Category Archives: Life Extension

TSX: GPR | NYSE American: GPL

(All dollar amounts expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted)

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan.29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR) (NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or the "Company") announces today it has filed the "Technical Report on the 2020 Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources of the Tucano Gold Mine, Amapa State, Brazil" ("Technical Report"). The Technical Report supports the Company's updated Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimate ("MRMR") for Tucano announced by news release onDecember 15, 2020.

The Technical Report has an effective date ofSeptember 30, 2020, and is available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.comand on the Company's website at http://www.greatpanther.com,and will be filed on EDGAR as soon as practicable at http://www.sec.gov.

2021 Exploration Programs and Exploration Strategy Update

"Our 2020 exploration programs were successful in extending the existing open pit mine life at Tucano and adding significant resources to our mineral inventory for the Guanajuato Mine Complex", stated Rob Henderson, President and CEO. "2021 will represent a significant increase in our exploration efforts with a planned record of 90,000 metres of drilling representing a $13 million investment. Our key objectives will be to continue to extend the Tucano open pit mine life, further prove up the underground with a view to extending the high-grade zones, and make meaningful inroads into key targets in the expansive Tucano regional land package. Building on our 2020 exploration success in Mexico will also be a key focus for this year."

The Great Panther exploration strategy is built on the objective of result driven exploration programs leading to resource replacement and near-mine growth, and longer-term organic growth through regional exploration.

The following outlines Great Panther's 90,000 metres ("m") drilling program for 2021.

Drilling Program

Meters

USD (millions)

Tucano (Brazil)

Open pit

24,000

3.5

Underground

8,000

1.7

Regional

28,000

3.2

Sub-Total

60,000

8.4

Mexican Operating Mines

GMC(1)

15,000

2.0

Topia

5,000

1.0

Sub-Total

20,000

3.0

Other Projects(2)

10,000

2.0

Total

90,000

13.4

(1)

"GMC" refers to the Guanajuato Mine Complex comprised of the Guanajuato Mine, San Ignacio Mine and the Cata processing plant.

(2)

Planned 2021 drilling metres and expenditure for Other Projects (described below) are new disclosures. The Company previously provided planned 2021 drilling expenditures for the Tucano Mine and Mexican operating mines in its January 14, 2021 press release which provided production and cost guidance for these mines.

Tucano (Brazil)

Great Panther's strategy for Tucano is to explore and grow the gold resource potential of the tenement portfolio, covering an almost 2,000 square kilometres ("km2") portion of the Vila Nova Greenstone Belt (the "Belt"). In 2021, five drill rigs are planned to complete 60,000m of drilling and over 500km of regional soil sampling will identify high priority regional targets.

The Tucano Gold Mine is host to a 7-kilometer-long trend of gold deposits surrounded by the large, near 2,000km2 tenement package controlled by Great Panther. Despite the long history of the deposit, discovered in the late 1990's and with first production in 2005, little exploration or resource drilling has been carried out outside the Tucano mine trend. A number of targets were defined in aero-geophysical and regional geochemical surveys in the late 1990's and Great Panther plans include carrying exploration of those viewed as the highest potential targets within reasonable proximity of the current mining operations.

Open Pit Resource replacement and expansion. The 24,000m combined Reverse Circulation ("RC") and Diamond Drilling ("DD") campaign is focused on near-mine targets including TAPC, Urso and Torres, as well as testing of several geochemical anomalies associated with the mine sequence that have not been evaluated.

Urucum underground. The current underground MRMR incorporates just part of the anomalous trend below the Urucum pits. There are a number of high-grade mineralized zones suggested by the modelling of the historical drilling. The 8,000m diamond drilling program is focused on upgrading one of the known high-grade zones at Urucum North while testing another zone at Urucum Central. The extent of these high-grade zones is important in determining the placement of the primary decline that will be used to access the mining areas.

Regional target drilling. A total of 28,000m has been planned for fast-track evaluation of key targets such as Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela using Auger, Rotary Air Blast ("RAB") and RC drilling programs plus multi-element soil geochemistry. Initial orientation studies in 2020 and currently underway at Mutum suggest the interpretation of detailed soil sampling using multi-element geochemical analyses will allow for the skipping of the auger drilling step and going straight to RAB or RC drilling, which is expected to accelerate the start of drill permitting processes by four to eight months. A detailed soil grid is currently being opened to cover the 5km long Mutum gold trend and RAB and RC programs are being prepared for Saraminda and Lona Amarela. Mutum, Saraminda and Lona Amarela are within 15 km of the of the existing mine operations.

New target generation. Having defined the regional structural model associated with the mineralization events, Great Panther has prioritized high potential exploration corridors within the 2000km2 area of interest. It has initiated a program of regional multi-element soil sampling over these corridors with the intention of defining new targets within the Belt and prioritizing these targets using the combination of the geochemistry and existing regional aero-geophysical data.

Mexico

San Ignacio.Exploration efforts continue with 5,000m of fill-in surface drilling planned along the Purisima veins south of the development of the San Pedro ramp, deeper in the Purisima/Purisima alto vein system and continue testing for Au-Ag mineralization along 1.1km of Purisima vein north from the old San Ignacio shaft.

Guanajuato. A concerted effort of sampling and geological mapping in accessible parts of the historical mining areas is near completion and will be followed by a planned 10,000m of underground drilling on the most prospective areas, including along the north side of Valenciana, between Valenciana and Cata, and in the Pozos, Promontorio, and Guanajuatito areas. The 2020 exploration efforts more than doubled the known Inferred Mineral Resource estimate. See the Company's news release dated November 23, 2020 and the related technical report filed on December 23, 2020 with an effective date of July 31, 2020 for more details.

Topia. 5,000 m exploration surface drilling are planned focussed on defining new Mineral Resources in six areas along the strike and down-dip extents of present mining efforts.

Other Projects

Other Projects. These may include the Plomo gold project in Sonora ("Plomo"), El Horcn which has proximity to the GMC, or Coricancha in Peru. The $2.0 million budgeted for these projects will be allocated on the basis of a number of factors including potential for return on investment, access and availability of resources, community and permitting considerations. Plans for Plomo, for example, will see detailed geological / alteration / structural mapping to confirm an earlier geological interpretation from 2012, before any surface drill testing. El Horcon drilling will be subject to a successful study on the addition of a zinc concentrate flotation for the Guanajuato plant. Drilling for Coricancha would focus on expanding readily accessible high grade Mineral Resources along the Constancia, Wellington, and Escondida veins and is subject to achieving acceptable community agreements for access.

QUALIFIED PERSONS

All scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Neil Hepworth, Chartered Engineer MIMMM, Chief Operating Officer of Great Panther, Nicholas Winer, FAusIMM, Vice-President, Exploration of Great Panther, and Robert F. Brown, P. Eng., Geological Consultant of Great Panther, each a non-independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101)".

ABOUT GREAT PANTHER

Great Panther is a growing gold and silver producer focused on the Americas. The Company owns a diversified portfolio of assets inBrazil,MexicoandPeruthat includes three operating gold and silver mines, four exploration projects, and an advanced development project. Great Panther is actively exploring large land packages in highly prospective districts and is pursuing acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. Great Panther trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL.

CAUTIONARY NOTES ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Tucano Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the GMC Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions underlying the estimates; the Tucano life of mine extensions; the Company's ability to advance successfully opportunities for resource growth and mine life extension in the future; the exploration potential of Tucano near-mine, underground and regional land package; the Company's plans to complete and results of further exploration and drilling at Tucano, Topia, GMC, Plomo, El Horcn and Coricancha; the Company's ability to further prove up the underground resources to support the development of an underground mine; the Company's ability to successfully execute and fund its exploration strategies as planned; and the Company's plans to pursue acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio.

These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties, and contingencies. These assumptions include: the accuracy of the Company's Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based; ore grades and recoveries; metal prices remaining as estimated; national and international transportation arrangements to deliver Tucano's gold dor to international refineries continue to remain available, despite inherent risks due to COVID19; international refineries that the Company uses continue to operate and refine the Company's gold dor, and in a timely manner such that the Company is able to realize revenue from the sale of its refined metal in the timeframe anticipated, despite inherent risks due to COVID19; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for the Company's operations and exploration and drilling programs are received in a timely manner and maintained, including the various drilling permits required to complete the programs; the Company will be able to access the prospective exploration and drilling areas without interruption; continued operations at Tucano in accordance with the Company's mine plan, including the expectations regarding the ongoing geotechnical control of Urucum Central South ("UCS") where mining re-started in the last week of October; management's estimates in connection with the assessment of provisions for loss and contingent liabilities relating to legal proceedings may differ materially from the ultimate loss or damages incurred by the Company; assumption that the Company will be successful in resolving the legal claims that ban the use of cyanide in the Tucano processing; management's estimates regarding the carrying value of its mineral properties may be subject to change in future financial periods, which may result in further writedowns and consequential impairment loss; conditions in the financial markets; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies and that there are no material unanticipated variations in the cost of energy or supplies; the accuracy of the geological, operational and price and exchange rate assumptions on which the cost assumptions are based; operations not being disrupted by issues such as pit-wall failures or instability, mechanical failures, labour disturbances and workforce shortages, illegal occupations or mining, seismic events, and adverse weather conditions; the Company's expectations that metallurgical, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, political, marketing or other issues will not materially affect the estimates or Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources or its future mining plans; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to: the impact of COVID19 on the Company's ability to operate as anticipated, including the risk of an unplanned partial or full shutdown of the Company's mines and processing plants, whether voluntary or imposed by authorities, which would adversely impact the Company's revenues, financial condition and ability to meet its production and cost guidance; the inherent risk that estimates of Mineral Reserves and Resources may not be accurate or that the assumptions upon which they are based are different than expected; the discontinuity of the ore body and mine selectivity may result in a risk that dilution and mining recovery estimates used in the Mineral Reserve estimation do not accurately reconcile with the Company's ability to recover the tonnage, grade and metal content estimated in the Mineral Reserves; metal prices may decline or may be less than forecasted; fluctuations in currency exchange rates (including the U.S. dollar to Brazilian real exchange rate) may increase costs of operations; potential of further instability or failure of walls of the UCS pit, which compromises a material part of the Mineral Reserves being accessed in 2021; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to continue mining and be able to access the UCS Mineral Reserves which may adversely impact the Company's Mineral Reserve estimates, production plans and future revenues, including the potential risk that the Mineral Reserves at UCS may not be accessible at all or that access may be dependent on further remedial work that might interrupt operations; operational and physical risks inherent in mining operations (including pit wall collapses, tailings storage facility failures, environmental accidents and hazards, industrial accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather) may result in unforeseen costs, shut downs, delays in production and exposure to liability; risk that the Company is not successful in its litigation, including a risk that the use of cyanide would be banned in respect of Tucano's operations causing Tucano to have to cease operations if an alternative to cyanide treatment cannot be identified and implemented in a cost-effective way (of which there is no assurance); planned exploration activities may not result in conversion of existing Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves or discovery of new Mineral Resources; potential political and social risks involving Great Panther's operations in a foreign jurisdiction; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses or overruns; employee and contractor relations; relationships with, and claims by, local communities; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner, which if not granted could result in an interruption to operations, including the permits and approvals of the expansion of the GMC tailings facility and the exploration and drilling programs required to complete the various programs being planned; changes in laws, regulations and government practices in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates; legal restrictions related to mining; diminishing quantities or grades of Mineral Reserves as properties are mined; operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the Company's inability to meet its production forecasts or to generate the anticipated cash flows from operations could result in the Company's inability to meet its scheduled debt payments when due or to meet financial covenants to which the Company is subject; ability to maintain and renew agreements with local communities to support continued operations, including any access which may be required for the exploration and drilling programs described in this news release; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to identify or complete acquisition opportunities; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019 and material change reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at http://www.sedar.comand reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at http://www.sec.gov.

There is no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove accurate or that actual results will not vary materially from these forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are designed to help readers understand management's current views of our near- and longer-term prospects and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not intend, nor does it assume any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, changes in assumptions, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO UNITED STATES INVESTORS CONCERNING ESTIMATES OF MEASURED, INDICATED AND INFERRED RESOURCES

The Company prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Terms relating to Mineral Resources in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves 2014 (CIM Definition Standards).

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments effective February 25, 2019 (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC Modernization Rules have replaced SEC Industry Guide 7, which will be rescinded following a transition period and after the required compliance date of the SEC Modernization Rules.

As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC will now recognize estimates of "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", which are defined in substantially similar terms to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards. In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "Proven Mineral Reserves" and "Probable Mineral Reserves" to be substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards.

United States investors are cautioned that while the foregoing terms are "substantially similar" to corresponding definitions under the CIM Definition Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any Mineral Resources that the Company may report as "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.

United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources", investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories would ever be converted into a higher category of Mineral Resources or into Mineral Reserves. Mineralization described by these terms has a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources", or "Inferred Mineral Resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable.

Further, "Inferred Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the Inferred Resources exist. In accordance with Canadian securities laws, estimates of "Inferred Mineral Resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101.

In addition, disclosure of "contained ounces" is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC has historically only permitted issuers to report mineralization as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

SOURCE Great Panther Mining Limited

http://www.greatpanther.com

Excerpt from:

Great Panther Files NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Tucano Gold Mine and Provides Update on Exploration Strategy and Programs for 2021 - PRNewswire

By Pleasanton Express Staff | on January 27, 2021

The Texas A&M Agri- Life Extension Service in Atascosa County has some events coming up to help families reach their health goals.

Walk N Talk

Join the 2021 Walk N Talk FABLOW AgriLife group on Facebook, a walking program that kicks off on Feb. 1. This eight-week series is a multi-county collaboration between the Extension Service in Frio, Atascosa, Bee, Live Oak and Wilson Counties.

They will have daily posts, weekly lessons with live cooking and walking sessions. Each week, a new fruit or vegetable will be featured. Lets support each other in a fun and simple way.

Cooking Well for Healthy Blood Pressure

The Extension Service will also host the upcoming series, Cooking Well for Healthy Blood Pressure. This online cooking school is designed to help those concerned about high blood pressure and anyone who prepares meals for them.

This series of three interactive classes is full of research-based information and healthy recipes. Classes will be held via Zoom on these dates:

Feb. 2, DASHing to Improved Health

Feb. 9, A Virtual Grocery Store Tour

Feb. 16, Cooking with Spices and Herbs

All classes are at noon. Presenters will be Nicole Demmer, Wilson County FCH Agent; Dru Benavides, Atascosa County FCH Agent, Hillary Long, Bastrop County FCH Agent and Methodist Healthcare Ministries Nurses.

Please RSVP to bastroptx@tamu.edu or call 512- 581-7186. Are you ready to explore the new flavors of heart-healthy meals? Sign up today.

The rest is here:

Get healthy in Feb. with AgriLife - Pleasanton Express

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the extension of apartnership between the State of New York and leading meal kit company, HelloFresh, focusedon delivering free meal kits to Veterans and military families in New York City who are presently confronting food insecurity.Since establishing this partnership in July 2020, HelloFresh has provided more than 200,000 nutritious meals to Veterans and military families in New York City who are facing food insecurity due to COVID-19. Now, New York and HelloFresh are extending this collaboration through the second quarter of 2021, ensuring that Veterans and military families in New York City will continue to receive these nourishing meals throughout the challenging months ahead. This partnership was made possible through collaboration with The Campaign Against Hunger, the New York City Department of Veterans' Services, and Black Veterans for Social Justice to provide this high-quality food in weekly distributions.

"Far too many service members in our communities have been forced to endure obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic, and, sadly, one of those has been a lack of food," Governor Cuomo said. "Especially during these uncertain times, it's critical we ensure the brave men and women who served our nation have access to nutritious food and the continuation of this successful collaboration with HelloFresh will help ensure these heroes do not go hungry."

The Campaign Against Hunger, Black Veterans for Social Justice,and the New York City Department of Veterans' Services will continue to serve as collaborators in this initiative, gathering weekly at The Campaign Against Hunger's headquarters in Brooklyn to receive the food delivery from HelloFresh, sort and pack the food into meal kits, and distribute the food to Veterans and military families confronting food insecurity throughout the city.

"We repay the debt we owe ourveterans by ensuring they have good jobs, decent homes and fresh food,"said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul."I'm proud to seeNew York companies like HelloFresh step up and partner with New York State to make sure our veterans do not go hungryas a result of COVID-19."

This unique model that engages Veterans volunteering in service to other Veterans has seeded three more Veteran Food Programs in the Bronx, Buffalo and the North Country. Similar efforts from the summer of 2020 onward provided tens of thousands of Nourish New York food boxes and United States Department of Agriculture Farmers To Families food boxes for Veterans in Western New York, distributed weekly through a collaboration among Western New York Heroes and FeedMore WNY. A new branch of this initiative, focusing on providing nourishing food to Veterans and military families in the North Country region, will begin this month, with the Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton and Franklin Counties and the Clinton County Veterans Service Agency taking the lead in the on-the-ground coordination of this effort.

Food insecurity is shockingly prevalent among Veterans, Service Members, and their families. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs reports that Veterans who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are twice as likely to be food insecure compared with the general population.

A 2018 study showed that 1.5 million Veterans in the United States lived in a household that relied completely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to supplement their food intake. A Center on Budget & Policy Priorities report published in January 2020 showed that in New York State alone, 59,000 Veterans rely on SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families a number that only worsened due to the adverse impacts of COVID-19.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said,"I want to thank HelloFresh for its partnership to get fresh food to New York's Veterans and military families during this stressful time. This program builds on Nourish New York's successful effort to link farmers who lost markets for their products to families struggling with food insecurity during the pandemic. As part of that, Nourish New York continues its focus on getting healthy New York food to our Veteran communities."

New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Mike Hein said,"Food insecurity sadly impacts so many individuals and families throughout New York, including veterans who honorably served our nation and their families. We can begin to repay our debt of gratitude to these New Yorkers by ensuring they have healthy nutritious food amid the evolving challenges of this ongoing public health crisis. We are pleased to see this program build upon the resounding successes of Nourish New York and proud to support a partnership that will ensure our state's veterans will have food to feed their families during their time in need."

Joel Evans, Executive Deputy Director of the New York State Division of Veterans' Services said,"No Veteran should ever confront a lack of food for themselves or for their family members.We unfortunately know that too many Veterans and military families are confronting this hardship, and we are committed to doing everything that we can to address this issue. We know that the COVID-19 crisis is still not over, and we cannot thank HelloFresh enough for devoting their time and resources to continuing this life-changing partnership. We also continue to give our thanks to The Campaign Against Hunger, Black Veterans for Social Justice, and the New York City Department of Veterans' Services for their boots on the ground efforts that make this mission a success every week."

Commissioner James Hendon, New York City Department of Veterans' Services said,"Every day, we see COVID-19's impact and encounter food-insecure Veterans who have transitioned from combating those who would do harm to America to combating the perils associated with hunger. Through our partnership with HelloFresh, The Campaign Against Hunger, Black Veterans for Social Justice, and the New York State Division of Veterans' Services, we are providing healthy meals to those who have faithfully served our nation and their families. We are grateful that this collaboration has been extended and we look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure that no Veteran household in New York City goes hungry during these challenging times."

CEO of HelloFresh U.S. Uwe Voss said, "Ensuring that everyone has access to fresh, healthy food is central to our mission at HelloFresh. As food insecurity continues to intensify with the ongoing pandemic, we are proud to extend this important partnership with Governor Cuomo and the State of New York to bring deserving veterans and military families nourishing meals each week."

Wendy McClinton, CEO, Black Veterans for Social Justicesaid:"Black Veterans for Social Justice, Inc. is honored and counts it as a privilege to service our nation's Veterans with the same commitment, loyalty and valor these many men and women served our country. We will continue to join forces with NYC Department of Veterans Services, the Campaign Against Hunger and HelloFresh to end the epidemic that results in the "Lack of food" amongst Veterans and the communities in which they reside."

Dr. Melony Samuels, Founder, and CEO of the Campaign Against Hunger said, We are delighted that efforts to provide nutritious meals for veterans facing food insecurity will continue through this partnership with GovernorCuomo, The State of New York, and HelloFresh. This initiative has meant so much toveterans who are struggling, and it has been inspiring to work with the New York City Department of Veterans Services and watch Black Veterans for Social Justice pack meals for their fellow service members. We are honored to provide the space and logistical support necessary to bridge this devastating meal gap. Together, we are combatting hunger for those who once fought for us. I can't think of a greater mission!

Continue reading here:

Governor Cuomo Announces Extension of Partnership with HelloFresh to Combat Food Insecurity Among Veterans - ny.gov

The Constitution directs Congress to provide and maintain a Navy. This direction is open to many interpretations, but Congress resolved the current policy with direction to build a 355-ship Navy with 12 carriers and defined other categories of ships. The president signed the law, but the last administration did nothing to implement it. Now is the time to start implementation.

Russia is rebuilding its Navy with emphasis on highly capable submarines. But the major challenge comes from China.

During the last 30 years, China has transitioned from a land power to a major maritime power. It started with commercial activities. It is the largest producer of merchant ships. It has one of the largest commercial fleets in international trade. It has container and port management in several countries, including the United States. It has roughly 17,000 open-ocean fishing ships around the world.

As described in a recent U.S. Defense Department study, China now has the worlds largest navy. It has an overseas base on the Red Sea, with others planned in the Indian Ocean area. Navy shipbuilding is accelerating, with quality improving in each ship generation. It has not caught up with the U.S. and allies, but the challenge is clear.

The Biden administration will undertake a review of naval forces but must understand the rapid change now occurring. Shipbuilding budgets of the last 30 years will not be adequate to build this fleet. They will need to approximate the Cold War annual average of about $25 billion in constant dollars.

The important starting point is carrier force levels. Carriers have proven to be the most important naval force when power is needed. Many in the Pentagon want to reduce the current level of 11 to eight. This is wrong. Congress has it right by planning 12. The fastest way to get there is refueling the aircraft carrier Nimitz rather than retiring it.

Rebuilding will be a combination of new construction and upgrading, with life extension of current ships. For example, the current plan will retire 22 guided-missile cruisers with 2,000 missile launchers and 44 5-inch guns. This is a major offensive capability that should be retained along with that ship class anti-submarine capability.

There are a few glimmers of hope. The DDG-51 class has contained cost growth and is a promising ballistic missile defense ship. The new frigate, based on a proven Italian design, provides hope to a low cost but capable, multimission combatant that, with competition, can be built in quantity.

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Many problems remain. The Ford-class carrier is about 10 years late and 25 percent over budget largely because the mission-critical weapons elevators as well as both aircraft-launch and arresting-gear projects failed on the planned schedule.

Attack submarine production ramp-up is currently limited by a supplier base shrunken in the 1990s. The new ballistic missile submarine now shows signs of design delay. The littoral combat ship is still searching for a mission. Propulsion system reliability on one design has caused deliveries to be stopped.

Plus there is the very high cost DDG-1000, which does not have ammunition for its unique gun because development was canceled. Navy wants to build a new cruiser but has not developed the combat system (nor the cost estimate) for it. Several classes of logistic ships are planned, but costs have risen far beyond the constant dollar costs of prior classes.

Added to all this is the diversion of unmanned ships. Many assume that these experimental prototype ships will be the Navy of the future. While there are important and probable missions, performance is not proven.

The cost-management problem is best summarized by the replacement cost of the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard. Original cost in constant dollars is $1.3 billion. The Navy says that current replacement cost is $4.1 billion. This is a clear case of out-of-control requirements creep and manufacturing inefficiency at many levels.

Cost control has to be restored if there is to be any hope of rebuilding the Navy.

Rebuilding and expanding the Navy is a major challenge. Recent results do not inspire confidence. The four important and interdependent lessons that we learned in the 1980s need to be remembered and applied. In brief, they are:

Everett Pyatt is a former assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy for shipbuilding and logistics.

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Here are the challenges involved in building the future US Navy - DefenseNews.com

COVID-19 liability protections for Georgia businesses and hospitals would be extended until July 14, 2022, under a bill introduced in the General Assembly on Tuesday.

Since August, the liability protections have shielded businesses and health-care facilities in Georgia from lawsuits brought by people who contract COVID-19 in all but the worst negligence or recklessness cases.

The bill, sponsored by Georgia House Majority Whip Trey Kelley, R-Cedartown, only calls for a one-year extension. However, it could undergo changes as lawmakers and lobbyists haggle over what level of liability protections to provide going forward.

After passing in late June, the liability protections were hailed by business leaders as a way for Georgia enterprises from mom-and-pop shops to sports stadiums to feel assured they will not face crippling litigation during the pandemic.

Unions and employee advocates worried Georgia workers will be left in the lurch as thousands of Georgias front-line and low-wage workers struggle to stay safe from the virus while keeping their jobs.

Republican lawmakers in the Georgia Senate took issue with the gross negligence threshold for bringing a damage claim, which they argued would be too weak to fully protect businesses and hospitals.

That threshold marked a compromise between health-care professionals, business leaders and trial attorneys in the final days of last years legislative session, which resumed in June after a three-month suspension due to COVID-19.

Kelley chairs the House Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System, where the liability protections were assigned for debate last June.

Also on Tuesday, Kelley brought forth a resolution honoring the life and memory of former Rockmart City Manager Jeff Ellis, who died Jan. 15 from complications of COVID-19.

The resolution made note of his long service to the city of Rockmart and his dedication to improving the quality of life of everyone in Polk County.

The resolution was read and adopted in the House on Tuesday.

Polk Standard Journal Editor Jeremy Stewart contributed to this report.

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Kelley sponsors bill seeking extension of COVID-19 liability protections - The Polk Fish Wrap

The long national awakening to a renewed threat presented by Russia has prompted Swedens political leadership to dip into its past to prepare for potential future conflict.

The new preparations encapsulated in the governments Total Defense (Totalfrsvaret) 2021-2025 bill introduced in December seek to safeguard the countrys independence and territorial integrity by enhancing the military deterrent and drawing upon a whole-of-society approach traditionally referred to as Civil Defense.

Resiliency against myriad threats forms the basis of Swedens Total Defense concept, which originated in the 1940s but has now been dusted off and brought up to date to deal with modern gray-zone warfare tactical challenges.

Foremost in the countrys Total Defense preparation will be enhancing the force structure of the Swedish armed forces (Frsvarsmakten, or Defense Force).

The first step involves expanding the number of personnel across the military organization from the current 60,000 to 90,000, a 50 percent increase. In addition, the annual number of conscripts absorbed into the military ranks will grow from about 4,000 currently to 8,000 by 2025.

The government plans to retain the Swedish Armys two existing brigades while beginning to organize and stand up a third mechanized brigade and a reduced motorized brigade in the area of the capital, Stockholm.

An additional marine amphibious battalion will be created and based in Gothenburg, on Swedens western coast along the Kattegat Sea area, with both of these battalions receiving new vessels and unmanned systems.

The strategic island of Gotland will have its defenses further strengthened with air defense systems.

Back in late 2017, the Swedish government opted to reinstate a permanent military presence on the Baltic Sea island under the re-raised Gotland Regiment (roughly 350 troops), which had been disbanded in 2005. The disbanding of the regiment left the island situated strategically in the middle of the Baltic Sea, and thus crucial to controlling naval traffic through the Baltic waterways with no military presence. This step marked the nadir of Swedens reform measures begun in 1999 that significantly pruned the overall size and capabilities of the armed forces in order to generate cost savings for the government.

Also on tap is an expansion of the peacetime organization of the armed forces. This will entail the re-establishment of former regiments and building up a military presence across the country, the latter with the twin goals of increasing the security footprint and deterrent and bolstering popular national support for the military.

Along with more soldiers and units, the stand-by territorial defense force, the Home Guard, will receive additional materiel including vehicles, sensors, and nighttime combat equipment.

In terms of additional hardware capabilities, the Swedish Army will see a gradual replacement of its Leopard 2 (Stridsvagn 122 in Swedish service) main battle tanks and CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. These projects will begin in the timeframe of the Total Defense bill, resulting in the replacement of platforms introduced into service by the early 1930s. Additional firepower in the form of artillery pieces supplemental to the existing Archer wheeled self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) is also on tap.

On the naval side, the Royal Swedish Navy fleet of submarines will grow from four to five, as the third of three Gotland class submarines, HSwMS Uppland, will receive a service-life extension and upgrade to keep her in service into the latter half of the decade. This upgrade was earlier recommended by Swedens Defense Commission in its white paper presented to Parliament on May 14, 2019. With the two new-generation Blekinge class submarines (Type A26) expected to be delivered by 2025, this will provide the service with five active submarines just as a program to replace the Gotland class fleet kicks off.

The Navys surface fleet will receive some attention as well, with the five Visby class corvettes undergoing midlife upgrades that will equip them with new air defense, torpedo and unmanned systems, allowing them to remain in service out to 2040. Replacement projects for the other two types of corvettes the pairs of Gavle and Stockholm class ships will get underway on one-for-one bases, with the Gavle class successors arriving between 2026 and 2030 and the Stockholm class replacement to be ordered by 2030.

The minesweeping fleet consisting of two classes of ships (Sparo and Koster) will be put through a life-extension program.

For the Swedish Air Force, the combat aircraft fleet will remain at 100 fighters in six squadrons more than originally envisioned. The earlier goal was for the new JAS 39E Gripen models to replace the older JAS 39C/D variants outright, but instead up to 40 C/D models will be retained through 2035 to bolster combat aircraft capacity. This will result in 60 Gripen Es based in four squadrons, with the C/D variants filling the remaining two squadrons. The Gripen Es are to achieve Final Operational Capability (FOC) by 2027.

Additional missiles, electronic warfare capabilities, new unmanned systems, and new airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platforms to replace the existing two Saab 340 Erieye units will also be acquired.

To cover the cost of these ambitions, the government plans to significantly increase annual defense expenditures with the goal of hitting a topline allocation of SEK89 billion ($10.7 billion) by 2025, a 27 percent rise in nominal value from the 2020 earmark. The annual upticks to the budget between 2021 and 2025 will average nearly SEK5 billion ($600 million) per year, with the 2021 budget already nominally 10 percent higher than the previous years budget and 8.3 percent higher in real terms.

The funding will no doubt be received gratefully by the armed forces, which have pressed for significantly higher allocations than previously provided. Now they will do better than what the cross-party Defense Committee called for in its white paper on development of Swedens defense released in May 2019, which was a defense spending increase to SEK84 billion by 2025. In an indication of the heightened concerns about Russia, the actual funding will instead come out 6 percent higher than the Defense Committee request.

The slow re-focus on defense has taken years and multiple indications of Russian aggression along the European periphery (most crucially in Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014) and into Swedish waters and airspace to gather real momentum.

The following all contributed to the buildup of concern in Stockholm: a simulated air attack on Sweden during a Russian military exercise in March 2013; submarine intrusions in the Stockholm archipelago in October 2014 that stoked remembrances of the infamous October 1981 Whiskey on the Rocks incident near the Swedish naval base in Karlskrona in which a Soviet Whiskey class submarine ran aground in national waters; and a Russian amphibious operation rehearsal in Kaliningrad in August 2019, followed by the appearance of Russian vessels in Swedish waters near Gothenburg one month later.

Still, the slowness in responding to Russias provocations alarmed many in Swedens military.

Now Stockholm is trying to make up for lost time.

It has responded by re-equipping its coastal defense anti-ship batteries, reinforcing the defense of Gotland, restarting military conscription, and issuing civil defense brochures to all citizens in preparation of national emergencies. Parliament has even flirted with the idea of joining NATO more as a statement aimed at Russia rather than a practical political measure.

Meanwhile, Sweden has stepped up security cooperation with the U.S. and military exercises with American forces. It has even allowed the permanent stationing of a U.S. Army Green Beret team on its soil to help train the Home Guard in resistance operations.

The proactive steps being taken by Stockholm represent a past is prologue template, one that allowed Sweden to maintain its independence and neutrality during the Cold War.

Back then, of course, Sweden retained a significant combat component in terms of both capacity and capability. With exorbitant costs for cutting-edge military technologies and post-Cold War-era societal changes factored into the equation, Sweden is highly unlikely to embark on an effort to reconstitute a combat aircraft fleet of 300 fighters or a naval component featuring 12 submarines, for instance.

But it will once again devote enough attention and funding to its high-end military capabilities, while identifying and combatting cyber- and information-warfare tactics practiced by Russia, to lend the Kremlin pause before seeking to test Swedens mettle.

International Military Markets Europe

This service, authored by Daniel Darling, provides a country-by-country examination of the regions military capabilities, equipment requirements, and inventories. The individual country reports are structured to condense a vast range of information into concise segments. Governmental and political structures, political and economic trends, national and defense budgets, force structures, military planning requirements, recent and future procurements, the security environment, threat assessments, and military postures all are detailed in this volume. Prices begin at $2,295, click here for more information.

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Sweden Looks to the Past to Prepare for Its Defense Future - Defense & Security Monitor

With one person dying of cardiovascular disease every 36 seconds in the United States, the month of February offers a chance to focus on improving heart health and highlighting resources that can help.

February is American Heart Month. Gina Lucas, engagement specialist in nutrition and health education for the University of Missouri Extension in Andrew County, pointed out that many people are not getting preventative tests, which are needed now more than ever.

Those things (illnesses) havent gone away during quarantine, and so people who are putting off their preventive care could be putting themselves at increased risk, Lucas said.

Dr. Jane Schwabe of Mosaic Life Care said there are some basic risk factors for heart disease, including smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal lipids or cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease.

Although I think COVID has tipped to be the number one cause of death right now for the country, heart disease is still the major killer of people, Schwabe said. It needs to be taken seriously, and its always easier for us to help you and treat you if we can find things early rather than waiting until its late in the game.

Schwabe recommends seeing a doctor regularly and staying educated on risk factors.

Lucas and Schwabe said many people do not realize their symptoms until its too late.

One of the programs that we teach through the University of Missouri Extension is health information for men, Lucas said. Men are known for avoiding the doctor and then not addressing an issue until it becomes a big problem.

She said thats why its important for wives, daughters and mothers to encourage the men in their lives to get checked.

Schwabe said many women also do not get themselves checked because they dont have as severe symptoms.

Women tend to put themselves off a bit, Schwabe said. Its not uncommon for us to have women come a little bit later in the game than men might.

There are different tests that can be done that are not invasive and do not have to be ordered by your doctor.

Theres a CAT scan thats available now called a cardiac CT, or a calcium score, its called different things, which has made a big impression on me, Schwabe said. Weve been offering them here in town, through Mosaic, and also there are some private X-ray places that are doing them, usually $45 or $50. Its just a quick, no-IV-needed scan of the heart to look for calcifications to see if youre at higher risk than others for heart disease.

Health officials have expressed concern about people not going to their doctor or hospital when needed due to the pandemic.

Dont be afraid to go to your doctor, dont be afraid to come in if you need to come in, because were doing our best to keep you safe and have lots of processes in place to do that, Schwabe said.

Schwabe added that it is important to get the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly for people who have heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other risk factors.

Lucas said anyone who wants more information on self-care tips can find videos shared every Thursday in February on the MU Extension in Andrew County and MU Extension in Buchanan County Facebook pages as well as the Rolling Hills Library pages.

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Heart disease still a leading cause of death - News-Press Now

The reasoning behind the invocation of emergency powers for Gov. Ned Lamont last year were easy to understand. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic left everyone in unprecedented danger, with the Legislature unable to meet in person and huge decisions needed quickly. It made sense to take on those powers in 2020.

It also made sense to extend those powers in September. A vaccine remained far away, and there was little sign the crisis would be waning. The emergency powers, which allow Lamont to, among other things, restrict commerce, limit the size of gatherings and require the wearing of masks in public places, were necessary.

Now Lamont is extending them again. This time, the reasoning is harder to justify.

Its not that anyone believes the crisis is over. Even though vaccines are available and are being administered to those most in danger, the worst of the pandemic could still be ahead of us, experts say. It will be many months before anything resembling normal life returns.

But some context has changed. For one, the Legislature is now back in sessions, albeit from a distance. While there are many problems to work through in an all-remote session, elected representatives have an important role to play in the states decision-making process, and must be involved in all key aspects. And since members of Lamonts party are in firm control of both houses of the Legislature, its not as though there would likely be much dissent, anyway.

The extension this time would be for two months, and Lamont said it would give the government an opportunity to further oversee the vaccination process and try to keep infections low enough that the hospital system could handle the load. Those are certainly worthwhile goals, but the justification for emergency powers to meet those marks is harder to understand.

Republicans say they were blindsided by the extension of the powers, while Democratic legislators say it was clear all along that this was the next step. What should be clear to all sides is that this is the last extension of those powers. More than a year will have elapsed under this paradigm by the time the latest extension ends, and while no one expects COVID to be gone by then, the continuation of the emergency powers vested to Lamont should be.

Once that happens and this may fall to a future Legislature, once the lessons of COVID can be truly absorbed the governor and lawmakers need to hammer out a better understanding of what circumstances require the adoption of emergency powers and what constitutes the end of a crisis. There are many unanswered questions with our current situation, and those issues are ripe for a legislative remedy when the dust eventually settles.

There is still a crisis. The danger has not passed, and experts are clear that lightening up on our response now could lead to worse outcomes than weve seen at any time during the outbreak. But the day will come when normal life returns, and the role of our elected representatives must remain as strong as it was always meant to be.

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Opinion: Extension of emergency powers should be the last - CT Post

THE relentless pursuit of the elixir of youth has spurred anti-ageing research in attempts to achieve the triple goals of life extension, namely, the triumvirate of healthy lifespan, rejuvenation and longevity.

Sirtuins are a family of cellular enzymes that are powered by a chemical compound called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). They play an important role in preventing diseases and even reversing some aspects of ageing.

Studies have shown that increased sirtuin activity in mammals has been associated with a delayed onset of age-related diseases and increased longevity.

Increased sirtuin activity appears to inhibit nerve degeneration and reduces the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (such as diabetes mellitus and abnormal lipid levels).

Hence, if sirtuin activity can be increased using compounds that can boost its activity (STACs or Sirtuin Activating Compounds), the use of STACs can potentially help a person stay healthy longer, even if longevity is not affected.

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Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a natural plant phenol STAC found in the skin of red grapes and other fruits such as blueberries and cranberries. Contrary to common belief, red wine contains very little of it. Resveratrol has been shown to have life-extending properties in studies on lower-order species such as yeast and nematodes, but this effect has marginal reliability in higher-order species. Nevertheless, it has been shown to have potentially beneficial effects.

Before you start taking large doses of resveratrol, you may be surprised to know that it is a Janus-faced compound. Low dietary doses may suffice to elicit the biological responses required to optimise the body's defence mechanisms against incipient disease. But at high doses, it behaves in a contrarian manner.

At low doses, resveratrol induces responses that overlap with the female hormone oestradiol. Low-dose effects seen in animal and human studies include beneficial metabolic effects such as more efficient glucose reduction in diabetics, reducing the development of obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, protecting against arterial degeneration, delaying development of neurodegeneration, and improving motor and cognitive functions.

At high doses, resveratrol has an anti-oestrogen effect which suggests that it may reduce the risk of oestrogen-dependent cancers. This Janus-faced hormetic effects of resveratrol may partly explain the French paradox, where there is a reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer in some populations despite their consumption of high-fat diets.

NAD

NAD is an important molecule that is essential for over 500 enzyme reactions in the body which impact metabolism, ageing, cell death, DNA repair, and gene expression. Hence, NAD plays a pivotal role in human health span and longevity and is a necessary substrate for sirtuin enzymatic activity.

In mammalian cells, NAD is mainly generated by the conversion of nicotinamide (a soluble form of Vitamin B3) into nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) followed by its combination with another molecule to form NAD. There is also another precursor, nicotinamide riboside (NR), that is converted by enzymes to NMN in the cells. As this pathway is safe and also the most efficient route for production of NAD, NMN or NR supplementation has been used to increase NAD levels.

Animal studies have shown that NMN supplementation can ameliorate the age-related reduction in NAD production in cells and improve the body's cardiovascular response to ageing. Age-related decrease in arterial elasticity means that the aorta is less able to expand and buffer the increased blood pressure generated each time the heart pumps. With ageing, the production of a pressure-bearing protein, type 1 collagen, in the arterial wall increases, whereas the main protein responsible for the structural integrity and elastic properties of the arterial wall, elastin, decreases. Studies in mice have shown that NMN supplementation was able to reduce stiffness in large arteries by reversing the accumulation of type 1 collagen in arterial walls and improving elastin content.

From the age of 40 years onwards, there is a gradual decline in perfusion of the body tissues resulting in gradual deterioration in body function towards the last decades of life. A consequence of this is cognitive decline.

Optimal brain function is dependent on adequate oxygen and nutrient delivery via minute brain blood vessels (cerebral microvascular circulation). This modulation of brain blood flow in response to increased brain activity is impaired with age, contributing to age-related cognitive impairment. Studies in aged mice given NMN have demonstrated an improvement in the modulation of cerebral microvascular circulation. Animal studies have also shown that NMN can prevent age-related cognitive decline by reducing cell death in areas of the brain that control short- and long-term memory.

Use of NMN was also associated with decrease in the neurodegenerative changes seen in Alzheimer's disease and age-related retinal changes. This age-related decrease in the production of new vessels and a gradual decrease of blood vessels in the microcirculation also result in reduction in muscle mass and diminishing exercise capacity with age. Mice given NMN were able to demonstrate an increase in the production of new vessels in the muscle and an increase in density of small vessels, thereby improving exercise capacity.

Caloric restriction

Caloric restriction (CR) which involves calorie reduction without causing malnutrition, has been associated with an increase in lifespan in some animal studies. In these studies, dietary CR was associated with increased lifespan and reduced disease incidence, especially cancers. However, some studies did not show benefit and, in some mouse strains, CR was associated with shortened lifespan.

Observational studies on humans who have practised extreme CR over many years showed low levels of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Similarly, a human study on CR, the CALERIE study, found that CR participants had lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

The study was too short to examine the impact of CR on lifespan. The current conclusion from the National Institute of Aging in the United States is that there is not enough evidence to recommend CR as a therapeutic measure for life extension. Although CR was associated with lower risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, caution is urged as in a study using mouse lemurs on prolonged CR, MRI studies showed that there was more widespread age-related grey matter atrophy in CR animals while only a few regions in the brain showed atrophy in those not on CR.

Life extension

Globally, heart disease and stroke are the two main causes of death in most high-middle and high-income countries. Hence, the first cardinal principle in life extension is to control the risk factors such as blood pressure elevation, cholesterol elevation, sugar elevation and smoking.

The second principle is to have a healthy lifestyle such as keeping the weight within the healthy range and exercising regularly. Both physical exercise and dietary CR result in a significant increase in NAD production and increase sirtuin activity. CR may be an option as part of a weight-reduction regime to keep the weight optimal.

The third principle is to see your doctor regularly to control risk factors.

Finally, among the supplement options, scientific studies favour the use of low-dose resveratrol or NMN as they may potentially provide many health benefits via increased sirtuin activity, although more studies will be required to understand their efficacy in human life extension.

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Life extension health, rejuvenation and longevity - The Business Times

TEFEN, Israel, Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh produce packaging innovators, StePac Ltd. are gaining growing interest in the retail sector for their functional standing pouches. The attractive, high-performance resealable bags are crafted with the company's proprietary Xgoadvanced modified atmosphere/modified humidity (MA/MH) technology. They're designed to significantly lengthen the shelf life of fresh produce and reduce waste in the supply chain as well as in the consumer's homes. The pouch enhances consumer experience and concurrently helps raise the fresh food packaging sector to greater ethical standards by contributing its part to the global waste reduction effort.

Divine Flavor, LLC, a San Diego, Calif.-based, grower-owned distributor of fruits and vegetables and part of agro giant Grupo Alta, have already adopted StePac's new standing pouches. The attractively designed Xgo standing pouch is cleverly engineered to combine shelf-life extension capabilities by actively slowing the aging and ripening process, with convenience in an attractive "grab-n-go" retail packaging format.

Since 2010, Divine Flavor took advantage of StePac's Xtendline ofbulk packaging for transporting its squash, cucumbers and bell peppers from growing regions in Mexico to USA. The company began testing the new Xgo standing pouches just over two years ago in a move to expand their line of high value products and bring differentiation of their brand by offering supermarkets a means of bringing the purposeful packaging benefits all the way from the farm to the consumer.

Xgo standing pouches allowed the company to shift to packing fresh produce in the final retail format at source. Impressed by the consistent performance, the Divine Flavor technical team fully adopted the protocol in 2020 for direct field-to-home refrigerator packaging of its Persian cucumbers for the US market. It is now arousing the interest of fresh produce distributers around the globe.

"The Xgo standing pouch is a remarkably high performing product, with an unrivalled ability to retain freshness and meaningfully extend product shelf life," attests Michael DuPuis, Quality Assurance and Public Relations Coordinator for Divine Flavors. "The Feedback from our customers has been excellent; they're really happy with the quality and attractive appearance and the fact that it has that sustainability edge consumers are seeking."

The Xgostanding pouchlife extension capabilities are due to unique properties inbuilt into the packaging matrix that functions to lower oxygen (O2) and increase carbon dioxide (CO2). This creates optimal conditions for slowing respiration and senescence (aging) in plant tissues, inhibiting the growth of mold and other microorganisms, thereby preserving freshness and valuable nutrients. The StePac technology limits dehydration and product weight loss during storage, shipment, and home use and has inbuilt condensation control, that ensures high visibility of the packed products even under challenging supply chain conditions.

StePac's breakthrough pouches are resealable and are also available in fully recyclable formats, contributing to a circular economy. They can be decoratively printed for personal brands to evoke instant product recognition while on the shelves and come with a convenient grab handle.

"Our packaging designs have traditionally focused on the wholesale sector, offering a lean functional solution to bulk packaging of high-value fresh produce that can support long haul shipments as well as storage," says Gary Ward, Ph.D., Business Development Manager for StePac. "It already demonstrated abilities to extend shelf life by 50-100%, bringing promising support to food-waste reduction. In the midst of current Covid19 climate, concerns for food safety are driving demand for more retail packaging. We have purpose designed our packaging to preserve quality and reduce waste in the most sustainable way possible. We are increasingly venturing into the retail sector to bring this sustainable resource saving solution into consumers' homes."

About StePac:

StePac specializes in functional packaging for fresh produce. Its globally recognized brands include Xtend, Xgo, Xflow and Xbloom modified-atmosphere/modified-humidity packaging solutions. These solutions reduce weight loss, slow respiration and aging, and inhibit microbial decay, while prolonging storability and shelf life. They are supported by a wealth of post-harvest expertise for enhanced performance and sustainability.

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Divine Flavor adopts StePac' modified atmosphere standing pouches for extending produce shelf life in the retail sector - PRNewswire