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Health New England awards grants to 3 local nonprofits to advance youth health, well-beingOCILLA – It’s been an arduous year for Georgia pecan growers. Back-to-back hurricanes hit the eastern part of the state, while the southwestern sector grappled with weather extremes. All growers faced historic highs for input costs and lows for market prices. The looming presidential change and the tariff proposals that come with it add uncertainty, especially as Chinese tariffs continue to affect the pecan market. As harvesting wraps up, Lenny Wells, a University of Georgia pecan extension specialist, said this year was a “weird season,” one that was split right down the middle of the state. In the east, farmers sifted through fallen trees and branches. In the west, they sorted through a somewhat large pecan crop yield but were stumped by poorer quality nuts. Wells said about 75% of Georgia’s eastern pecan crop – about 36 million pounds – was lost to Hurricane Helene. Mary Bruorton, the executive director of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association, said direct tree loss from the storm adds up to about $118 million and future income loss of about $417 million. “It’s hard to put into words what the loss truly is,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Less than two months after Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Helene slammed into Georgia pecan farms. Wells said there is little farmers can do to prepare for a hurricane aside from turning irrigation off a few days before. “For most growers, it’s kind of a feeling of surrender when you see a storm coming,” he said. The tree branches in Scot Hudson’s orchards, spread across Irwin, Ben Hill, Wilcox and Dodge counties, drooped with thickly clustered pecans – a promising sight – in the days leading up to the storm. However, Helene destroyed all hopes of a profitable season. The fifth-generation farmer said he felt helpless as Helene tore through his orchards, resulting in the loss of about 30% of his larger, older pecan trees. Younger, smaller trees fared better with only about a 5-10% loss. “The weather that's hitting us is making me scared that I’m going to be the generation that loses the farm,” Hudson said. In response to the devastation, the Growers Association has been advocating for disaster relief and financial aid, including specialty crop block grants. After Hurricane Michael, the USDA allocated $800 million to affected producers, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture provided $347 million. “We are working, advocating and lobbying for our growers and talking with Congressional offices daily regarding disaster relief,” Bruorton said. In southwest Georgia, pecan harvest season is a different picture but still yielding disappointing results. Tim Sikes farms 165 acres of pecans in Dawson. He lost 500 trees during Hurricane Michael and said a direct hit from Hurricane Helene would have pushed him out of the pecan industry. Sikes wrote in an email that this year was a challenge “just like every other year.” “But something has been just a little off this year for farming, and I can’t put my finger on just what it is,” Sikes wrote. He chalked it up to failed pollination from weather extremes. April was unseasonably cold and wet, much to the dismay of sun-loving pecan trees. June saw less than a half-inch of rain in its first 25 days, and then Tropical Storm Debby drenched the region in August. Still, Sikes wrote that the pecan crop looked promising all year until the end, when poor quality began to reveal itself. Alex Willson of Sunnyland Farms in Albany saw the same issue in his crop. His trees were packed with nuts by early summer, but cracking open the kernel in fall revealed meat that was 3% less full than it should have been. “That doesn’t sound like a lot, but then you start talking about over hundreds or thousands of acres ... then it starts to make a bit of a difference,” he said. “The higher the meat in the nut, the better price you get for it.” Willson said he was bracing for Helene to be “another Michael.” His farm is still waiting for trees planted after the 2018 storm to become productive. “We dodged this one, but unfortunately, it seems like this is becoming the new norm,” he said. “We're going to really have to think about how we can plan for storms like this.” Beyond the challenges of weather, Georgia’s pecan growers are facing low prices in trying to sell their pecans – a problem exacerbated by tariffs on U.S. exports to China. When Donald Trump takes the presidential office again in January, he’s proposed a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imported goods. “It’s just kind of an uneasiness at the end of the day,” Hudson said. “We’re worried about whether the tariffs ramp up, like the rhetoric’s saying, will their country (China) retaliate?” He said his operation is built on international trade and thrived with the Chinese market. Chinese tariffs, in response to Trump’s 2018 tariffs on imported goods to the U.S., saw his sales slip. Hudson said ultimately it’s out of growers’ control, and he’ll handle the cards he’s dealt. Still, he said he fears for his farm’s future. Higher production costs coupled with low prices mean farmers are struggling to break even. Low sale prices mean farmers are cutting costs everywhere they can. They’re switching to pecan varieties that require less input costs: from fertilizer, irrigation, etc. However, Hudson said cutting input costs risks cutting quality. Sikes turned to newer technologies that helped him cut costs. In 2022, he was the first pecan grower to start using Smart Guided Spray Systems. It uses an advanced mapping system on the trees to tell the fertilizer sprayer exactly how much chemical spray is needed. Sikes said it resulted in about a 45% savings on his chemical costs. Many are diversifying their operations, turning to retail sales, e-commerce or growing other crops as well. Farmers also implement management practices to build up some resistance to storms, which Wells said data show will continue to increase in intensity. Most farmers have adopted hedge pruning, a strategy that reduces the size of the tree, making it less susceptible to high winds. Wells said 10 years of research documented as much as a 60% reduction in damage from more moderate storms. Despite the challenges that come with it, Hudson said there is nothing he’d rather be doing. He said he hopes open dialogue with lawmakers leads to assistance, both at the state and federal level.A rewind of 2024's commemorative timepieces
None( MENAFN - Caribbean News Global) LONDON, England – Thousands of tonnes of food, including festive favourites like brussels sprouts and potatoes, that might otherwise go to waste will be delivered to those who need it most, thanks to a new £15 million government fund. “An estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates every year. While farmers would prefer for this to be destined for people's plates, charities that redistribute food often lack the means to collect food from farms and get it to those who need it,” said, department for environment, food and rural affairs.“To strengthen the links between farms and charities and help solve the problem of farm food waste, a new scheme will see grants starting from £20,000 made available to the not-for-profit food redistribution sector in England. Throughout the year but especially over Christmas, the season of goodwill, this will help organisations like homeless shelters, food banks and charities fight hunger.” It will help British farmers to deliver good food for those that need it and reduce the costs they face when dealing with waste, while also increasing the capacity and capability of the redistribution sector to take on farm surplus. Circular economy minister Mary Creagh, said: “With families gathering to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, it's important to remember those in our communities who may be going hungry this festive period. Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on family tables across the country. Our new fund will help the charitable sector to work more closely with farmers, helping to find new opportunities to get their world-leading produce to those most in need within our communities.” The funding could go towards enabling successful applicants to buy new equipment, such as balers or hoppers, to allow bulky food items to be collected or processed into parcels, and technology to help donors and food redistribution charities work more closely. Money could also help provide more training to staff, to enhance their IT and food safety skills. Information on when the fund opens and full eligibility criteria for applications will be confirmed in the New Year, the government department said. “As set out in the Plan for Change, the government is delivering growth and economic stability for communities across the country. We are supporting farmers to help grow the rural economy, while paving the way to a circular economy, where waste is reduced and growth is accelerated.” To help end the throwaway society, the UK government has formed a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising of members from industry, academia, and civil society across the UK. They will lead on the development of a Circular Economy Strategy for England, which will be published next year outlining how individual sectors can contribute to ambitions in this area. According to the department for environment, food and rural affairs,“this is alongside continued support for the Courtauld Commitment 2030, managed by environmental NGO WRAP, which looks to deliver a more sustainable supply chain and reduce food waste in the home – tackling food waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.” The post New £15 million government fund to help charities get spare produce to those in need appeared first on Caribbean News Global . MENAFN26122024000232011072ID1109033654 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
New York Giants star rookie wideout Malik Nabers (toe) missed practice Thursday and termed himself a game-day decision. He also is unsure if he will be able to participate on Friday. The Giants host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. "I'm hoping so, it all depends on how it feels tomorrow, that's really it," Nabers said Thursday. Nabers, 21, has been one of the few bright spots for the Giants and leads the team with 97 receptions for 969 yards and four touchdown catches in 13 games (12 starts). Selected sixth overall out of LSU, Nabers has caught 10 or more passes on three occasions but has just one touchdown catch over the past 10 games. Though the Giants (2-13) are mired in a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak, Nabers isn't down about the situation. "We're happy where we're at," Nabers said. "Continue to grow every day. A lot of things to fix, a lot of things we can look back on in our rookie year and continue to try to get better for next year." In addition to Nabers, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (ankle), center John Michael Schmitz (ankle), linebacker Micah McFadden (neck), cornerbacks Greg Stroman (shoulder/shin) and Dee Williams (toe) and safety Raheem Layne (knee) sat out practice Thursday. Quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) was a limited participant. --Field Level MediaDaniel Penny doesn't testify as his defense rests in subway chokehold trial
Georgia Republicans can subpoena Fulton DA Fani Willis, judge rulesBy DAVID BAUDER Time magazine gave Donald Trump something it has never done for a Person of the Year designee: a lengthy fact-check of claims he made in an accompanying interview. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’ National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg The fact-check accompanies a transcript of what the president-elect told the newsmagazine’s journalists. Described as a “12 minute read,” it calls into question 15 separate statements that Trump made. It was the second time Trump earned the Time accolade; he also won in 2016, the first year he was elected president. Time editors said it wasn’t a particularly hard choice over other finalists Kamala Harris, Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate Middleton. Time said Friday that no other Person of the Year has been fact-checked in the near-century that the magazine has annually written about the figure that has had the greatest impact on the news. But it has done the same for past interviews with the likes of Joe Biden, Netanyahu and Trump. Such corrections have been a sticking point for Trump and his team in the past, most notably when ABC News did it during his only debate with Democrat Kamala Harris this fall. There was no immediate response to a request for comment on Friday. In the piece, Time called into question statements Trump made about border security, autism and the size of a crowd at one of his rallies. When the president-elect talked about the “massive” mandate he had received from voters, Time pointed out that former President Barack Obama won more electoral votes the two times he had run for president. The magazine also questioned Trump’s claim that he would do interviews with anyone who asked during the campaign, if he had the time. The candidate rejected a request to speak to CBS’ “60 Minutes,” the magazine said. “In the final months of his campaign, Trump prioritized interviews with podcasts over mainstream media,” reporters Simmone Shah and Leslie Dickstein wrote. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.
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Ange Postecoglou has revealed Tottenham are looking into why so many players have suffered injury setbacks this season. Ben Davies is the latest to fall into that category, with the Welsh international initially primed to return for Sunday’s visit of Wolves but no longer available. Davies suffered a setback in training this week, which means Spurs could be without a fit centre-back after Radu Dragusin was forced off in the latter stages of Thursday’s 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest with an ankle issue. Postecoglou is already without first-choice central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven after both failed to make it through their comeback fixture against Chelsea on December 7. “Yeah, that's been our major problem this year. Guys who are coming back from injury rather than us losing players as such,” Postecoglou said. “We're looking at those things and why they're happening. It's certainly happened too often this year where guys have come back and they're the ones who are missing. “I think just about all of them, apart from Vic (Guglielmo Vicario), are recurrences of an injury. “Even with Romero, it was a different injury but it's still a guy coming back, so it's something we're looking at.” There could be good news on the horizon with attackers Mikey Moore and Richarlison expected to return to training next week. Richarlison suffered his own setback in November when his short-lived return after a calf issue was cut short when he injured the same area against Aston Villa. Moore, meanwhile, has been sidelined by a virus for the best part of two months but the 17-year-old could provide a much-needed spark in the new year when Newcastle visit on January 4. Postecoglou said: “Him and Richy are in the final phases. Next week they can start training. We’ve got a bit of a gap before the Newcastle game. “The plan is Mikey and Richy come back into first-team training next week.” Anticipated returns for Moore and Richarlison will fail to help Postecoglou against Wolves, with makeshift centre-back Archie Gray potentially set to partner up with fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma if Dragusin cannot recover. Pressed on the issue of fixture scheduling, with Spurs definitely missing eight players for Sunday's fixture, Postecoglou said: “It is challenging. "All clubs are going to have to get their heads around it and authorities are going to have to get their heads around it. "One of two things need to happen: either you somehow change the fixture schedule, which doesn't seem feasible, or you allow clubs bigger squads. Then you have other issues with that, as well. "The attrition rate you're seeing and it's not just us. We're going through a particularly badly moment. Newcastle went through it last year and it affected them pretty badly. They were obviously in the Champions League as well and probably didn't have the squad to cope with it. "It hits certain clubs at different times and is probably becoming more prevalent, and for all of us it's a challenge as to how we navigate this process to keep our players healthy. "It's not just a physical thing, it's a mental thing. For us it's been constant since August and we're not even halfway through the year. And they're not going to get a break now, so these things we're constantly assessing."Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release 11 December 2024 at 22:30 EET Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 11.12.2024 Espoo, Finland – On 11 December 2024 Nokia Corporation (LEI: 549300A0JPRWG1KI7U06) has acquired its own shares (ISIN FI0009000681) as follows: * Rounded to two decimals On 22 November 2024, Nokia announced that its Board of Directors is initiating a share buyback program to offset the dilutive effect of new Nokia shares issued to the shareholders of Infinera Corporation and certain Infinera Corporation share-based incentives. The repurchases in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 and under the authorization granted by Nokia’s Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 started on 25 November 2024 and end by 31 December 2025 and target to repurchase 150 million shares for a maximum aggregate purchase price of EUR 900 million. Total cost of transactions executed on 11 December 2024 was EUR 3,636,192. After the disclosed transactions, Nokia Corporation holds 212,521,406 treasury shares. Details of transactions are included as an appendix to this announcement. On behalf of Nokia Corporation BofA Securities Europe SA About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Inquiries: Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications Nokia Investor Relations Phone: +358 40 803 4080 Email: investor.relations@nokia.com Attachment Daily Report 2024-12-11
