Saint Paul, MN – February 2, 2012 – The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) invites high school and college students in Minnesota a nd North Dakota to be a part of their “Lighting the Way” Centennial Celebration by entering the Ethics: Uploaded video contest. Students (and student groups) will be asked to consider how the decisions they make each day impact their lives, as well as their futures, and then submit short videos which demonstrate the value of ethics.
One of the goals of the BBB’s Centennial, which marks 100 years of promoting ethical business practices and nurturing a marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other, is to increase awareness and start a dialogue about the importance of marketplace ethics today.
“Events like the Ethics: Uploaded video contest and our upcoming Ethics Summit on April 17 are geared towards today’s students and young consumers,” said BBB President and CEO Dana Badgerow. “We want to highlight the importance of making ethical decisions. We also want to hear their voices, their visions. After all, these are our future business and community leaders.”
Interested students are asked to explain, in original videos 30 seconds to 3 minutes long, what ethics means to them and their peers. Video style and narrat ive is open, and creativity is encouraged. Contestants may produce their videos on any device they wish, including cell phones or Flip cameras. Entries will be judged by a panel of independent judges and scholarship prizes will be awarded for the best videos.
Submissions will be accepted beginning Thursday, March 1 with an upload deadline of 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 20. All videos must be uploaded to the BBB’s YouTube channel for consideration (bbbis100.org/ethicsuploaded). Each contestant must provide contact information on the submission website. A brief (50 words or less) introductory paragraph may be submitted but is not required.
Video categories/Winning Prizes:
High School (grades 9-12) individual / $1,250 scholarship
High School (grades 9-12) group/club / $1000 Best Buy gift card
College individual (undergraduate or graduate levels) / $1,250 Best Buy gift card
College group/club (undergraduate or graduate levels) / $1,000 Best Buy gift card
Contest rules:
This contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12 and to college students at any level. Entries will be placed into one of two categories: individual and group or club. A group or club entry must be from an official sanctioned club or organization.
The independent panel will evaluate videos for clarity of message, impact, production value and relevance to the theme of ethics. Videos become property of the Better Business Bureau and can be used by the BBB and its partners at its discretion. Visit bbbis100.org/ethicsuploaded to see full contest rules.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tammy Sykes hired as Program Coordinator for RSVP of the Red River Valley
CROOKSTON, Minn. – Tammy Sykes recently began as the program coordinator for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Along with Director Jan Aamoth, Sykes helps to manage the RSVP program in Polk, Red Lake, Kittson, Pennington, Norman, Marshall and Roseau Counties. Sykes began working as program coordinator on January 25, 2012. RSVP is housed in the Sargeant Student Center at the University of Minnesota, Crookston.
Aamoth is pleased to have Sykes working with her as part of RSVP of the Red River Valley. “Tammy will be an excellent addition to RSVP,” says Aamoth. “She has worked for several years with the Lutheran Social Service Respite and Caregiver Support Program, and she is very knowledgeable about senior services. She has a real concern for making the communities in our region better for seniors.”
The RSVP program strives to address critical community needs through innovative volunteer opportunities for persons ages 55 and over that enrich the lives of the volunteers and the communities they live in. RSVP has several new signature programs in many communities including Bone Builders Exercise classes, the Handyman and Groceries to Go Programs and Readers Theater.
If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about RSVP please contact the RSVP office at 218-281-8288.
Aamoth is pleased to have Sykes working with her as part of RSVP of the Red River Valley. “Tammy will be an excellent addition to RSVP,” says Aamoth. “She has worked for several years with the Lutheran Social Service Respite and Caregiver Support Program, and she is very knowledgeable about senior services. She has a real concern for making the communities in our region better for seniors.”
The RSVP program strives to address critical community needs through innovative volunteer opportunities for persons ages 55 and over that enrich the lives of the volunteers and the communities they live in. RSVP has several new signature programs in many communities including Bone Builders Exercise classes, the Handyman and Groceries to Go Programs and Readers Theater.
If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about RSVP please contact the RSVP office at 218-281-8288.
Conrad Calls for Nominees for Citizen Service Awards
Washington – Senator Kent Conrad is encouraging North Dakotans to nominate local heroes for the prestigious Citizen Service Before Self Honors. The national award is presented annually by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.
"In North Dakota, we have a strong tradition of helping neighbors in need. Whether through a single act of extraordinary heroism or through a prolonged series of selfless acts, North Dakota's communities are full of unsung heroes," Senator Conrad said.
The Citizen Service Before Self Honors is awarded to three Americans each year, and is unique in that it is given by those who have received our nation's highest and most prestigious military award for valor, the Medal of Honor.
Selected by a panel including Medal of Honor recipients, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation aims to recognize those who represent the values of courage, sacrifice and selfless service. Those eligible epitomize the concept of "service before self" and have performed "above and beyond" their normal duties or responsibilities, professionally or personally.
Senator Conrad is encouraging North Dakotans to nominate an eligible honoree by completing an online form at www.CitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors.org. The nomination deadline is Friday, February 10, 2012.
The awards will be presented on March 23, 2012 near the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
"Now is our chance to recognize and honor those ordinary North Dakotans who have done extraordinary things. I encourage North Dakotans to nominate a hero in the community who has gone above and beyond to help others," Senator Conrad said.
"In North Dakota, we have a strong tradition of helping neighbors in need. Whether through a single act of extraordinary heroism or through a prolonged series of selfless acts, North Dakota's communities are full of unsung heroes," Senator Conrad said.
The Citizen Service Before Self Honors is awarded to three Americans each year, and is unique in that it is given by those who have received our nation's highest and most prestigious military award for valor, the Medal of Honor.
Selected by a panel including Medal of Honor recipients, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation aims to recognize those who represent the values of courage, sacrifice and selfless service. Those eligible epitomize the concept of "service before self" and have performed "above and beyond" their normal duties or responsibilities, professionally or personally.
Senator Conrad is encouraging North Dakotans to nominate an eligible honoree by completing an online form at www.CitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors.org. The nomination deadline is Friday, February 10, 2012.
The awards will be presented on March 23, 2012 near the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
"Now is our chance to recognize and honor those ordinary North Dakotans who have done extraordinary things. I encourage North Dakotans to nominate a hero in the community who has gone above and beyond to help others," Senator Conrad said.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
NDSU Partner in $1 Million Energy Beet Development Project
A project that will develop an advanced biofuel from energy beets and provide growers across North Dakota with a new industrial crop is taking another important step forward, fueled by a significant two-year North Dakota Renewable Energy Council grant.
"This project truly is a public-private partnership with the Green Vision Group (GVG) of Fargo and Heartland Renewable Energy of Muscatine Iowa, plus research by North Dakota State University, to develop the energy beet biofuels industry in North Dakota," says Cole Gustafson, NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics chair.
The NDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and the Carrington Research Extension Center will continue to provide research for the project.
The $1 million phase II project includes $500,000 in funds from the North Dakota Renewable Energy Council, with approval from the North Dakota Industrial Commission, plus cash-match funds from industry partners Betaseed and Syngenta, and other in-kind contributions.
The project seeks to establish a U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency multiperil crop insurance program for energy beets; engineer and evaluate new front-end energy beet processing methods; expand regional energy beet research trials; scale up whole-energy beet and juice storage technology to enable year-round processing; and inform producers, community developers and the biofuel industry of the emerging opportunity.
"We envision developing at least 12 sustainable ethanol facilities across North Dakota," says Maynard Helgaas, president of GVG. "Each plant will use energy beets grown within a 20-mile radius and support job creation in rural communities. This grant will help us make significant progress toward that vision and help develop North Dakota's energy beet biofuel industry."
GVG is in the process of selecting the location for its first processing facility, which is expected to produce 20 million gallons of ethanol per year once complete.
The first phase of the energy beet project focused on research, including yield trials, storage research and commercially testing the use of a coproduct to provide processing heat. Current yield trials are in Dazey/Hannaford, Turtle Lake, Langdon, Minot, Williston, Carrington and Oakes. In 2012, trial plots will be expand to include Jamestown, Harvey, Litchville and Colgate. The yield trials will continue to be sponsored by Betaseed and Syngenta.
The plot trial research results in phase 1 exceeded expectations, according to Blaine Schatz, Carrington REC director.
"So far, our research shows that energy beets can be grown successfully outside of the Red River Valley in a variety of soil types and conditions," Schatz says. "The beets actually help growers improve soil health and give them greater farm income."
"Ethanol produced from energy beets can be sold at a premium," Gustafson says. "We expect that energy beet ethanol will produce 50 to 60 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than petroleum-based fuels, which will designate it as an advanced biofuel. We are working to finalize the life-cycle analysis of energy beets through a formal Environmental Protection Agency application. Securing EPA approval of energy beets as an advanced biofuel will mean a significant premium for producers and processors in the sugar-based ethanol market."
The life-cycle analysis research is funded in part by a separate grant from the North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission and community
donations.
"North Dakota farmers, processors and rural communities should see positive financial returns by growing and processing energy beets for biofuel," Gustafson says.
----
NDSU Agriculture Communication -- Feb 1, 2012
:Source: Cole Gustafson, (701) 231-7096, cole.gustafson@ndsu.edu
:Source: Blaine Schatz, (701) 652-2951, blaine.schatz@ndsu.edu
:Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.edu
"This project truly is a public-private partnership with the Green Vision Group (GVG) of Fargo and Heartland Renewable Energy of Muscatine Iowa, plus research by North Dakota State University, to develop the energy beet biofuels industry in North Dakota," says Cole Gustafson, NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics chair.
The NDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and the Carrington Research Extension Center will continue to provide research for the project.
The $1 million phase II project includes $500,000 in funds from the North Dakota Renewable Energy Council, with approval from the North Dakota Industrial Commission, plus cash-match funds from industry partners Betaseed and Syngenta, and other in-kind contributions.
The project seeks to establish a U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency multiperil crop insurance program for energy beets; engineer and evaluate new front-end energy beet processing methods; expand regional energy beet research trials; scale up whole-energy beet and juice storage technology to enable year-round processing; and inform producers, community developers and the biofuel industry of the emerging opportunity.
"We envision developing at least 12 sustainable ethanol facilities across North Dakota," says Maynard Helgaas, president of GVG. "Each plant will use energy beets grown within a 20-mile radius and support job creation in rural communities. This grant will help us make significant progress toward that vision and help develop North Dakota's energy beet biofuel industry."
GVG is in the process of selecting the location for its first processing facility, which is expected to produce 20 million gallons of ethanol per year once complete.
The first phase of the energy beet project focused on research, including yield trials, storage research and commercially testing the use of a coproduct to provide processing heat. Current yield trials are in Dazey/Hannaford, Turtle Lake, Langdon, Minot, Williston, Carrington and Oakes. In 2012, trial plots will be expand to include Jamestown, Harvey, Litchville and Colgate. The yield trials will continue to be sponsored by Betaseed and Syngenta.
The plot trial research results in phase 1 exceeded expectations, according to Blaine Schatz, Carrington REC director.
"So far, our research shows that energy beets can be grown successfully outside of the Red River Valley in a variety of soil types and conditions," Schatz says. "The beets actually help growers improve soil health and give them greater farm income."
"Ethanol produced from energy beets can be sold at a premium," Gustafson says. "We expect that energy beet ethanol will produce 50 to 60 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than petroleum-based fuels, which will designate it as an advanced biofuel. We are working to finalize the life-cycle analysis of energy beets through a formal Environmental Protection Agency application. Securing EPA approval of energy beets as an advanced biofuel will mean a significant premium for producers and processors in the sugar-based ethanol market."
The life-cycle analysis research is funded in part by a separate grant from the North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission and community
donations.
"North Dakota farmers, processors and rural communities should see positive financial returns by growing and processing energy beets for biofuel," Gustafson says.
----
NDSU Agriculture Communication -- Feb 1, 2012
:Source: Cole Gustafson, (701) 231-7096, cole.gustafson@ndsu.edu
:Source: Blaine Schatz, (701) 652-2951, blaine.schatz@ndsu.edu
:Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.edu
NMF Purchases Wells Fargo Building in Bemidji for New Headquarters
Northwest Minnesota Foundation Board Chair Gary Purath announced that the foundation has purchased the Wells Fargo building in Bemidji. “We are about to rehabilitate a historic downtown Bemidji building on the corner of Third and Beltrami Avenues and adapt it to meet the needs of our organization,” Purath said. Originally built as the Lumberman Bank, it is located in the heart of the city, two blocks from the lakefront and the Paul and Babe statues.
The Board of Directors agreed that change is necessary since the current office has been outgrown. Constructed in 1999, the space could be expanded, however, a redesign and remodel that matches the existing building is very costly and would not adapt well to current and future needs.
NMF President Nancy Vyskocil said they began looking for a space to build or existing structure to purchase more than two years ago. “After a long search and deliberative process involving the board and staff, we determined that the Wells Fargo building is our best option,” she said. “It has the space needed for o ur current office staff, for storage, for future expansion, and there is a spacious area with easy access in which to incorporate comfortable, efficient meeting and training rooms.
“Several regional architecture firms experienced with renovation projects were sent requests for proposals to do a feasibility study. The firm of Mutchler Bartram from Fargo, ND was selected. Based upon their findings, the decision was made to proceed,” Vyskocil said.
“Not only will we have the kind of office required to conduct business, we are adding vitality to downtown,” she said. “We are repurposing a historic, vacant structure. We are adding value for nonprofits and other partners in the area who are in need of a versatile, convenient meeting place. And most importantly, the new location will make NMF more visible and accessible to the entire region.”
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is a charitable foundation committed to
improving the quali ty of the places in twelve counties of northwest Minnesota by
investing resources, creating opportunities and promoting philanthropy.
The Board of Directors agreed that change is necessary since the current office has been outgrown. Constructed in 1999, the space could be expanded, however, a redesign and remodel that matches the existing building is very costly and would not adapt well to current and future needs.
NMF President Nancy Vyskocil said they began looking for a space to build or existing structure to purchase more than two years ago. “After a long search and deliberative process involving the board and staff, we determined that the Wells Fargo building is our best option,” she said. “It has the space needed for o ur current office staff, for storage, for future expansion, and there is a spacious area with easy access in which to incorporate comfortable, efficient meeting and training rooms.
“Several regional architecture firms experienced with renovation projects were sent requests for proposals to do a feasibility study. The firm of Mutchler Bartram from Fargo, ND was selected. Based upon their findings, the decision was made to proceed,” Vyskocil said.
“Not only will we have the kind of office required to conduct business, we are adding vitality to downtown,” she said. “We are repurposing a historic, vacant structure. We are adding value for nonprofits and other partners in the area who are in need of a versatile, convenient meeting place. And most importantly, the new location will make NMF more visible and accessible to the entire region.”
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is a charitable foundation committed to
improving the quali ty of the places in twelve counties of northwest Minnesota by
investing resources, creating opportunities and promoting philanthropy.
USDA Announces CRP General Sign-up
SAINT PAUL, MINN., February 1, 2012 — The Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Linda Hennen, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup. This CRP signup will begin on March 12, 2012 and end on April 6, 2012. CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.
CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP. Producers also are encouraged to look into CRP’s other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, signup basis.
Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is ranked in comparison to all other offers and selections made from that ranking. FSA uses the following EBI factors to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered:
• Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage;
• Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching;
• On-farm benefits from reduced erosion;
• Benefits that will likely endure beyond the contract period;
• Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion; and
• Cost.
For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA service center or go online at www.fsa.usda.gov.
CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP. Producers also are encouraged to look into CRP’s other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, signup basis.
Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is ranked in comparison to all other offers and selections made from that ranking. FSA uses the following EBI factors to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered:
• Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage;
• Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching;
• On-farm benefits from reduced erosion;
• Benefits that will likely endure beyond the contract period;
• Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion; and
• Cost.
For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA service center or go online at www.fsa.usda.gov.
Monday, January 30, 2012
BBB Warns To Look Out for Super Bowl Scams
Saint Paul, MN – January 30, 2012 – With the Super Bowl just around the corner, the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is warning consumers to be on the alert for knock-off team jerseys, counterfeit memorabilia and phony game tickets.
“There are many good reasons not to buy counterfeit goods, but it boils down largely to issues of theft and quality,” says Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB. “Counterfeit items are essentially stolen goods. And counterfeit items are almost always more cheaply made, which means they won’t last as long as officially licensed merchandise.”
Consumers trying to buy Super Bowl memorabilia online may have an even bigger problem. Some BBBs have received reports of websites that don’t even have merchandise to sell you; they just want your credit card number and personal information in order to defraud you or steal your identity. The best way to ensure you are getting official sports gear is to buy directly from the team or league websites, or from official vendors at the stadium.
Tickets for the big game can be an even bigger rip-off. Though a number of Super Bowl tickets are currently posted for sale on craigslist, the site offers no guarantees and does not require identification of its sellers. Buying in person isn’t always an improvement, as it’s gotten easier for scammers to make fake tickets that look real.
So where can you turn? Stub Hub (www.stubhub.com) guarantees the authenticity of tickets, and Ticketmaster (www.ticketexchangebyticketmaster.com) handles ticket exchanges for the NFL.
In general, people can avoid scams by being skeptical of:
· Offers that sound “too good to be true”
· Pushy sales tactics
· Low-quality merchandise
· Any offers that require wire transfer of funds
And always check out a business first at www.bbb.org/search.
For more consumer tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/news. To sign up to receive our Scam Alerts, visit BBB Scam Source at www.bbb.org/scam.
“There are many good reasons not to buy counterfeit goods, but it boils down largely to issues of theft and quality,” says Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB. “Counterfeit items are essentially stolen goods. And counterfeit items are almost always more cheaply made, which means they won’t last as long as officially licensed merchandise.”
Consumers trying to buy Super Bowl memorabilia online may have an even bigger problem. Some BBBs have received reports of websites that don’t even have merchandise to sell you; they just want your credit card number and personal information in order to defraud you or steal your identity. The best way to ensure you are getting official sports gear is to buy directly from the team or league websites, or from official vendors at the stadium.
Tickets for the big game can be an even bigger rip-off. Though a number of Super Bowl tickets are currently posted for sale on craigslist, the site offers no guarantees and does not require identification of its sellers. Buying in person isn’t always an improvement, as it’s gotten easier for scammers to make fake tickets that look real.
So where can you turn? Stub Hub (www.stubhub.com) guarantees the authenticity of tickets, and Ticketmaster (www.ticketexchangebyticketmaster.com) handles ticket exchanges for the NFL.
In general, people can avoid scams by being skeptical of:
· Offers that sound “too good to be true”
· Pushy sales tactics
· Low-quality merchandise
· Any offers that require wire transfer of funds
And always check out a business first at www.bbb.org/search.
For more consumer tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/news. To sign up to receive our Scam Alerts, visit BBB Scam Source at www.bbb.org/scam.
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