Category Archives: Progress

The September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report is likely to be the last time USDA updates its production and usage estimates before most corn and soybean growers in the U.S. take to the fields for harvest and begin to execute sales and deliveries for their 2022/23 marketing plans.

So while this months report is not likely to have significant supply adjustments, it will still provide important fundamental information that will influence cash market dynamics in the coming weeks that are critical to farmers this time of year.

Here is a roundup of what market activity I will be watching for in Mondays reports. As always, follow us at FarmFutures.com and @FarmFutures for the latest report highlights and analysis. USDA releases the WASDE and Crop Production reports at 11am CDT on Monday, Sept. 12. Follow along for all the top insights!

On Tuesday, USDA announced that the National Agricultural Statistics Service will review and potentially update 2022 acreage estimates based on Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency data.

Translation: NASS will update corn and soybean acreages in next weeks WASDE and Crop Production reports based on Prevent Plant acreage and crop insurance info reported to FSA and RMA earlier this year.

This is not typically standard practice NASS usually waits until the FSA and RMA have finalized their data and issues revisions in the October Crop Production and WASDE reports. However, a NASS statement released on Tuesday indicated that the data are sufficiently complete this year to consider adjustments in September.

Analysts have scrambled over the last couple days to revise their pre-report 2022 U.S. production estimates to account for potential acreage shifts, with all of the trade forecasts just being released last night, with only two business days remaining until USDA releases the September 2022 WASDE and Crop Production report.

So far, it appears that the market is expecting slightly lower corn and soybean acres in Mondays report with heavier corn acreage losses based on the latest Prevent Plant findings announced from USDAs Farm Service Agency a couple weeks ago. At 3.1 million acres of acres filed for prevent plant for corn, unplanted acreage increased four times from last year. For soybeans, prevent plant acreage doubled from a year ago to just shy of a million acres (987,231 ac.).

USDA-NASS did not resurvey for yields and crop production in August, so there is not likely to be any significant changes to yields in Mondays report. NASS will likely resurvey farmers to collect that data this month, so expect yield updates in the October 2022 Crop Production and WASDE reports.

Even with the 2021/22 marketing year for corn and soybeans in the books, there are likely to be a few final revisions to usage categories over the next two WASDE reports due to the normal lags in the data collection process USDA experiences in its course of creating these forecasts.

Mondays report will likely see both corn and soybean stocks widen, based on current trade estimates. Those cutbacks could come from flat corn ethanol production in August as well as slower corn export paces this summer as the dollar soared to new 20-year highs.

For soybeans, it seems most likely that slow export paces over the past couple months will likely result in downward usage (upward ending supply) revisions in Mondays report. Marketing year to date crush rates through July 2022 remained 3% higher than the same time last year, with signs of accelerating production in July as the unseasonal export uptick slowed.

We are barely two weeks into the 2022/23 marketing year for corn and soybeans, so it may still be too early to tell what kind of usage revisions USDA may have in store in Mondays report. The trade appeared hesitant to make significant changes to soybean stocks, though it is expecting cuts to corn stocks.

Thats a neutral to bearish outlook for soybean prices on Monday and a bullish forecast for corn. Smaller corn acreage could play a role in this outlook, though with yields struggling across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, it seems likely that USDA will increase export forecasts in Mondays report.

The trade is anticipating USDA will increase wheat stocks by an average of 8 million bushels on Monday. The bearish outlook means that USDA is likely to make cuts to wheat stocks. Stronger than expected flour milling data released at the beginning of August suggests that cuts to wheat consumption are likely to come from either livestock or export usage.

Northern Hemisphere crop shortfalls due to excessive dryness this summer are likely to tighten corn supplies in Mondays WASDE report. Thats a bullish omen for corn prices, though any price action will likely be dependent upon USDAs revisions to 2022/23 U.S. supplies and usage.

Even with expected production losses in Argentina due to recent frost damage and drought stress, wheat supplies are expected to grow in Mondays WASDE reports, which suggests bearish price action could be in order for the wheat market.

Wheat harvest is on the downward spiral in the Northern Hemisphere, so much of Mondays movement will likely occur in the imports and exports section of the balance sheet. Top exporter Russia has been struggling to keep pace with the European Union and Ukraines exports as buyer remain wary of economic sanctions that continue to keep freight, insurance, and financing costs high for Russian wheat shipments.

For soybeans, all eyes will be on USDAs adjustments to Chinas soybean import for the 2022/23 season. This is where the bears could start to creep into the soybean complex, so it will be worth watching.

USDAs Foreign Agricultural Service attach in Beijing publishing an updated outlook yesterday, noting that slowing global economic forces are likely to constrict growth prospects for Chinas soybean industry in the coming year. Chinas livestock production forecasts are also expected to take a hit on tight producer-level margins amid consumer price responsiveness and stiff production competition.

"China's slowing economy and COVID-related restrictions continue to weaken demand for oilseeds for feed and food use, the report stated. Weak demand for vegetable oil in the food service sector and soybean meal in the swine and poultry sectors, the report also noted.

Plus, a devastating heat wave across south-central China this summer will likely eat into final yields, even though most of the countrys crop in the northern part of the country was spared from heat destruction.

The USDA post now expects China will harvest 665 million bushels of soybeans this fall, down from USDAs current estimate of 676 million bushels. The attachs report forecasts Chinas 2022/23 soybean imports 2% (55M bu.) lower to 3.5 billion bushels.

The oilseed market will need some bullish news to keep a floor under prices. Top global edible oil importer, India, could offset some of Chinas lower demand as a recent FAS attach report estimates that imports are likely to pick up momentum in the coming months following monsoon delays.

Go here to read the rest:

Acreage shakeup expected in September 2022 WASDE - Farm Progress

Of all the things that happened in 2020, a grenade was dropped on December 31 of that year when Mexicos government published a decree aimed at phasing out GM corn and glyphosate use in the country. Two days later, Mexicos president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, made good on his campaign promise when he announced the country would end the import of genetically modified corn for human consumption by 2024. That decision is now impacting U.S. farmers ability to utilize and adopt technology key to addressing pests which will hurt not only U.S. farmers, but also bring higher prices to Mexico consumers.

Mexicos proposed GM corn ban, expected to take effect in 2024, has the potential to increase the countrys food insecurity, add $4.4 billion to its corn import costs, and impose fundamental and costly changes on the U.S. and Canadian farming and grain handling sectors, according to a report published by World Perspectives, Inc., and commissioned by CropLife America.

Chris Edgington, Iowa corn farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association, says farmers are already seeing a slowed approval of biotech traits in Mexico. Some companies are reluctant to push unapproved traits in Mexicoif the country could potentially turn product away if its mistakenly mixed with approved traits.

Logistically, the U.S. is Mexicos prime supplier of corn, however, they arent adopting biotechnology traits widely needed and accepted by U.S. farmers. Edgington explains if Mexico only allows the import of GM traits theyre currently accepting, within a few years those traits will no longer be on the market and Mexico may not have any approved corn events available to import. Some U.S. crop technology providers are moving towards technology including RNA and AI, which Mexico has not approved, and doing so because the companies recognize these traits are better for corn producers.

Were probably not going to change the trait train, Edgington says of the need for growers to access more traits to deal with Mother Nature, pests and continue to adapt. We need new technology, he says.

If the grenade goes off when he walks out the door at the end of 2023, the price to the consumers is going to be pretty large, says Edgington.

President Joe Biden, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai have all pointed out the issue in recent discussions with their counterparts. Ted McKinney, chief executive officer of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, says state governments have tried to communicate the negative effects of this policy within discussions with those at the state-level in Mexico.

I would say we're entering a new phase and you should watch this, McKinney says. Up to this point. I think there have been a general feeling that okay, yellow corn is moving and starts and stops with white corn, but that trade by and large is okay. I'm now hearing the traits are not being introduced into corn, and the same with soy.

McKinney continues, Because theres enough disruption starting to mount, and patience will wear thin in a few more months, maybe a year, weve got to change tactics. McKinney doesnt know how that exactly looks, but many different stakeholders are continuing to have discussions with government officials on how you put the pin back in the grenade.

In mid-August, members of MAIZALL - the International Alliance of Maize Growers, which includes members from Abramilho in Brazil, MAIZAR in Argentina and the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council in the United States sent a delegation to Mexico where they met with government representatives and industry stakeholders to discuss the countrys 2020 Presidential Decree. The delegation also raised concerns about the likely impact of the lack of authorizations by Mexico of new GM corn events for import since May 2018.

Farmers from these countries, that produce 50% of the worlds corn and 81% of corn exports, compete in the global marketplace but work together to address common international market access issues.

Mexicos annual import of 17 million metric tons of GM corn could be jeopardized by the combination of the presidential decree and the lack of authorizations of new GM events for import, MAIZALL says. Since it is very unlikely that such volumes of non-GM corn will be available in international markets in 2024, Mexicos current policy will lead to food insecurity and affordability of many of its staple foods, such as corn tortillas.

The missions members emphasized the importance of a science-based, transparent and a proportionate regulatory approach to policy pertaining to agriculture and food production.

In our countries, GM crops are evaluated by leading independent scientists as part of a rigorous process to ensure all approvals guarantee environmental and food safety, says John Linder, a farmer from Ohio, who was part of the MAIZALL mission and is a MAIZALL director representing the United States. Biotechnology helps farmers increase yield, reduce the use of plant protection products and conserve the quality and biodiversity of the soil and the environment all key aspects in sustainable food production.

Andrew Brandt, USGC director of trade policy, who also was part of the MAIZALL delegation, says there were positive meetings and good questions from the government officials involved. MAIZALL directors had a successful trip to Mexico talking about the benefits of biotechnology, Brandt says.

But at the end of the day, this still lies in the hands of Mexicos President AMLO. A regulatory change will be required to allow additional traits to continue to be available to U.S. farmers as well as prevent the stop of flow of yellow corn to Mexico. If no action is taken, the end result will not be pretty.

The rest is here:

Near breaking point on Mexico's GM corn ban - Farm Progress

Inter-ministerial consultations are progressing on revising the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) base year from 2011-12 to 2017-18, a top government official has said. Revising base year to 2017-18 for computation of wholesale inflation would help in presenting a more realistic picture of the price situation in the country.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in June last year issued a draft technical report of a working group, which suggests revising the base year of wholesale price index and addition of about 480 new items such as medicinal plants, pen drive, lifts, gymnasium equipment and certain motorcycle engines in the new series.

The draft report was placed in public domain and its feedbacks were considered before finalisation of the report.

In the case of agriculture commodities, new items such as medicinal plants like isabgol, aloe vera and menthol; fennel seed and methi seed, mushroom and watermelon were proposed to be added in the new series subject to availability of data.

At present, the index has a total of 697 items, including primary articles (117), fuel and power (16), and manufactured products (564).

In the new series, a total of 1,176 items in these three categories have been proposed -- primary articles (131), fuel and power (19), and manufactured products (1,026).

According to the draft report, in the current series of WPI, the electricity index is computed based on the price quotations of power generating stations only from hydro and thermal power stations. Now it is proposed to build three indices -- hydro, thermal and solar electricity. Thermal electricity is further bifurcated into thermal coal and gas.

WPI revision is a periodic exercise. Current revision process of WPI considering base year 2017-18 has been undertaken to incorporate the structural changes in the economy.

Two major indices are used for tracking price movement -- Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI).

While the WPI measures price movement of goods in wholesale markets, the CPI tracks inflation at retail level and also includes certain services.

WPI is a key indicator to measure the average change in prices of a fixed set of commodities at the initial stage of a commercial transaction over a given period of time with reference to a base year.

Ever since the introduction of the WPI in 1942 with the base year 1939, seven revisions have taken place introducing new base years - 1952-53, 1961-62, 1970-71, 1981-82, 1993-94, 2004-05 and 2011-12, Jain said.

The current WPI base year 2011-12 series was launched in May 2017.

The wholesale price-based inflation eased to a five-month low of 13.93 per cent in July on easing prices of food articles and manufactured products. The WPI-based inflation softened for the second consecutive month in July, raising hopes of further decline in wholesale prices in the months to come.

More here:

Inter-ministerial consultations in progress on revising WPI base year to 2017-18: DPIIT secretary - Economic Times

For Immediate Release: August 25, 2022

Espaol

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its regulatory counterparts in Mexico the Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) and the National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) held the second annual Food Safety Partnership (FSP) Meeting as part of ongoing efforts to help ensure the safety of food imported from Mexico and to advance protections for consumers in both countries.

We are building on the longstanding partnership for the U.S. and Mexico to work together to contain outbreaks of foodborne illness and lessen consumer exposure to foodborne hazards. As we approach the 200th anniversary of U.S.-Mexico relations, keeping this partnership strong is more important than ever, said Frank Yiannas, the FDAs deputy commissioner for food policy and response. Our food supply is global, and no single country can achieve its food safety goals alone. Our shared goal is to proactively use modern technologies, tools and approaches to help protect the global food supply.

Mexico is a primary supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables to the U.S. FDA data shows that about one-third of all agency-regulated human food imported into the U.S. is from Mexico, including 60% of our fresh produce imports. This year, the FDA, SENASICA and COFEPRIS convened in Mexico City to complete several tasks that included: visiting a farm to implement food safety practices, including traceability, and to observe unique growing and harvesting practices; meeting with industry to learn more about their food safety efforts and to discuss collaborations, and lastly; holding the Annual FSP Meeting.

During this years meeting, the agencies reported tangible progress in each workgroup and discussed plans for the coming year to further food safety in both countries. Reported progress and outcomes included:

Additionally, during this years meeting, the FDA, SENASICA and COFEPRIS reviewed Produce Safety Rule (PSR) trainings they had facilitated, including those with cilantro growers in Puebla, avocado growers in Jalisco and bulb onion growers in Chihuahua. The three agencies also worked with EMEX, a mango association, to conduct three PSR trainings for mango producers in Sinaloa, Nayarit and Jalisco. The FDA also provided outreach to SENASICA and COFEPRIS personnel about the FDAs proposed Agricultural Water rule: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption Relating to Agricultural Water.

Within the framework of the celebration of 200 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States, we are honored to be FDA partners, said Francisco Javier Trujillo Arriaga, director in chief of Senasica. We know the importance of what is at stake, and we are convinced that the success stories we have had with producers and marketers of different types will generalize to other environments.

The FDA, SENASICA and COFEPRIS will continue to work closely together to support training for food producers, preventing and responding to foodborne illness outbreaks, and developing and implementing plans to enhance food safety for mutual public health.

In this annual meeting, various activities were carried out that have contributed to a better understanding of the safety systems of both countries, said Federal Commissioner for Cofepris, Alejandro Svarch Prez. In addition, they highlighted that they have allowed for a greater rapprochement between the main actors in the food production chain, with the aim of coordinating efforts and taking advantage of the experience and knowledge available.

The FDA is committed to collaborating and using every tool available to help create a healthier, smarter food supply.

###

Boilerplate

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nations food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

08/25/2022

Link:

FDA and Mexican Counterparts Report Progress in Food Safety at Second Annual Partnership Meeting - FDA.gov

God help us, Emily Cooper is back. After confirming on January 10 that there would be at least two more installments of Emily In Paris, Netflix has commenced filming the third season, with Lily Collins captured on the streets of Paris shooting with costar Lucas Bravo.

So whats been revealed about the next installment of the Emmy-nominated series thus far? First of all, virtually the entire cast is returning, including Bravo as Gabriel, Camille Razat as Camille, Ashley Park as Mindy, and Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie. Lucien Laviscountwho appeared as Alfie in the most recent seasonhas also been upgraded to a series regular, meaning Emilys messy romantic life is about to get even more complicated.

In terms of the plot, given that the shoot is taking place in the City of Light, its also highly likely that Emily made the decision to stay in Paris once again. Those who made it through the last season will remember that it ended on a cliffhanger, with Emily having to decide between taking a senior Chicago-based position with Savoir or leaving the company and working for Sylvies own boutique firm. That means Emily will have to deal with the fact that Gabriel and Camille are now back togetherand living in an apartment directly underneath hersin addition to having a boss who holds her in total contempt.

And while theres no trailer as of yet, the leads have been posting regular updates from Paris. (The big news from Collins? The fact that Emilys apartment now has its own entry on Google maps.) Stay tuned, too, for more paparazzi captures from outside of Paris, with showrunner Darren Star hinting that the production will once again be decamping to the French countryside (and possibly even to London or Berlin).

As for the release date? With filming only due to wrap this fall, Emily In Paris will likely be returning to screens this winter at the earliestwith a 2023 premiere seeming most likely. Plenty of time for Emily to fling that Breton cap into the Seine, then.

Read more here:

Emily in Paris Season 3 Is Officially in Progress - Vogue

Suborbital vehicle to combine with orbital spaceplane for fully reusable space transportation system

HELSINKI China has performed its first repeated use of a suborbital spaceplane as part of efforts to develop a fully reusable space transportation system.

The suborbital vehicle launched vertically from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on Friday, Aug. 26 Beijing time (Aug. 25 Eastern), according to CASC, Chinas main space contractor.

The suborbital spaceplane later landed at Alxa Right Banner airport in Inner Mongolia. The short statement provided neither images of the craft nor information such as time, duration or apogee of the launch.

The launch occurred while an orbital spaceplanelaunched Aug. 4 and an apparent part of a planned two-vehicle reusable systemcontinues to orbit the Earth.

The clandestine mission marks the second flight for the suborbital spaceplane, which was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a major CASC subsidiary.

CASCs statement declared the complete success of the flight test, and represents a leap in the development of Chinas space transportation technology from single-use to reusable.

The first flight took place in July 2021, also launching vertically from Jiuquan and landing horizontally at Alxa Right Banner. CASC stated last year that the vehicle uses integrated aviation and space technologies.

The second flight followed 13 months later, after what CASC describes as inspection and maintenance.

Meanwhile CALTs orbital spaceplane launched from Jiuquan Aug. 4 remains in orbit on its second mission. The suborbital and orbital spaceplanes could be combined to create a fully-reusable space transportation system.

The orbital vehicle could land Aug. 27, according to Orbital Focus, when the spacecrafts ground track takes it over the Lop Nur airstrip in Xinjiang, the location of its landing after its first mission in 2020.

The CASC spaceplane project was apparently unveiled in 2017 when senior CALT official Chen Hongbo told Science and Technology Daily (Chinese) that an under-development reusable spacecraft would be tested in 2020 and ultimately be capable of carrying both crew and payloads.

A once-every-five-year space white paper released by the State Council Information Office in January stated that successful demonstration flight tests on reusable launch vehicles have been carried out, and that China would, continue to strengthen research into key technologies for reusable space transport systems, and conduct test flights accordingly.

Such projects face large technological and other challenges, Bleddyn Bowen of the University of Leicester told SpaceNews ahead of the second orbital spaceplane launch earlier this month.

Spaceplanes and reusable orbital vehicles have come and gone, and come back again. There can be some marginal and varied uses for them but they are extremely expensive compared to conventional rockets because the stresses of atmospheric re-entry wreaks havoc on the materials and structures, Bowen said.

The Chinese development of spaceplane technology will be remarkable if they manage to overcome the problems Dyna-Soar and the Space Shuttle faced, and the challenges SpaceXs Starship is now facing as well.

Other reusable spacecraft or spaceplane projects are under consideration in China. The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. (CASIC) is working on its own spaceplane, named Tengyun, while commercial firm Space Transportation last year raised more than $46.3 million for its hypersonic spaceplane plans.

A number of Chinese rocket companies have also created presentations including small spaceplanes launching atop concepts for liquid rockets.

Continued here:

China makes progress in reusability with secretive second flight of suborbital spaceplane - SpaceNews

While students were away for the summer, Wesleyans Physical Plant staff were hard at work on new construction and renovations across campus, projects that improve the universitys ability to offer a high-quality education.

Im incredibly proud of the team that has accomplished so much on our campus this summer. Their efforts will improve the sustainability of our campus and will benefit many future generations of Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff. Im grateful to the entire Wesleyan community for their help in prioritizing these critical projects and for the continued flexibility during ongoing construction projects, said Andy Tanaka 00, Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Treasurer.

All of Wesleyans major construction projects which include the Public Affairs Center, Neighborhood Preschool, and campus-wide steam to hot water conversion are on time and budget, according to Alan Rubacha, Assistant Vice President for Construction and Infrastructure. I would say unequivocally that Wesleyan had one of the best summers ever in terms of progress towards our goals of new building construction, campus maintenance and achieving carbon neutrality, Rubacha said.

In addition, 32 major maintenance projects ranging from the replacement of aging porches and floors in wood frame residences to other repairs in residence halls across campus were completed this summer. Twenty classrooms have also been updated.

Our facilities must be there to support our academic endeavors. Wesleyans Facilities Operations Team works every day to support the universitys curricular and co-curricular priorities. I am grateful to the team that accomplished so much this summer to get the campus in shape for the year ahead, said Luigi Marcone, Assistant Vice President for Facilities Operations.

New Public Affairs Center and Science Center

The new building projects underway are proceeding according to plan, including the Public Affairs Center (PAC) and new science building.

The PAC project involves a complete remodel of the current building, which was constructed in 1927 as a dormitory. The project also includes demolition of the existing East and West additions, which were added in 1954, and removal of the concrete and brick plaza. As part of the PAC renovation, a new gallery will be built. The gallery, located in between the PAC building and Olin Library, is currently undergoing installation of a limestone exterior surface with stone sourced from Indiana. The project will be completed in Spring 2024.

The PAC construction project alone has been a major job creator and economic driver for the region. There have been about 90,000 work hours on the construction project, Rubacha said. Of those hours, 50 percent of the work has been done by tradespeople from underrepresented communities, and 90 percent of the work has been sourced from local contractors (within a 25-mile radius of Middletown.)

In addition to the ongoing PAC construction project, the university is currently accepting bids for the new science building, Rubacha said. The proposed 190,000 square-foot-facility would be built East of Shanklin and Hall-Atwater Laboratories; nestled between Church Street and Lawn Avenue. Designed by Payette Architects, the state-of-the-art building would replace the 56-year-old Hall-Atwater Laboratory, and include 39 research and support labs, nine teaching labs, 10 classrooms, a vivarium, renovated greenhouse, outdoor spaces, and the Advanced Instrumentation Lab. The new science building is designed to use about a third of the energy per square foot that Hall-Atwater uses today, making this building a critical component of Wesleyans energy master plan.

Pending successful bid negotiations, excavation of the site will start later this Fall. Important preparations have already been completed, including relocating water, data, and medium voltage electrical services from the site of the new building.

Hot Water Conversion

In September 2021, President Michael S. Roth 78 issued Rubacha and his team a challenge could they accelerate the conversion from century old steam pipes, an antiquated and non-renewal energy distribution system, to a much more modern and efficient low temperature hot water system? The answer was yes.

Rubacha said they finished both Phases 3 and 4 of the project, putting them well ahead of schedule. This summer the team completed conversions of Olin Library, Clark Hall, and Allbritton Halls and installed over 3,000-ft of underground pipe from the power plant to the base of Foss Hill. The new hot water pipes are cheaper to install than replacing the old steam system, are 30 percent more efficient, and allow easy access to future renewable technologies. We are absolutely on the path to becoming carbon neutral. This was an important step that could not be missed, Rubacha said.

New Neighborhood Preschool

The new 7,000-sq.-ft. Neighborhood Preschool, located at Long Lane, will start providing daycare services the first week in October. The new building will consolidate two outdated facilities one of which will be demolished to make way for the new science building. The new daycare is an enormously important project for Wesleyan and the wider community. The new facility will deliver high-quality service for the parents of our faculty, staff, and Middletown community, Rubacha said.

CFA and Butterfields

The piano studio, located on the basement level of Music Studios in the Center for the Arts Complex, has experienced issues with flooding over the years, jeopardizing valuable musical instruments. Over the summer, crews excavated the perimeter of the building and connecting tunnels to remove the failed waterproofing materials from the original construction. The crews then added new water proofing, footing drains, and pump chambers to remove the ground water. Similar work was done at the Butterfield Complex to help prevent flooding.

There has been a touch of upheaval in the physical environment of campus, but with refreshed landscaping in key locations, upgraded parking lots, and improved classrooms, the entire community will benefit.

When our students come back, they are going to enjoy the campus experience. We will be out of everyones way well ahead of Arrival Day, and I think the spaces people use on campus will be better than ever, Rubacha said.

Continue reading here:

University Making Progress on New Construction and Renovations - Wesleyan University

Before they crouch into their stances, LSUs offensive linemen turn to the players beside them and give one another a fist bump. They do this almost every play, rep after rep during practice, trying to build unity through a subtle movement.

Head coach Brian Kelly brought the tactic with him from Notre Dame. He developed a reputation there for producing offensive lines with NFL-caliber players, and the fist bump acts as a way for them to make sure theyre on the same page before the snap.

As an o-line, you have to be one unit, sophomore center Garrett Dellinger said. We have to be together.

Whether or not the offensive line can come together is perhaps the biggest question mark on the team a week from the season opener against Florida State. Everything LSU wants to do offensively starts with the line, and the group lost every full-time starter from a unit that struggled last year.

While LSU feels comfortable playing seven or eight linemen, Kelly said Thursday night were a work in progress. The first-team offense has a true freshman at left tackle, a center who never played the position, at least one transfer and a promising but unproven guard/tackle.

August has been an eventful month for Ali Gaye.

Theyve never played a game together. But there are options.

First and foremost, [we have to] find the guys that allow us to be physical up front, Kelly said. I think that's where we're going. This might not be the most athletic offensive line that I've coached, but it can be physical.

Improving the offensive line, a weakness for much of the last decade, has been a priority since Kelly arrived. He wants a group that can win at the point of attack to create rushing lanes. Last season, LSU ranked second-to-last in the Southeastern Conference at 114 yards rushing and allowed 38 sacks.

Without a returning starter, offensive line coach Brad Davis tried to create competitive depth. Davis, the only assistant retained from the previous staff, inherited a unit last summer that showed signs of complacency with veterans set in their spots. He wanted every player to earn their position again, and theoretically competition would make everyone better.

There's no more showing up, punching in, punching out, doing the bare bones minimum and expecting to get great results, Davis said in February. Where we are right now is if guys want to play and guys want to get on the field, they have to earn their way. That's something that wasn't the case when I showed up.

If you're a Tiger fan you won't want to miss this newsletter. Sign up today.

Brian Kelly has been complimentary of freshman tight end Mason Taylor since the beginning of preseason practice, but his praise reached a high

Davis cross-trained about half of the linemen on the roster, an approach he also used last fall. The idea created versatile options who could fill multiple roles and replace injured players, possibly ensuring LSU always has its best five on the field. The depth chart became an organizational tool for most of camp, Dellinger said, while Davis tried players at different spots.

He makes sure that when he speaks to one person, everyone is listening, Dellinger said. When he's talking to me, he's making sure that every other person that has a chance to play center is listening.

The first piece to fall into place was top 50 freshman Will Campbell, who took over at left tackle halfway through spring practice. Then Dellinger became the starting center months later, filling the most uncertain spot on the line. Dellinger had spent his first year as a tackle, guard and occasional extra run-blocking tight end.

Somewhat by design, the rest of the positions have multiple options. East Tennessee State transfer TreMond Shorts and FIU transfer Miles Frazier both former tackles are competing at guard. Anthony Bradford, a 6-foot-5, 345-pound redshirt junior, could play right guard or right tackle. Or senior Cameron Wire might end up at right tackle.

Week Zero of the college football season is here. Zero hour. All the predictions, speculation, conjecture, tea leaves and Magic 8 Balls will s

Kelly likes the guards size in particular.

We still have to pick up gains and movements, Kelly said. But we should be able to knock you in the mouth with those three guys.

Importantly, LSU built depth behind them. Redshirt junior center Charles Turner, redshirt sophomore tackle Marcus Dumervil and four-star freshman Emery Jones complete the primary rotation. Junior Marlon Martinez and redshirt sophomore Xavier Hill, both of whom started games last season, are also still on the roster.

The offensive line has a lot to prove after the last two seasons, and it may be difficult to create chemistry with a remade group. But the unit has to come together for LSU to effectively run the offense.

The players understand. So during practice, they turn and give one another a fist bump.

Read more:

LSUs offensive line is still a work in progress before the season. But it has options. - The Advocate

Five years ago, Charlottesville created an oversight board toinvestigate citizen complaints against the police department, but the city has yet to produce a meaningful, independent system to hold law enforcement accountable.

The board has never heard a case, despite three requests from the public to review individual incidents.

Currently, the Police Civilian Oversight Board can only review investigations that have been completed by the police departments Internal Affairs Division.

In 2020, the General Assembly approved a law giving local citizen police oversight panels, like the one in Charlottesville, fuller investigative powers.

After the law passed, city council expanded the boards authority to receive and process complaints independently, review police practices and internal investigations, issue findings, write public reports, and make recommendations. But before the board can exercise that new power, council needs to approve the operating procedures that govern exactly how the board will function.

"These delays in between ordinances and operating procedures, they dont help, said Hansel Aguilar, executive director of the board, while discussing the publics trust in the city and its police department.

Part of the holdup has been that the board has never heard a case.

It was agreed that conducting its first hearing would provide both the PCOB and council with more information about how hearings are conducted in practice, said city councilmember Michael Payne in an email to VPM News. [T]hat would give us more insight into how to craft specific operating procedures.

Councilmembers asked the board to complete a pending internal affairs review request that was initiated by a member of the public more than a year ago.

Payne said people involved in that case agreed to mediation earlier this month, so its been closed, and the board conducted a mock hearing instead. Meanwhile, the board received two other review requests from the public that the panel is still deciding whether to hear.

Payne said the procedures must be revised and reviewed by legal experts, but he expected they could be adopted before the end of this fall.

The Police Civilian Review Board, which is now called thePolice Civilian Oversight Board, was born out of calls for reforms after the 2017 Unite the Right rally, when community members criticized police for not doing enough to protect citizens. A larger problem, centered on police not treating citizens equitably, was highlighted in a 2020 study that found Black males represented a larger portion of people jailed in Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail than their white counterparts.

Harold Folley is a lifelong resident of Charlottesville and local advocate with the Legal Aid Justice Center and The Peoples Coalition. He helped write the boards operating procedures, which were first presented to council on April 18.

And so, that's what the frustration is, like, we were so involved with this, and now, you still dragging your feet on it, he said earlier in August, around the time of the Unite the Right anniversary. That's been a very disheartening thing for The People's Coalition.

Folley said the 2020 study underscores the urgency of increasing police accountability. He suggested council is too focused on perfecting the process.

You know, my whole thing is, it's gonna be messy the first time, right? Like pancakes, right? Folley said. Your first pancake is the worst pancake you can make. I am saying that sometimes, you have to make it messy to find out how to straighten it.

Aguilar said hes confident the expanded powers under the new ordinance will allow the board to make real progress toward increasing transparency and gaining public trust.

At least how its written, the ordinance is one of the strongest ordinances we have in the commonwealth right now, he said.

View original post here:

Charlottesville's police oversight board still a work in progress after five years - VPM News

2021 Corporate Responsibility Report

Northampton, MA --News Direct-- Baker Hughes

As we shape the future of the energy industry, we believe unique ideas and perspectives fuel innovation and our differences make us stronger. We value differences in gender, race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, cultural background, religion, veteran status, experience, and perspective across the globe. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect so that all employees can feel safe to be their authentic selves. We take a strong stance against discrimination in any form and provide avenues for employees to report and address concerns without fear of retaliation. In addition, we continue to focus on attracting, retaining, and advancing diverse talent worldwide.

Accountability for DEI progress begins at the executive level, where each member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) develops and executes an annual DEI plan that is specific to the opportunities in their respective area of responsibility. The Chief DEI Officer meets with each leader semi-annually to review their plan and progress. Our executive-level Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council meets quarterly to track progress against our goals, and to identify new opportunities to create a more inclusive and diverse culture. DEI progress is reviewed by the Human Capital and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

We advanced our DEI programs and culture in 2021 in multiple ways. First we established a common framework and definitions, defining four strategic focus areas: diverse workforce, inclusive culture, supplier diversity, and engaging with customers and communities. Then we implemented new processes and tools to manage this important priority.

To help teams across the organization measure their progress, we introduced a new DEI Dashboard with common metrics for representation, hiring, promotions, attrition, gender, race/ethnicity, disability, and veteran status. We also established a DEI Community of Practice, which provides a forum for leaders and HR professionals to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from one another.

Story continues

Diverse workforce

To attract and retain a diverse workforce, we must ensure that Baker Hughes maintains access to and supports a diverse pipeline of talent.

We are managing our DEI priorities by improving our data collection and enhancing our reporting. Beginning with our US-based employees, we invited people to update their demographic information in the HR portal. This voluntary self-identification on gender, race/ ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, and sexual orientation helps to better inform and position support of an equitable work environment for all employees at Baker Hughes. For example, this information informs which benefits, programs, and resources can best support our employees. We plan to expand voluntary self-identification to other countries in 2022, subject to local regulation.

Our overall workforce demographic data is provided in this table, and we publish a summary of our EEO-1 report on our Companys website.

Women at Baker Hughes

2019

2020

2021

Board of Directors

22%

33%

33%

Senior leadership

21%

17%

18%

All employees

17%

18%

19%

Women in STEM roles*

11%

People of color in US who identifyas women

25%

Age Diversity at Baker Hughes

2019

2020

2021

Under 30*

10.2%

30-50*

70.4%

Over 50*

19.4%

*New 2021 metric

In 2021, the percentage of people who identify as women in our workforce, in senior leadership positions, and on our Board of Directors was 19%, 18%, and 33%, respectively. Specific to the US, 36% of Baker Hughes employees identify as people of color.

Globally, our most visible diversity opportunity is increasing representation of women in our workforce and leadership, while an additional focus in the US is increasing minority representation. In 2021, we did not see significant shifts in the percentage of those who identify within these categories. While this was partly a function of limited hiring across the organization, we recognize that we have much more to do. We also began to collect and report on age diversity for the first time, as well as women in STEM roles and people of color in the US who identify as women.

During the year, we continued to advance projects to improve our DEI performance. For example, we have enacted a number of talent acquisition initiatives, such as launching pilot projects on blind resumes and debiasing job descriptions, interview templates, and assessments. We also expanded our talent acquisition focus to include executive search services with strong track records in locating diverse candidates.

Inclusive culture

Our Global DEI Council was established in 2021 to increase accountability on this strategic priority. Our DEI Community of Practice facilitates sharing best practices across the enterprise. We reinforce our inclusive culture with tools, resources, and learning opportunities that raise awareness, foster inclusive behaviors, and build cross-cultural competencies.

Our DEI Community of Practice facilitates sharing best practices across the enterprise. We reinforce our inclusive culture with tools, resources, and learning opportunities that raise awareness, foster inclusive behaviors, and build cross-cultural competencies.

Through a collaborative partnership with the Baker Hughes Global Learning team, the DEI Community of Practice designed learning paths for leaders, employees, and our HR community on topics ranging from basic DEI fundamentals to training on unconscious bias.

Our inclusive culture is further reinforced by our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), groups of employees who have joined together based on shared interests, characteristics, or life experiences. These groups can have a powerful influence on driving change by elevating the conversation and awareness around key issues and engaging with the communities where we operate. All employees are welcome to join ERGs either as members of represented communities or as allies. In 2021, total ERG membership increased by 24%. This effort has enhanced our DEI focus and fostered closer connections between employees in communities around the world.

The ERGs provide learning and development opportunities, professional mentoring and networking, a sense of community, and opportunities for volunteer service.

Some examples of the projects led by our ERGs during 2021 include:

International Womens Day Choose to Challenge social media campaign

Annual Juneteenth celebration

A panel discussion on The Role of Unconscious Bias in a Multicultural Workplace

An International Day of Persons with Disabilities event with comedian, disability advocate, and bestselling author Maysoon Zayid

A virtual cruise across Latin America

A Mens Health Awareness Month campaign

A global Pride celebration and the Companys second annual Virtual Pride Parade

STEM coaching sessions for children

Marine Toys for Tots holiday gift drive

Underlying these initiatives and development opportunities is a firm commitment to strive for a workplace free from discrimination. This basic human right is clearly outlined in our Code of Conduct and is communicated to all employees annually as a condition of employment. We prohibit discrimination or harassment against any employee or applicant based on race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law (see our Fair Employment Practices Statement).

We are committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of harassment and bullying, including sexual harassment, and furthering workplace health and safety. Our holistic program for managing human rights, labor rights, and nondiscrimination is detailed in the Principles section of this report.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Baker Hughes on 3blmedia.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/2021-baker-hughes-progress-in-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-918505043

Link:

2021 Baker Hughes Progress in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - Yahoo Finance