White House commits $20M to supply chain program | Krasdale debuts "monumental" community solar project | USDA commits $320M to shore up US food production
The Biden administration is sending $400,000 to every state and Puerto Rico through the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program overseen by the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology. The funds will be used to support the development of the national Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network databases, new services that improve established supply chain networks, end-to-end supply chain mapping and connects original equipment manufacturers with small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Grocery wholesaler Krasdale Foods partnered with PowerFlex for a solar energy system on top of a New York distribution center that will generate 3.4 million kilowatt hours of solar energy per year. As part of the effort -- which Krasdale President and COO Gus Lebiak refers to as a "monumental community solar project" -- area homeowners, renters and business owners will be able to buy the clean energy.
The USDA has unveiled a $320 million loan and grant program aimed at helping the country's farmers improve the food supply, control prices and create good jobs. The program will fund projects like a new 20-acre hydroponic greenhouse in New Hampshire being built by North Country Growers with a $19.9 million loan.
Forty-three percent of retailers are expecting to order less for the 2023 holiday season, and many expect consumers to be on the hunt for discounts, according to the CNBC Supply Chain Survey. Labor costs and labor shortages are among the challenges respondents are grappling with, according to the survey.
Women make up just over half of licensed drivers in the US, but they are significantly underrepresented in the transportation industry -- and that needs to change, writes James Eberhard, founder and CEO of Fluid Track. "It's important for mobility companies to understand the needs of women and strive to remove the barriers they face by incorporating female voices in all areas of the industry, including vehicle design, the construction of safe driving or riding environments, and the workforce in general," Eberhard writes.
When customers sign up for a company's email list, they're ready to be wooed. However, in too many cases, companies fumble the opportunity, which highlights the need to create welcome pages that minimize friction, writes Armando Roggio.
Business-to-business marketers developing their organic social media strategy should focus on content, community and conversation, social media strategist Dorien Morin-van Dam says on the Marketing Smarts podcast. "Success is building a community, having conversations and ultimately, that will result in superfans, brand ambassadors, more sales, more people that want to work for you, retention of customers, and all of those other things that you want," Morin-van Dam says.
Washington is the latest state to pass a law governing production quotas that mandates inclusion of adequate bathroom and break time, locations to take a meal break and enough time to meet quotas. The law takes effect in July 2024 and is similar to provisions in California and New York.
Build a hiring process that is a foundation for growth with these five tips, writes Ryan Naylor, CEO of VIVAH, who stresses the need to create appealing job postings and proactively reach out to candidates. Also, do your due diligence on candidates, and make sure the interview process is pleasant, Naylor recommends.
