Month: April 2023

Originally published on Illumina News Center

Folk wisdom says that putting sugar in someone’s gas tank will ruin their car. Truth is, not only is that a myth, with a few extra steps, sugarcane can be turned into ethanol, a greener alternative to fossil fuels.

Sugarcane is a tropical grass in the same family as bamboo, wheat, maize, and rice. Three-quarters of all sucrose in our food comes from sugarcane (the rest comes from sugar beets); it’s grown in more than 80 countries, and by weight, more sugarcane is harvested than any other crop. It converts solar energy into chemical energy with nigh-unparalleled efficiency, and during its lifetime it removes so much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that—if low-emissions practices are used in its harvesting and refinement—it can actually qualify as a carbon-neutral fuel source.

It didn’t start out so sweet. The two original wild species, Saccharum spontaneum and Saccharum officinarum, grown in India and New Guinea respectively, had limitations: the former had very thin stalks and the latter produced very little sucrose. Humans selectively bred the plant for thousands of years, to the point that the kind cultivated by the early 20th century was considered a whole new crop, resulting from the hybridization of those two species.

This “noble” cane’s thick stalks were saturated with sucrose, but it had lost so much genetic diversity it was vulnerable to pestilence from nearly every branch of the tree of life: The necrotic sugarcane yellow-leaf virus, the stunting bacteria Leifsonia xyli xyli, smut-causing fungal spores, and a moth whose larvae have such exclusive tastes we named it the “sugarcane borer.”

Farmers can control some of these nuisances with pesticides—which merely substitutes one problem with another. Cross-breeding the super-sweet noble cane with its hardier wild ancestor over years of research has produced some slightly more resilient cultivars, but to get the best of both worlds requires some next-generation science.

Cracking the decaploid genome 
Enter the geneticists. For decades, the sugarcane breeding program at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco has been creating varieties that are specifically adapted to the Rio Grande Valley’s 43,000 acres of sugarcane fields. Jorge Da Silva, a professor of the university’s Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, earned his PhD in plant genetic breeding at Cornell, and for 14 years before coming to the Lone Star State he served as a research scientist for Centro de Tecnologia Copersucar in Piracicaba, Brazil.

A&M couldn’t have asked for a better résumé. Bioethanol from sugarcane represents 17% of Brazil’s total energy supply; the country exports more sugar and—after the US—more ethanol than anyone else in the world; and CTC Copersucar is the country’s biggest producer of both. Da Silva has devoted his career to finding the best possible genes for this crucial crop.

“I love organic agriculture,” he says. “When I was a kid studying agronomy, I just wanted to be able to produce food without all the poisons. I realized that genetics would be the most powerful tool to reduce the amount of chemicals, just by breeding for plants that are resistant to pests, to microorganisms, to disease.” He also searches for genes that confer cold resistance, since Texas is already farther from the equator than any other sugarcane growing region. “Imagine if we could spread sugarcane to other parts of the US that have lower temperatures. That could be a big deal for the industry.”

Finding these genes hasn’t been easy, in part because the sugarcane genome is absurdly large. Humans have two copies of each chromosome; our genome is “diploid.” Plants often have more than two copies; their genome is “polypoid.” Da Silva explains: “A potato has four copies of each chromosome. Wheat has six. Sugarcane has ten.” Depending on the species and variety, the plant can have between 52 and 117 chromosomes total. If the human genome is a novel, the decaploid sugarcane genome is the unabridged Oxford English Dictionary. “It’s among the biggest genomes in the world. Sequencing all those chromosomes poses a big challenge for scientists.”

It also turns out that attempting to replicate the incredible growth and durability of the non-food wild cane comes with complications. “In this country, S. spontaneum is considered a noxious weed. It’s against the law to plant it because it’s very aggressive. It’s invasive; it becomes very hard to control. For me to do research with it, I had to get a permit from the USDA, and I still have a number of restrictions. Every year after I use the cane, I have to burn everything so it won’t propagate.”

But years of painstaking work is paying off. Da Silva’s research in Weslaco, comparing leaf chlorophyll content, leaf temperature, and relative water content in several different sugarcane genotypes subjected to a 90-day drought cycle, has generated a wealth of data about which genes are actually being expressed and controlling these traits. Genetic samples, or germplasm, from these crops have already been shared with the International Society of Sugarcane Technologies, and the US government recently awarded Da Silva’s program a grant to turn their attention to “energy cane”—sugarcane grown specifically to produce bioethanol.

Food vs. fuel 
When you can use the same crop for either food or fuel, how do you decide which to prioritize? Demand—and economic opportunity—for fossil fuel alternatives is high, but does making biofuels mean diverting food from someone’s plate, and potentially raising food prices?

In this case, if we process sugarcane the right way, we may be able to burn our cake and eat it, too.

To get edible sugar from the harvested plant, mill workers first crush the stalks in high-pressure rollers to squeeze out sucrose-rich juice. Then they boil the juice to remove water, and crystallize brown raw sugar in a centrifuge. That brown sugar can either be recrystallized into white sugar at a refinery, or fermented to produce bioethanol. This “first-generation” biofuel comes directly from an otherwise consumable food product.

But what about all those leftover dry, crushed stalks? Traditionally, they were simply burned to provide heat and, through steam power, electricity for the sugar mill. But something interesting happens if you heat this “lignocellulosic bagasse” in the absence of oxygen: Instead of burning, it undergoes thermal decomposition, or pyrolysis, that separates the lignin from the cellulose. The lignin can then be burned to help power the sugar mill, and the cellulose can be fermented into bioethanol without sacrificing any food.

This route comes with its own technological bottlenecks, and has yet to become economically viable, but it forms an important piece of the greener-fuel puzzle. That same lignocellulosic material can also be processed into composite forms of polyethylene and polypropylene—in fact, Illumina’s newest and most advanced sequencing systems, NovaSeq X and NovaSeq X Plus, use a biopolymer derived from sugarcane in their reagent kit cartridges, which can be recycled after use.

A plant with this many uses, and this many threats, ends up pulling its breeders in several directions at once. “We try to pyramid, as we call it, the resistance genes to biotic stresses like diseases and pests, but it’s hard to do that in addition to resistance to abiotic stresses like drought and cold,” Da Silva says. “We also want it to be high yield, and high sugar content.”

Ultimately, one factor affects both the feasibility and direction of breeding programs like Da Silva’s. “When I first came to Texas, I asked one of the sugarcane growers here, ‘What is the most important trait you want in a new variety?’ You know what he said? ‘Money in my pocket.’ Whatever we do that increases money in their pocket is welcome.”

With enough investment, next-generation sequencing could someday find the perfectly impervious, Swiss Army sugarcane that saves its growers money they would’ve otherwise spent on pesticides, that can be grown in a wider range, and—most importantly for future generations—is viable as both food and fuel.

Learn more about how Illumina is integrating sustainable solutions into our value chain, and supporting research into a more sustainable food supply through the Illumina Agricultural Greater Good Initiative.

 

KeyBank’s Saleem Shabazz, Community Development Loan Officer (NMLS #474996) in Buffalo, was recently featured on Power 96.5/WUFO Radio’s website, giving advice on resources many banks provide that can help make buying a home easier.

Shabazz highlighted a recent Fair Housing Month poll commissioned by KeyBank, which surveyed 1,000 homeowners in households earning less than $75,000 annually regarding their homebuying and lending experiences. Nearly one-third (31%) of respondents did not seek out any information or resources on homebuyer assistance programs.

Read the full byline from KeyBank’s Saleem Shabazz on Power 96.5/WUFO’s website 
 Learn how KeyBank is Bolstering the Path to Affordable Homeownership This Fair Housing Month 
 Learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to helping clients and communities thrive

KeyBank Member FDIC. NMLS #399797. Mortgage and Home Equity Lending products offered by KeyBank are not FDIC insured or guaranteed. KeyBank extends credit secured by residential real estate without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or familial status. © 2023 KeyCorp.

Originally published on principal.com

For some, being sustainable equals individual actions to benefit the environment—recycling, for example.

But when companies talk about sustainability, they’re referring to the choices and plans they make to support people, the planet, and their business now and into the future. Sometimes it’s referred to as environmental, social, and governance, or ESG. That’s an acknowledgement that sustainability is inclusive of, but much more than, behaviors like recycling.

The Principal Financial Group® purpose is clear: To foster a world where financial security is accessible to all. But that world remains far from reach if employees aren’t empowered, everyone doesn’t feel financially included, and business activities aren’t sustainable for the future.

At Principal®, our 2022 Sustainability Report details the progress—and the potential future global impact—of our enterprise approach to sustainability. It’s an opportunity to measure and check in: Are strategies working? Do goals need to change? Are we driving positive, long-term outcomes?

Some of the achievements in the report highlight progress such as expanding our energy and greenhouse gas emissions data collection from a U.S.-only to a worldwide scope, which in turn helps us plan how to reduce those emissions over the next few decades. Others offer examples of our more expansive approach to sustainability such as supporting a diverse workforce.

In the words of our President and CEO Dan Houston: “We’re prepared to keep the momentum going in 2023, advancing inclusive products and services, embedding sustainable practices, and harnessing the power of our people. We know there is more we can do. We’re committed to the work and transparency required to do it effectively.”

Principal and people

How does sustainability relate to people—both our employees and customers? The Sustainability Report offers insights into both short- and long-term opportunities that help each group.

For employees and work, it’s a gauge of their supportive work environment and their perception of it, among other measurements. A few key points:

Measuring inclusion. We’ve implemented assessments of our employee inclusion efforts and the culture of work at Principal, including attributes such as authenticity, learning new things, sharing perspectives, and feeling valued and respected. The Principal goal is a score of 80% or above annually; we exceeded that goal in 2022 with 82%. 
 Embracing diversity. Supporting diverse employees and leaders who are able to bring their authentic selves to work remains foundational to Principal. Currently, 46% of all management positions globally are held by women and 54% of our global workforce are women. In the U.S., the percentage of employees who identified as people of color increased in all employment categories from 2021 to 2022. 
 Ensuring equality. The Principal Sustainability Report also takes note of outside honors and awards as third-party insight into our progress. In 2022, Principal was named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the eighth time, and recognized by the 2022 Disability Equality Index.

Principal and the planet

While much of the Principal Sustainability Report focuses on current achievements, it also addresses multi-year goals and aspirations, particularly when it comes to the climate. After all, financial security cannot be accessible to all if climate change fosters instability. To that end, several notable metrics help Principal gauge progress.

Cutting global emissions. Principal updated emissions reduction goals to a 65% reduction in scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions by 2034. 
 Reducing waste. Principal has set the ongoing goal of meeting or exceeding Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines for waste and recycling and has diverted 69% of waste through a combination of recycling, donating, and composting. 
 Increasing renewable energy use. Nearly 50% of global energy consumption came from renewable sources worldwide, and 58% of total U.S. energy consumption in 2022 came from renewable sources. In addition, Principal reduced its overall U.S. energy consumption from 2021 to 2022 by 1.4%

Principal and profits

Driving meaningful change includes actions big and small for Principal core business and other efforts. The Sustainability Report demonstrates how to track those outcomes and data points, bring attention to partners, and continue to make progress—even if progress isn’t linear.

Assessing the globe. In 2022, Principal, in collaboration with the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released results from its launch of the Global Financial Inclusion Index. A measurement of 42 global markets with personal and business perspectives, the index helps create an understanding of the actions necessary to help improve financial security for all. 
 Maintaining an ethical culture. Acting ethically and with integrity are central to the Principal core values. For the 12th time, Principal was recognized for its ethical leadership and business practices as a 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies® honoree by Ethisphere.1 
 Monitoring suppliers. In 2022, Principal updated the Global Supplier Code of Conduct with more robust expectations and guidelines on a variety of factors, including environmental, social, and governance performance.

Read the full 2022 Principal Sustainability Report.

Global Financial Inclusion Index is a proprietary model output based upon certain assumptions that may change, are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon as a significant basis for an investment decision.

Integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no guarantee that the criteria used, or judgment exercised, will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor. There is no assurance that any strategy or integration of ESG factors will be successful or profitable.

Principal community relations supports the communities where affiliates of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392 operates. Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392.

2856224-042023

12023 designation is based on results as of August 2022.

AUSTIN, Minn., April 27, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global-branded food company well known for its corporate citizenship, was for the first time included on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s list of the 100 largest green power users from the Green Power Partnership (GPP). In addition, the company ranked No. 20 on EPA’s list of Green Power Partners that are part of the Fortune 500®.

Hormel Foods joined the EPA’s Green Power Partnership in 2022 and is using nearly 938 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, representing 100% of the overall operation’s total power needs. The company’s choice to use green power helps advance the voluntary market for green power, as well as the development of those sources.

“We’re honored to be recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for our company’s continued commitment to green power implementation,” said Mark Coffey, group vice president of supply chain at Hormel Foods. “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our inspired team members who are the foundation of our success.”

The company’s ambitious corporate responsibility 20 By 30 Challenge goals continue to inspire significant reductions in nonrenewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste sent to landfills. Additionally, the company has worked with experts in the field of renewable energy to identify and execute off-site wind and solar projects, as well as on-site solar power and energy reduction projects.

“We know that as a good corporate citizen in our communities in the United States and all over the world, it is important to work toward implementing green power solutions,” said Tom Raymond, director of environmental sustainability at Hormel Foods.

In addition to recognition from the EPA, Hormel Foods has been named by Newsweek as one of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies for a second straight year and one of America’s Most Responsible Companies for four consecutive years. It has been on 3BL’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens list 13 times; been recognized as one of the World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes; and was recently named one of Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies.

“This list of the largest users of green power across the nation is proof that good business practices can also benefit the environment,” said James Critchfield, program manager of EPA’s Green Power Partnership. “EPA applauds the leading organizations in the Green Power Partnership’s Top Partner Rankings for their notable commitment to expanding their use of green power and protecting the environment.”

According to the EPA, green power use of nearly 938 million kWh by Hormel Foods is equivalent to the annual electricity use of more than 88,000 average American homes.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ 
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, WHOLLY®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

About EPA’s Green Power Partnership 
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that helps increase green power use among U.S. organizations to advance the American market for green power and development of those sources as a way to reduce air pollution and other environmental impacts associated with electricity use. In 2021, the Partnership had more than 700 Partners voluntarily using more than 85 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies; small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit www.epa.gov/greenpower.

Contact: Media Relations 
507-434-6352 
media@hormel.com

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation