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☆ 16,000 plastic chemicals exist, many of them hazardous and unregulated, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

And with new plastic chemicals entering the market all the time, it’s been difficult for regulators and policy makers to determine the scope of the problem. Now, for the first time, researchers have pulled together scientific and regulatory data to develop a database of all known chemicals used in plastic production. It’s a staggering number: 16,000 plastic chemicals, with at least 4,200 of those considered to be “highly hazardous” to human health and the environment, according to the authors. Although grouping would capture about 1,000 of the most toxic chemicals in plastics, Wagner said, that still leaves about 2,600 chemicals that still need to be regulated. Missing hazard dataIn addition to the massive number of toxic chemicals, the report found that detailed hazard information is missing for more than 10,000 of the 16,000 chemicals.

Persons: it’s, It’s, “, ”, Martin Wagner, Wagner, Philip Landrigan, Landrigan, Matt Seaholm, ” Kimberly Wise White, ” Wagner, ” Landrigan, Tasha Stoiber, Stoiber, Jane Houlihan Organizations: CNN, Norwegian University of Science, Technology, Program, Global Public Health, Global, Planetary Health, Boston College, – Monaco, Plastics, Human, Plastics Industry Association, American Chemistry Council, International, United Nations Environment, Global Plastics, Environmental, Healthy Locations: Trondheim, United States

NAPERVILLE, Illinois, Nov 28 (Reuters) - It is rare that U.S. corn supplies build in a marketing year while soybean supplies slip, but that is exactly what is happening in 2023-24, keeping soybean prices relatively elevated versus corn. The U.S. Department of Agriculture pegs total U.S. corn supplies in 2023-24 to rise 10% on the year, while soybean inventory is seen shrinking 3%. U.S. corn versus soybean supply: Year-on-yearThe 2007-08 rise in corn and fall in soybean supplies was policy-driven, and the only other recent, directionally similar year was 2003-04, when the U.S. soybean crop fell victim to rare, widespread pest issues as well as dry weather. USDA’s long-term projections issued earlier this month suggest just that, pegging 2024 U.S. corn acres at 91 million and soybeans at 87 million versus 83.6 million in 2023. Interestingly, USDA in the couple of years leading up to 2007-08 had also overestimated U.S. soybean acres in March and undershot corn.

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department, Agriculture, USDA, Crop Watch, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Chicago, North Dakota

The trade’s idea of corn yield lines up with past similar years. Other than 2023, the last three times that soybean yields fell in August, September and October were 2008, 2003 and 1999. Crop Watch results generally support these predictions since the 11-field soybean yield ended up close to the season’s lowest score while corn yields bounced a bit at the end. It has been 15 years since the agency lowered Brazil’s soy crop between October and November. 2024Without severe crop losses in Brazil’s soy or corn this year, U.S. supplies, especially corn, could balloon in 2024-25.

Persons: USDA’s, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, South, Reuters, SOUTH AMERICA, Consultancy, USDA, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, USDA, Mato Grosso, Argentina

Several attendees in the virtual meeting noted that U.S. corn yield has landed below USDA’s trend yield for five consecutive years now, prompting questions as to whether the calculation will be revisited for future seasons. The market’s main grievance with the recent yield pattern is that negative price implications could arise if trend yield starts out too high, since it may cause U.S. corn supplies to be overstated early on. Trend yield is set forth by USDA’s World Board and is based off a publicly documented model written in 2012. They also suggested that consecutive bad weather years can skew the view of true trend yield. In the last five years including 2023, corn yield fell below trend in each year and by an average of 6.1 bpa (3.4%).

Persons: Daniel Acker, Karen Braun, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Department, USDA’s, Agency, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Tiskilwa , Illinois, U.S, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois

☆ 28 Best Gifts for Dog Lovers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jennifer Tzeses | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +15 min

Browse the ideas below, and take a look at our roundups of expert-approved products to keep your pet calm and the best gifts for cat lovers too. For the bakerThe Dash Dog Treat Maker—a small waffle iron with bone-shaped plates—lets your pal whip up homemade dog treats. Many similar custom pet portraits are available on Etsy, including a Mini Custom Watercolor Pet Portrait from Riverry Studio and a Custom Watercolor Pet Portrait from Pet Portrait Galaxy. “I will treasure them forever.” Haussmann also loves custom pet portraits and gifted one to his brother-in-law. For any dog ownerBaapet Dog Leash with Padded Handle $9+ at AmazonWe included the Baapet Dog Leash with Padded Handle as the best for everyday use in our list of the best leashes for every type of dog.

Persons: Jennifer Tzeses, —, Juliana DeWillems, ” DeWillems, Fido, DeWillems, ”, Robert Haussmann, he’s, Hernandez, AJ Hernandez, ’, Roxy, Maggie Marton, she’s, Marton, “, ” Haussmann, they’re, Cynthia Dockx, Haussmann, “ It’s, can’t, it’s, Buddy, Licking, Sophie Gamand, Hunter Finn, Dr, Finn, Mikkel Becker, Julie Burgess, Lucy, Pilar Scratch, Shih Tzu, Oddie, Ingrid Johnson, Johnson, Bob, It’s, Bellamy Richardson Organizations: Behavior Consulting, Washington , D.C, Dogboy, Riverry, BPA, Rover, Homes, Colo, Etsy, Apple Locations: Washington ,, Boston, Indiana, Morris Plains, N.J, Haussmann, McKinney , Texas, Seattle, Chihuahua, It’s, . New York, Petsafe

Analysts' corn yields span from 171.5 to 175 bpa, meaning all 18 analysts polled by Reuters expect a lower number than in August. Since 2004, corn yield landed outside the range of trade estimates only twice in September: 2018 and 2005. Those increases would account for less than 0.2% of each crop's total harvested area, seen at 86.4 million acres for corn and 82.8 million acres for soybeans. Final harvested corn acres have been lower than in August in eight of the last 10 years. Since the mid-1990s, the largest increase in harvested corn area from August to final was 1.1 million acres (1.3%) in 2007.

Persons: Daniel Acker, Karen Braun, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Reuters, USDA's Farm Service Agency, USDA, Thomson Locations: Tiskilwa , Illinois, U.S, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois

☆ German Chancellor Scholz sports eye patch after jogging accident
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor wears an eye patch following his jogging injury in this handout image released in Berlin by the Bundespresseamt in Berlin, Germany, September 4, 2023. BPA/Steffen Kugler/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 4 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joked that he was eagerly awaiting social media reaction after an official photograph released on Monday showed him wearing an eye patch following a weekend jogging accident. Thanks for the get-well wishes, looks worse than it is," the chancellor posted on his account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Scholz, whose face is also visibly scratched in the photo, will have to wear the eye patch for the next few days and weeks, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit told a regular news conference on Monday. The chancellor, who is set to take part in a Catholic Church event in Berlin later Monday, is doing well considering the circumstances, Hebestreit said.

Persons: Steffen Kugler, Handout, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Steffen Hebestreit, Hebestreit, Friederike Heine, Miranda Murray, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Twitter, Catholic, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany

Retail pasta prices rose about 12% this year in Europe and 8% in the United States, according to market research firm Nielsen. CANADA DRYWhen the Prairies turned dry this summer, Canadian farmer Darold Niwa saw hopes of a bumper durum harvest dashed. Durum, the hardest wheat, produces pasta with the prized "al dente" firm texture, unlike soft wheat. In the meantime, Vincenzo Martinelli, president of the durum section of Italian millers association Italmopa, nervously awaits the outcome of the Canadian harvest. "Without Canada, prices will only go up," he said.

Persons: De, Continental Noodles, Vincent Liberatore, Liberatore, Darold Niwa, Jerry Klassen, Philip Werle, There's, Severine, Maisons, Vincenzo Martinelli, Gus Trompiz, Rod Nickel, Emilio Parodi, Ceyda, Julie Ingwersen, Michael Hogan, Caroline Stauffer, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Foods, Nielsen, Grains, CANADA, Prairies, Statistics, Traders, Northstar, European Union, Thomson Locations: Fara San Martino, Italy, PARIS, WINNIPEG , Manitoba, Canada, Turkey, Toronto, Continental, Spain, India, Europe, United States, Oyen , Alberta, durum, Statistics Canada, France, Algeria, TURKEY, Turkish, American, Russia, North Africa, Milan, Ceyda Caglayan, Istanbul, Chicago, Hamburg

The Pro Farmer Crop Tour has been following the same routes in seven major U.S. corn and soybean producing states for more than three decades. Pro Farmer on Friday pegged U.S. corn yield at 172 bushels per acre, below USDA’s 175.1 bpa and the year-ago 173.3. The advisory firm placed soybean yield at 49.7 bpa, below USDA’s 50.9 but above the 2022 yield of 49.5. For the past four years, Pro Farmer’s corn yield has correctly informed on the direction of USDA’s corn yield from August to September, but it had the wrong lean in the two prior years (2017 and 2018). For example, Pro Farmer’s 2022 corn yield suggested USDA’s September 2022 forecast should come in below that of August, and it did.

Persons: Lucas Jackson, Farmer, Pro Farmer, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Carbon Solutions, REUTERS, Rights, Farmer, U.S . Department, Scouts, Iowa, USDA, Versus, Pro, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Defiance, Shelby County , Iowa, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, U.S

USDA’s August corn and soy yields were the season’s highest in three of the last 10 years, most recently in 2022 for both. Looking toward final yields, the August corn yield has a slight tendency to be too high. Final corn yield was lower than in August in six of the last 10 years and in 10 of the last 15 years. The last two times final corn yield was above the August figure were in 2021 and 2017. USDA’s July corn and soy yields were 177.5 and 52 bpa, respectively, and both would be new records.

Persons: maximums, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Agriculture, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, Midwest, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa

☆ Opinion: Hitting the gym or going to yoga? Your workout clothes could be doing more harm than you realize
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Opinion Alden Wicker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

BPA is an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it mimics or interferes with the body’s hormones. It governs weight management and your energy levels, not to mention your skin’s appearance and your ability to fend off illness. Others have tried to argue that some of the chemicals in clothing fell within the legal and regulatory limits. The signs that something is very, very wrong with our reproductive health and endocrine systems are myriad. After all, you might be undoing the benefits of hitting the gym every day when your workout clothes could be doing so much damage to your health.

Persons: Alden Wicker, Athleta, Alden Wicker Alden Wicker, There’s, bisphenol, Ashley Eskew, “, Thinx, ” Dr, Laura Vandenberg, Down, ”, Shanna, Dr, Graham Peaslee, PFAS, Swan, lipsticks, ‘, ” Eskew, Eskew Organizations: New York Times, Vox, Wired, CNN, Center for Environmental Health, Nike, IKEA, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC, US Environmental Protection Agency, Industry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, of Environmental Health Sciences, Notre, Twitter Locations: Putnam, California, Patagonia, ” North Carolina, Spain

Debates over U.S. corn and soybean yield potential have persisted all summer following one of the driest Junes on record. Soy yield’s range of 1.5 bpa is a six-year low, well below the 2.9-bpa average, raising the risk of surprise. The trade nailed corn yield last August, coming within 0.3% of USDA’s figure, analysts’ best performance since 2001. I posted a Twitter poll midday on Thursday asking which yield surprise could be most likely on Friday: corn high, corn low, soybeans high or soybeans low. After about two hours and 555 votes, corn yield surprising high was the clear leader with 40% of the vote.

Persons: Karl Plume, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Spiritwood , North Dakota, U.S, Karl Plume NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago

That includes 2021, 2006 and 2005, where severe drought gripped 18-21% of U.S. corn in late July. U.S. corn in drought July 25This same week in 2006 featured the largest moderate drought expanse in the Corn Belt after 2023 at 46% coverage, followed by 38% in 2005 and 36% in 2021. But it is interesting that corn yields landed close to trend in those five years. Some 4% of spring wheat is in severe drought, the first trace of severe drought since April. North Dakota’s spring wheat yield reached a record 50 bpa in 2022 despite fears that delayed planting would be limiting.

Persons: North, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Drought Monitor, Agriculture, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, North Dakota, North

Over the last decade, U.S. corn yield in August was lower than in July four times, including the past two years. The recent years with higher August corn yields versus July have featured some sizable moves. The government's corn and soybean yields will rely heavily on survey data next month and field observations will be added in September. Last month was the Midwest’s driest June since 1988, though USDA left U.S. soybean yield untouched from the 52-bpa trendline. August soybean yield has come in lower than in July only twice in the past 10 years (2013, 2021).

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, USDA

It is always risky when all analysts are leaning the same way, though recent weather and the already-lofty nature of the corn yield seem to validate this thinking. However, lower yields may not be printed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s report on Wednesday. All 25 analysts polled between Reuters and Bloomberg believe this month’s corn yield will come in below USDA’s trend-line of 181.5 bushels per acre. Eight of 25 analysts expect the 52 bpa to stand on Wednesday, though soy yield may be more likely than corn to come in lower this month. That leaves room for corn yield losses on the balance sheet but keeps bean supplies tight either way.

Persons: U.S . Midwest Karen Braun, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department of, Reuters, Bloomberg, U.S . Midwest, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Illinois, Indiana

☆ The Best Home and Kitchen Deals to Shop This Prime Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Madeline Diamond | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

It performed the best out of all the models we tried out when searching for the best air purifier—in our test, it cleared out 98.6% of smoke in just 30 minutes. It normally has a hefty price tag, but it’s marked down by 30% for Prime Day. For Prime Day, the vacuum is 40% off (that’s $400 in savings), which is the lowest price we’ve tracked this year. It’s nearly 30% off for Prime Day, so you might even want to stock up on a few. It normally goes for $130, but during Prime Day you can score one for $47 (that’s a 65% discount).

Persons: Madeline Diamond, it’s, Burr, fryer, —, Joseph Joseph, Sobel Westex, It’s, We’re, you’ve, now’s, Bissell, We’ve Organizations: Prime, Tree Company Locations: Eufy

☆ A growing number of sports bras, shirts and leggings brands found with high levels of toxic chemical, watchdog warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The newly tested brands and their products include leggings from Athleta, Champion, Kohl’s, Nike and Patagonia, sports bras from Sweaty Betty, athletic shirts from Fabletics and shorts from Adidas, Champion and Nike. The group had also tested athletic shirts in October from brands that included The North Face, Brooks, Mizuno, Athleta, New Balance, and Reebok and found similar results. Athleta, Nike, Reebok, The North Face and Victoria’s Secret (which owns PINK) did not provide a comment to CNN at the time. BPA (Bisphenol A) is found in a large number of everyday products, from water bottles and canned foods to toys and flooring. Sports bras and athletic shirts are worn for hours at a time, and you are meant to sweat in them, so it is concerning to be finding such high levels of BPA in our clothing,” Allan Sugerman said.

☆ Bank of England tells insurers to moderate their push into pensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - The Bank of England warned insurers on Thursday not over extend themselves in grabbing more business from pension schemes eager to offload risks. Charlotte Gerken, executive director for insurance supervision at the Bank, said that in the face of considerable temptation to capture business opportunities, insurers need to exercise caution. Bulk purchase annuities (BPA) are long-term policies from life insurers for company defined benefit, or final salary, pension schemes. UK life insurers could take on more than 500 billion pounds ($623.70 billion) of pension liabilities over the coming decade, she said. "Insurers therefore need to understand, as they take on these vast sums of assets and liabilities, how they may become greater sources or amplifiers of liquidity risk," Gerken said.

NAPERVILLE, Illinois, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. corn yield possibilities for this summer are still wide open, though industry participants might disagree over what represents a “normal” yield due to some recent trends. This question was discussed during USDA’s data users’ meeting on Tuesday, where the agency’s unofficial 2023 U.S. corn trend yield of 181.5 bushels per acre was challenged as potentially too high. Setting state yields at a straight five-year average produces 173.0 bpa, and an Olympic five-year average, dropping high and low, yields 174.5. However, most analysts probably support a national corn trend higher than these numbers, which are in the vicinity of what USDA was using for trend in 2018. U.S. corn yield: trend versus finalKaren Braun is a market analyst for Reuters.

☆ Risks of Tupperware and other plastic containers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Figuring out the answer to that question for any type of reusable plastic food storage products — not just Tupperware — often comes down to understanding what they’re made of. Risks of container wear and tearPutting stress on plastic food containers by washing them in the dishwasher or with rough scrub brushes “increase the ability of that plastic to leach whatever it was made out of,” Vandenburg said. The “microwave safe” label on some plastic containers doesn’t mean the product is totally safe from a health standpoint, she added. “Some of the plasticizers and chemicals can transfer from the plastic containers into the food during heating,” Rogers said. “If you can’t afford to replace everything all at once, replace them one at a time.”Glass food storage containers are a safer option.

Recent price trends imply better profitability for U.S. farmers to plant corn over soybeans this year, and both analysts and USDA agree corn acres will rise above the year-ago levels. USDA’s 91 million corn acres were nearly identical to the trade’s 90.9 million and above last year’s 88.6 million. I polled Twitter on Wednesday for the most likely surprise in this year’s intentions, offering choices of corn acres high or low or soybean acres high or low. Those long-term tables also had 2023 wheat plantings at 47.5 million acres, soybeans at 87 million and corn at 92 million. USDA’s trend corn yield is calculated with planting progress and summer weather assumptions.

Harvested corn acres were primarily lost in western states including Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota, where drought hit hard this summer. Corn yield came in 0.8 bushel above the average trade guess, which is analysts’ worst performance in the 2022 season. The best analog for 2022 corn production may be 2002, which also featured a western drought. WHEAT AND SOY MISSESDec. 1 U.S. soybean and wheat stocks were both the most bullish versus market predictions since at least 2005. Wheat stocks came in 5% below trade guesses and soybean stocks were 3.6% below.

The ever-important U.S. corn crop may be most primed for a market miss due to an alarmingly low range of guesses. YIELDSAnalysts’ range on U.S. corn yield is a seven-year low and for soybeans it is at least a 13-year low. U.S. farmers did not have a banner corn crop primarily because of drought in western areas. The 2021 corn yield last January was unchanged from November, but otherwise the trade is looking for the smallest January move in corn yield in 14 years. Argentina’s corn crop is seen falling more than 5% to 52 million tonnes from 55 million in December.

☆ 14 Best Gifts for Dog Lovers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

Browse the ideas below, and take a look at our roundups of expert-approved products to keep your pet calm and the best gifts for cat lovers too. For the bakerThe Dash Dog Treat Maker—a small waffle iron with bone-shaped plates—lets your pal whip up homemade dog treats. Dockx eased her golden retriever’s separation anxiety while she was at work with a Snuggle Puppy, a plush toy with a battery-powered heartbeat. To brush up on dog speak, DeWillems recommends “Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend,” which decodes canine body language through illustrations that highlight subtle nuances in their mannerisms. For the devoted dog dadDog Dad Hats Custom Dog Dad Hats $69 at Dog Dad HatsAny proud parent will dig a Dog Dad Hat, with a custom embroidered illustration of their pet’s portrait.

☆ The best Cyber Monday deals under $25 you can get right now
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Mili Godio | Mili Godio Is An Associate Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

SKIP AHEAD Best Cyber Monday deals under $25 | Best Cyber Monday sales under $25To help you make the most of this shopping holiday, we compiled some of the best Cyber Monday deals and sales under $25 that we think you’ll want to know about. Best Cyber Monday 2022 deals under $25Below, we’re sharing the best Cyber Monday deals under $25 based on our previous coverage and reporting. 4.5-star average rating from 75,259 reviews on AmazonLogitech says its wireless keyboard and mouse combo can work with any Windows computer. Best Cyber Monday 2022 sales under $25Here are the best Cyber Monday sales under $25 that we think you’ll want to know about. Remember that sales include multiple deals, and not every product listed in a sale is going to be the best deal around.

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