Farm Crisis’ Roots.
Farmers across Georgia are in crisis, and it’s not new. Thebeginning of the farm crisis here, as well as many other states,can be traced back to 1996, says a University of Georgia expert.”U.S. farmers had a false sense of prosperity in 1996when they were exporting products to other countries whose economieswere booming,” said Fred White, an agricultural economistwith the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.The Boom Didn’t Last”Farmers and policymakers expected that great boom tolast,” he said, “but it didn’t, because it relied onan overextended credit line.”After 1996, many Southeast Asian countries entered a severerecession.”They couldn’t purchase our products as they had before,and our farmers began to suffer the consequences,” he said.”The new Freedom to Farm Bill was introduced in 1996, too,and this ended supply controls and farm programs as we have knownthem. Our farmers entered the free market.”Whitesays many of today’s low commodity prices can be linked to weaktotal demand and oversupply of most major commodities.Farmers are getting some relief with federal programs, butWhite says farmers can’t bank on this support continuing forever.”The free market structure of the Freedom to Farm Act hasnot been replaced and until it is, farming will continue to befinancially unstable,” he said.Georgia Commodities in TroubleEach of Georgia’s commodities is experiencing troubled times,some more drastically than others.”The cotton industry is competing against imported cottonand textile products, and against man-made products,” saidWhite. “The acreage is stable, but profits are highly dependenton the amount of exports and government payments.”The peanut crop is also struggling to compete against imports.”It looks like Mexico will eventually be able to bring peanutsinto the U.S. and not have to pay any tariffs,” said White.”If free trade is extended to Latin America, Argentina willalso be able to import their peanuts with no tariffs.”Tobacco acreage prices and values have fallen over the pastthree years. The loss of tobacco quotas continues to hurt farmprofits.”Overall, soybean production has been very high, but thisresults in low prices,” said White. “Our state has hadvery low yields because of the drought.”He said the same is true of the grain prices on crops suchas wheat and corn. Increased production and stocks of grain havedepressed prices,” said White.Meats Rely Highly on ExportsWhite said the three meat products, beef, pork and poultry,are all dependent on the export market. “In 1998, hog priceswere the lowest since the great depression,” he said.Georgia cattle farmers are reducing their herds and pricesare improving for this product. “Pork profits are still inthe negative due to low prices over the past few years,”said White.White said the dairy industry may soon see some positive changesas Congress is reforming the pricing system for milk. “It’slikely that Georgia farmers will benefit with higher prices andconsumers will see more stable milk supplies,” he said. “Dairyproduction in south Georgia is growing because they are sellingto the Florida market.”Marketing and Management Keys to FutureSuccessCash flow problems are a major concern for farmers during crisisyears, said White. “Farmers make production decisions atthe beginning of the year, not knowing what will happen at harvest,”he explained. “They are trying to stay current on their operatingloans, but their net worth may be decreasing and other loans maybe falling behind.”White says greater emphasis should be placed on marketing andfinancial management as the future success of Georgia farmersdepends on their ability to reduce risks. “Farmers are dealingwith more risks under the current government program than previously.In order to reduce risks, farmers may diversify, use futures markets,forward contracting, irrigation, etcetera,” said White. “Somefarmers are making the decision to farm part-time and work a non-farmjob part-time in order to reduce risks and continue to farm .”Despite the current farm crisis, White is optimistic aboutthe future of agriculture in Georgia. “Farmers who can remainefficient and properly manage their risks will make it,”he said. “I believe the long-term prospects for Georgia agricultureare very good.”
In late October 2012, I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, on vacation with my wife. Although I would have preferred an excursion to the northern region of the country to visit the distilleries of five different types of whiskey (with respective tastings, of course), I was forced to take a bus that would go around Loch Ness. Of course, the monster did not appear! To make matters worse, it rained hard and the driver was telling bad jokes during the bus ride. However, he began promoting the restaurant that we were going to for lunch. Among the attractions, he was describing the local Commando Memorial. The topic interested me and I obviously skipped the restaurant. I chose to visit the memorial and its small museum, instead. Although there are United Kingdom Commandos and Brazilian Commandos, I believe the spirit of the troops remains the same. I was highly excited, because I had never heard about this memorial. ”The Commando is neither God nor Superman But performs what nobody else can do Because he is a trained warrior And their motto is the will for victory” This is the Brazilian Commandos’ chant. These verses immediately came to my mind as we sang them to exhaustion during the long 91/1 Commandos Course of Actions, and later passed them along to the next generations to keep the tradition. The Commando troops were formed in the United Kingdom, during World War II, to fulfill “missions that were normally aggressive, performed by a qualified and diverse troops against significantly valuable targets, located in hostile areas or those under the control of enemies.” All Commandos must know this definition. Simple, but highly significant, the memorial overlooks the beautiful view of the Spean River valley. The location was not randomly chosen. The first Commandos were created near the Achnacarry Basic Training Center. The monument consists of a statue of three figures of Commando combatants and it stands on a pedestal with the inscription “United We Conquer” as well as the names of the Battles of Honor. It was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in February 27, 1952. Every year, on a Sunday in November, the heroes are remembered during a ceremony. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II approved the banner with the names of the 38 “Battles of Honor” in recognition of the exceptional services rendered by the Commandos during World War II. Their actions took place in Norway, France, Holland, Germany, Syria, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Greece, the Adriatic Ocean, Burma, Crete, and Madagascar. During a tour through Scotland, it is worth a visit. *Fernando Montenegro is Colonel of the Brazilian Army, from Special Forces, Commando and Skydiver, specialist in Counter Terrorism and twice Light Infantry Battalion Task Force commander This article was originally published on the Revista Operacional website By Dialogo March 14, 2013
ShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr by: Anthony DemangoneA big part of a successful conference is networking. Content is wonderful. But networking can unlock opportunities and solve problems.Want an example?During a meeting here in Key West, someone spoke about how wonderful “great” customer service is when you see it.This led another person at the table to mention “Give’m the pickle.” She said it was a video that trained people on how to give great customer service.It wasn’t a big room, so a few tables heard the comment about “Give’m the pickle.” Three or four CEOs – people I respect a great deal – said that they were trained using the video or use it at their credit union. continue reading »
continue reading » Last week we published the article Top Features Credit Unions Look for in Core Providers, where we discussed what credit union executives found to be the most important features they are looking at when evaluating new core technology. As a follow up to that post, the same respondents in the survey by Callahan & Associates chose the top 3 reasons they selected a particular core vendor. While on the surface it would seem the two lists would be identical… that the features they want most would be the reason for selecting a core. But as you know, in life there are numerous other factors that go into our decision-making process, and when choosing the most important software to operate a credit union, executives factor in other reasons beyond just features when selecting their partner in a core conversion.1. Seamless Core Integration. The only identified choice both lists had in common between top features credit unions look for in cores and the resulting reasons for selecting a core was the ease of integration of multiple systems and products. However, it goes beyond the mere ability to integrate with third parties but includes integrating within the ecosystem of the credit union and to mesh well with those using the credit union software. Is the integrated technology easy to use? Will the training required to come on board with the new software be a hindrance to implementation? the adoption of the software and all its features, including those integrated with third-party applications, is crucial to selecting a core provider. 8SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
The recognizability of Croatian wines in Europe is getting stronger and better every day, and the right opportunity for additional promotion and branding of our wines has been recognized in the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and actively in the last year through the brand Vina Croatia participate in various fairs to take advantage of the fact a tourist hit back a couple of years.”I am sure that this presentation of Croatian wines is a good way to create the image of Croatia as a wine country. Our wines are recognized by top wine experts right here in the ‘City of Wine’, so this is a clear confirmation that Croatia must continue to brand products such as top Croatian wines and further implementation of the strategy of the brand Vina Croatia – vina mosaica. Our winemakers have shown once again that they are ready for the most demanding markets through the potential of their premium wines where wines of indigenous and international varieties are valued. ” said Igor Barbarić, Secretary of the Wine Association of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, at the presentation of Croatian wines gathered under the brand Vina Croatia – mosaic wines as part of the Croatian Weekend in Bordeaux, adding that further work is needed to create an image of Croatia as a country of such top products.The program in the City of Wine (La Cite du Vin), a theme park and museum dedicated to wines in Bordeaux, began on Friday with a welcome dinner and a welcome speech by the Croatian Ambassador to France, Filip Vučak, and ended on Sunday with a guided wine tasting (Masterclass) Barbara Bačić. During the weekend, our wines could be tasted, Darko Preiner, assistant professor at the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb, presented Croatian winemaking and viticulture, and Mladen Boban from the Faculty of Medicine in Split gave a presentation on Wine and Health. Numerous other promotions of our winemaking and wine were held, along with indigenous food and music.The Wine Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce has accepted a partnership with the City of Wine and will present itself in the first three years with more than three thousand bottles of the most important Croatian wines. From this year, numerous wines can be found in the City of Wine, representing Croatia through the following wineries: ATC Coronica, Krauthaker, Badel 1862, Kozlović, PZ Janjina, Vinarija Radovan, Dingač Skaramuča, PZ Vrbnik, Vina Carić, Osilovac – Feravino, Terra madre, PP Orahovica, PZ Maslina i Vino, Veralda, Stina vino, Vina Matošević, Vina Kalazić, Vinarija Iuris, Zlatan Otok, Vinarija Raak, Benvenuti and Kuća vina Ivan Katunar – Katunar estate winery.”The affirmation of the Croatian wine scene and Croatian winemakers is being done in destinations like this. France is a leader on the wine scene and participating alongside the biggest names and portrays us in the right light. Organized and thoughtful promotion of Croatian winemakers is necessary and I think that even bigger activities are yet to come”, Said Vlado Krauthaker, owner of Krauthaker Viticulture and Cellaring, adding that Croatia is a tourist hit and that it is time for our winemakers to become an export brand. “Given that Croatia is still poorly recognized as a wine country, it is necessary to use every opportunity to promote it. The richness of indigenous varieties and the great diversity of climatic conditions gives us an advantage over many, much larger wine-growing countries, however, on the other hand, it represents a great challenge for the promotion of its winemakers and wines, ” said Preiner, noting that the presentation of Croatia as a wine country in the center of the wine world, Bordeaux, will certainly give positive results.By the way, in 2016, Croatia exported only 9,500 liters of wine worth 56 thousand euros to this demanding and traditional wine market, mostly bottled wines with an average export price of 5,12 euros and sparkling wines only 365 liters, but at an average price from 25 euros. In the same period, we imported wines worth 4,6 million euros and 700 liters from France, mostly sparkling wines and bottled wines. “Certainly we as a country need to be present in a place like this, where some of the best and most famous wines are in the whole world and where all the countries that have serious wine production, consumption and culture are. The significance for Croatia is huge, from the promotion and recognition of Croatian wines and viticulture, to concrete business agreements for Croatian wineries. The potentials in Croatian winemaking are huge and by working together for better and stronger recognition, we will certainly be more competitive in the future and export more and more to world markets.”, Concluded Barbarić <br /><br />
EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE INVENTED WAS INVENTED, ”said Charles H. Duell, director of the U.S. Patent Office back in 1899. Company: MailPlus ArdriaMailPlus doo is a fast growing provider of email marketing services. With a young team, we work hard to develop our email marketing platform and email marketing services. An open and informal work environment in which we work with a lot of enthusiasm for our partners and users who are professionals, just like us. In the support and development department of MailPlus, we offer daily support to our clients and partners with questions related to email marketing. In our organization, the support department plays an important role.As an email expert, you are on the first line of support, as well as the first point of contact with clients and partners in sales and educational activities. You are a valuable source of information because you create an image of how customers and partners experience MailPlus products and services.Ilija Brajković, Kontra Agency Company:IRTA , ISTRIA INSPIRITMorena Milevoj is a long-term coordinator of marketing and PR of one of the world’s best tourist stories in tourism – Istra Inspirit.Istra Inspirit is a multi-award winning experience tourism project that enriches the cultural and tourist offer of the peninsula by reviving historical events in authentic locations, through staged Istrian legends and myths. Istra Inspirit, as an example of good practice in creative and innovative forms of tourism, emphasizes the valorization of unused existing resources of cultural and historical heritage in the destination and finding innovative ways to involve various stakeholders in tourism to create tourist packages and new tourism products.Dragana Lucija Ratkovic Aydemir, MUSEUMS Company: MUZE Light, torch, lamp – this is a symbol of Dragana Lucija, the founder and director of Muse, which does not need to be further explained. But bringing light or directing it towards those darker and lesser-known parts of life and heritage is not always easy, knowledge, skill, enthusiasm and courage are required in this work. Dragana Lucija managed to unite all these qualities and insist on them when she started Muses in 2005.She did not reach them by chance or easily: after graduating from the legendary Zagreb “culture” (Educational Center for Culture and Art), she enrolled in the study of comparative literature and art history at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb. He was employed at the then Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture in Zagreb, and then in Poreč, where until 2004 he worked on the protection of cultural heritage. In 1997, she was awarded a UNESCO scholarship for professional development in the field of conservation and restoration of cultural property in Poland.In 2003, after the successful installation of a permanent exhibition of sacral heritage in the Rovinj Franciscan Monastery, the City of Rovinj hired her for the project “House of Batana / Casa della batana”, which she successfully led until 2013. This project was a turning point in her work and served as a case study on professional development organized by the Marcel Hicter Foundation from Brussels. In this European education program, in 2005 he obtained the European Diploma in Culture and Cultural Tourism Management and founded the first specialized boutique company for project and cultural project management in Croatia.In 2009, she was elected President of the Association of Mediterranean Maritime Museums (AMMM) based in Barcelona (four-year term), and since 2010 UNDP Croatia has hired her as an expert advisor for eco-museums in the Coast project. Since 2012, he has been managing the project of interpretation and presentation of nature for 30 investments in the network of national parks, nature parks and protected areas of the Republic of Croatia in the field of interpretation and presentation of heritage.She is a member of various professional associations such as Interpret Europe, AMMM, ICOM, ORACLE and EMH.Vice Christmas, GoAds Digital Agency Company: GoAdsGoAds is an independent digital agency founded in 2014, with its headquarters in the Technology Park in Vinkovci.Thanks to the narrow field of specialization and the top results we achieve, and the “data-driven” approach to everything we do, in a short time we are recognized as one of the leading Google AdWords agencies in the Adriatics region.Since its inception, we have run over 200 Google AdWords campaigns for leaders domestic and foreign clients, educated numerous participants in our open and in-house seminars, organized the first regional Google AdWords and Google Analytics Meetup, and shared knowledge at professional conferences and lectures.As a certified Google partners agency, we provide our clients with the following services: planning, implementation and optimization Google Ads i YouTube campaign, analysis of website and campaign performance through Google Analytics, Google AdWords, and Google Analytics seminars and consulting. We also cooperate with domestic and foreign marketing agencies, PR agencies and web studios that hire us as needed to lead campaigns, education or consulting.Dr.sc. Marinela Dropulić Ružić, RECC Blog: Tomislav Perko A travel lecture by a Croatian traveler, travel writer, blogger, lecturer Tomislav Petko, which will give us answers as to why people travel and what the motives of travel are.”Until 2008, I was a broker. Suit, tie, and those jokes.Then came the financial crisis, with which went my career, money, and the easy life I was used to. And then I decided on an unusual move – I set out to travel. Out of any logic, with no family support, almost no money in his pocket. And I started writing about it. A couple of years later, I’m embarking on a thousand-day trip around the world.After a trip around the world, I return home, publish the book “1000 Days of Spring” and officially become a writer. I was also in New Zealand, Bali, and I recently published my second book – “1000 Days of Summer”. I searched for the meaning of life on some of my travels – I visited over 40 countries, traveled over 50.000 kilometers, all with a budget of about 50 kuna a day. I still haven’t found the meaning, but I’m enjoying the search. ” Tomislav PerkoMartina Rumin, Mail Plus Adria
Company: Quanarius dooThe first man of family tourism in Croatia, long-time president of the Family Accommodation Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, bearer of the family tradition in tourism as a member of the third generation, ambassador of Croatian tourism and much more – all this is Nedeljko Pinezic. Family accommodation is much more than renting accommodation, and find out all the challenges, potentials and future first hand from the first pillar of defending family accommodation. Tomislav Perko Company: KontraIlija Brajković has been active on the Internet scene for years, and for the last eight years he has been actively dedicated to digital marketing. A geek at heart, but life took him into something he enjoys even more. Today, he is a partner in the digital agency Kontra, where he manages relationships with clients and fans. He worked as a community manager for the most famous Croatian startup ShoutEm where he managed a community composed of users from all over the world. After that, he worked with large clients such as Microsoft Croatia, the Zagreb Tourist Board, Suzuki and Renault. He is a regular lecturer at many conferences and seminars in the country and abroad, always among the best rated lecturers. Company: RECCTen years of experience in science in the field of tourism and management and development of human resources puts in the function of the development of the individual, organization, profession and society.Analytical, objectivity, methodological rigor and systematized and argumentative collection of facts are the elements on which the research and analysis are based, which represent a quality diagnostic tool for organizations. She has worked on 11 foreign and domestic scientific and professional projects in tourism, published 15 scientific papers, and as the author of 3 books and author of the manual “What if young people want to work in tourism?”.She is a columnist for the Hrturizam.hr portal, and before her scientific career she gained work experience in hotel companies and catering in Croatia and the USA, as well as in an employment agency. Its mission is to put scientifically proven knowledge and facts in the function of personal and professional development of both the individual and the collective.Nedo Pinezic, Quanarius How he was just wrong.The development of new technologies and new trends are faster and faster than ever before in history, and accordingly have a direct impact on business. Especially in tourism, which has always been and will always be the first to accept them and which is most affected by all new changes. Lifelong learning is no longer a matter of an individual’s desire, but a business’s need to be competitive and survive in the tourism market.With this goal in mind, we present a series of trainings, which brought together people with practical knowledge, extensive experience, and ultimately that focuses on content, not form.Side dish: OFFER HRTURIZAM.HR EDUCATION Speakers:Morena Milevoj, IRTA
The JSD music program sustained some smaller cuts when the Board of Education made its first and second round of program and staff cuts. Other district programs sustained similar cuts as well.If the revised budget fails to pass with a super majority of 60 percent on June 19, we will be forced to adopt a contingency budget that will include additional cuts in staffing and programs throughout the district.I would encourage any district voters with budget questions or concerns to contact Superintendent Patricia Kilburn at pkilburn@johnstownschools.org or by calling 518-762-4611. I also welcome questions at my email address: kdougherty@johnstownschools.org.Kathy DoughertyJohnstownThe writer is president of the Board of Education for the Greater Johnstown School District.More from The Daily Gazette:EDITORIAL: Urgent: Today is the last day to complete the censusEDITORIAL: Find a way to get family members into nursing homesEDITORIAL: Beware of voter intimidationGov. Andrew Cuomo’s press conference for Sunday, Oct. 18EDITORIAL: Thruway tax unfair to working motorists Please allow me to correct several inaccuracies included in a June 10 letter from Johnstown resident Eunice Kilmer regarding the 2018-19 Johnstown School District [JSD] budget.The “bigwigs” are not getting a raise. The superintendent and assistant superintendent have accepted two-year salary freezes starting with the 2018-19 school year.The Gloversville and Johnstown Citizens Bands’ operations and budgets are completely independent of the JSD budget. Both groups are funded through several other sources and both are planning a full series of summer concerts in their respective communities this year. Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Both candidates for the Jakarta deputy governorship are convinced they can fulfill the demands of the vacant post and ease Governor Anies Baswedan’s official burdens. A confirmation hearing for the 2020-2022 deputy governorship is slated for March 23.The candidates have submitted administrative documents to Anies, marking their first personal meetings with the governor. They acknowledged having lobbied political parties with members on the City Council’s voting committee for support. Gerindra Party executive Riza Patria, one of the two candidates for deputy governor, together with the party’s Jakarta executive board members, visited Anies on Monday, enclosing in his files an approved resignation letter from the House of Representatives.“I will work with the governor to run policies optimally. I will be closely in touch with the city councillors to accommodate their aspirations and put them forward to Anies,” Riza told reporters.Gerindra said the Golkar Party had openly backed Riza. Golkar Jakarta deputy chairman Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita had extended the support on behalf of Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartarto, Riza said.Riza said he had been on “political trips” to various Council factions including the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to gain support, although the faction said it had not made a choice. The PDI-P dominates the 106-strong Council with 25 seats, followed by Gerindra with 19 and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) with 15.PKS executive – and the other deputy governor hopeful – Nurmansyah Lubis submitted his paperwork on Monday. He said Anies told him to make maximum effort in the campaign but to play fairly.He said he had gained the support of City Council Deputy Speaker Abdurrahman Suhaimi, a former PKS Jakarta Sharia Council head who was previously designated for the deputy governor post by the party but whose application was not processed for uncertain reasons.During a recent interview with The Jakarta Post, Nurmansyah said he was not too worried about being thought to stand alone in the Council or about his opponent’s claims of more robust support.“Since the voting will be close, party members will not feel obliged to choose the same person [that the party has officially chosen]. So, I’d rather take a personal approach. I have about 40 friends at the Council who are ready to send some support,” he said, declining to identify them.Despite his view of Anies as a visionary leader, Nurmansyah thinks the Governor has been overwhelmed by Jakarta’s many problems since the deputy seat was left empty by Sandiaga Uno, who decided to become the running mate of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in 2019.“Anies has a holistic point of view as a character of his leadership. He needs a companion who thinks in detail to complete his tasks in the city effectively,” he said. “When elected, I will form a harmonious relationship with him.”Neither candidate wanted to be a “spare tire” for the governor for the remainder of his administration. They wanted to revamp the programs of their focus.In addition to dealing with rampant flooding, both said they were determined to create more integrity in human resources and build systems that guaranteed transparency to encourage city officials to be more responsible.After administrative verification, the two candidates will advance to a fit and proper test where they will present their visions and missions to all Council members. After a break, the councillors will then vote.Eneng Malianasari, a member of the voting committee from the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), said the new deputy governor would be expected to help direct policies, at least those listed in the mid-term regional development plan (RPJMD).“As the Governor always says: ‘collaboration’. Hopefully, he and his new deputy can share their tasks and not beat each other up. They must work together to address the problems for the people’s sake,” she said.Indonesia Political Review executive director Ujang Komarudin said the new deputy governor would be in an important position as the Governor had been distraught dealing with the mounting problems in the capital city.“Besides, the new deputy governor must also play a role in communicating with the public because, so far, Anies has seemed rather evasive when asked certain questions. A deputy should make his burden lighter,” Ujang said.Topics :
Chile registered a new high for coronavirus cases on Monday, with nearly 5,000 infections in 24 hours, including two ministers in President Sebastian Pinera’s government.Health authorities announced 4,895 new infections in the South American country and 43 deaths.Public Works Minister Alfredo Moreno and Energy Minister Juan Carlos Jobet said they were among those with the disease. Topics : “I have been informed that the COVID-19 test I had a few days ago was positive,” Moreno said on Twitter, adding that he had no symptoms so far.The 63-year-old minister had placed himself in quarantine after one of his staff tested positive. Jobet also tested positive after starting to quarantine preventatively on Saturday, “when he experienced mild symptoms, which could be associated with the disease,” a statement from the Energy Ministry said.The 44-year-old minister “has had no direct contact with President Sebastian Pinera or other cabinet members in recent days,” the statement said, without specifying how he became infected.
Three other ministers, who had self-quarantined after being in contact with infected people, all tested negative and resumed work.Chile suffered a surge in infections last week, prompting the government to order the lockdown of Santiago.The capital is the main focus of the pandemic in Chile, with 90 percent of the country’s 74,000 cases.Last week, the Senate was closed after three senators tested positive for the coronavirus. Sessions were held by video conference.
SHARE Email Facebook Twitter Community Leaders Join Gov. Wolf to Call for End to COVID-Related Discrimination April 07, 2020
Hate Crime, Press Release, Public Health Governor Tom Wolf’s advisory commissions are calling for the public to remain vigilant against hate after the Pennsylvania State Police reported it remains committed to preventing and investigating hate/bias crimes in Pennsylvania. The FBI is warning of an uptick of incidents targeting members of the Asian American community due to misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.“I am advocating for all Pennsylvanians to take a stand against anti-Asian racism and report any discrimination they see,” said Gov. Wolf. “Hate is just one more symptom of this terrible disease. If we want to win our war against COVID-19, then we all need to work together.”Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs Chairperson Wasi Mohamed released the following statement:“All Pennsylvanians are facing the COVID-19 pandemic together, but not all are being blamed for it. As the number of coronavirus cases rise, so do the instances of harassment and discrimination targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in PA.“It is not just physical violence and verbal abuse, but the boycotting of AAPI-owned businesses, the denial of public accommodation, and the denial of access to relief efforts. Much of the abuse is being weathered by the over 2 million AAPI healthcare workers on the frontlines of responding to this pandemic.“Not only must we stop the overt forms of discrimination against the AAPI community, but we must not forget them in our response to this crisis. To push back against this racism and xenophobia we must speak out against xenophobic statements and misinformation, ensure AAPI communities have access to health and financial assistance information, and patronize the AAPI businesses that are being crippled by this crisis. In these times, it is critical for us to stand together, support our AAPI neighbors and communities, and move together as a Commonwealth to meet the needs of all Pennsylvanians.”Legislators and leaders of other communities voiced their support for the Asian community and called for an end to all discrimination.“We want to remind Pennsylvanians that it is unacceptable to tolerate racial slurs, xenophobic attacks and harassment, especially during this global pandemic. It’s wrong to shift blame or accuse Asian-Americans for this crisis,” said State Representative and Asian American community member Patty Kim. “Pathogens do not discriminate. I stand ready to help and protect anyone who is being discriminated against during the COVID-19 crisis. Moving forward, do not hesitate to contact my office for direct assistance and to report these instances of abuse and harassment. We stand united together in our fight against hate.”“Crimes against anyone based on their race, creed, gender, country of origin or sexual orientation are absolutely unacceptable,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Jr. “There is no place for discrimination in Pennsylvania at any time. But as we are in the midst of a public health crisis, we need now more than ever to work together and support each other as best we can.”“I am saddened to hear of the hateful rhetoric directed at our Asian communities,” said State Representative and Pennsylvania Commission for Women Commissioner Carolyn Comitta. “This is a crucial time for us to unite and work together to protect our friends, families, and neighbors. The only way we can overcome this unprecedented outbreak is by bringing all Pennsylvanians together. We cannot allow hateful acts and words to distract us from combatting this crisis.”“Senseless acts of hatred, violence, and microaggressions against Asians and Asian Americans is not the America that I know we can be,” said Pennsylvania Commission for Women Commissioner and Asian American community member Itha Cao. “Asians are not the ‘other.’ We have been a part of American fabric for generations and will continue to be. Stand up, speak up, and do what is right, not what is easy.”“Now is a time when Pennsylvanians are coming together to support each other through a challenging time for all of us – and it’s also a time when we should be unequivocal in messaging that hate has no home here,” said Commissioner Adrian Shanker, Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs and Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.“As we experience and survive this difficult time, we encourage all Pennsylvanias to join efforts in the battle of the pandemic by embracing all citizens indistinctively of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, etc.,” said Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs Chairperson Teresa Donate. “This is not the time, and never has been, to discriminate against those who are perceived to be at fault for the current crisis, especially Asian Americans. There is no place for hate in this Commonwealth.”“Calling COVID-19 the ‘China virus’ creates confusion and is an affront to Chinese Americans and Chinese people across the globe,” said Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs Commissioner Blane F. Stoddart. “The virus is mobile and borderless. We should be taking a global leadership role in this pandemic, and working with Europe, Russia, Asia, and Cuba to come up with a solution to this pandemic.”“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not yet come, and we only have today,” said Pennsylvania Commission for Women Vice Chair Jazelle Jones. “Let us begin to love our neighbors. We are our brother’s keeper, so make peace not war. We are in this together.”“During this global pandemic, physical and verbal attacks against Asians should not be tolerated,” said Pennsylvania Commission for Women Commissioner Sara Manzano-Diaz. “Remember, hatred is also a contagious virus. Stop the spread!”Pennsylvanians are encouraged to report incidents of discrimination or harassment by visiting the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission’s website or emailing the commission at PHRC@pa.gov. Incidents can also be reported to the Pennsylvania State Police by calling the local troop.View this information in Spanish here.