Category Archives: Life Extension

Contractors and suppliers to Oceana Gold in Macraes, East Otago have been buoyed by news the mine could have its life extended to a decade.

Like Rio Tintos aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point, near Bluff, the company employs hundreds of staff but the flow-on effect of contract work accounts for many more pay packets overall.

Oceanas chief executive earlier this week raised the possibility of Macraes mine life being pushed out from beyond 2020 to 10 years, on the back of positive exploration results during the past quarter.

Oceana general manager at Macraes Dale Oram was contacted and confirmed exploration at Macraes was accruing at a rate that in two years could mean a formal five-year mine life.

Oceana has more than 500 employees at Macraes, using a further 60 contractors on site and for shut-down maintenance, and can employ a further up to 150 casual staff.

Skevington Contracting managing director Blair Skevington said the potential for a 10-year mine life was "pretty huge for us", being one of the larger contractors to Oceana.

"Yes, there should be some potential for [company] growth for us," he said.

Skevington is a preferred contractor at Macraes and has been there 14 years, employing up to 13 staff operating the smaller earthmoving equipment such as diggers, bulldozers and lighter trucks.

Amalgamated Workers Union secretary Calvin Fisher said "any life-of-mine extension had to be welcomed".

"There would be a significant economic down side to Dunedin, and wider Otago, if Macraes closed. They have one of the biggest payrolls in the area."

Because of the high pressure on cost controls, it was always "unsettling" for staff when they faced restructuring, such as changes to hours, rostering or salaries.

"We have differences of opinion ... but wed like to think we can do it collaboratively," Mr Fisher said.

Waikouaiti Auto & Engineers Dunedin workshop branch manager Barin Black said the potential extension was "great news for us and the community".

"People dont realise just how many jobs, directly and indirectly, there are," he said.

Between Dunedin and Waikouaiti the company had almost 40 staff, doing most of the engineering work on the Macraes ore-processing equipment.

Mr Black said the length of mine life was "all important", as Oceana was more likely to upgrade equipment sooner if the formal mine life was five years and not three years.

Waikouaiti Auto & Engineers also supplied casual staff for maintenance shutdowns when processing equipment was refurbished.

Mr Oram highlighted Macraes had to "compete" with Oceanas other sites for exploration cash each calendar year.

Exploration spending this year at Macraes is likely to come in at the budgeted $US8 million ($NZ10.9 million).

He was "hopeful" Macraes would attract similar, up to $US8 million, amounts for exploration for both 2018 and 2019.

He said not all areas had been explored as planned this year, but more drilling was proposed at the Round Hill site, where studies had been undertaken into dual tungsten and gold mining.

However, the price of tungsten had since fallen and there were processing issues that were still being studied, he said.

"More than likely it will be a gold site, but its make or break if it goes ahead."

He had appointed a community and environment manager this year, given the interaction with local stakeholders, such as farmers, who saw the greatest impact from mining activities, he said.

"Some locals mentioned the other day they were expecting us to be here for five or seven years, but here we are 27 years on," he said.

simon.hartley@odt.co.nz

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Possible mine-life extension good news for contractors - Otago Daily Times

A U.S. military policeman stands in front of a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet at the Siauliai airbase, some 230 km (144 miles) east of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Two US F-22 fighter, which are part of the Operation Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. commitment to NATOs collective security and regional stability, arrived from their base in Britain as a show of force to help Baltic members protect their borders with Russia. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

The United States Air Force will keep the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor in service until 2060, extending the life of the aircraft for another 43 years.

All of this is made possible thanks to a series of forthcoming upgrades that will maintain its already robust structure, known more specifically as its aircraft structural integrity program, or ASIP. To pay for it all, $624.5 million dollars in Research Development Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) money and $398.5 million in procurements for hardware and software upgrades are included in the FY18 budget.

As The National Interest reports, the F-22 was built with an 8,000-hour airframe life, but the jet can be flown safely without modifications for up to 12,000 hours and can even max out at 15,000 hours. Tom McIntyre, a program analyst for F-22 requirements at Air Combat Command, said 10 design missions were built into the structure during the late 80s and early 90s:

Thats what during EMD [engineering, manufacturing, development] we did the full scale testing on against those missions. We came to find out we have not been flying the Raptor nearly as hard as those design missions nor as what we found out during the structural testing, so actually the airframe itselfwithout any service life extension programis good out to approximately 2060.

Corrosion has not been a factor for the F-22 either, unlike the F/A-18 Hornets that the U.S. Navy uses.

In June of 2015, Navy Rear Adm. Michael Manazir said the Hornet fleet required far more maintenance than expected, according to Military.com. Part of the problem, Manazir said, was an assumption the Navy made decades ago that the Hornet, as a composite aircraft, wouldnt need the same level of corrosion-prevention work as older, mostly metal planes, such as the F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder and the A-7 Corsair II.

Metal tends to have problems with saltwater, you see.

As for the Raptor, most of its issues dealt with galvanic corrosion tied to the aircrafts stealth material, though none of it was on any critical airframe structures of the Raptor, McIntyre told The National Interest. To eliminate the corrosion problem, the Air Force is replacing a specific kind of conductive stealth coating.

So we know the Raptor has staying power, but the real challenge is if the upgrades it will undergo stand against China and Russia, both countries that are working to counter the Raptor. So far, the Raptor matches up pretty well against Russias Su-30SM Flanker-H and Su-35S Flanker-E, for example.

Additionally, as The National Interest notes, the F-22 may partner with the sixth-generation Penetrating Counter Air (PCA), similar to how fourth and fifth-generation aircraft are partnered up. It would take the place of the F-15C Eagle.

When the PCA comes online, it will be designed to operate and be interoperable with fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35, McIntyre said.

There will come a time whether it is 2030, 2040 or 2050 when the F-22 will be kind of like a fourth-generation aircraft today.

But dont expect new F-22 Raptors to roll of the assembly line. It is too expensive.

A new study released this month found that it would cost $50 billion to procure 194 F-22s, estimated to cost between $206 million to $216 million per jet. To put this in context, the F-35 cost per aircraft is around $100 million.

But, at least for folks who are fans of F-22 Raptor will have 43 more years to enjoy the aircraft. In the meantime, check out this mock dogfight between one F-22 against five F-15s:

Original post:

The F-22 Raptor Will Fly For Another 43 Years - Jalopnik

Posted by Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture in Research and Science

Jun 29, 2017

We have schools to teach the art of manslaying Shall we not have schools to teach men the way to feed, clothe, and enlighten the brotherhood of man? - Justin Smith Morrill, April 20, 1858

By 1862, in the midst of the Civil War, Justin Smith Morrill, the representative from Vermont, with little formal education beyond 8th grade level, had accomplished his vision of having schools teach the way to feed, clothe, and enlighten.

The Morrill Act to create land-grant colleges was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln as a way to bring scientific and classical studies, along with liberal and practical education in the agriculture and mechanic arts and military tactics and leadership education to the children of the working class. Americas Land-Grant University (LGU) System celebrates its 155th anniversary July 2. The LGUs are now strong and stable pillars in scientific research, education, and extension needed to support our nations food and agricultural systems.

Americas LGUs are educating our nations workforce and undertaking cutting edge science that is inspired by the end users, and the knowledge generated is translated and delivered to the end users through extension, thus, transforming lives. USDAs National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is vested with the responsibility to support LGUs and others efforts in support of our nations food and agricultural systems. Some recent examples of transformative NIFA-funded projects include:

As our nation prepares to celebrate its 241st birthday, join me in celebrating the birthday on July 2 of our nations great land-grant universities.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education and extension and seeks to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges.

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Our Nation's Commitment to Rural Quality of Life Began with a Seminal Idea - USDA.gov (press release) (blog)

Mark Tucker found his passion early, spending his entire 30-year career more than half his life working for the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Service.

Tucker, the countys extension director, retires today, which he describes as bittersweet.

Every time Im working on a project it hits me that I wont be able to see this through and my stomach kind of sinks, Tucker said.

At the same time, Im looking forward to retirement and Im very confident everyone here will continue to do great things.

Working for the countys Cooperative Extension Service was Tuckers first job after graduating from N.C. State University with a Bachelor in Science degree and a masters degree in 1987.

The organization is made up of county agents, professors, scientists and volunteers who work to improve the quality of life in the state at an agricultural and environmental level.

The department is a partnership between county government, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State and the School of Agriculture at N.C. A&T State University.

Tucker said he spent the first half of his career working directly with farmers to increase profitability and sustainability.

Farming is hard work and not the highest-paid profession in the world, he said. Working hand-in-hand with farmers was enjoyable, helping with new techniques and new varieties to make their work easier and more profitable.

In the second half of his career, Tucker became director, which he said was gratifying in that he helped initiate new programs and projects.

Tony Bost, a retired extension agent who worked with Tucker for 20 years, said Tucker is leaving big shoes to fill.

As a person, you wont find a person with higher integrity or moral character, Bost said.

Marks fantastic, a gem of a person, and hes known locally and nationally for his leadership, Bost said.

Bost, the chairman of the Forsyth Soil and Water Conservation Districts board of supervisors, said perhaps Tuckers greatest legacy is helping local farmers transition from the tobacco quota program that was phased out roughly 20 years ago.

Mark helped farmers with the logistics of shifting from quota to contracts and understanding what their options are, Bost said. He has been a tremendous advocate for farmers.

Tuckers passion for farming is rooted in his childhood, which he spent on a 100-acre farm in Rockingham County. His parents grew grains, vegetables and tobacco a major cash crop at the time.

I was not the typical high school student. I lived and breathed farming, he said. I was lucky to be able to continue that with the extension service.

Some of Tuckers proudest career achievements include the establishment of Voluntary Agricultural Districts and the recently completed Farmland Protection Plan, which aims to preserve farmland in the county.

Will Strader, the director of the Rockingham County Cooperate Extension Service,said Tuckers dedication to the service will be missed.

He has been a huge asset to the organization over the years, and his leadership has really set an example for the rest of us, said Strader, who will be Forsyth Countys interim director during the search for Tuckers successor over the next couple months.

Im happy for his retirement, but sad to see him go, Strader said.

In retirement, Tucker plans to spend more time with his wife, Ronda, and three children, Kaitlyn, 26; Morgan, 23 and Luke, 21.

He is living on the same farm he grew up on and would like to devote more of his spare time to farming.

Thirty years is a good bit of time. Ive spent over half my life here doing this, Tucker said of his career. Ive been very fortunate to have a job Ive loved the entire time.

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Forsyth County's top agricultural adviser heads back to the farm after 30- year career - Winston-Salem Journal

SES (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) and MDA, a global communications and information company, announced today an agreement for an initial satellite life extension mission using an on-orbit refuelling vehicle being built by SSL, a US based subsidiary of MDA and a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006627/en/

SES to be first customer on refuelling spacecraft built by SSL- Credit: SSL

SES will be the first commercial customer to benefit from the satellite refuelling service, and will be able to activate the service whenever required with minimal disruption to spacecraft operation. The agreement also includes an option for further life extension missions.

SES will work with a new venture, Space Infrastructure Services (SIS), which will commercialise sophisticated satellite servicing capabilities. SIS has contracted SSL to design and build the highly-capable satellite servicing spacecraft vehicle to meet the needs of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) programme, which is designed to inspect, repair, relocate and augment geosynchronous satellites and plans to include a refuelling payload to extend the life of satellites that are low on propellant.

"Satellite in-orbit servicing is of upmost importance to next-generation architectures for communications satellites. It enables satellite operators like us to have more flexibility in managing our fleet and meeting our customers demands, said Martin Halliwell, Chief Technology Officer at SES. "After witnessing the due diligence of SSLs and MDAs technical expertise, we are confident that its new venture is the best partner in the refuelling mission field, and will be able to help SES get more value out of an on-orbit satellite.

"As a pioneer in next-generation fleet capabilities, SES is clearly committed to improving the space and satellite ecosystem, said Howard L. Lance, President and CEO at MDA. "We are very pleased to have this refuelling contract with SES and are excited to provide them with more options in fleet management.

The satellite servicing spacecraft vehicle is planned for launch in 2021.

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About SES

SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in four key market verticals (Video, Enterprise, Mobility and Government). It provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions, and businesses worldwide. SESs portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, and O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider. Another SES subsidiary, MX1, is a leading media service provider and offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. Further information available at: http://www.ses.com

About SSL MDA Holdings

SSL MDA Holdings Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) and serves as the operating company for all MDA businesses.

About MDA

MDA is a global communications and information company providing operational solutions to commercial and government organisations worldwide. MDAs business is focused on markets and customers with strong repeat business potential, primarily in the Communications sector and the Surveillance and Intelligence sector. In addition, the Company conducts a significant amount of advanced technology development. MDAs established global customer base is served by more than 4,800 employees operating from 15 locations in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The companys common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:MDA).

About SSL

Space Systems Loral (SSL) is a leading provider of commercial satellites with broad expertise to support satellite operators and innovative space related missions. The company designs and manufactures spacecraft for services such as direct-to-home television, video content distribution, broadband internet, mobile communications, and Earth observation. As a Silicon Valley innovator for 60 years, SSLs advanced product line also includes state-of-the-art small satellites, and sophisticated robotics and automation solutions for remote operations. For more information, visit http://www.sslmda.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170627006627/en/

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SES and MDA Announce First Satellite Life Extension Agreement - Markets Insider

During a recent Skype call with Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero, he waved a tattered grey book in front of the camera.

Canavero said the book contained one of the keys to the outlandish procedure he claims to be on track to complete this year: the world's first full-body transplant.

The book was "Frankenstein," Mary Shelley's classic 1818 novel about a distraught scientist who discovers how to give life to inanimate matter.

Canavero sees his planned procedure in a similar light.

"I want to create a near death experience, actually a full death experience, and see what comes next," he told Business Insider.

This will happen, he said, when he successfully severs the spinal cords of two humans a Chinese national and a brain-dead organ donor and attaches the head of the former onto the body of the latter. He calls the procedure HEAVEN, short for head anastomosis venture. ("Head transplant," he said, is a mis-translation of his description of the procedure.)

"My first order of business is to see HEAVEN through. My goal is life extension," Canavero said.

This procedure could be used to cure spinal cord injuries, and although Canavero acknowledged that's a noble aim, he said he views it as a goal scientists should pursue so as not to "waste" his scientific efforts. But ultimately, Canavero believes humans will one day use full-body transplants to live forever by placing aging heads onto healthier bodies.

One day, we might even use clone bodies, he said.

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Canavero says that a series of his own recently published experiments are paving the way for him to move ahead with the first full-body transplant in a person.

In the first of these experiments, he claimed to have severed and then reconnected the spinal cord of a dog. Less than a year later, he published a paper detailing how he created a series of two-headed rodents. In June 2017, Canavero said he severed the spinal cords of a group of mice and then reattached them using a special solution he calls "glue."

Canavero says these experiments are proof that he and his research team have solved what's often considered the holy grail of spinal cord research: fusion.

"We have so much data that confirms this in mice, rats, and soon you will see the dogs," said Canavero. "This is the message. We have a cure for spinal cord paralysis."

Other experts don't buy Canavero's claims, citing a lack of evidence.

"I simply don't think the reports of joining spinal cords together are credible," James FitzGerald, a consulting neurosurgeon at the University of Oxford, told Business Insider.

Robert Brownstone, a professor of neurosurgery and the Brain Research Trust Chair of Neurosurgery at the University College London, agreed.

"Many great scientific ideas are born out of crazy ideas that turned out to be right so we can't completely turn a blind eye to this, but there has to be some mechanistic aspect to it, which I'm not seeing," Brownstone said.

Others, including University of Cambridge neurosurgery professor John Pickard, say the journal in which the studies were published is also a red flag. "I just don't think he's done the science," Pickard said.

The second word in the name for Canavero's procedure, anastomosis, is a combination of the Greek words "ana," meaning to place upon, and "stoma," meaning mouth. Together, the words essentially mean "a connection or opening between two things."

Canavero did not necessarily mean for the words to be taken literally about the head and body instead, he sees the procedure as a way to connect the realms of the living and the dead.

"I'm into life extension. Life extension and breaching the wall between life and death," he said. "My goal is not curing spinal cord injury. It is not curing medical conditions because there are not enough bodies. Even if you cure someone who's in bad shape, what about everyone else? Then you have to think about clones."

James FitzGerald also spends a significant amount of time thinking about how to cheat death, but he believes Canavero is taking the wrong approach. Instead, he says, the best route is technology like brain-computer interfaces that enable people with paralysis to power robotic limbs with their mind.

"This is all stuff we're going to be seeing in the next decade," said FitzGerald. "Full-body transplants, on the other hand, are nowhere in sight."

NOW WATCH: Scientists have developed a 'bionic spinal cord' to help paraplegics walk

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SEE ALSO: An outlandish surgeon who aims to perform the first head transplant gave a rat a second head

UP NEXT: The world's first head transplant surgery might be part of one giant marketing stunt

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The outlandish surgeon who aims to transplant human heads says his ultimate goal is beating mortality - AOL

If youve ever had the pleasure of watching Dez Bryant practice you can tell that football is extremely important to him. Everyone knows that Dez is an extremely passionate player, but few mention the type of leader he truly is.

Dez has never done anything in his life halfway, its full speed no matter the circumstance. He leads in a way very similar to the Cowboys Hall of Fame receiver, Michael Irvin. When you look at this team with the camaraderie they built last season, the commitment theyve all made to team football, its got Dezs imprint all over it. Hes led the charge, creating an incredible bond with his teammates and hes on the verge of something even more special.

Its no secret that Dez Bryant hasnt been his dominant self over the past two seasons. After signing his Cowboy For Life extension, he broke his foot in week one of 2015. Though he returned after six weeks, he just didnt have the same effectiveness, only occasionally looking like his old self. In 2016, he had to miss three games with a hairline fracture in his knee. About a month ago, our own Joseph.Hatz wrote about how Dez Bryants demise has been exaggerated:

The NFL certainly stands for Not For Long, so its understandable why many seem to have forgotten the type of talent that Bryant is and it explains why some have even suggested that he may not be in Dallas for much longer. There is no ignoring the injuries sustained over the last two years and of course you cant continue to absorb $15+ million cap hits on a player if theyre injured every season, but Bryant deserves much more benefit of the doubt than to suggest that he should be a cap cut in the near future.

Just to add to Josephs point, there are reasons to believe that Dez Bryant is not only back to being himself but should return to NFL dominance in 2017.

The chemistry between a receiver and quarterback is not built overnight. Before Dak Prescott took over for Tony Romo, he was passing to the guys trying to make the team. Dak and Dez barely had any time together before it was GO-time. Lets focus on the way Dez Bryant ended last season because its not always about how you start, its how you finish.

After returning in week eight, Bryant wasted no time in getting back on track. In a 29-23 overtime victory over the Eagles, Bryant averaged 28.3 yards per catch, had four receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. In the final 10 games, Bryant scored seven of his eight touchdowns. He had dominating performances against the Steelers, Ravens, and Lions. Speaking of that Detroit game, Bryant scored twice but also threw his first career touchdown pass to Jason Witten in that 42-21 rout of the Lions.

In only one postseason performance, he was PFFs second-highest rated postseason receiver with a rating at 156.3. Of course, it was against the Packers, who were 31st in pass defense. Still, nine receptions for 132 yards and two scores is a big time performance. If youre one to criticize Dez for beating up on a weak defense, lets just remind you that Odell Beckham Jr. only had four receptions for 28 yards a week prior against that same defense.

PFF also gave Dez Bryant an 84.8 grade which was 11th among 115 eligible receivers. Were not saying that PFF is the perfect method but they did have another interesting showing of how Dez compares to his contemporaries:

Dez Bryant's most targeted routes in 2016 were the go, hitch and slant. Here's how his performance compared to the NFL average... pic.twitter.com/8k7G2WQOTb

For all you fantasy football lovers out there, Mike Tagliere penned a column over at Fantasy Pros about Bryant and how hes not done by a long shot:

"The transition to Dak Prescott turned out to be tougher than most expected, as Bryant and Prescott connected on just 16 of their first 41 targets in their first five games, or 39 percent.

If you ignore their first five games together, removing the Week 17 game where both Bryant and Prescott played one series, heres what their final eight games have totaled (playoffs included): 66 targets, 43 receptions, 646 yards, and eight touchdowns.

Thats a 65.2 percent completion rate, a far cry from the 39 percent over their first five games. Its also important to note that his targets per game didnt increase over this time, just his efficiency.

Mike believes that Dez Bryant may not be as valuable to fantasy owners as he was in the past but hes not giving up on the All-Pro:

If youre worried about Bryant, it has nothing to do with his recent performance, because he was arguably better than any wide receiver over the final eight weeks.

As Dak and Dez have more time together, their rapport is going to grow stronger. Bryant averaged 15.9 yards per catch last season, thats about a full yard more than his previous career high. Bryant also replaced Julio Jones in the Pro Bowl.

Another interesting side note: Do you know who was PFFs third-highest wide receiver based on passer rating when thrown to? Its not Dez Bryant, it was Terrance Williams (124.6). That just tells you the amount of respect that is paid to a guy like Bryant as his mere presence makes the offense better.

Guys like Josh Norman can talk about Bryant and say that hes just a guy but theyd be very wrong. In fact, I know were giving PFF a lot of love, but Sam Monson wrote seven months ago about why Bryant won against Norman on Turkey Day though his stats read only four receptions, 72 yards:

Of the three catches Norman did allow to Bryant, two of them moved the chains and the other picked up nine of the necessary 10 yards on first down.

It may not have been a great night for Bryant and the stat sheet might look like Norman got the better of the matchup between the two, but throw on the tape and you find a very different result. Bryant was too much for Norman to handle this time, and deserved the win even if he didnt get the stats.

He may not eclipse his amazing numbers of 2014 but this is still every bit of the All-Pro he always has been. Whether its game day, on the practice field, in the weight room, or an interview: Dez Bryant is special. The way he finished off his 2016 season shows you that there is plenty of gas left in this tank. This is the guy that is second in the league in touchdowns (67) since he was drafted in 2010.

This may be a new youthful Cowboys regime but it's one that Dez was instrumental in creating. Bryant doesnt need any critical comments to get him hyped for 2017. Though hes going face some of the leagues best cornerbacks, Dez is going to be Dez and there is no better description than the mans own words to leave you on:

The way that I feel now, Im not dealing with really anything. I feel damn good. I know once Im 100 [percent], Im something hard to -- I was about to say some bad words -- but Im hard to deal with. That confidence is just steady expanding. Ill tell you this: Ive never been [more] ready for training camp. Im excited. I cant wait for training camp. Im ready to lead. Im ready to get back, and Im ready for the season to start. Im praying every day. I just want me, this whole team to be injury-free just because we got something special. The sky can be the limit for us.

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Why Dez Bryant Will Return To NFL Dominance In 2017 - Blogging The Boys (blog)

'Hot Salsa Night' fundraiser, July 12, supports Family Impact Center

Through partnerships with various units within the university, the Family Impact Center provides services to community members in Columbia in a variety of fields, including health, financial literacy and life skills.

Its summer and you're busy with picnics, camping and outside fun. If hand washing is not possible (no running water, soap, etc.), what is the next best option for cleaning hands before eating or handling food?

Hay quality varies based on forage species, maturity, management, harvest conditions, and insect or disease damage. Guessing the quality of hay fed to livestock could result in lower profits.

Every gardener knows the frustration of having a beautiful flower or vegetable garden decimated by four-legged critters.

FilmFest 4-H brings youth together with working members of the film industry.

Dicamba in all its forms gets prime focus at the University of Missouri Pest Management Field Day, July 7 at the MU Bradford Research Center. It's the first year for legal use of the weed-control system in Missouri.

School is out and many divorced/separated parents are making plans and preparing for their children's summer visitation.

Things like low refrigerant levels, dirty fans and filters, loose or worn belts, and clogged condenser coils can seriously hinder the A/C unit's cooling ability.

Selling locally is a way for producers to diversify revenue sources, reduce transportation costs and support their communities.

Once established, water lilies flower well into the summer and provide an exotic addition to any landscape.

Deadhead bulbs and spring flowering perennials as blossoms fade.

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University of Missouri Extension Home

Floyd is a horticulturist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. He can be reached at 498-4071 in Ector County or 686-4700 in Midland County or by email at Jeff.Floyd@ag.tamu.edu

Floyd is an Agri-Life Extension agent for Ector and Midland counties. To learn more, call the Ector County Extension office at 432-498-4072, or the Midland County Extension office at 432-686-4700, or email jeff.floyd@ag.tamu.edu.

Posted: Sunday, June 25, 2017 3:00 am

GARDENING: Sun protection is needed for tomatoes, too By Jeff Floyd Odessa American

It is easy enough for gardeners to apply sunscreen when working outdoors, but tomatoes arent able to do that. Excessive exposure to the intense West Texas sunlight may burn tomato fruit.

Sunscald injury is caused by the destruction of cells just beneath the skin of the fruit by intense sunlight exposure. The injury often first appears as a sunken discolored oval spot that eventually turns brown and spreads. It usually appears on a South or west facing side of the fruit where the most intense sun exposure occurs between 3 and 5 p.m. However, sunscald can show up on any area of the fruit that is unprotected from sunlight for an extended period of time.

A thick canopy of healthy green leaves shields the fruit from direct exposure and allows tomatoes to mature on the vine safely. Any change that reduces the foliage on a vine may have a negative impact on productivity. Early blight, a fungal disease that occurs in the spring or early summer, can be slowed by the removal of infected leaves. Fortunately, if caught in time, the removal of only the lower leaves is necessary to slow the disease long enough for the fruit to mature. However, when an excessive amount of foliage must be pruned out, there is an increased risk fruit exposure to strong sunlight.

Tomatoes should be grown in heavy duty cages that are at least two feet wide and five feet tall. Improperly staked or caged tomatoes often flop over as a result of becoming top-heavy, potentially causing their stems to break and allowing fruit to suddenly become exposed to sunlight. Caged tomatoes should be checked daily and any stems that are weaving out of the cage should be tucked back in before they grow too large.

To learn more about having a successful tomato harvest this year, contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office at 498-4071 or email jeff.floyd@ag.tamu.edu.

Posted in Gardening on Sunday, June 25, 2017 3:00 am. | Tags: Texas A&m Agrilife Extension Office, Jeff Floyd, Pecans, Pruning, Prune, Soft Landscape Materials, Landscape, Gardening, Gardener, Food, Integra, Repeat Applications, West Texas

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GARDENING: Sun protection is needed for tomatoes, too - Odessa American

by State House News Service

Gov. Charlie Baker's proposed $500 million extension of the life sciences initiative put in place by his predecessor in 2008 will put a greater emphasis, according to the governor, on workforce building to support industries that have taken root in Massachusetts.

Baker on Monday put forward a plan to spend heavily over the next five years on capital grants and tax incentives tied to private sector job creation. The proposal re-ups the 10-year, $1 billion program put in place early in Gov. Deval Patrick's first term that is largely due to expire after next year.

"We are going to focus a lot more on what I would call the workforce development piece this time and a little less on the brick and mortar. A lot of the money that went into the first set of investments associated with this really built a lot of capacity. This is going to be a lot more about more targeted pursuit of enhancing the workforce here in Massachusetts, working with colleges and universities and other skill-building organizations."

That doesn't mean the administration is turning its back on infrastructure or corporate recruitment.

"We will continue to make smart investments in the expansion or the relocation of companies to Massachusetts as long as we think they work for us," Baker said. The governor also said that the nature of the life sciences industry made the five-year commitment, as opposed to another 10 years, more attractive.

"Five years these days in this industry is plenty long enough. Ten years is probably too long," he said.

The governor will fly to California on Tuesday to take part in the 2017 International BIO Conference.

"BIO is a big opportunity for us to talk about the great stuff that's going here, but also to make the case to a lot of folks that there's a tremendous ecosystem here across all kinds of technology and innovative sectors and I would like to take that opportunity to make that case to people," Baker said.

And the governor isn't the only state worker headed west this week to attend the life sciences convention in San Diego.

Massachusetts Life Sciences Center President and CEO Travis McCready, House and Economic Development Assistant Secretary for Business Growth Mike Kennealy, senior advisor and Chief Secretary Tim Buckley and Deputy Chief of Staff Mike Vallarelli are joining Baker on his trip to California.

According to McCready, the life sciences center is sending director of business development and regional strategy chief Ben Bradford, senior business development associate Sandhya Iyer, senior associate for industry programs Monica Anc and director of government affairs Colin Donnelly.

Thousands of industry insiders will be in attendance and Baker plans to address the conference on Wednesday. The convention will move to Boston in 2018.

In an interview from San Diego, McCready said he plans to promote Baker's new investment proposal, meet with people considering business development opportunities in Massachusetts and tout the Bay State as a place where companies can meet manufacturing needs as well as research and development.

McCready said he's often been asked about the Baker administration's commitment to the investment initiative launched under Patrick. "This bill filing answers that question very succinctly," he said, shortly before the House referred the bill to the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee.

While McCready said "everyone knows Massachusetts" from a life sciences standpoint, continued public investments are needed to compete with states that are putting taxpayer dollars on the line to attract companies, he said. New York's $1.1 billion program is a "case in point," according to McCready.

"That's just 200 miles to the south of us," he said.

McCready described a five-year commitment as "properly prudent," saying the state's revenue, borrowing and overall picture "is not exactly clear right now."

Baker also plans to visit Vertex Pharmaceutical's research and development site in San Diego on Tuesday, followed by evening receptions at the convention, including one hosted by MassBIO. On Thursday Baker will meet in San Jose with executives from Cisco, a multi-national information technology corporation that also has a presence in Boston.

The governor initially told reporters Monday that he had no fundraisers planned while in California, but political advisor Jim Conroy, who is not traveling with Baker, later clarified that Baker would have one fundraising event on Wednesday, but declined to provide further details.

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Baker proposes $500M life sciences extension - Worcester Business Journal