2024-05-04 17:12

MONEE, Illinois, May 4 (Reuters) - Farmer Luz Klotz straightened the brightly striped hair bow on Reba, a 1,600-pound heifer lounging on the ground under twinkling fairy lights. Teenager Joey Pachl, hoping to impress his girlfriend with an invitation to the high school prom, had paid $75 for an hour-long cow cuddling session at the farm. Pachl successfully wowed animal loving girlfriend Emma. For Luz and husband Dan Klotz, such visitors have become key to covering the feed bills and keeping their small farm running. Paying farmers to snuggle up with half-ton heifers is all the rage in the United States thanks to social media. For visitors, cuddling dairy or beef cattle can be therapeutic, or simply an adventure for city dwellers looking for good old country fun. But this practice of opening the barn door to the public is facing a new risk, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed bird flu in dairy herds in nine states. Scientists have said the outbreak is likely more widespread across the nation's more than 26,000 licensed dairy farms based on findings of H5N1 particles in about 20% of milk samples. One Texas dairy worker tested positive for the virus, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have monitored more than 100 people who have been exposed. Government officials say the risk of human infection is low. But state and federal government officials are urging cattle and dairy farmers to limit outside visitors as much as possible. In Michigan, where one dairy herd has tested positive, the head of the state's agriculture department this week signed an emergency response order with new sanitation measures and access limitations to dairy and commercial poultry farms starting May 8. The order does not expressly prohibit cow cuddling. But Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development director Tim Boring told Reuters, "From a human to animal health standpoint, now is not a good time to cuddle cows. This is to protect the cows and people." Any restrictions could pose economic trouble for small family farms that rely on cow-cuddling and other agritourism practices to provide a financial lifeline. Cow cuddling sessions at the De Vor Dairy Farm and Creamery in northern Michigan book up weeks in advance and cover the farm's insurance bill. "I'm not worried about bird flu, because the farm is already open to the public and we already have safety measures in place," said farmer Henk De Vor. Luz and Dan Klotz in Illinois, who own Luz Farms, also have protective measures in place to ensure the safety of their visitors and to keep their farm operating. One hour of cow cuddling pays for one bale of hay - enough to keep their small herd fed for a week. "It helps a lot," Dan Klotz said. Weekend sessions at Clarksville Cow Cuddling, at Mary's Land Farm in Maryland, are booked for the next two months. Demand also is high at The Cuddle Corral in Arizona, the Texas Gaushala farm in Texas and the Sunset View Creamery in New York, farmers said. From yoga classes with baby goats and feeding baby piglets, to corn mazes and you-pick sunflower fields, more than 28,600 U.S. farms offered agritourism or recreational services of some sort on their land in 2022 – generating $1.26 billion in income, 32% more than 5 years earlier, USDA data shows. Such revenue streams are key right now: U.S. farm incomes are expected to take the biggest plunge in 18 years as crop prices slump, USDA data shows, and small farms are especially hurting. "Agritourism is a real economic driver for small farmers who have found a niche," said Curt Covington, senior director of institution credit at AgAmerica Lending. SHE MEANT YES Bird flu has spread from migratory birds to dozens of species globally, concerning public health experts. USDA believes the virus is spreading among cattle primarily through contact with raw milk, Rosemary Sifford, the agency's chief veterinary officer said on a media call. While USDA has not publicly named the dairies where cows tested positive, the agency told Reuters the size of affected dairy farms ranges from 300 to 23,000 head. "Regardless of the size of operation, all dairy producers should re-double biosecurity efforts and be vigilant about monitoring for and controlling disease in their herds," a spokesperson for USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement. Cow-cuddling hosts say they take steps to ensure the safety of visitors and their animals. It was Linda Pachl, Joey's mom, who first saw a post about Luz Farms' cow snuggle sessions on Facebook – and suggested the idea to her son. Joey asked the farmers if they could make up a banner in Emma's school colors that said, "Prom?" A week later, as country music crooned over the barn's battered radio, the banner was slung over the body of Yogi, a calf on the farm. Pachl nudged girlfriend Emma Maiers' shoulder. "Well?" he asked. "I love cows!" squealed Maiers, 16. Pachl grinned. Not exactly the answer he was expecting, but he figured she meant yes. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/how-bird-flu-could-threaten-cow-cuddling-yes-it-is-thing-2024-05-04/

2024-05-04 15:56

MADRID, May 4 (Reuters) - Spanish cava producer Freixenet said on Saturday it has reached a deal with unions over its proposal to introduce a "short-time work scheme" for nearly 80% of its workforce due to a drought. The Catalonia-based company said 615 employees will have their working hours reduced between 20% and 50% from May 13 until the end of the year. It said the decision was made following talks with unions representing the workers about how to face a drought in the region which is affecting grape growing and wine production. "The intensity of the measure will vary depending on the period of the year and the evolution of the drought," the company said in a statement. Vineyards across Catalonia's renowned Penedes cava-producing region are so parched that the roots of 30-year-old vines have died, leaving shriveled red and green grapes languishing under the intense sun. Workers will be compensated with additional aid "to protect certain groups, extra pays and vacations," it added. A similar plan announced in April by the company was rejected by the Catalan government. Germany's family-owned Oetker Group acquired 50.7 percent of Freixenet in 2018 and signed a cooperation agreement with the remaining shareholders. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/cava-producer-freixenet-reaches-deal-with-unions-over-drought-measures-2024-05-04/

2024-05-04 15:11

PARIS, May 4 (Reuters) - French prosecutors opened an preliminary investigation against TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) New Tab, opens new tab after victims of a jihadist attack in Mozambique in 2021 accused the energy firm of negligence and indirect manslaughter, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said. Islamist insurgents attacked the port city of Palma in March 2021, killing many civilians in areas close to Mozambican LNG infrastructure projects, owned in part by TotalEnergies. Survivors and relatives filed a complaint in October last year, saying the company had failed to ensure the safety of subcontractors. TotalEnergies rejected the allegations at the time, saying they were "inaccurate." The plaintiffs' lawyer Henri Thulliez was confirming information initially reported on Saturday by Agence France-Presse. The prosecutor's office was not immediately available to comment. A source close to the matter told Reuters that a preliminary investigation was opened late last year. At the end of it, prosecutors can decide to dismiss the case, send the company to trial or order further investigations. The plaintiffs - including three survivors and four relatives of victims who died in an ambush - alleged that TotalEnergies failed to inform subcontractors of the risks of possible attacks or of the progress of such attacks, and did not have proper safety or evacuation plans in place. TotalEnergies was not immediately available to comment. In October it responded to the complaint by saying it did have a security plan and had carried it out. Work on TotalEnergies' LNG project in Mozambique has been halted since 2021. Sources said in December that TotalEnergies planned to restart the project in the first quarter of this year but the region has seen a resurgence in deadly insurgent attacks since January. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-investigates-totalenergies-over-2021-mozambique-attack-2024-05-04/

2024-05-04 13:10

PARIS, May 4 (Reuters) - Creditors have reached an agreement that could rescue tech firm Atos (ATOS.PA) New Tab, opens new tab, which secures communications for the French army and is set to manage cybersecurity for this summer's Paris Olympic Games, La Tribune newspaper reported on Saturday. Atos had given itself until Friday evening to receive refinancing offers. Its financial difficulties had led the French state to offer to acquire some of its strategic assets. Under the agreement the bond creditors and banks which share Atos' debt would inject 1.2 billion euros ($1.29 billion) of cash, potentially with an industrial shareholder, and convert part of the debt into capital, the financial newspaper said. Atos said on Monday it needed 1.1 billion euros in cash to fund its businesses over the 2024-25 period, compared with 600 million euros in a previous estimate, due to changing market conditions. The French state announced last weekend it was ready to acquire strategically important assets from Atos, including its Advanced Computing, Mission-Critical Systems and Cyber Products. The group manufactures servers for supercomputers capable of processing large quantities of data for research or to develop the nascent artificial intelligence industry. In recent days French media has mentioned potential suitors including Bain Capital, Thales (TCFP.PA) New Tab, opens new tab, Dassault Aviation (AM.PA) New Tab, opens new tab and Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky who may be interested in parts or all of Atos. ($1 = 0.9295 euros) Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/atos-creditors-reach-deal-rescue-debt-laden-group-la-tribune-says-2024-05-04/

2024-05-04 11:17

NEW DELHI, May 4 (Reuters) - India has lifted restrictions on the export of onions, according to an official notification on Saturday, a day after the government announced a 40% export duty. The export ban was imposed by the world's biggest exporter of the vegetable last December and then extended in March. The policy changes comes in the middle of staggered voting in India's national election in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a rare third term. Parts of India's onion producing belt in the western state of Maharashtra are yet to vote. While lifting the ban, the government also announced a minimum export price of $550 per metric ton for exports. "This is after taking into account estimated rabi production 2024 and good kharif (summer-sown) prospect because of above normal monsoon," a government official said. Onions, which are a major ingredient in Indian food and a politically sensitive commodity, are cultivated three times a year - in monsoon, winter and summer. India's onion production in the rabi season in 2024 is estimated to be 19.1m tons, which is a "comfortable" level to allow overseas sales given local monthly consumption is about 1.7m tons, the official added. Traders estimate that India, which has shorter shipment times than rivals such as China or Egypt for many markets, accounts for more than half of all onion imports by Asian countries. India exported a record 2.5m metric tons of onions in the year-ending March 31, 2023. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/indias-government-lifts-ban-onion-exports-sets-floor-price-2024-05-04/

2024-05-04 10:54

COLOMBO, May 4 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka and Japan agreed on Saturday to work to resume stalled bilateral projects including a $1.5 billion Japanese-funded light railway. The two nations announced the agreement during a visit to Sri Lanka by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa. Sri Lanka is working to restructure its foreign debt as part of a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), after its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades in 2022 triggered a foreign debt default. Japan expects the early signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka and the official creditor committee appointed to assist in restructuring Sri Lanka’s bilateral debt, which Japan co-chairs, Kamikawa said. "I also conveyed Japan's intention to further support Sri Lanka's development by swiftly resuming yen loan projects once the MoU on debt restructuring is signed and the Sri Lanka government’s intention to swiftly conclude a bilateral agreement is confirmed," she told reporters in Colombo. Sri Lanka pulled out of the rail project in 2020, when it was moving closer to China under the then-president. The Sri Lankan cabinet in July gave approval for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to decide on the appropriate time frame to reactivate projects with Japan. Japan is Sri Lanka's biggest bilateral lender after China, with about $2.7 billion in outstanding loans, according to finance ministry data. India is the third key creditor. Sri Lanka is confident of concluding the necessary agreements in time to complete the next IMF review, Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/sri-lanka-japan-agree-resume-stalled-projects-such-light-rail-2024-05-04/