Business news in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The peso is really a very good indicator of the risk-on, risk-off mood that markets have been displaying lately.”

Guillermo Ortiz, chairman of Grupo Financiero Banorte Article, 1D

2 breeders extend gene-study pact

Arkansas-based Cobb-Vantress Inc. and Hendrix Genetics B.V., based in the Netherlands, two of the world’s largest animal-breeding companies, said Monday that they had extended a joint development agreement three years.

The companies first entered an agreement in 2008 to share expertise in the field of genomics - the study of genes and their functions.

The extended agreement will focus on developing new tools into animal genomics to improve breeding programs and help increase world food production, the companies said in a joint release.

The agreement allows the companies to explore joint venture opportunities while strengthening Cobb’s leading position in broiler breeding and Hendrix Genetics’ role in layer hen, turkey, pig and aquaculture genetics.

“This is like two renowned chefs sharing recipes, swapping thoughts and ideas on how to create a perfect dish,” Gerard Albers, head of research and technology at Hendrix Genetics, said in the release.

  • John Magsam

Utility begins power-line hearings

Plains & Eastern Clean Line, an affiliate of Clean Line Energy Partners of Houston, will hold eight public meetings in Arkansas over the next few weeks to answer questions about its plans to build 750 miles of high-voltage transmission lines from western Oklahoma to western Tennessee.

The first meetings will be held today 7-9 a.m. at the University of Arkansas Crawford County Extension Service in Van Buren and 5-7 p.m. at the Johnson County Fairgrounds building in Clarksville.

Other meetings will be Wednesday 7-9 a.m. at Arkansas Tech University Student Services, room 242, in Russellville and 5-7 p.m. at Greenbrier High School in Greenbrier; Thursday 7-9 a.m. at Harding University’s International Arkansas room in Searcy, and 5-7 p.m. at Arkansas State University-Newport in the Student Community Center; Friday 7-9 a.m.

at Arkansas State University-Marked Tree’s Student Center;

and 5-7 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Civic Center in Osceola.

The tentative route of the transmission lines runs near each of the eight communities.

Clean Line has received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to strike deals with utilities to purchase up to 75 percent of the 7,000 megawatts of electricity that will be distributed through the line.

The Arkansas Public Service Commission declined last year to grant the company public utility status to run its lines through Arkansas because at the time it had no plans to serve Arkansas customers.

  • David Smith

Farm-labor workshop set for LR

Managing farm laborers will be the topic of a one-day conference in Little Rock on Friday.

The conference is designed to help farmers who use agricultural laborers and will cover topics such as hiring practices for local and migrant workers, using guest workers, housing assistance and legal issues.

“We are offering training to help those in agriculture understand the ins and outs of markets, policies and regulations,” said Ron Rainey, co-director of the Southern Region Risk Management Education Center. Rainey is a professor of economics for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The conference, which will run 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., will be held at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service headquarters, 2301 S. University Ave. It is being cosponsored by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation.

There is no cost to attend. More information is available from Brenda Duggins at (501) 671-2259. Those interested can register online at survey.uaex.edu/AgEconomics/farmlaborconference.htm.

  • Glen Chase

SWEPCO settlement funds disbursed

The Arkansas Community Foundation on Monday distributed $2 million in grants to organizations in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

The $2 million was funded by a legal settlement between Southwestern Electric Power Co. and environmental groups the Sierra Club and the National Audubon Society over SWEPCO’s John W. Turk coal-fired plant in Hempstead County.

The settlement directed SWEPCO to give $2 million for renewable-energy and energy-efficiency projects within SWEPCO’s service area.

Arkansas organizations receiving grant money include the Applied Sustainability Center at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville; the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation; the Arkansas Public Policy Panel; and the Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association.

  • David Smith

Warehouse help threatens 2nd strike

Workers at warehouses in California that stock merchandise destined for Wal-Mart stores on Monday threatened a second strike if purported retaliation continues.

In a news release, the workers said they intend to stage a rally and picket line Thursday in Mira Loma. The release said that since an earlier strike, working conditions have improved, but some workers who participated were subject to retaliation, including dismissals, demotions and sharp reductions in hours.

The workers do not work for Wal-Mart and are not represented by a labor union. They are employed at warehouses operated by NFI Industries in Mira Loma and by a temporary labor agency, Warestaff.

Workers first went on strike at the warehouse in mid-October.

  • Steve Painter

UA to hold HR exam-preparation class

A condensed preparation class for the professional in human resources or senior professional in human resources certification exams will be held Dec. 1 at the University of Arkansas Global Campus in Fayetteville.

The class will be 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the campus, 2 E. Center St., or it can be viewed online. The class provides a review of the 12-session 2012 Society for Human Resource Management Learning System Course.

The preparation class costs $129, with online registration available at globalcampus.uark.edu/register.

Patti Barnes, a senior professional in human resources, will teach the session. Barnes is an industry expert who has taught sessions for the Global Campus since 2007. The Global Campus offers the full, 12-session exam-preparation course twice a year.

  • John Magsam

Business, Pages 22 on 11/13/2012

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