AGRIC AND FOOD : View Posts

MILAN,– DuPont joined public and private sector leaders today at Expo Milan 2015 to share examples of rural and urban innovations that address the global food security challenge. During the event, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) unveiled the results of the DuPont-sponsored 2015 Global Food Security Index, which showed continued improvement in global food security – but also challenges in Central and Eastern Europe due to political unrest and rapid urbanization.

DuPont Executive Vice President James C. Borel headlined the forum, which kicked off the company’s engagement at the USA Pavilion. Borel challenged those engaged in the discussion to extend the conversation beyond Expo Milan and leverage the findings of the Global Food Security Index to develop new, targeted solutions to global hunger.

“As the global population increases, becomes more urbanized and the middle class expands, we must properly focus resources to strengthen food systems and their resiliency,” said Borel. “We have to look at the underlying issues – the key drivers that influence a person’s ability to eat. This is the power of the Global Food Security Index.”

Borel went on to highlight four key areas that warrant proper resource investment: innovation for farmer productivity, enhancing nutrition of food, creation of fair and open trade policies and reduction of food waste.

Finding New Solutions to Global Food Security Challenges

The event also featured a diverse selection of leaders from the U.S. Department of State, Ford Motor Company and global not-for-profits who shared their insights on how the world population’s food demands are changing and how their organizations are evolving meet those new demands.

For example, Rikin Gandhi of Digital Green presented on how his team is utilizing mobile technologies to teach rural farmers in India improved management techniques. CARE International Secretary General and CEO Wolfgang Jamann shared how the organization has worked with smallholder farmers in Haiti to improve soil nutrition and how it has made their food system more resilient in times of crisis.

The EIU also unveiled a white paper at the forum on “The Role of Innovation in Meeting Food Security Challenges” that identifies and defines the challenges, key players and technology solutions related to global food security. The paper focused on three key opportunity areas to increase the accessibility of quality food globally – the utilization of biotechnology, support for smallholder farmers, and rise of urban agriculture.

EIU 2015 Global Food Security Index Reveals Overall Improvement, Challenges in Europe

The EIU presented the new findings from the 2015 Global Food Security Index to inform the discussion around food and agriculture solutions. The 2015 Index measures 109 countries against 28 food security indicators that monitor the ongoing impact of agriculture investments, collaborations and policies around the world.

While the Index revealed that globally food security increased – with two-thirds of the countries registering year-over-year improvements – the EIU reported that Eastern Europe was the only region to experience food security deterioration in 2014. Political instability in parts of Eastern and Central Europe – and a lower urban absorption capacity across the region – how much a country’s GDP growth rate outpaces its urbanization rate – led to lower scores in 85 percent of European nations included in the Index.

“This year’s findings underscore the importance of continued investment in agriculture research and infrastructure in Europe to ensure all of the region’s people have access to safe and affordable food,” said Borel. “Europe has been a leader in food security and we must ensure that portions of the region are not left behind due to a lack of investment and support for farmers and new agricultural technologies.”

DuPont has invested significantly in Eastern Europe – particularly Ukraine and Russia – which has highly productive arable land that has been underutilized for decades. Through its seed business, DuPont Pioneer, the company has recently invested more than $50 million in Ukraine to build research and production facilities, and expects to engage with more than 9,500 Ukrainian farmers this year through customer field days and training.

For more information on the interactive Global Food Security Index, including definitions of the 28 global indicators, impact of changing food prices, multi-country comparisons and more, visit: http://foodsecurityindex.eiu.com/.

DuPont is committed to driving food security efforts locally, sustainably and collaboratively; visit foodsecurity.dupont.com or follow the conversation on Twitter at #foodsecurity to learn more.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.

ATLANTA – The Coca-Cola Company today announced that it has taken additional steps toward the implementation of a 21st Century Beverage Partnership Model in the United States.

As part of this model, The Coca-Cola Company has agreed in principle with three U.S. bottlers to continue granting new, expanded territories. These bottlers are Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United and Swire Coca-Cola USA.

Additionally, The Coca-Cola Company has agreed in principle to the granting of expanded territories to four new expanding U.S. bottlers. These bottlers are Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Chesterman Company, The Odom Corporation and Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

“We have made significant progress toward the implementation of our 21st Century Beverage Partnership Model in the U.S., which continues to strengthen our franchise system,” said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “We will move forward with our refranchising plans in the U.S. as we implement a more agile, modern, customer-focused beverage partnership model.”

Consistent with prior transactions, in the newly granted territories The Coca-Cola Company and these bottlers will work collaboratively to implement key elements of this evolving U.S. operating model, including:

More rational and contiguous operating territories
A grant of exclusive territory rights and the sale by Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR) of distribution assets and cold drink equipment
A finished goods model under which production assets will remain with CCR
An improved, more integrated information technology platform
A new beverage agreement that supports the evolving operating model
“Today marks another significant milestone in the evolution of our U.S. operations as we align for growth with partners that have demonstrated success, taken a generational view and consistently invested in capabilities and leadership,” said Sandy Douglas, President, Coca-Cola North America. “These four new expanding bottling partners – Atlantic, Chesterman, Odom and Ozarks – bring deep local knowledge and have demonstrated both outstanding commercial capabilities and consistent, sustainable success within their communities.”

These new territories generally border these bottlers’ existing territories, allowing each bottler to better service local customers and provide more efficient execution.

Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country will assume additional territory in South Dakota, North Dakota (including the Fargo and Bismarck markets), and Minnesota
Coca-Cola Bottling Company United will assume additional territory in Louisiana, including the New Orleans and Shreveport markets, and territory in the Tallahassee, Florida market
Swire Coca-Cola USA will assume additional territory in Arizona, including the Phoenix and Tucson markets
Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company will assume new territory in Iowa and southern Minnesota
Chesterman Company will assume new territory in Nebraska and western Iowa, including the Omaha and Lincoln markets
The Odom Corporation will assume new territory in the Hawaiian Islands including Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, and Molokai
The Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company will assume new territory in Missouri, northern Arkansas and southeast Kansas
The new transactions announced today are subject to the parties reaching Definitive Agreements. The parties are committed to working together to implement a smooth transition with minimal disruption for customers, consumers and System associates. Financial terms were not disclosed.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands including, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia, Dasani, FUZE TEA and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

WASHINGTON, – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest approximately $21 million in additional Farm Bill dollars to help farmers and ranchers apply science-based solutions to mitigate the short and long term effects of drought. These investments will focus financial and technical assistance in the most severely drought-stricken areas in eight states to help crop and livestock producers apply conservation practices that increase irrigation efficiency, improve soil health and productivity, and ensure reliable water sources for livestock operations.

“Since the historic drought of 2012, dry conditions have persisted in many parts of the country, particularly in the West,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Every day, NRCS conservationists work side-by-side with agricultural producers and help them conserve water and increase resilience in their operations. Today’s investment will provide additional resources in drought-stricken areas to help farmers and ranchers implement solutions to mitigate the impacts of sustained drought.”

Today’s announcement expands on the substantial efforts already underway to help producers conserve water, improve soil health and build long term agricultural resilience into their operations. Already this year, NRCS state offices have targeted significant portions of their fiscal year Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) allocations to address water conservation, soil health, and resilience. In California, for example, more than $27 million of fiscal year 2015 EQIP funding is directed towards beneficial drought management practices.

With today’s announcement, NRCS will provide an additional $21 million in technical and financial assistance through EQIP to target areas that are experiencing either exceptional or extreme drought conditions as of the May 5, 2015 U.S. Drought Monitor, which includes parts of California, Kansas, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. The EQIP funding will allow NRCS to help producers apply selected conservation practices to better deal with the effects of drought in their operations, including prescribed grazing, livestock watering facilities, cover crops, nutrient management, irrigation systems, and other water conservation practices. On average, farmers and ranchers contribute half the cost of implementing conservation practices.

Between 2012 and 2014, NRCS invested more than $1.5 billion in financial and technical assistance to help producers implement conservation practices that improve water use efficiency and build long term health of working crop, pasture, and range lands. These practices include building soil health by using cover crops and no-till, which allow the soil to hold water longer and buffer roots from higher temperatures; improving the efficiency of irrigation systems; and implementing prescribed grazing to relieve pressure on stressed vegetation.

NRCS is also leveraging partner investments through the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to put further resources toward projects that foster water conservation and resilience. In the first round of RCPP funding last year, NRCS committed more than $84 million in 35 projects that address water conservation and soil health. These funds will be matched dollar-for-dollar by our partners, resulting in a total investment of nearly $190 million in water conservation and resilience across the country. In May, Vilsack announced a second round of RCPP funding availability that will make up to $235 million available for targeted conservation, highlighting drought and water conservation as a resource concern for potential projects.

Earlier this month, NRCS announced $6.5 million in additional drought-related funding through the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative. This investment will support targeted, local efforts to protect the quality and extend the availability of water from the Ogallala Aquifer, which underlies about 225,000 square miles of the Great Plains and supports nearly one-fifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the United States.

Through the creation of the National Drought Resilience Partnership, launched as part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, federal agencies are working closely with states, tribes and local governments to develop a coordinated response to drought. For information on USDA’s drought efforts, visit USDA Disaster and Drought Information. And to learn more about how NRCS is helping private landowners deal with drought, visit the NRCS’ drought resources. View information by state.

Producers and landowners are encouraged to visit the NRCS website or stop by their local NRCS office to find out if they are eligible for this new funding. Learn more about and EQIP and other NRCS programs.

Today’s announcement was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life.

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WASHINGTON, – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new report showing tremendous demand for recent college graduates with a degree in agricultural programs with an estimated 57,900 high-skilled job openings annually in the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment fields in the United States. According to an employment outlook report released today by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University, there is an average of 35,400 new U.S. graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture related fields, 22,500 short of the jobs available annually.

“There is incredible opportunity for highly-skilled jobs in agriculture,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Those receiving degrees in agricultural fields can expect to have ample career opportunities. Not only will those who study agriculture be likely to get well-paying jobs upon graduation, they will also have the satisfaction of working in a field that addresses some of the world’s most pressing challenges. These jobs will only become more important as we continue to develop solutions to feed more than 9 billion people by 2050.”

The report projects almost half of the job opportunities will be in management and business. Another 27 percent will be in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas. Jobs in food and biomaterials production will make up 15 percent, and 12 percent of the openings will be in education, communication, and governmental services. The report also shows that women make up more than half of the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment higher education graduates in the United States.

Other highlights of the reportThis is an external link or third-party site outside of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website. include:

While most employers prefer to hire graduates of food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment programs, graduates from these programs only fill about 60 percent of the expected annual openings. Even as enrollments in these programs increase and the job market becomes somewhat more competitive, good employment opportunities for the next five years are expected.
Growth in job opportunities will be uneven. Employers in some areas will struggle to find enough graduates to fill jobs. In a few areas, employers will find an oversupply of job seekers.
Expect to see a strong employment market for e-commerce managers and marketing agents, ecosystem managers, agricultural science and business educators, crop advisors, and pest control specialists.
Job opportunities in STEM areas are expected to grow. Expect the strongest job market for plant scientists, food scientists, sustainable biomaterials specialists, water resources scientists and engineers, precision agriculture specialists, and veterinarians.
The report, Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, and the Environment, United States, 2015–2020This is an external link or third-party site outside of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website., is the eighth in a series of five-year projections initiated by USDA in 1980. The report was produced by Purdue University with grant support from NIFA.

Philadelphia, PA – Aramark (NYSE:ARMK), the $15 billion global provider of food, facilities management, and uniforms, announced today a new set of animal welfare principles and purchasing commitments that address a broad spectrum of issues impacting the treatment of animals for egg, pork, veal, beef, poultry and dairy products served across Aramark’s U.S. operations.

“Our commitments to health, wellness and sustainability are core to our mission of enriching and nourishing lives and include our pledge to responsible purchasing and animal welfare practices,” said Eric J. Foss, Aramark Chairman, President & CEO. “The broad reach of our supply chain provides an opportunity for us to have a significant impact on animal welfare issues and to shift purchasing practices that impact the clients, consumers and communities we serve.”

The policy builds on commitments the company has made over the past several years as part of its responsible purchasing practices in the U.S.:

Purchasing only cage-free eggs by 2020
Eliminating all pork from animals bred using gestation crates by 2017
Since 2011, eliminated the purchase of all foie gras
Aramark developed the policy in collaboration with long-time partner, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization.

“We are pleased to partner with Aramark, and create this comprehensive animal welfare policy,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO, the Humane Society of the United States. “Aramark’s efforts demonstrate a growing interest in animal welfare by consumers and the industry, and help drive toward continuous improvement in addressing farm animal practices.”

The policy covers several additional commitments governing the care and treatment of farm animals, including confinement, painful procedures, and rapid growth processes. As a foodservice provider, Aramark purchases a wide variety of egg, dairy and meat items from hundreds of suppliers.

Under its new global policy, Aramark will work with its suppliers to meet the following animal welfare commitments:

Eggs: Aramark will purchase only cage-free eggs in the U.S. by 2020

Pork: In 2012, Aramark committed to eliminate all pork from animals bred using gestation crates by 2017; it will also work to address issues of pain relief associated with castration and the eventual elimination of tail docking, as well as eventual elimination of the use of ractopamine.

Veal: Aramark will eliminate all veal from animals confined in crates in the U.S. by 2017.

Dairy/Beef:Aramark will work with suppliers to address issues of pain relief for disbudding and castration procedures, and eventual elimination of tail docking and dehorning. In addition, the company will work with suppliers to eliminate the use of hormones or feed additives that are harmful for farm animals including recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), zilpaterol hydrochloride and ractopamine.

Ducks and Geese: In 2011, Aramark committed to eliminate the purchase of all foie gras and remains committed to this position.

Chickens and Turkeys: Working with suppliers, Aramark will address animal welfare issues associated with fast growth of broiler chickens and turkeys and support eliminating slaughtering systems that use live dumping and shackling.

The policy also outlines Aramark’s expectations for its suppliers. Aramark will work with its suppliers to:

Ask suppliers for progress reports
Require third-party documentation of their efforts
Incorporate the animal welfare principles and policy into contracts
Require decisive action in unforeseen cases of animal abuse or cruelty
To read the full Aramark Animal Welfare Principles and Policy, click here.

About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover and play. United by a passion to serve, our more than 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 22 countries around the world every day. Aramark is recognized among the Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE and the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Nestlé USA announced today that all of its 23 factories – spanning confections, dairy, frozen and refrigerated meals, ice cream, baking ingredients, and beverages – are now landfill-free, contributing zero waste for disposal. This important milestone supports Nestlé USA’s commitment to environmentally sustainable business practices to protect future generations.

“We are incredibly proud of the effort it took to accomplish this goal,” said Paul Grimwood, Chairman and CEO Nestlé USA. “This is an especially noteworthy achievement given the breadth and complexity of our manufacturing operations across a variety of categories. We are committed to working with our employees to ensure our factories remain landfill-free and are striving for new ways to reduce our environmental impact at each stage of the product lifecycle.”

As part of this effort, Nestlé USA is continually looking for new ways to reuse, recycle and recover energy when disposing of manufacturing by-products. The company’s current efforts include composting, recycling, energy production, and the provision of safe products for animal feed.

Employees also take actions to minimize by-products, and engage in robust recycling programs and partnerships with credible waste vendors that dispose of manufacturing by-products in line with Nestlé’s environmental sustainability guidelines and standards. All of Nestlé USA’s factories employ ISO 14001 certified environmental management systems to help manage their environmental impact, including waste elimination.
“Environmental sustainability is part of Nestlé’s commitment to Creating Shared Value in society,” added Grimwood. “Our goal is for our products to not only be tastier and healthier, but also better for the environment.”

Globally, Nestlé has committed to improving resource efficiency in its operations. Fifteen percent of all of Nestlé’s factories worldwide (72 in total) achieved zero waste for disposal for all of 2014. This achievement exceeds Nestlé’s goal of having 10 percent of its global factories at this stage by 2015. More information is available at www.nestle.com/csv/environmental-sustainability.

About Nestlé USA
Named one of “The World’s Most Admired Food Companies” in Fortune magazine for eighteen consecutive years, Nestlé provides quality brands that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with LEAN CUISINE® to baking traditions with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE®, Nestlé USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverages that make good living possible. That’s what “Nestlé. Good Food, Good Life®” is all about. Nestlé USA, with 2014 sales of $9.7 billion, is part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world’s largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with 2014 sales of $100 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.

NAB’s Agribusiness and Digital teams join forces at Beef Australia 2015 this week to show case to beef producers and industry the power of social media.

NAB’s Agribusiness bankers and social media experts will be on site this week in the Beef Capital, Rockhampton Queensland, to mingle with clients and industry at Australia’s premier beef exposition.

NAB’s Digital team have re-created the Social Media Command Centre found in NAB’s Sydney and Melbourne headquarters at Beef Australia, to demonstrate the power of social media platforms to analyse conversations and attitudes on issues important to the beef industry.

Beef Australia is Australia’s national beef exposition and is one of the world’s great beef cattle events. It’s held every three years in Rockhampton.

It is on from May 4 to 9 and is a celebration of all facets of the Australian beef industry, facilitatating new trade and export opportunities by exposing the local supply chain to the international industry leaders.

The week will feature more than 4500 cattle from over 30 breeds; educational seminars, property tours, restaurants and cooking demonstrations as well as an extensive program of social and networking events. More at beefaustralia.com.au

Agribusiness View provides the latest insights from NAB Agribusiness. Visit nab.com.au/agriview to sign up as well as to find the contact details for your nearest NAB Agribusiness Manager.

About NAB Agribusiness
National Australia Bank (NAB) Agribusiness is Australia’s leading Agribusiness Bank and has been supporting Australian farmers for more than 150 years. NAB employs more than 600 agribusiness banking specialists in 110 metropolitan and regional locations Australia-wide. With their local and industry knowledge, our Agribusiness team understand the unique financial and environmental needs of farmers and businesses beyond the farm gate – whether they provide inputs into agriculture or process, distribute or market primary produce. NAB also has a specialist Agribusiness Asia Desk to help Australian farmers make the most of the rapid growth in demand for high quality produce in Asia. We deliver a flexible range of agribusiness products and services by listening to and working with our customers, to tailor the best packages and advice for their businesses. For further information please visit www.nab.com.au/agribusiness.

Philadelphia, PA – Aramark (NYSE:ARMK), the $15 billion global provider of food, facilities management, and uniforms, announced today a new set of animal welfare principles and purchasing commitments that address a broad spectrum of issues impacting the treatment of animals for egg, pork, veal, beef, poultry and dairy products served across Aramark’s U.S. operations.

“Our commitments to health, wellness and sustainability are core to our mission of enriching and nourishing lives and include our pledge to responsible purchasing and animal welfare practices,” said Eric J. Foss, Aramark Chairman, President & CEO. “The broad reach of our supply chain provides an opportunity for us to have a significant impact on animal welfare issues and to shift purchasing practices that impact the clients, consumers and communities we serve.”

The policy builds on commitments the company has made over the past several years as part of its responsible purchasing practices in the U.S.:
• Purchasing only cage-free eggs by 2020
• Eliminating all pork from animals bred using gestation crates by 2017
• Since 2011, eliminated the purchase of all foie gras

Aramark developed the policy in collaboration with long-time partner, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization.

“We are pleased to partner with Aramark, and create this comprehensive animal welfare policy,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO, the Humane Society of the United States. “Aramark’s efforts demonstrate a growing interest in animal welfare by consumers and the industry, and help drive toward continuous improvement in addressing farm animal practices.”

The policy covers several additional commitments governing the care and treatment of farm animals, including confinement, painful procedures, and rapid growth processes. As a foodservice provider, Aramark purchases a wide variety of egg, dairy and meat items from hundreds of suppliers.

Under its new global policy, Aramark will work with its suppliers to meet the following animal welfare commitments:

Eggs: Aramark will purchase only cage-free eggs in the U.S. by 2020

Pork: In 2012, Aramark committed to eliminate all pork from animals bred using gestation crates by 2017; it will also work to address issues of pain relief associated with castration and the eventual elimination of tail docking, as well as eventual elimination of the use of ractopamine.

Veal: Aramark will eliminate all veal from animals confined in crates in the U.S. by 2017.

Dairy/Beef: Aramark will work with suppliers to address issues of pain relief for disbudding and castration procedures, and eventual elimination of tail docking and dehorning. In addition, the company will work with suppliers to eliminate the use of hormones or feed additives that are harmful for farm animals including recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), zilpaterol hydrochloride and ractopamine.

Ducks and Geese: In 2011, Aramark committed to eliminate the purchase of all foie gras and remains committed to this position.

Chickens and Turkeys: Working with suppliers, Aramark will address animal welfare issues associated with fast growth of broiler chickens and turkeys and support eliminating slaughtering systems that use live dumping and shackling.

The policy also outlines Aramark’s expectations for its suppliers. Aramark will work with its suppliers to:
• Ask suppliers for progress reports
• Require third-party documentation of their efforts
• Incorporate the animal welfare principles and policy into contracts
• Require decisive action in unforeseen cases of animal abuse or cruelty

To read the full Aramark Animal Welfare Principles and Policy, click here.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover and play. United by a passion to serve, our more than 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 22 countries around the world every day. Aramark is recognized among the Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE and the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

HERSHEY, Pa.- The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today announced the results of its first phase in tracing its global palm oil supply chain. Working in partnership with The Forest Trust (TFT), Hershey has traced its supply chain to more than 94 percent of all the mills that supply its palm and palm kernel oil globally.

Hershey’s supply mapping has given the company insight into its palm oil sources from suppliers originating back to the mill level. This information will help the company better understand if any sourcing is linked to areas of potential deforestation or social challenges within the production of its palm oil. While Hershey completes its mill-level mapping, the company has begun the next phase of work – mapping its palm oil supply chain back to the plantation level – which it expects to complete in 2016.

Key highlights of Hershey’s palm oil tracing:

More than 1,200 mills supply palm oil to Hershey manufacturing facilities worldwide
Mills are located in two regions; Southeast Asia (1,235 mills) and Central America (11 mills)
Palm oil is used in 13 Hershey plants located in three countries: The United States (9 plants), Mexico (2 plants) and China (2 plants)
Tracing Hershey’s palm oil supply is part of a commitment the company made in 2014 to source responsible, traceable palm oil. As part of this commitment, Hershey implemented a new, comprehensive palm oil sourcing policy for all of its palm suppliers.

“This first phase of mapping is critical to meeting our high standards for ethical palm oil sourcing,” said Frank Day, Vice President of Global Commodities at The Hershey Company. “We will use this information to work with our suppliers to meet our rigorous new policy requirements and Hershey’s Supplier Code of Conduct. Should issues arise in our palm oil supply chain through this process, we will work quickly to remediate them.”

The mapping work is helping to clarify the level of cooperation needed from palm oil suppliers for Hershey to achieve its responsible sourcing goals. Hershey is working with TFT, a respected global non-profit organization that works with companies to help transform the way they source their products.

The Hershey Company’s updated responsible palm oil sourcing policy is available on the company’s website.

About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has more than 22,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company, which has more than 80 brands around the world that drive over $7.4 billion in annual revenues, includes such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside. Hershey is focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to build its competitive advantage in North America. Additionally, Hershey is expanding its portfolio into categories beyond confectionery, finding new ways to bring goodness to people everywhere.

At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For 120 years, Hershey has been committed to good business by operating fairly, ethically and sustainably to make a positive impact on society. This means contributing to a better life for its employees, consumers, communities, and, ultimately, creating a bright future for children in need. This commitment is exemplified by Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company’s founder and administered by Hershey Trust Company. The children who attend the school receive education, housing, and medical care — thriving as direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company’s success.

WASHINGTON, – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the launch of two new private funds, known as Rural Business Investment Companies (RBICs), which make equity investments in rural businesses, helping them grow and create jobs. This announcement is part of USDA’s ongoing efforts to help attract private sector capital to investment opportunities in rural America to help drive more economic growth in rural communities.

“These two new private funds will provide innovative small businesses throughout rural America access to the capital they need to grow and create jobs,” Vilsack said. “At USDA, we are working hard to reenergize the rural economy, and we are enlisting more and more private sector partners to help achieve that goal. Rural Business Investment Companies will allow us to facilitate private investment in businesses working in bio-manufacturing, advanced energy production, local and regional food systems, improved farming technologies and other cutting-edge fields.”

Innova Memphis and Meritus Kirchner Capital can now begin raising capital to constitute their funds. Meritus Kirchner Capital has set a goal of raising $100 million, while Innova Memphis has set a goal of raising $25 million for their respective funds. Once the funds have been raised, these companies will make equity investments in rural businesses with high-growth potential.

“We are very pleased to be working with USDA to fund innovative, early-stage startups in rural America,” said Jan Bouten, partner at Innova Memphis. “This being our fourth fund, we will be able to hit the ground running and build on our strong track record in early-stage investing. We will work with partners such as Memphis Bioworks Foundation and Ag Innovation Development Group to build thriving innovation communities across the country.”

“We are appreciative of the leadership Secretary Vilsack and USDA have shown by facilitating the creation of these new RBICs. The RBIC application process was rigorous, with USDA and the Farm Credit Administration participating in an extensive review of all aspects of our management team, track record, and investment strategy. This is a significant milestone because now we formally can begin the fundraising process,” said Grady Vanderhoofven, partner at Meritus Kirchner Capital. “The capital we raise will be invested in exceptional growth-stage, agriculture-related and rural companies, which historically have had limited access to this kind of capital. By doing so, we will help create wealth, jobs, and opportunities in rural America.”

The new funds announced today were formed under the USDA’s Rural Business Investment Program (RBIP). USDA is utilizing RBIP to license funds to invest in enterprises that will create growth and job opportunities in rural areas, with an emphasis on smaller enterprises. Working through the USDA program enables licensed funds to raise capital from Farm Credit System banks and associations.

Last year, Secretary Vilsack announced the creation of the first new RBIC which has already begun investing in rural businesses with high-growth potential. The $10 billion Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund, also announced last year, facilitates private loans for job-creating rural infrastructure projects across the country.

These efforts are part of the Made in Rural America initiative, which was created by President Obama to help rural businesses and leaders take advantage of new investment opportunities and access new markets abroad. Secretary Vilsack and the White House Rural Council convened the Rural Opportunity Investment Conference last summer to attract additional investments to rural America by connecting major investors with rural business leaders, government officials, economic development experts and other partners.

SPRINGDALE, Ark. – Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) said today it is striving to eliminate the use of human antibiotics from its U.S. broiler* chicken flocks by the end of September 2017. The company will report annually on its progress, beginning with its fiscal 2015 Sustainability Report. Tyson Foods has already stopped using all antibiotics in its 35 broiler hatcheries, requires a veterinary prescription for antibiotics used on broiler farms and has reduced human antibiotics used to treat broiler chickens by more than 80 percent since 2011.

“Antibiotic resistant infections are a global health concern,” said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. “We’re confident our meat and poultry products are safe**, but want to do our part to responsibly reduce human antibiotics on the farm so these medicines can continue working when they’re needed to treat illness.”

“Given the progress we’ve already made reducing antibiotics in our broilers, we believe it’s realistic to shoot for zero by the end of our 2017 fiscal year. But we won’t jeopardize animal well-being just to get there. We’ll use the best available treatments to keep our chickens healthy, under veterinary supervision,” Smith said.

Tyson Foods is also forming working groups with independent farmers and others in the company’s beef, pork and turkey supply chains to discuss ways to reduce the use of human antibiotics on cattle, hog and turkey farms. Those groups will begin meeting this summer.

Tyson Foods’ international business is committed to taking similar measures on antibiotic use in its global chicken operations but has not set a timeframe.

Will Not Compromise Animal Well-Being; Need Alternatives to Human Antibiotics on Farm
Tyson Foods plans to work with food industry, government, veterinary, public health and academic communities, and provide funding, to accelerate research into disease prevention and antibiotic alternatives on the farm. The company is also getting input from its Animal Well-Being Advisory Panel, which is made up of independent advisors.

“One of our core values is to serve as responsible stewards of animals – we will not let sick animals suffer,” Smith said. “We believe it’s our responsibility to help drive action towards sustainable solutions to this challenge by working with our chicken, turkey, beef and pork supply chains.”

Smith said today’s announcement will not materially affect the company’s financial performance.

About Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the world’s largest producers of chicken, beef, pork and prepared foods that include leading brands such as Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Sara Lee® frozen desserts, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells® and State Fair®. The company was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. Tyson Foods provides a wide variety of protein-based and prepared foods products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, supplying customers throughout the United States and approximately 130 countries. It has approximately 124,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.

The Häagen-Dazs brand is stepping up its ongoing commitment to the Häagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees™ program with a new sustainable agricultural program for its farmer suppliers in partnership with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. For over 40 years, the non-profit Xerces Society has worked to protect insects through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat, and in the last 20 years has built an internationally respected pollinator conservation program. Xerces also has the largest pollinator conservation team in the world.

“The Häagen-Dazs brand is recognized worldwide for its commitment to sourcing the best ingredients and crafting them into the finest ice cream available. This partnership will enable the Häagen-Dazs brand to implement a sustainable agricultural program focused on improving the health of the bee populations near the farms where our ingredients grow,” says Alex Placzek, Director of the Häagen-Dazs brand. “Our farmer partners are equally interested in doing their part by installing and maintaining pollinator habitat that will have a direct impact on honey bee health and native pollinator populations.”

Over the course of 2015 and 2016, the Xerces staff will work with Häagen-Dazs berry and nut farmers to develop custom farm conservation plans for each farm to include assessments of the existing pollinator habitat and opportunities for improvement; implementation plans for installing wildflower meadows, cover crops and/or hedgerows; and a pesticide risk assessment and strategies for mitigating pesticide impacts.

“We are starting with the crops where we source the most volume but will continue to build out the program after this initial start to ensure the farms that grow our ingredients are safer for bees and other pollinators,” adds Placzek. “It’s simply the right thing to do to ensure that bees can continue to thrive and enrich the planet.”

“Partnering with Häagen-Dazs’ supplier-farms to foster pollinator conservation has the potential to create a significant amount of habitat for bees and reduce pesticide impacts,” says Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society. “We are excited by the opportunity offered to us by Häagen-Dazs and value the leadership they are demonstrating in sustainable management of farms.”

Background: In 2007, beekeepers in the U.S. began reporting that 25 percent of the honey bee population across the country had mysteriously died; a staggering phenomenon scientists named Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. Bees are responsible for pollinating more than 100 different crops, $15 billion worth annually in the U.S., including one third of all the natural foods we eat. But honey bees were dying at an alarming rate and key scientists were stumped as to the cause.

For Häagen-Dazs ice cream, the reality of this threat spurred the super-premium ice cream maker to launch its national Häagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees campaign in 2008 to help protect the petite pollinators. The brand uses only the finest ingredients in its recipes, such as crunchy nuts and fresh fruits and berries, all pollinated by the bees. In fact, bees are the little champions behind more than 40 percent of the Häagen-Dazs brand’s ice cream flavors.

Since 2008, the Häagen-Dazs brand has donated more than $1,000,000 to fund sustainable pollination and CCD research at Pennsylvania State University and University of California, Davis.

For full details on how the Haagen-Dazs brand is helping bees and how you can take part, please visit www.Haagendazs.us You may also visit www.facebook.com/HaagenDazsUS, www.twitter.com/HaagenDazs_US, www.pinterest.com/haagendazs or watch us on YouTube at www.youtube.com/HaagenDazsUS.

About Häagen-Dazs
Crafted in 1960 by Reuben Mattus in his family’s dairy, Häagen-Dazs ice cream is the original super premium ice cream. True to tradition, we are committed to using only the purest ingredients in crafting the world’s finest ice cream. Truly made like no other®, today Häagen-Dazs ice cream offers a full range of products from ice cream and gelato to sorbet, frozen yogurt and frozen snacks in more than 65 flavors. Häagen-Dazs products are available around the globe for ice cream lovers to enjoy. For more information, please visit www.haagendazs.com.
The Häagen-Dazs trademark is licensed to Nestlé by General Mills. © HDIP, Inc.

About The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Protecting the Life that Sustains Us
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is a nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Established in 1971, the Society is at the forefront of invertebrate protection, harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of citizens to implement conservation programs worldwide. Over the last two decades, the Society has built an internationally respected pollinator conservation program that has worked with farmers on three continents. To learn more about the Society’s work, please visit www.xerces.org

CHICAGO, – Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today announced an agreement to purchase several assets of Eaststarch C.V., ADM’s 50-50 joint venture with Tate & Lyle (LSE: TATE). Under the terms of the agreement, ADM will take full ownership of corn wet mills in Bulgaria and Turkey, and will own a 50 percent stake in a wet mill in Hungary. Tate & Lyle will receive a cash consideration of €240 million, subject to customary closing adjustments, including for net cash and working capital, and take full ownership of the Eaststarch facility in Slovakia.

“Our Corn business is creating shareholder value through geographic expansion and the increasing diversification of our product portfolio,” said Chris Cuddy, president of ADM’s Corn Processing business unit. “With the coming end of sugar production quotas in the EU, the artificial cap on cereal-based sweeteners will be lifted. There will be tremendous opportunities in the new European sweetener market, including a particularly strong opening in Eastern Europe, where there is less sugar production. By acquiring a greater ownership share in these corn assets, ADM will be able to better serve our customers as they meet this expanding European demand for sweeteners. At the same time, we are improving our capabilities to meet customer needs in the growing market for starch in Europe.”

The Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary facilities have a combined daily grind capacity of approximately 200,000 bushels. They produce primarily sweeteners and starches; the Hungary facility also produces ethanol for fuel, beverage and industrial uses. This will increase ADM’s global grind capacity for corn 7.5 percent, to approximately 3 million bushels per day.

“The value of this transaction reflects the anticipated decline in EU sugar prices,” Cuddy added. “We expect this deal to meet our returns objectives.”

As part of the transaction, ADM will supply Tate & Lyle with crystalline fructose from the Turkey facility. In addition, Tate & Lyle will appoint ADM as the exclusive agent for the sale of liquid sweeteners and industrial starches produced by its EU plants.

Eaststarch, a 50-50 joint venture between ADM and Tate & Lyle, was formed in 1992. It owns three corn wet mills—one in Slovakia, one in Bulgaria and one in Turkey—and 50 percent of a mill in Hungary. The venture deals primarily in corn sweeteners and starches.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval in some jurisdictions. ADM is targeting closing the deal this summer.

About ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with more than 33,000 employees serving customers in more than 140 countries. With a global value chain that includes more than 460 crop procurement locations, 300 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 40 innovation centers and the world’s premier crop transportation network, we connect the harvest to the home, making products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. Learn more at www.adm.com.

The European Commission has today put Thailand on formal notice for not taking sufficient measures in the international fight against illegal fishing (IUU).

As a result of a thorough analysis and a series of discussions with Thai authorities since 2011, the Commission has denounced the country’s shortcomings in its fisheries monitoring, control and sanctioning systems and concludes that Thailand is not doing enough.

European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, stated: “Our EU rigorous policy on a harmful practice such as illegal fishing, together with our genuine capacity to act, is paying off. I urge Thailand to join the European Union in the fight for sustainable fisheries Failure to take strong action against illegal fishing will carry consequences.”

Today’s Decision starts a formal procedure of dialogue with the Thai authorities to make them take the necessary corrective measures. They will be given six months to implement a corrective tailor-made action plan.

Should the situation not improve, the EU could resort to banning fisheries imports from Thailand. Such measure was taken in the past with Belize, Guinea, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. Imports from Belize were banned last year but due to the reforming efforts of the authorities they are now allowed.

On a more positive note, the European Commission acknowledges today that two fishing nations, Korea and the Philippines, have carried out appropriate reforms of their legal systems and are now equipped to tackle illegal fishing. It therefore stops the “identification” procedure that had started with a yellow card to Korea in November 2013 and the Philippines in June 2014.

Commissioner Vella noted that; “By using our market weight the EU is getting important players on board. Both Korea and the Philippines have taken responsible action, amended their legal systems and switched to a proactive approach against illegal fishing”.

Since they were issued with warnings, both Korea and the Philippines embarked on a series of reforms to upgrade their fisheries governance. Their legal systems are now aligned to international law.

As a result of the action taken by Korea and the Philippines, the Commission has stopped formal discussions with the countries’ authorities and looks forward to Korea and the Philippines becoming valuable allies on sustainable management within global and regional organisations.

Background
Between 11 and 26 million tonnes of fish, i.e. at least 15% of world catches, are caught illegally every year. This is worth between 8 and 19 billion euros. As the world’s biggest fish importer, the EU does not wish to be complicit and accept such products into its market. The so-called ‘IUU Regulation’, which entered into force in 2010[1], allows access onto the EU market only to fisheries products that have been certified as legal by the flag State concerned. When flag States are unable to certify their products, the Commission starts a process of cooperation and assistance with them to help improve their legal frameworks. The milestones of this process are the warnings (yellow cards), the green cards if issues are solved and the red cards if they aren’t – the latter leading to a trade ban.

Like Korea and the Philippines, in October 2014 also Fiji, Panama, Togo and Vanuatu got a green card, as they had solved the issues identified by the Commission. Formal dialogue is still ongoing with Ghana and Curaçao, which received formal warnings in November 2013; Papua New Guinea, warned in June 2014; and Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, warned in December 2014. Most of these countries are now cooperating constructively with the Commission, making significant progress in their fisheries management systems in order to curb illegal fishing.

By contrast, fisheries products caught by vessels from Sri Lanka, Guinea and Cambodia are banned from being imported into the EU. Belize was withdrawn from the black list in December 2014, after it adopted lasting measures to address the shortcomings of its fisheries systems.
The fight against illegal fishing is part of the EU’s forceful drive to ensure sustainable ocean governance and to project globally the principle of sustainability, enshrined in the Common Fisheries Policy.

NORTHFIELD, Ill., April 20, 2015 — Kraft Macaroni & Cheese announced today that starting in January 2016, Original Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in the U.S. will no longer be made with artificial preservatives or synthetic colors, while still delivering the same great taste that people know and love from the iconic “blue box.” Kraft Dinner (KD) in Canada will remove synthetic colors by the end of next year in Kraft Dinner Original.

Kraft will replace the synthetic colors with those derived from natural sources like paprika, annatto and turmeric. These recipe changes are the latest steps in the Kraft Mac & Cheese journey to delight consumers with on-trend updates to meet consumers’ changing lifestyles and needs.
“We’ve met with families in their homes and watched them prepare Kraft Mac & Cheese in their kitchens. They told us they want to feel good about the foods they eat and serve their families, including everything from improved nutrition to simpler ingredients,” said Triona Schmelter, Vice President of Marketing, Meals. “They also told us they won’t compromise on the taste of their Mac & Cheese – and neither will we. That’s why we’ve been working tirelessly to find the right recipe that our fans will love.”

In 2014 in the U.S., Kraft Mac & Cheese Boxed Shapes launched with six grams of whole grains per serving, reduced saturated fat by 25%, lowered sodium by 100 mg per serving and no synthetic colors. In Canada, Kraft Dinner Boxed Shapes launched with no synthetic colors while Kraft Dinner Original has reduced sodium by 19% since 2012.

Then in 2015, Kraft Mac & Cheese Boxed Shapes in the U.S. moved to no artificial preservatives. All Boxed Shapes have no artificial flavors, preservatives or synthetic colors. Original Kraft Mac & Cheese remains a good source of calcium with 10% of the recommended daily value and nine grams of protein per serving.

“Listening, extensive research and continuous improvement have been part of the Kraft Mac & Cheese 75-year heritage. From packaging like convenient Cups to products like Deluxe, Organic and Whole Grain to light prep instructions, we’ve innovated this iconic brand through the years to remain North America’s favorite Mac & Cheese,” said Schmelter.
For more information in the U.S., visit www.kraftmacandcheese.com/FAQs.

ABOUT KRAFT FOODS GROUP
Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: KRFT) is one of North America’s largest consumer packaged food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $18 billion. The company’s iconic brands include Kraft, Capri Sun, JELL-O, Kool-Aid, Lunchables, Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Planters and Velveeta. Kraft’s 22,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada have a passion for making the foods and beverages people love. Kraft is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the NASDAQ-100 indices. For more information about Kraft, visit www.kraftfoodsgroup.com and www.facebook.com/kraft. For delicious recipes, tips and information on Kraft products, visit www.kraftrecipes.com.

HERSHEY, Pa.- The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced today that it will source enough certified and sustainable cocoa in 2016 to surpass the amount of cocoa required for the global production of four of its most popular chocolate brands:

Hershey’s
Kisses
Kit Kat (United States only)
Brookside
In addition, Hershey has also pledged that it will source enough certified and sustainable cocoa to add the global Reese’s brand and others to these first four brands in 2017.

Reaching this important responsible sourcing milestone was possible because of the company’s accelerated progress in sourcing cocoa from certified and sustainable cocoa farms. Earlier this year, Hershey set a new target to source at least 50 percent of its global cocoa supply from certified and sustainable sources by the end of 2015, a full year ahead of its original schedule. Hershey has committed to source 100 percent certified and sustainable cocoa by 2020.

“We are proud of our work to improve the lives of cocoa families, promote gender equality, and provide health and farm safety programs,” said Terry O’Day, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer. “While sustainable, certified cocoa is just part of our responsible sourcing efforts, the fact that we will source enough for these major Hershey brands in the fourth year of our certified cocoa commitment demonstrates the urgency with which we have pursued this commitment.”

Hershey sources certified cocoa through some of the world’s largest and most recognized cocoa certification organizations.

Hershey Expanding Learn to Grow Sustainable Cocoa Program
A key part of Hershey’s sustainable cocoa initiatives is its signature Hershey Learn to Grow farm training program in West Africa, where about two-thirds of the world’s cocoa is grown. During the past two years, Hershey has expanded Learn to Grow in Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Through the program, farmers receive training on good agricultural practices, appropriate social practices with a focus on labor, good environmental and business practices, and information about other food crops such as cassava and plantain.

Since starting Learn to Grow in 2012, Hershey and its local nonprofit partner, Source Trust, have provided training for more than 5,000 Ghanaian farmers. The partners expect to register an additional 3,000 Learn to Grow farmers in Ghana in 2015, with a goal of supporting farm families by doubling cocoa yields per farm and increasing household income by 30 percent over five growing seasons. By 2019, Hershey expects to train more than 60,000 West African cocoa farmers through Learn to Grow, including 23,000 farmers in Ghana. About one-third of Learn to Grow farmers in Ghana and Nigeria are women, reflecting Hershey’s commitment to bring more economic opportunity to women in West Africa.

Hershey’s sustainable cocoa programs are aligned with CocoaAction, the broader cocoa industry efforts to improve productivity and community livelihoods across the cocoa-growing sector in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. Hershey is a founding member of CocoaAction.

For more information about Hershey’s ethical cocoa sourcing initiatives, visit www.thehersheycompany.com.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has more than 22,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company, which has more than 80 brands around the world that drive over $7.4 billion in annual revenues, includes such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside. Hershey is focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to build its competitive advantage in North America. Additionally, Hershey is expanding its portfolio into categories beyond confectionery, finding new ways to bring goodness to people everywhere.

At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For 120 years, Hershey has been committed to good business by operating fairly, ethically and sustainably to make a positive impact on society. This means contributing to a better life for its employees, consumers, communities, and, ultimately, creating a bright future for children in need. This commitment is exemplified by Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company’s founder and administered by Hershey Trust Company. The children who attend the school receive education, housing, and medical care — thriving as direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company’s success.

Educators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories recently met in Arlington, Virginia to discuss local implementation of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), one of the nation’s largest nutrition education programs.

Through nutrition education, EFNEP helps limited-resource families and children gain the knowledge and skills to change their current attitudes and behaviors when it comes to choosing nutritionally sound diets and improve their health and well-being. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers EFNEP and provides national program leadership.

“The 2015 EFNEP Conference brought together about 170 representatives from 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities (LGUs) to coordinate, collaborate, and receive training that they can take back and implement in their respective university programs,” said Stephanie Blake, NIFA EFNEP program coordinator.

Conference agenda items included an update on changes to packaged food nutrition labels, youth participant evaluation forms, a new adult behavior checklist, and an Internet tool used for EFNEP evaluation and reporting called the Web-Based Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System. EFNEP coordinators also shared ideas and resources through breakout session presentations and poster exhibits.

EFNEP has assisted more than 32 million families and youth since the program’s inception in 1969. Last year, EFNEP reached nearly 122,000 adults and 400,000 children directly and about 360,000 family members indirectly. Among the results listed in EFNEP’s 2014 Impacts Report, 94 percent of adult participants reported improved diets, 86 percent of youth participants reported an increased ability to choose healthy food, and 84 percent of adults reported being better able to manage food resources.

“EFNEP is about reducing health disparities of some this nation’s most vulnerable audiences through hands-on learning experiences and interactive nutrition education,” said Helen Chipman, NIFA national program leader for food and nutrition education. “This annual meeting, combined with other cooperative state and federal efforts, improves EFNEP’s ability to promote nutritional health and well-being among low-income families and children.”

While LGUs manage state EFNEP programs, local educators run them at the county level. “Our educators are so successful because they are members of the communities they support and dedicated to reaching diverse, low-income populations,” Blake said.

Contact your local Cooperative Extension office for more EFNEP information.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education, and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 saw the United States once again make significant gains in the international trade as USDA expanded opportunities for American producers overseas. In FY14 American farmers and ranchers exported a record $152.5 billion of food and agricultural goods to consumers worldwide, an $11.6 billion increase over FY13’s figures.

USDA plays a key role in fostering American agricultural exports by opening new markets for our producers and ensuring their products meet foreign requirements for import. As a result of these efforts, U.S. agricultural exports now drive overall U.S. economic growth by supporting nearly 1 million American jobs on and off the farm. These trade efforts also contribute to a strong rural economy, which is critical to the overall economic health of the United States.

FY 2014 capped a six-year period that represents the strongest period for agricultural exports in our nation’s history. From FY 2009 to FY 2014 U.S. agricultural exports totaled $771.7 billion.

To support this thriving trade, USDA ensures American agricultural exports are free from pests and diseases of concern to trading partners, certifies that the millions of U.S agricultural and food exports meet the importing countries’ entry requirements, and solves issues involving U.S. shipments held at foreign ports of entry.

In FY14 USDA resolved more than 170 trade-related issues involving U.S. agricultural exports valued at $2.5 billion. For example, USDA worked with trading partners to successfully release 273 shipments of American agricultural products that were held up in transport, with a value in excess of $49 million. This meant products like almonds, meat and poultry entered Europe, Asia and other continents to be processed or purchased and enjoyed by overseas consumers.

USDA continually removes barriers that impact trade to create new market opportunities for U.S. producers. In 2014 USDA removed restrictions to help farmers export chilled pork to Colombia, live swine to China and cattle to Mexico. USDA and Canada, in 2014, negotiated and signed guidelines that facilitate exports to Canada valued at over $300 million. USDA also worked with Chinese officials to open China’s market to U.S. apples, a major achievement. In the first full season of trade, the U.S. apple industry expects to ship apples valued at nearly $100 million to Chinese consumers.

In other efforts to facilitate trade, USDA issued nearly 892,000 certificates in 2014 to allow the export of U.S.- raised animals, plants and plant and animal products to countries around the world.

USDA also helps foster trade by working with our stakeholders, industry and exporters to share information about foreign rules that would impact their ability to trade internationally. We continually alert exporters to proposed changes in foreign import requirements and comment on the development of foreign regulations so we can minimize impacts on U.S. agricultural exports. In FY14 alone, USDA reviewed nearly 2,000 such measures, submitting comments to foreign governments on 261 of them.

We are proud of our efforts so far and their immense benefit to agriculture, but we continually work to build upon our successes. Right now, USDA is in the midst of negotiating an important trade deal that would provide 480 million consumers in 11 partner countries with the opportunity to enjoy U.S. agricultural products. The hallmarks of this Trans-Pacific Partnership would be transparency and scientific decision-making. The end result for U.S. agriculture would be expanded access for commodities that currently face restrictive barriers in these 11 countries, including meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, and processed foods.

So, while we celebrate the past year’s accomplishments that foster free and fair trade, we look forward to FY2015 and bringing even greater access to international markets for U.S. agricultural products. USDA will continue to pursue opportunities to increase agricultural exports, helping farm and ranch businesses grow and supporting a strong, vital rural economy.

WASHINGTON, – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced 21 grants totaling more than $10 million have been awarded to universities to support critical water problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States. The awards were made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Water for Agriculture challenge area and the National Integrated Water Quality Program.

“Water is our most precious resource, one that is essential for both human survival and well-being and for our ability to grow our crops and livestock,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. “By funding research, extension, and education for citizens and the agriculture community, we are able to proactively create solutions to water-related issues like drought and its impact on food security.”

The AFRI Water for Agriculture challenge area was first introduced in fiscal year (FY) 2014, and these grants represent the first year of funding for the program. Funded projects link social, economic, and behavioral sciences with traditional biophysical sciences and engineering to address regional scale issues with shared hydrological processes, and meteorological and basin characteristics. Fiscal year 2014 Water for Agriculture grants recipients are:

University of California, Riverside, Calif., $149,990
Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, Ga., $56,943
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $999,438
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $900,000
University of Missouri, Kansas City, Mo., $148,995
University of Nevada, Reno, Nev., $500,000
State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, N.Y., $128,511
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $49,968
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., $150,000
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $900,000
West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas, $149,777
University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, $900,000
Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $49,534
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc., $900,000
This year’s projects include the University of Nevada’s Coordinated Agricultural Program designed to increase research and participatory engagement with American Indians and assess the impacts of climate change on future water supplies and enhance the climate resiliency of tribal agriculture. Another project from Clemson University will integrate remote sensing products and weather forecast information for farmers and growers to address the best products, increase agricultural drought indices, and develop an agricultural drought forecasting model to provide near real-time feedback.

NIFA is expected to make $30 million available over the next five years for the AFRI Water for Agriculture challenge area, with the expectation that the new projects awarded this fiscal year would receive additional funds (based on available funding) if they achievement project objectives and milestones.

The FY 2015 request for applications for the AFRI Water for Agriculture challenge was released on February 18, 2015. Applications are due July 16, 2015.

NIFA also funded projects through the National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP) for science-based decision making and management practices that improve the quality and quantity of the Nation’s water resources in agricultural, rural, and urbanizing watersheds. Applicants were asked to develop the science behind the most appropriate drought triggers and provide an understanding of the connection between trigger levels and drought management responses or decisions; or provide estimates of the economic value of water across different uses. The approaches to estimating water values will reflect uncertainties associated with future weather and climate conditions. Quantifying the value of water will provide valuable signals to agricultural producers, rural communities, and policy makers to aid decision-making for allocating agricultural water use across consumptive or non-consumptive uses.

Fiscal Year 2014 NIWQP grant recipients are:

Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colo., $659,954
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., $750,000
University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $659,676
Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., $659,839
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, $660,000
South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D., $227,135
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $659,926
This year’s projects include South Dakota State University’s research to identify drought triggers, develop mitigation plans, investigate socio-economic factors associated with new technology adoption, and educate different age groups of students about drought issues. The University of Tennessee will execute a long-term plan to assist agricultural producers, policymakers, and communities throughout the Southeastern United States as they adapt to water scarcity by efficiently allocating water and adopting water-conserving practices and technologies.

Find a complete list of this year’s project descriptions on the NIFA Website.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

WASHINGTON, — The U.S. Forest Service announced today that 1.45 million acres of America’s forests and watersheds – an area larger than Delaware – are healthier as a result of collaborative partnerships to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Authorized for 10 years through the 2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act, the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) was created to emphasize partnerships between government and local forest workers, sawmill owners, conservationists, businesses, sportsmen, outdoor recreationists and others to improve forest health and promote the well-being of local communities.

“Collaboration is working. CFLRP demonstrates that we can bring together forest industry, environmentalists, local communities and others to produce healthier forests while producing a sustainable timber supply for local mills,” said Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Robert Bonnie. “This long-term investment gives our partners the confidence to fully engage in restoration activities. The collaboratives expand Forest Service resources – generating over $76.1 million in matching funding from partners in the past five years, and with continued support we expect this number to grow over the next five years.”

“The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program is a groundbreaking approach to improving our nation’s forests, making communities safer and bolstering local economies,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “The Forest Service is anchoring projects across the country with more than 200 local partners to restore our forests and support our local economies.”

Since 2010, the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program has brought local communities and timber companies together to improve forests conditions across 23 high-priority project sites, from Florida, to Missouri, to Washington State and places in-between. The coordination with local partner organizations is essential to getting substantial work done.

The program’s restoration activities have resulted in part:

More than 1.45 million acres of forest more resilient to the effects of catastrophic wildfire,
More than 1.33 million acres of wildlife habitat improved,
More than 84,570 acres of forest lands treated through timber sales,
More than 73,600 acres treated for noxious weeds and invasive plants,
Supporting 4,360 jobs in local communities each year.
Under Secretary Bonnie said the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program is improving the health of forests and rural communities by exceeding five-year targets for production of forest products. The Forest Service set a five-year goal for CFLRP projects of 1 billion board feet of timber sold and has exceeded that by nearly 25 percent.

“The restoration challenge is significant. We are making a difference in the forests and in surrounding communities,” said Chief Tidwell.

“This program demonstrates the value the Forest Service places on collaboration and on-the-ground achievements,” said Steering Committee member Dylan Kruse of Sustainable Northwest. “The last five years have proven that listening to diverse interests and providing smart investments pays off for measurable improvements across the landscape.”

More information on the five-year report and links to project factsheets can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLRP/index.shtml.

The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.