Tag: State

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Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo updates health status of Tyson Walker, Malik Hall

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo updates health status of Tyson Walker, Malik Hall

Immediately after grinding via 6 online games in 16 times, Michigan Point out head mentor Tom Izzo was happy his crew was able to get a day off on Monday before commencing preparations to host Iowa this coming Thursday.

That stretch would have been challenging for a fully-healthy Spartans team, but with out senior forward Malik Hall for a tiny over fifty percent of that extend Michigan Condition was running on fumes by the time they headed to Indiana this past Sunday.

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Secretary of State audit looks at Oregon’s Measure 110

Secretary of State audit looks at Oregon’s Measure 110

Shemia Fagan’s office has released an audit of Oregon’s implementation of Measure 110, which decriminalized user amounts of street drugs.

SALEM, Ore. — A measure approved by Oregon voters in 2020 with the mission of completely overhauling how the state approaches drug crimes and addiction treatment has not yet been given the chance to produce tangible results, according to the results of an audit released Thursday by the Oregon Secretary of State’s office.

There were two main aspects of Measure 110 when it was adopted just over two years ago: the decriminalization of user amounts of narcotics and a major allocation of funding toward addiction treatment programs from Oregon’s legal cannabis taxes.

Drug decriminalization went into effect almost immediately. By early 2021, minor drug possession crimes were no longer subject to the typical jail and court systems. Instead, law enforcement agencies were directed to greet these violations with a fine that could be dropped if the user seeks treatment. Positive results have not been quick to emerge.

But the other big part of Measure 110, the part that was supposed to fund addiction treatment programs so that they’d be readily available, took much longer to tackle. It wasn’t until September of 2022 that the Oregon Health Authority announced funds had gone out to each county in the state.

And this — the reason for this delay, that is — became the primary focus for the audit by Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s office. After all, the Measure 110 framework has yet to produce much else for auditors to assess.

In a statement that accompanied the auditor’s report, Fagan openly expressed her feelings on Measure 110 — that she wants, and Oregon needs, to see it succeed.

“It is plain as day that Oregon’s drug treatment system is failing,” Fagan said. “This is incredibly frustrating for me, and many Oregonians, because treatment is a matter of life and death for people we know. I have a brother in recovery right now. I want to see Measure 110 work.”

RELATED: Peer mentors key to Measure 110 success are working in a broken addiction care system


‘Too early to tell’

Measure 110 passed in November 2020 with more than 58{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} voter support. Like most ballot measures, the provisions didn’t really go into effect until a few months later, early 2021 — which means that it’s really been around for about two years, as of this audit’s release.

Regardless, the headline of the Secretary of State’s office audit is pretty straight and to the point: it’s too soon to know whether it’s actually working.

“We got off to a rough start,” said Audits Director Kip Memmott during a Thursday press briefing. “Some of this government-by-ballot-initiative causes some problems, and it takes time to structure government properly which can be frustrating. But auditors, you know, we talk a little bit wonky about controls and governance and outcome measures, but you really have to have those in place to assess performance.”

What Measure 110 didn’t require as a provision are tools for entities like the Secretary of State’s office to gather data on how it’s progressing. Much of the program is still a black box, so auditors couldn’t get an accurate assessment of how many people are being helped or if the money is going where it’s needed.

As of this phase of the rollout, $302 million in Oregon’s marijuana tax money has been diverted to Measure 110.

Of that total funding, $32 million in “access care grants” were awarded by the Oregon Health Authority early in the process in provide some funding while the more permanent programs were still being developed. However, little to no data was collected by the OHA, and auditors were unable to determine if the grants were effective or how they were spent. There was no data on whether the grants actually improved access to addiction care.

Many of the service providers were small and unfamiliar with state-run programs, the OHA told auditors, so health officials determined that forcing them to report more data would be “unduly burdensome.”

The misfortunes of being a trail blazer

In embarking on the implementation of Measure 110, the state had to do something that was not only new to Oregon, but something new to the U.S. As a result, it seems to have suffered from the novelty of it all.

The measure required that Oregon create an Oversight and Accountability Council, one that the audit said has “ultimate decision-making authority” in implementing programs and handing out grants. OAC councilors were all appointed at the same time and have the same term length, serving on a volunteer basis. Council members, many of whom had full-time jobs outside of the OAC, reported spending 40-hour weeks on their Measure 110 tasks.

At the same time, the council struggled to find its footing alongside the Oregon Health Authority, resulting in “delays, confusion, and strained relations between OHA and the OAC.” The audit describes an ill-defined relationship between the council and the OHA, resulting in many dropped balls and occasional head-butting.

Often lacking the expertise that the work required, things like grant-making, council members had to lean on OHA staff. But, the audit found, OHA’s facilitation was often ad hoc and its obligations not clearly defined by the measure itself.

“Staffing resources dedicated to M110 have ranged from a handful of people to dozens of staff,” the report said. “For example, in February 2022, eight OHA staff were assigned to M110 work. Although OHA has since increased staffing resources toward M110 implementation, key roles continue to experience staff turnover.”

Meanwhile, tasked with coming up with grant applications from scratch, the OAC designed a 240-point application, sometimes requiring long responses, that was “burdensome to complete and challenging to navigate” for service providers. Confused applicants who reached out for help then often received conflicting guidance from OHA staff.

“It had too many elements that needed to be evaluated, too many reviews that needed to take place before they could make those funding decisions, and they didn’t have the staff support from OHA to get to those reviews and make recommendations,” said Audit Manager Ian Green, “so that’s what led to months-long delays.”

Too many cooks

Measure 110’s fledgling programs have also suffered from issues already replete in Oregon’s addiction recovery and mental health systems: redundancy and a lack of integration with other, similar services.

For an example, the audit looked at a Recovery Center Hotline that Measure 110 required OHA to establish. The agency did get the hotline set up, but had only received 119 calls related to the drug treatment program as of June 2022, at an estimated cost to the program of more than $7,000 per call.

Of those calls, only 27 people were interested in drug treatment resources.

There are multiple hotlines in Oregon that already cover similar issues, including the statewide Alcohol & Drug Helpline and the Oregon Behavioral Health Support Line, both of which were better established and received substantially more calls. And some of the providers responsible for actually providing the services funded by Measure 110 have their own hotlines, the report pointed out.

“These services may be duplicative since current law requires such support also be provided through a statewide hotline,” the report said. “At the time of this report’s release, OHA still had plans to continue the statewide hotline in addition to any redundant hotline services provided by (service providers). OHA told auditors reducing potential hotline redundancy is not its legal responsibility, and it does not plan to work to prevent the risk of such redundancy as a result.”

The audit also underlined that Measure 110 did not direct the OAC to collaborate with other, potentially major partners, like the Oregon Department of Corrections and Oregon Housing Community Services; both of which often intersect with substance use through the criminal justice system and housing programs.

More than 63{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of inmates experience substance use disorders, the report noted, but less than 5{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} have access to intensive treatment while in custody.

“The lack of access to treatment in and out of custody has been a missed opportunity for the state,” the report said.

There’s also the issue of law enforcement, which is still supposed to have a role in the process despite Measure 110’s drug decriminalization. Through the measure, officers are empowered to issue class E citations when they come into contact with someone in possession of user amounts of narcotics.

In spite of this, auditors were told by different jurisdictions they questioned that “they handled this process with some degree of variability.” Some issued many citations, while others “showed reluctance to engage.”

And even when law enforcement officers do issue citations, they may or may not provide the Measure 110 hotline number to the drug user and encourage them to call it, the report said.

“Law enforcement agencies sharing limited information with providers may help increase outreach to individuals who may need help taking the first step to recovery,” the report continued. “Steps to unify statewide process for issuing class E citations and promoting the hotline should also be taken.”

According to OHA data from the first year of decriminalization, 16,000 people accessed services, but only 0.85{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} entered treatment. A total of 60{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} received “harm reduction” like syringe exchanges and overdose medications. An additional 15{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} got help with housing needs, and 12{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} obtained peer support.

A problem or a solution?

Depending on who you ask, Measure 110 is either the cause of, or solution to, Oregon’s rampant substance abuse and addiction over the last several years. Thus far, there’s not enough data to support either argument.

In 2022, KGW’s The Story spoke to an officer with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, who said that Measure 110 had “everything to do with” the explosion in fentanyl use on the streets of the Portland metro area.

“By decriminalizing that, it’s basically legitimized criminal organizations,” he said. “Drug possession, use and sale is just rampant, with very little consequences, and it’s taken away our tools as police officers to sort of interdict that.”

A member of the OAC, herself a recovering addict, pushed back on that characterization at the time— noting that the surge in fentanyl has been a nationwide phenomenon, not specific to Oregon.

An interesting fact identified by the Secretary of State’s office audit is that, even prior to Measure 110, Oregon had no adults in custody serving prison time solely for drug possession charges.

“The Oregon Department of Corrections noted that existing sentencing guidelines would have prevented someone from serving time for drug possession alone,” the report said. “Department officials reported other crimes, such as property or people crimes, would need to be committed to end up in their custody.”

In that sense, very little has changed. People committing crimes related to substance abuse and addiction are being arrested and prosecuted for the other crimes, not for drug possession — if they’re being arrested and prosecuted at all.

Regardless, as Fagan underlined in her preamble to the audit report, the need for what Measure 110 was supposed to provide is clear. As of 2020, Oregon had the second-highest substance use disorder rate in the nation, and ranked last for access to treatment. At least two people die each day from unintentional opioid overdoses in Oregon, and another five die of alcohol-related causes.

Looking at the entire U.S., a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found over $700 billion in associated costs relating to crime, poor health, and lost work productivity due to substance use disorder.

“With Measure 110, voters, myself included, sent a clear message to state leaders that we need a new, more effective plan for drug treatment in Oregon,” Secretary Fagan said. “OHA and the State Legislature must continue working to make the new program work for our families and our communities.”

In a statement released Thursday, brand new OHA Director James Schroeder largely agreed with the audit’s assessment and pledged to take action on the report’s four main recommendations for improvement:

“The Secretary of State is right: It is too soon to measure the success of Measure 110. However, OHA recognizes that Measure 110 can only achieve the voters’ intent and reduce the harms from untreated substance use if OHA provides timely, robust support to its implementation and effective, reliable assistance to the Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council. OHA will deliver on that commitment.

“Measure 110 represents a new approach to reducing the terrible toll illicit substance use takes on people and families in communities statewide. Measure 110’s first-in-the-nation approach provides more resources for harm reduction, treatment, peer counseling, housing and other services that will give people with substance use disorders the services and support they need to recover, prevent relapse and live heathier lives.

“Under Measure 110, these services are provided through locally coordinated Behavioral Health Resource Networks (BHRNs). Last fall, BHRNs in every Oregon county received funding from OHA to begin delivering more comprehensive and integrated services at the local level.

“The launch of these networks represents the real start of Measure 110 in Oregon.

“OHA agrees with all the Secretary of State’s recommendations directed toward our role in implementing Measure 110. We will pursue each recommendation with urgency and focus.

“Governor Kotek has made it a top priority to make the behavioral health system and Measure 110 work better for communities statewide. I recognize that Measure 110’s success depends on Oregon’s ability to solve many larger challenges in the behavioral health system, such as the need to expand treatment capacity and better support counselors and other workers. I’m committed to getting better outcomes for people with substance use disorders and other behavioral health needs. I look forward to reporting on our progress.”

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State of the US pet food and treat industry, 2022

State of the US pet food and treat industry, 2022

This article was published in the 2022 Buyers Guide issue of Pet Food Processing. Read it and other articles from this issue in our Buyers Guide digital edition.

Growth in the pet care industry shows no signs of stopping. In 2020, sales for the US pet care industry reached over $100 billion for the first time ever, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). After reaching that milestone, the industry expected continued growth, but the $123.6 billion in sales in 2021 exceeded expectations. APPA estimated growth would be around 6{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} for 2021, but it ended up at 13.5{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} by year’s end.

“The numbers don’t lie: The pet industry has shown itself to be incredibly strong and resilient with a record-breaking two years,” said Anne Ferrante, APPA’s senior vice president of member relations and business development, following the release of the association’s 2021 State of the Industry data. “We expect continued growth as we look toward the remainder of 2022, although we anticipate it may be at a more moderate pace given the impact of volatile factors like inflation, supply chain issues and global relations.”

Globally, pet food sales grew to $123.6 billion, according to year-end estimates by market research provider Euromonitor International. In the United States, pet food and treat sales are expected to reach $45.4 billion by the end of 2022. Dog and cat food exports for 2021 set a record at $2.05 billion, which increased by 19.8{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} from 2020, according to the Department of Commerce.

Global pet food sales vs US pet food sales, 2022 year-end estimates

If industry analysts are correct in their predictions, the industry’s growth won’t be slowing, but rather picking up speed through the rest of the decade. Analysts with Morgan Stanley Research and AlphaWise, the company’s survey and data group, believe the US pet industry may reach $275 billion by 2030.

“We think the US pet industry has reached an inflection point, taking topline compound annual growth rates to 8{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}, versus 3{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} for the last decade,” said Simeon Gutman, equity analyst covering hardline retail for Morgan Stanley Research.

Fueling these expectations is the anticipated growth in number of pet owners over the next five to 10 years. According to the 2021-2022 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 70{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of US households own a pet, which equates to 90.5 million homes. The AlphaWise survey reported that 65{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of 18- to 34-year-olds plan to get a pet in the next five years, which will help drive the expected 14{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase in pet ownership by 2030.

With the growing demand for pets comes a growing need for pet food and treats in a variety of formats to satisfy the cravings of the expanding population of pets. But, possibly more importantly, varying pet food and treat formats are needed to satisfy the changing demands of pet food purchasers — the pet parents.

While food and treats still top the list of where pet parents’ money is going, other pet-related products and services continue to make the list of necessary expenses. The APPA’s 2021 State of the Industry report showed:

  • $50 billion was spent on pet food and treats (a 13.6{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase from 2020).
  • $34.3 billion was spent on veterinarian care and product sales (an 8.9{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase over 2020).
  • $29.8 billion was spent on pet supplies, live animals and OTC medication (a 17.8{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase from 2020).
  • $9.5 billion was spent on other services, including grooming, dog walking and boarding (a 17.3{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase over 2020).

On the food side, all pet food formats saw growth between August 2021 and August 2022, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI.

US pet food sales, brick-and-mortar vs e-commerce sales, 2022 year-end estimates

Dry dog food had a better year after declining sales of 3.5{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} between August 2020 and August 2021. In the 52 weeks ended Aug. 7, 2022, dry dog food sales increased 12.3{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}. Dry cat food stayed more or less even between 2020 and 2021, but saw a 13.2{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase between 2021 and 2022. Wet dog and cat food saw 14.2{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} and 14.4{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increases, respectively, compared to the year prior.

The refrigerated/frozen category in both dog and cat food led the way in category sales growth with a 35.8{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase in dog food and a 22.5{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase on the cat side. The category had also seen solid sales growth between 2020 and 2021, though not quite as substantial.

On the treat side, dog treat sales continue to rise with a 9.6{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} increase from $3.21 billion in 2021 to $3.54 billion in 2022. Cat treats saw slightly higher growth from $969 million in 2021 to $1.1 billion in 2022, an increase of 14.9{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}.

 

Food and treat innovation

As pet parents shop for pet food and treats at their favorite pet retailer or online direct-to-consumer distributor, they’re looking for more than just the basics to feed their four-legged family members. While complete-and-balanced food options are always on the menu, pet parents are looking for more from the pet food formats they choose.

During a presentation at SuperZoo 2022 in Las Vegas, market research firm NielsenIQ shared its latest pet industry data shedding some light on the pet food innovations available on the market today.

Pet food sales with specific functional attributes are growing rapidly. According to NielsenIQ, sales of products offering mental health, mood and stress relief are up 34{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} from August 2021 to July 2022; those offering performance support are up 32{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}; urinary health are up 27{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}; kidney health are up 22{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}; and heart health are up 19{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}. Those offering skin and coat health and cellular function support are both up 18{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}; and products boasting immune system, digestive and joint health are all up 15{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} from 2021 to 2022.

Not only are there more products on the market touting these functional benefits, but online search volume growth across pet retail channels shows continued interest in specific product attributes. According to NielsenIQ, pet parents frequently search for products that specialize in dental health, hairball control and anxiety health. Between August 2021 and July 2022, the most-searched pet product attributes included calming, urinary health, sensitive stomach and weight control.

{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of pet owners who buy pet products via e-commerce

The pet supplement segment of the market continues to expand with probiotic ingredients, gut health, behavior assistance, joint health and stress relief being some of the trending attributes. In fact, pet supplement purchases are growing at a faster rate than the same category for humans — up 11{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} for pet supplements and only up 6{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} for human supplements, vitamins and minerals. Dollar sales for gut health pet supplements grew 213{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} from the second quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of 2022, and behavior assistance supplements were up 132{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}.

Products and supplements containing CBD have been growing rapidly year after year. On a three-year basis, CBD pet supplement sales were up 236{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}, while CBD pet food sales grew 377{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}, according to NielsenIQ.

“CBD is being included in pet treats and supplements for the same reason they are being produced for human consumers, for their purported health benefits,” said Hilary Brown, director of research and development, SōRSE Technology, Seattle. “Consumers are typically interested in using CBD for their animals’ general wellness.”

Pet parents are looking to CBD to help their pets with cancer, epilepsy and seizures, stress and anxiety, digestion and nausea, pain and inflammation due to joint problems, aging and degenerative diseases, and skin inflammation and allergies. Between August 2021 and July 2022, CBD-inclusive pet supplement sales were up 22{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} and CBD-inclusive pet food products grew 35{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}.

As long as pet parents continue to want the best for their pets, the pet nutrition space will continue to evolve. Pet product consumers will keep searching for the latest and greatest solution-based products to keep their furry companions happy and healthy, which will provide brands with plenty of opportunity to expand their product offerings to meet these changing needs.

 

Growth and challenges

Despite labor shortages, supply chain challenges and rising costs throughout the manufacturing industry, pet food processors show their optimism through continued plant expansions, capital improvements and even new plant construction. CRB, a provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction and consulting to the food and beverages and life sciences industries, took a close look at this ever-changing industry in its Horizons: Pet Food report. The Horizons study, conducted in November and December 2021, consists of responses to around 100 questions by 300 pet food manufacturing leaders.

“At stake is nothing less than a projected $275 billion, the expected annual value placed on the pet food industry by 2030,” wrote Tim Barba, CRB’s chief operating officer, Global Technical Operations, in the report’s opening passages. “To get their share, manufacturers are feverishly expanding and modernizing their production capacity, exploring new segments, and aligning their products with the qualities prized by ingredient-conscious consumers.”

Respondents listed their top production challenges, which included supply chain, labor availability and skilled workforce, and aging equipment and technology. Questions surrounding capital expense projects revealed that 22{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of respondents plan to spend less than $5 million over the next five years; 45{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} anticipate spending $5 million to $10 million; and 24{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} plan on spending $10 million to $50 million. 

US sales of cat food, dog food and other pet food in 2022, year-end estimates

“One-third of producers are either planning a significant expansion to an existing facility or a new facility in the next five years and two-thirds are planning either routine maintenance or equipment or small additions to their lines in the next five years,” said Tony Moses, Ph.D., director of product innovation for CRB. 

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword in the pet food industry — it’s a mission-oriented goal for many. During SuperZoo 2022, a group of processors made commitments to develop measurable progress toward the use of refillable, compostable and recyclable packaging by the end of 2025. Canidae, Earth Animal, Instinct, Petcurean and Primal Pet Foods publicly signed the Pet Sustainability Coalition’s (PSC) Packaging Pledge during the show, solidifying their commitment toward sustainability.

“The pet industry produces 300 million lbs of food and treats packaging that ends up in landfills each year, just in the United States,” said Stephie Volo, chief marketing officer at Earth Animal. “The PSC Packaging Pledge represents a powerful opportunity for us all to collaborate in significantly reducing the industry’s impact on the environment.”

According to PSC, with a collaborative effort from pet food manufacturers and packaging companies through programs such as the Packaging Pledge, “the pet industry can achieve rapid adoption by 2025 and near 80{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} transition of all pet food multi-laminate packaging by 2030.”

CRB’s report also revealed producers are taking sustainability quite seriously. A question about future plans for becoming carbon neutral showed that the majority of the respondents’ companies either have plans in the works for becoming carbon neutral, or they soon will. Fifty percent will have a plan in place within five years; 30{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} within 10 years; and 7{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} in 10 years or longer. Only 6{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of respondents reported that they have yet to start working toward this goal.

As the pet food industry continues its growth trajectory, processors undoubtedly have a lot on their plates. They face the ongoing task of meeting the demands of current and future pet parents as they search for more variety from the food and treats they feed their pets. Alongside this, the industry continues to battle the manufacturing challenges of labor shortages, supply chain logistics and rising ingredient costs, all the while working to keep sustainability and other environmental issues a priority. If the pet food industry can stay the course, innovating and expanding along the way, prognosticators might just be correct with their lofty growth predictions.

Keep up with the latest pet food trends on our Trends page.

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Michigan considering legislation to prevent cyber attacks – State of Reform

Michigan considering legislation to prevent cyber attacks – State of Reform

In particular subsequent the COVID-19 pandemic, health care corporations facial area additional tension on how to share their patients’ wellbeing facts to encourage much better results for clients. At the same time, organizations have to have to imagine of cyber plans to defend their patients and customers mainly because they are becoming targeted by cyber-attackers striving to entry their info.

 

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According to Forbes, from 2020 to 2021, the typical weekly cyber assaults on health care companies enhanced by 71{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc}. Not too long ago in Michigan, the nation’s most significant relatives owned service provider of prosthetics, Wright & Filippis, issued a notice of details breach to current individuals, previous individuals, and workforce because they have been a victim of a cybersecurity assault that occurred in January 2022.

The cyber attack did not entry health care documents, but the attackers may have accessed Wright & Filippis’s files from their recent patients, previous individuals, and workforce, which consist of names, dates of start, affected person figures, social safety numbers, economical account quantities, and wellness insurance policy information.

Relatives-owned enterprises are not the only victims of cyber-attacks—facts breaches have been going on all around the state of Michigan. Final Oct, Michigan Medication exposed healthcare facts of a lot more than 34,000 men and women, which “contained identifiable patient information such as names, professional medical history figures, addresses, date of start, and other health and fitness and insurance coverage related information.” In August, the Michigan legislation business, Warner Norcross and Judd LLP, issued notification letters to 255,160 people today pertaining to a security breach, which contained own and shielded wellbeing facts on folks inside of their process.

In 1996, President Clinton signed the Health Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), which created a nationwide regular to safeguard delicate affected person health and fitness information and facts from being disclosed with no the patient’s consent or awareness.

Also, in 2000, the US Section of Well being and Human Solutions (HHS) issued the HIPAA Privateness Rule, which consists of criteria for individuals’ rights to understand and management how their health and fitness information and facts is employed. “A key objective of the Privacy Rule is to make confident that individuals’ overall health facts is effectively guarded whilst permitting the move of health information and facts needed to offer and encourage superior-good quality healthcare, and to shield the public’s well being and perfectly-getting. The Privacy Rule permits important employs of data when guarding the privacy of individuals who search for care and healing.”

Point out-distinct governing administration privacy laws range from condition to point out. For occasion, Seyfarth’s Health and fitness Care group done a study of all 50 states and their privateness laws, which broke down every single state’s privateness laws. The survey shows which states have expanded or further more described safeguarded well being facts, protected coated entities, safety obligations, and what constitute a breach or illegal disclosure.   

At this time for Michigan, for what constitutes a breach or illegal disclosure or policies governing company associates, Michigan does not have supplemental protections on major of HIPAA. Noteworthy coverage concerning HIPPA from Michigan was the Healthcare Information Accessibility Act, which was handed in 2004. 

The Health-related Documents Entry Act defined protocol for health care providers’ handling of healthcare documents, developing a highest rate volume that could be billed for copies of own health care documents. It also produced a civil good of $250 for failure to give see of a safety breach to people.

This legislative session, the Michigan Legislature has released laws addressing cyber security assaults. On Oct 5th, 2021, Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) – Grand Traverse introduced Senate Invoice 672, which was straight away referred to the committee on electricity and technology.

SB 672 encourages organizations—by developing a defend for tort protection—to set up, implement, and maintain a cyber safety application. The system would be based mostly on their market expectations, scale of the group, and the sensitivity of the details getting guarded. 

The cyber security plan would have to be made to defend the protection and confidentiality of personalized info and predicted threats or hazards. SB 672 references frameworks like the Nationwide Institute of Criteria and Technology’s Framework for Improving upon Crucial Infrastructure and HIPAA.

On March 9th, 2022, the Michigan Senate passed SB 672 by party lines with a margin of 20 yeas, 17 nays, and 1 member not voting. SB 672 at this time awaits a hearing in the Committee on Money Companies in the Michigan Household of Reps.

Michigan’s SB 672 is unquestionably a resourceful litigation incentive to have an firm develop a cyber protection software, although it focuses much more on shielding the business from litigation instead than guarding the individual’s suitable to privateness.  Just one situation is clear: cyber assaults are on the rise, and Michigan coverage requires to continue to keep up with technologies to secure the privateness rights of men and women.

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Sideline report details Michigan RB health against Ohio State

Sideline report details Michigan RB health against Ohio State
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Michigan star running back again Blake Corum carried the football two times in the 1st quarter for 6 yards Saturday from Ohio State before he went to the side sidelines on the 2nd possession, favoring his knee. J.J. Stokes entered the activity for Corum on Michigan’s next possession.

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“I had the possibility to discuss to James Corum, Blake’s father, last night and he claimed that Blake would want to engage in in this game and would,” Fox Sports’ Tom Rinaldi said during the broadcast. “He’d verify with doctors within just this method and beyond that he would not put up with any more accidents if he was able to go. But the stress about that explosion, that lateral motion, you can see the disappointment on Blake Corum. You know no a person needs to be in this activity extra than him.”

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Corum’s injury was a sizzling subject moving into the rivalry matchup this 7 days, but the Wolverines star functioning back ran out with the to start with-workforce versus the Buckeyes. The Heisman Trophy candidate wounded his knee last 7 days in Michigan’s 19-17 acquire about Illinois.

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“Michigan star tailback Blake Corum is predicted to try to enjoy versus Ohio Point out on Saturday, resources explained to ESPN, as an air of ambiguity hangs in excess of his likely performance simply because of a knee injuries,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote this week. “Resources stated Corum is just not expected to be 100{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} in the wake of the damage, and the variety of carries he will receive and his normal performance when he does get the ball are concerns lingering around his return. The Michigan employees is expected to monitor Corum intently in warm-ups, but the anticipation is that he will engage in and see how he can tackle the ache. Corum instructed regional media in Michigan this 7 days that he is ‘good’ although handing out turkeys to neighborhood households in require.”

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Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said Corum’s knee was “structurally excellent, which is fantastic news” prior to likely to yet another concern in the aftermath of the Wolverines’ close to whiff in opposition to the Fighting Illini. Harbaugh included that Corum only played two snaps due to the fact he was cleared to enjoy but “it was bothering him,” according to The Michigan Insider. He enters the Ohio Condition clash with 1,457 dashing yards and 18 touchdowns on 245 tries.

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The winner of Saturday’s game clinches the Huge Ten East.

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Subscribe to 247Athletics YouTube for the most recent school football, basketball and recruiting information together with live faculty commitments.

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Addiction experts tell Oregon lawmakers the state has been too lax on drug use

Addiction experts tell Oregon lawmakers the state has been too lax on drug use
A man, 23, sits on the sidewalk in downtown Portland, preparing what he says is heroin, June 25, 2021. Measure 110, a drug treatment and recovery act, aims to connect drug users to treatment and recovery services, including housing assistance instead of serving time in jail for possessing small amounts of drugs.

A person, 23, sits on the sidewalk in downtown Portland, making ready what he states is heroin, June 25, 2021. Evaluate 110, a drug cure and restoration act, aims to join drug consumers to cure and recovery providers, including housing assistance instead of serving time in jail for possessing compact amounts of medicine.

Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB

Oregon overall health officials declared a noteworthy milestone this 7 days, revealing they’d awarded much more than $300 million intended to expand providers for persons with drug dependancy.

But a pair of addiction professionals warned Wednesday that a lot more than just companies will be required in order to stem the state’s higher rate of drug use — and the expanding societal prices that arrive with it. They advised lawmakers the condition also has to modify its permissive technique.

“On the one hand we have very satisfying drugs which are widely available, and on the other very little or no pressure to cease employing them,” Keith Humphreys, a psychology professor at Stanford College, informed the state’s Senate Committee on the Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation. “Under those people ailments we really should count on to see accurately what Oregon is suffering from: comprehensive drug use, substantial habit and not significantly remedy in search of.”

Neither Humphreys nor one more skilled showing prior to lawmakers — Oregon Health & Science College head of dependancy medication Dr. Todd Korthuis — advocated for undoing Oregon’s groundbreaking law decriminalizing minimal-degree drug possession, approved by voters in 2020 as Evaluate 110.

But equally reported state leaders could and should do more to press folks toward treatment and end the easy availability of medications on the street, like by way of stepped-up law enforcement enforcement.

Evaluate 110 removed felony consequences for possessing very low concentrations of illicit medications but licensed police to situation violations, akin to visitors tickets, for that possession. Those people tickets are punishable by up to a $100 fine but are dismissed if recipients connect with a hotline that presents screening for drug dependancy. The measure sought to minimize criminal penalties for drug use and dependancy, which advocates argued need to be taken care of as a community wellness difficulty.

New solutions that were intended to occur with the lawful improve have been hampered by very long delays. State health and fitness officers announced Tuesday that they’d only just finished allocating far more than $300 million to expert services like outreach, peer mentors, restoration housing and needle exchanges during Oregon.

Advocates for Evaluate 110 say that these solutions will essentially reshape the state’s meager remedy landscape, and guide to significantly increased successes than the country’s failed war on drugs. But they are inquiring Oregonians for patience until those people rewards are realized. The new providers, now funded, will get time to get likely.

At the very same time, the tickets for drug possession meant to steer persons to therapy have failed. Most of the more than 3,169 tickets issued as a result of August have been disregarded, according to point out courts officials, with recipients neither paying a high-quality nor displaying up in courtroom. Fewer than 200 people have called a hotline the state established up to assist men and women who get possession tickets get remedy.

Humphreys and Korthuis spoke to lawmakers as aspect of the Legislature’s quarterly “legislative times,” when committees satisfy in the interim period of time between legislative classes. Both of those gentlemen painted a rather dire photograph of the state Oregon finds by itself in.

Korthuis, of OHSU, noted the point out has the highest fees of drug use and the the very least obtain to treatment plans in the country — however he did not blame Measure 110 for either of those realities. The state saw a almost 20{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} surge in overdose fatalities in the 12 months that finished in April 2022, he reported.

“Despite the greatest endeavours and extremely superior intentions of numerous people, our dependancy remedy system has just been outpaced by these tendencies,” he said.

Humphreys, who advised the Obama White Residence on drug policy, explained drug addiction as frequently the opposite of other health complications. People with most critical overall health maladies are quick to look for remedy for the reason that of their particular suffering, he observed. “In habit, the equilibrium of the prices is frequently reversed with, for case in point, families, buddies and the community struggling additional than is the man or woman who is addicted.”

The solution, he advised, was rising societal and authorized stress for people to stop problematic drug use. That’s a stance that Portugal made use of, Humphreys stated, in enacting a productive drug decriminalization legislation that is normally cited by Measure 110 advocates.

“The open up use and flagrant drug working that we see in West Coastline towns in this state are almost absent in Portugal, which shuts them down and employs courtroom stress to get people into remedy,” Humphreys said. “I’ve expended a large amount of time in Portugal, and I know the men and women who made their plan. So remember to acquire it from me, Oregon is not next Portugal’s example and will not get its effects.”

Humphreys’ central takeaway was that Oregon really should get the job done to protect against drug use in the to start with area, but also do extra to lessen its societal impacts. That features, he mentioned, encouraging police to shut down open up-air drug markets that make substances simple to entry and enacting “swift, particular and fair” policies for steering persons who commit crimes mainly because of their drug use into treatment.

“That leaves drug possession for own use alone decriminalized … but applies tension to cease drug use in these circumstances wherever a drug-utilizing person is committing crimes that threaten community basic safety,” Humphreys claimed.

The solution prompted problem from Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene, about no matter whether Humphreys was advocating a return to drug war procedures that negatively impacted communities of coloration.

Humphreys claimed he was not.

“If everyone thinks law enforcement can resolve this issue by themselves, they have not been paying out notice,” he stated. “Health men and women just can’t address it on their own both.”

Unclear on Wednesday was how the views could shape long term coverage, as point out lawmakers get ready to good-tune Measure 110 in future year’s legislative session.

“This is a model new application. It’s a system that has never ever been tried out or tested in the United States,” mentioned Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, as the hearing came to a close. “We will will need to continue on to spouse up with every single other and different disciplines to ensure that we are, in reality, continuing to just take a holistic strategy … a single that does hold men and women accountable.”