the ‘India Pavilion’ along with Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of Singapore.

    Shri Sonowal also inaugurated the IRClass Pavilion at the ongoing Singapore Maritime Week (SMW). Speaking at the India Business Roundtable, the Union Minister, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “India is rapidly emerging as a global maritime hub, driven by sustainability, digital innovation, and strategic partnerships. Under the visionary leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi ji, we are transforming ports into clean energy-driven investment hubs, fostering shipbuilding excellence, and decarbonising shipping. With bold reforms, resilient supply chains, and global collaborations like the India-Singapore Green and Digital Shipping Corridor, we invite the world to partner with us in shaping a sustainable and future-ready maritime economy.”

    During the day, the Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal also visited Singapore Cruise Centre to understand the infrastructure and facilities that has helped Singapore to become a thriving cruise tourism destination. India aims to replicate such terminals in key locations like Goa, Mumbai and Chennai to provide a fillip to the cruise tourism. Sonowal also met with key officials of Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) as well as top industry captains from maritime sector of the Netherlands.

    ***

    GDH

    (Release ID: 2115049) Visitor Counter : 34

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NATIONAL PEST SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 5:07PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) has been launched on 15th August, 2024 by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to enhance the surveillance and management of pest diseases across the country. The system utilizes latest digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI and ML) to provide quick and instant solution regarding pest attacks, crop diseases, crop damages etc. by issuing real time crop protection advisory to the farmers. It includes a user-friendly mobile app and a portal for identification of pests and disease mitigation.

    NPSS is being used by the farmers across the country for identification of  pests and diseases in 61 crops and pest management advisories for 15 major crops namely cotton, paddy, wheat, maize, pigeon pea, moong, soyabean, sugarcane, brinjal, tomato, apple, banana, grapes, pomegranate. NPSS is currently available in four languages namely English, Hindi, Marathi and Punjabi. So far, 10154 pest management advisories have been issued through NPSS for the benefit of farmers.

    The Government has formulated six point strategy for the welfare of farmers and development of agriculture. Strategies for increasing farmer incomes include improving crop productivity, reducing cost of production, agricultural diversification, adaptation to climate change for sustainable agriculture and compensation of farmers’ losses. Further, Ministry has formulated various schemes and programs to ensure effective coordination between the union and state governments and to address agricultural challenges at the grassroot level and also to incentivize and encourage farmers to grow a variety of crops. The list of schemes/ programmes implemented by DA&FW is enclosed at Annexure-I.

    List of Schemes/ Programmes implemented by DA&FW

    1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
    2. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
    3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop  Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
    4. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
    5. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
    6. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
    7. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
    8. Namo Drone Didi
    9. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
    10.  Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
    11.   Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises’ (AgriSURE)
    12.  Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
    13.  Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
    14.  Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
    15.  Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
    16.  Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
    17.  Agroforestry
    18.  Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
    19.  Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
    20.  Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
    21.  National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
    22.  Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
    23.  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
    24.  National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
    25.  National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
    26.  Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
    27.  Digital Agriculture Mission
    28.  National Bamboo Mission

    This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    ******

     MG/KSR/RN

    (Release ID: 2114896) Visitor Counter : 68

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PROGRESS OF DOUBLING THE FARMERS’ INCOME

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 5:05PM by PIB Delhi

    Agriculture is a State subject and Government of India supports the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures, budgetary allocation and various schemes/ programmes. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers. The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(DA&FW) from Rs. 21933.50 crore BE during 2013-14 to Rs. 1,22,528.77 crore BE during 2024-25. Major schemes/programmes initiated by DA&FW to increase the income of farmers including small and marginal farmers and for the development of agriculture Sector in India are as under:

    1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

    2. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)

    3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop  Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)

    4. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)

    5. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

    6. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)

    7. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

    8. Namo Drone Didi

    9. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)

    10. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

    11. Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises’ (AgriSURE)

    12. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)

    13. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)

    14. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)

    15. Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)

    16. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)

    17. Agroforestry

    18. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)

    19. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)

    20. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)

    21. National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)

    22. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)

    23. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

    24. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm

    25. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds

    26. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region

    27. Digital Agriculture Mission

    28. National Bamboo Mission

    Indian Council on Agricultural Research (ICAR) has released a compilation of success stories of 75,000 farmers who have increased their income more than two times by convergence of schemes being operated by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and the allied Ministries/Departments.

    The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conducted a Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households during NSS 77th round (January, 2019 – December, 2019) with reference to the agricultural year July, 2018- June, 2019 in the rural areas of the country.

    According to these surveys, the estimated average monthly income per agricultural household increased from ₹6,426 in 2012-13 (NSS 70th round) to ₹10,218 in 2018-19 (NSS 77th round).

    As per NSSO Survey on House hold Consumption Expenditure (2023-24), a comparison of the estimates of all-India average Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) is as under:

    Sector

    Average MPCE (Rs.) over different period

    2011-12 NSS

    (68th round)

    2023-2024

     Rural

    1,430

    4,122

    Urban

    2,630

    6,996

    Difference as % of Rural MPCE

    83.9

    69.7

     

    This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    ******

     MG/KSR/RN

    (Release ID: 2114892) Visitor Counter : 69

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Growers Edge Announces Brian Weis as Managing Director of Mortgage

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    JOHNSTON, Iowa, March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Growers Edge, a financial technology firm that provides modern financial products and data-driven tools for agricultural retailers, manufacturers, and lenders, today announced Brian Weis as Managing Director, Mortgage.

    A former senior vice president at Fairway Independent Mortgage and vice president at Guaranteed Rate, Weis has a track record of scaling high-performing sales teams, building systems that turn loan officers into category leaders, and forging profitable industry relationships that benefit his team and clients.

    “From growing up on a dairy farm, I learned that agriculture is about more than just crops and livestock: it’s about having the right support when you need it,” said Weis. “At Growers Edge, we’ll provide that support by helping growers unlock capital they can use to improve and expand their businesses.”

    Since joining Growers Edge in January, Weis has focused on three key initiatives:

    • Strategic partnerships: Through expanded partnerships with funding sources like Farm Credit System and other ag-focused banks, Growers Edge is building a framework for flexible wholesale lending.
    • New product development: By empowering some of the world’s biggest retail originators to invent and streamline their own digital mortgage processes, Growers Edge is ensuring ag lenders and growers get the same access and convenience.
    • Loan officer empowerment: By helping loan officers specialize in complex FSA and RD loans, Growers Edge is delivering a tech-enabled competitive edge with technology that enhances loan officer relationships with growers.

    “We brought Brian on board to develop deep relationships with two key groups: ag-focused banks and their grower customers,” said Matt Hansen, CEO of Growers Edge. “As a next step, we’ll link them with a technical engine that transfers farmland data into accurate land valuations and deliver the first end-to-end lending experience for the agricultural industry.”

    Last year, Growers Edge acquired AQUAOSO Technologies, which offers its services under the Agcor brand and provides mapping, data, and analytics software for agricultural lenders. After expanding RangeAg, its farmland valuation tool, to cover more than 144 million acres of land across nine states, Growers Edge also announced it protected over 1 million acres of American farmland from downside risk.

    About Growers Edge

    Growers Edge provides modern financial products and data-driven tools that help forward-thinking agriculture retailers, manufacturers, and lenders reduce their growers’ risks and costs when adopting newer innovative solutions and practices. The company’s crop plan warranty and input financing solutions are trusted by dozens of retailers and manufacturers to assist hundreds of growers affordably purchase their products and guarantee yields on over one million acres of cropland.

    Media Contact
    Sergut Dejene
    sergut@propllr.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: 2025 Wine Award Call for Submissions

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The 2025 Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines is open for submissions.

    “The wine industry in Nova Scotia continues to grow in reputation, producing exceptional wines that reflect the dedication and expertise of our local winemakers,” said Lt.-Gov. Mike Savage. “This award is an opportunity to celebrate their passion, resilience and innovation. Their work enhances the province’s culinary and cultural landscape, and I am honoured to recognize their contributions.”

    Established by former lieutenant-governor J.J. Grant in 2014, the award recognizes the outstanding quality of locally sourced and produced wines. It also honours the commitment and craft of the people in Nova Scotia’s wine industry.

    The award is administered in collaboration with Taste of Nova Scotia and Wine Growers Nova Scotia. These organizations will share information about the submission process with member wineries.

    The submission deadline is May 9.

    Quick Facts:

    • wineries may submit up to three commercially available wines made with 100 per cent Nova Scotian grapes
    • the wines will be judged through a blind tasting process by a panel of independent wine experts
    • up to five wines will be selected for the annual award
    • the 2025 award ceremony will take place at Government House in July

    Additional Resources:

    News release – Nova Scotia Wines Receive Award for Excellence: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/07/10/nova-scotia-wines-receive-award-excellence

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Come dine with us – Derby Market Hall unveils new set of street food traders

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is excited to announce the second wave of traders set to move into the revitalised Derby Market Hall, marking another milestone in the transformation of the historic Grade II-listed building.

    Following a £35.1m restoration, the Market Hall will reopen its doors to the public on Saturday 24 May, marking a new era for Derby’s independent shopping, dining, and entertainment scene. 

    A curated mix of traditional and contemporary traders will be in place when the Market Hall reopens its doors, creating a vibrant hub in the heart of the city and blending the Market Hall’s rich history with a modern experience. The newest announcement of traders offers something for everyone, with a variety of international flavours and diverse menus for all visitors. 

    Authentic international flavours:

    • Award-winning Back-A-Yard Cuisine is set to bring the vibrant and diverse tastes of Jamaica to the Market Hall, offering a unique experience for visitors. With freshly made and locally sourced food, Back-A-Yard Cuisine will take customers’ tastebuds on a tour of Jamaica with their award-winning jerk chicken dumplings and Portland jerk chicken. Honouring a motto of ‘serving quality with taste and smiles’, Back-A-Yard Cuisine holds the People’s Choice award from the British Street Food Awards 2024 and went on to represent Britain at last year’s European Street Food Awards in Germany. With 15 years of experience in catering, visitors can expect to expand their culinary horizons with a fresh taste of Jamaican spices.
    • SHIO (translating to ‘salt’ in Japanese), is bringing a taste of Japan to Derby. Originally located in Nottingham with a focus on small plate dishes, SHIO will offer Market Hall customers steamed rice bowls and their signature Japanese fried chicken, made using the finest locally sourced ingredients.  With a unique approach, SHIO blends traditional Japanese techniques with innovative flavour combinations, offering a memorable dining experience at Derby Market Hall. Visitors can enjoy high-quality, flavour-packed dishes.
    • Tony’s Greek Street Food is gearing up to offer an authentic taste of Greece. Led by Tony, who has over 35 years of experience in the food industry in both Greece and the UK, Tony’s Greek Street Food was founded in 2017 as a mobile food stall. It is now a takeaway shop which was previously nominated for the Best 10 British Kebab Awards 2021. Tony’s Greek Street Food is now ready to offer its signature dishes at the Market Hall, including gyros, souvlaki, halloumi, moussaka, and more. The traditional recipes have been passed down through generations, offering customers a truly unique experience of Greek cuisine. 

    A unique twist on a classic:

    • Traditional classics are expected to be at the heart of the Market Hall’s culinary offer with Gourmegg bringing its multi-award-winning Scotch eggs alongside classic handmade dishes. With its innovative approach to Scotch eggs, Gourmegg uses ingredients that aren’t found on the high street to ensure the best quality. The range on offer includes classic pork, pork and nduja imported from Calabria, pork and Fruitpig black pudding (made using the UK’s only fresh blood black pudding) and pork with caramelised red onion chutney. Gourmegg will also offer a variety of handmade dishes for visitors, including fried chicken and brunch favourites. 

    A Taste of Holland:

    • Also joining the Derby Market Hall will be Cheeky Pancakes, who are offering a taste of Holland to visitors. Known for their freshly cooked Poffertjes (fluffy mini-Dutch pancakes) and Stroopwafels, Cheeky Pancakes offers an irresistible menu of sweet and savoury food inspired by popular Dutch street food. Claiming the Bristol Eats Better Award for their commitment to eco-friendly practices, sustainability, and locally sourced ingredients, the vendor has served countless customers across the UK. They have also worked with big names such as Warner Bros. Studios and Silverstone and have catered for private stars, including Gareth Bale and Tom Cruise. Customers at the Market Hall can enjoy signature dishes including Cheeky Cheese (Poffertjes topped with melted cheese, garlic butter, and smoked paprika). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options will also be available.

    Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:

    I am thrilled to announce the second wave of traders who will be moving into the transformed Derby Market Hall when it reopens its doors on Saturday 24 May. We are bringing together the best of the region’s independent shopping, eating, drinking, and entertainment, and I’m incredibly excited for visitors to explore all the various international foods on offer.

    Our traders offer something special for everyone. With a variety of cuisines available, I’m certain that the opening of the Market Hall will be met with much anticipation, and I am eager to welcome visitors upon opening.

    The Market Hall will once again be Derby’s beating heart where people choose to come together to enjoy the buzz of the city, and I am certain that it will be a huge success.

    Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the redeveloped Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and is expected to generate £3.64m for the local economy every year. 

    More traders, including street food traders, are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

    Follow Derby Market Hall on Facebook and Instagram or visit the website to find out more. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CASE Class of 2025 Includes 12 UConn Faculty Members

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) is marking its 50th anniversary with a class of inductees featuring a significant UConn presence.

    Twelve UConn faculty members from across multiple schools and colleges are among the 36 total new members for the CASE Class of 2025. The Academy is comprised of top researchers, scholars, scientists, and engineers who have made significant original contributions to their respective fields.

    CASE

    UConn accounts for one-third of the entire 36-person class of new inductees. CASE will formally introduce the honorees at the Academy’s 50th Annual Dinner, which will be held at UConn’s main campus in Storrs on May 28.

    Faculty from the College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), School of Medicine, and School of Pharmacy are represented as inductees. They join hundreds of UConn leaders and researchers who are CASE members dating back to the Academy’s founding in 1975. The 12 inductees matches UConn’s total from 2024.

    “UConn’s inductees to CASE exemplify the University’s commitment to excellence across many disciplines,” says Pamir Alpay, UConn’s vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, as well as a CASE member. “Through their work as researchers and as educators, these faculty members are contributing to advancing science and engineering as they instruct the next generation to make its own positive impact. Congratulations to all of UConn’s 2025 inductees and thank you for your dedicated work on behalf of the State of Connecticut.”

    Scientists and engineers living or working in Connecticut are eligible for CASE election. The Connecticut General Assembly established the Academy in 1976, seeking to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the State. Each member of CASE has achieved a level of scientific distinction through original contributions to science and engineering.

    “CASE is honored to have these outstanding scientists and engineers join us as we seek to fulfill our mission to provide evidence-based advice to inform policy and promote innovation in Connecticut,” says CASE President Amy Howell.

    The following UConn faculty members will be introduced in late May:

    • Gerald Berkowitz, Professor of Horticulture, CAHNR
    • Ming-Hui Chen, Department Head of Statistics; Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, CLAS
    • Jie He, Professor of Chemistry, CLAS
    • Omer Khan, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, COE
    • Guozhen Lu, Professor of Mathematics; Director of Mathematical Sciences Research Collaboratory, CLAS
    • Xiuling Lu, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Associate Director, Kildsig Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research, School of Pharmacy
    • Vijay Rathinam, Professor of Immunology, UConn Health School of Medicine
    • Kumar Venkitanarayanan, Professor of Animal Science; Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, CAHNR
    • Ji-Cheng Zhao, Dean of the College of Engineering; Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, COE
    • Jing Zhao, Professor of Chemistry, CLAS
    • Guoan Zheng, UTC Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Director, UConn Center for Biomedical and Bioengineering Innovation, COE
    • Xiao-Dong Zhou, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Professor in Sustainable Energy; The Nicholas E. Madonna Chair in Sustainability; Director, Center for Clean Energy Engineering; Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, COE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Takes to the Air to Study Wildflowers

    Source: NASA

    For many plant species, flowering is biologically synced with the seasons. Scientists are clocking blooms to understand our ever-changing planet.
    NASA research is revealing there’s more to flowers than meets the human eye. A recent analysis of wildflowers in California shows how aircraft- and space-based instruments can use color to track seasonal flower cycles. The results suggest a potential new tool for farmers and natural-resource managers who rely on flowering plants.
    In their study, the scientists surveyed thousands of acres of nature preserve using a technology built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The instrument — an imaging spectrometer — mapped the landscape in hundreds of wavelengths of light, capturing flowers as they blossomed and aged over the course of months.
    It was the first time the instrument had been deployed to track vegetation steadily through the growing season, making this a “first-of-a-kind study,” said David Schimel, a research scientist at JPL.

    For many plant species from crops to cacti, flowering is timed to seasonal swings in temperature, daylight, and precipitation. Scientists are taking a closer look at the relationship between plant life and seasons — known as vegetation phenology — to understand how rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns may be impacting ecosystems.
    Typically, wildflower surveys rely on boots-on-the-ground observations and tools such as time-lapse photography. But these approaches cannot capture broader changes that may be happening in different ecosystems around the globe, said lead author Yoseline Angel, a scientist at the University of Maryland-College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
    “One challenge is that compared to leaves or other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” she said. “They may last only a few weeks.”
    To track blooms on a large scale, Angel and other NASA scientists are looking to one of the signature qualities of flowers: color.

    Mapping Native Shrubs
    Flower pigments fall into three major groups: carotenoids and betalains (associated with yellow, orange, and red colors), and anthocyanins (responsible for many deep reds, violets, and blues). The different chemical structures of the pigments reflect and absorb light in unique patterns.
    Spectrometers allow scientists to analyze the patterns and catalog plant species by their chemical “fingerprint.” As all molecules reflect and absorb a unique pattern of light, spectrometers can identify a wide range of biological substances, minerals, and gases.
    Handheld devices are used to analyze samples in the field or lab. To survey moons and planets, including Earth, NASA has developed increasingly powerful imaging spectrometers over the past 45 years.
    One such instrument is called AVIRIS-NG (short for Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation), which was built by JPL to fly on aircraft. In 2022 it was used in a large ecology field campaign to survey vegetation in the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve and the Sedgwick Reserve, both in Santa Barbara County. Among the plants observed were two native shrub species — Coreopsis gigantea and Artemisia californica — from February to June.
    The scientists developed a method to tease out the spectral fingerprint of the flowers from other landscape features that crowded their image pixels. In fact, they were able to capture 97% of the subtle spectral differences among flowers, leaves, and background cover (soil and shadows) and identify different flowering stages with 80% certainty.
    Predicting Superblooms
    The results open the door to more air- and space-based studies of flowering plants, which represent about 90% of all plant species on land. One of the ultimate goals, Angel said, would be to support farmers and natural resource managers who depend on these species along with insects and other pollinators in their midst. Fruit, nuts, many medicines, and cotton are a few of the commodities produced from flowering plants.
    Angel is working with new data collected by AVIRIS’ sister spectrometer that orbits on the International Space Station. Called EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation), it was designed to map minerals around Earth’s arid regions. Combining its data with other environmental observations could help scientists study superblooms, a phenomenon where vast patches of desert flowers bloom after heavy rains.
    One of the delights of researching flowers, Angel said, is the enthusiasm from citizen scientists. “I have social media alerts on my phone,” she added, noting one way she stays on top of wildflower activity around the world.
    The wildflower study was supported as part of the Surface Biology and Geology High-Frequency Time Series (SHIFT) campaign. An airborne and field research effort, SHIFT was jointly led by the Nature Conservancy, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and JPL. Caltech, in Pasadena, manages JPL for NASA.
    The AVIRIS instrument was originally developed through funding from NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office.
    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    Written by Sally YoungerNASA’s Earth Science News Team
    2025-041

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: APEDA Facilitates Export of GI-Tagged Dalle Chilly from Sikkim to the Solomon Islands

    Source: Government of India (2)

    APEDA Facilitates Export of GI-Tagged Dalle Chilly from Sikkim to the Solomon Islands

    15,000 kg of Dalle Chilly Exported, Boosting Farmer Incomes in Sikkim

    Posted On: 24 MAR 2025 3:19PM by PIB Delhi

    The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, has successfully exported the first consignment of GI-Tagged Dalle Chilly from Sikkim to the Solomon Islands. This significant achievement underscores India’s growing prominence in the global organic agricultural market and highlights the increasing international demand for premium products from the North Eastern region.

    Dalle Chilly, also known as Fire Ball Chilly or Dalle Khursani, is renowned for its intense pungency, bright red color, and high nutritional value. Rich in vitamins A, C, and E, along with potassium, its Scoville Heat Units (SHU) range from 100,000 to 350,000, making it a sought-after spice for both culinary and medicinal applications.

    Through its extensive procurement network, Mevedir sourced approximately 15,000 kg of fresh Dalle Chilly from farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in South Sikkim, including Tinkitam and Tarku regions. This consignment ensured farmers received a premium price of Rs 250-300 per kg, compared to the usual Rs 180-200 per kg, reaffirming the economic benefits of GI tagging and international trade.

    The processing of the consignment was undertaken at an APEDA-funded Integrated Pack House, developed by the Department of Horticulture, Sikkim. Of the total quantity, 9,000 kg was dehydrated, while 6,000 kg was preserved for further processing and export. The drying process yielded a 12.5% recovery rate, with 1,600 kg of fresh chillies processed into 200 kg of dried chillies for export.

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had earlier emphasized that the North East holds the key to India’s vision for a healthier and more sustainable future. He noted that the Geographical Indication (GI) tag is not just a recognition but a transformative opportunity for farmers and artisans, unlocking new markets and ensuring economic prosperity for the region.

    In 2020, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, granted the GI tag to Dalle Chilly, a unique and highly pungent variety grown in Sikkim. The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) facilitated the GI registration, strengthening the identity and marketability of this specialty product.

    The Government of India has been actively promoting organic farming in the North East under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCD-NER) scheme, spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. This initiative has played a crucial role in enhancing the production and quality of organic Dalle Chilly, further boosting its appeal in international markets.

    APEDA, in collaboration with the Agriculture Department of Sikkim and its Regional Office in Guwahati, played a pivotal role in facilitating this export, ensuring local farmers and FPOs benefit from global market access.

    For this landmark export transaction, Mevedir, a leading agri-export enterprise committed to promoting organic produce from Sikkim, directly supplied the first shipment to the Solomon Islands. This marks a departure from previous indirect export routes and highlights the growing trust in India’s organic supply chain. The buyer from the Solomon Islands was introduced to the product through its international debut in Singapore in 2023 and subsequently sought direct sourcing from Mevedir.

    The export of Dalle Chilly to the Solomon Islands is expected to enhance Sikkim’s prominence on the global spice map, opening new avenues for international trade. With its ideal climate and fertile soil, Sikkim has the potential to emerge as a key player in the global spice industry. This successful transaction serves as a testament to the increasing global recognition of India’s organic agricultural products and its commitment to expanding agri-exports worldwide.

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    Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas

    (Release ID: 2114373) Visitor Counter : 31

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Jason uncovers Kunming’s floral magic

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    One of Yunnan’s famous “18 Oddities” says, “Flowers here are sold by the kilo.” Jason had a visit at the Dounan Flower Market in Chenggong district in Kunming, down in southwestern China. The Asia’s largest fresh-cut flower market supplies seven out of every 10 flowers sold in China. Every day, more than 1,600 types of flowers are traded here, with annual sales topping 10 billion stems. Dounan’s success isn’t just luck. Beyond high-quality flowers and hardworking farmers, digital technology has transformed the industry.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: First-ever export of Anthurium Flowers from Mizoram to Singapore, a fillip to India’s Floriculture Potential

    Source: Government of India (2)

    First-ever export of Anthurium Flowers from Mizoram to Singapore, a fillip to India’s Floriculture Potential

    APEDA facilitates landmark export, strengthening North Eastern Region’s role in India’s floriculture exports

    Posted On: 22 MAR 2025 12:14PM by PIB Delhi

    In a significant step towards enhancing India’s floriculture export potential, particularly from the North Eastern Region (NER), the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), in collaboration with the Department of Horticulture, Government of Mizoram, successfully facilitated the flagging off of the first consignment of Anthurium flowers from Aizawl, Mizoram, to Singapore. The event, held in a hybrid (phygital) format, took place on February 26, 2025.

    Chairman of APEDA, Shri Abhishek Dev, and Special Secretary, Department of Horticulture, Govt. of Mizoram, Smt. Ramdinliani, flagged off the first consignment of Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore. Officials from APEDA, the Department of Horticulture, Govt. of Mizoram, Zo Anthurium Growers Cooperative Society, IVC Agrovet Pvt. Ltd., and Veg Pro Singapore Pte. Ltd. participated in the ceremonial flag-off.

    The consignment, comprising 1,024 Anthurium cut flowers (weighing 70 kg) packed in 50 corrugated boxes, was exported by IVC Agrovet Pvt. Ltd. from Aizawl, Mizoram, to Singapore via Kolkata. The flowers were sourced from the Zo Anthurium Growers Cooperative Society, Aizawl, Mizoram, and imported by Veg Pro Singapore Pte. Ltd., marking a milestone in the region’s floriculture export journey.

    Anthurium is one of the most important flowers cultivated in Mizoram, playing a vital role in driving local economic activity, particularly benefiting farmers, including women. The flower’s cultivation has been a source of livelihood and empowerment for local communities. Mizoram also organizes the annual “Anthurium Festival,” which promotes tourism and highlights the flower’s beauty and ornamental value.

    The first-ever export of Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore follows the success of the International Conclave cum Buyer-Seller Meet (IBSM) organized by APEDA in collaboration with the Government of Mizoram on December 6, 2024, in Aizawl. The IBSM witnessed participation from nine international buyers from countries such as Singapore, UAE, Nepal, Jordan, Oman, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Ethiopia, along with 24 domestic exporters. The event established important trade connections and market opportunities for Mizoram’s floriculture products.

    India’s floriculture exports reached USD 86.62 million in FY 2023-2024. This first consignment of Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore marks a significant step toward expanding floriculture exports, particularly from the North Eastern Region. NER holds immense potential for the export of horticultural and floricultural products. APEDA remains committed to supporting this potential through export promotional activities and collaborations with various stakeholders in the region.

    The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. APEDA’s mission is to develop, facilitate, and promote the exports of agricultural and processed food products from India, strengthening the nation’s footprint in the global food and beverage industry.

    ***  

    Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas

    (Release ID: 2113965) Visitor Counter : 39

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New program to protect fruit bats with wildlife-safe netting

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Fruit netting should have no gaps for wildlife to enter from the ground or sky.

    ACT Wildlife have launched a new program, supported by the ACT Government, to replace fruit netting with wildlife safe options for free.

    An upcoming amendment to the Nature Conservation Act 2014 will ban the use of unsafe netting in the ACT.

    This new program is aimed at supporting the ACT’s transition to wildlife-safe netting ahead of the amendment, to protect native wildlife from population decline.

    There will be free pop-up events over the coming months where Canberrans can bring their unsafe netting and have it replaced for free.

    Netting protects fruit trees from native animals, like birds and bats, that are keen for a snack. However, it can also entangle threatened wildlife if the mesh size is too large or it is not installed correctly.

    “Unsafe netting causes death and injury to flying foxes, birds, lizards, snakes and other wildlife. Seeing the harm these nets cause is heartbreaking for wildlife rescue volunteers,” Clare Wynter, Flying Foxes Co-Ordinator at ACT Wildlife, said.

    Fruit netting should have a mesh size of 5mm x 5mm or smaller, with no gaps for wildlife to enter from the ground or sky.

    “Backyard fruit trees can be protected with far less chance of harming wildlife simply by using nets with holes smaller than you can put a finger through.  These kinds of nets are better for both fruit trees and wild animals,” Clare said.

    This small change will make a big difference to native wildlife in the ACT, which is currently facing an extinction crisis.

    Find out more about wildlife-safe fruit-tree netting on the ACT Government Environment website.

    If you come across entangled wildlife, please don’t try to release animals yourself. Call Access Canberra on 13 22 81 to arrange a safe rescue with a qualified wildlife handler.

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    MIL OSI News –