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VIVE Crop Protection, A&L Biological unveil R&D Collaboration


A&L Biological Inc. a subsidiary of A&L Canada Laboratories East of London, Ontario, and Vive Crop Protection Inc. of Mississauga (Toronto), Ontario have announced a new partnership to bring biological solutions to North American crop markets.

This collaboration is designed to harness the marketing and technical strengths of each partner to expand the application of existing products and advance the development of future products.

The partnership also will expand and accelerate Vive Crop Protection’s biological portfolio and facilitate A&L Biologicals’ objective of securing market penetration of its microbial library.

A&L brings its proprietary microbial library to the partnership, along with continued research and development capacity, while Vive Crop Protection brings its Allosperse® Delivery Technology and an established sales and marketing team to ensure higher velocity of bringing biological products to market.

“The collaboration with A&L Biological is an exciting milestone as Vive expands its biological portfolio. We continuously strive to deliver more value to growers,” says Darren Anderson, CEO for Vive Crop Protection.

“Biological crop protection products provide a new and important option in the agricultural toolbox, particularly when combined with traditional synthetic chemistry” says Anderson. “Together, Vive and A&L are committed to research and development efforts that accelerate discoveries in breakthrough biologicals for adoption across more acres.”

“This partnership provides the structure needed to fully develop new biological products and technology. The strengths of each company create a formidable team with a platform for success,” says Greg Patterson, CEO for A&L Canada Laboratories.

Successfully achieving this key milestone, the two companies are now entering into the next phase of their partnership and will explore multiple biological actives for development into plant health and or bio control products.

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Texas Crop Science (TCS) , GDM partner to develop top Soybean Varieties


Texas Crop Science (TCS), a developer of cutting-edge and sustainable crop yield traits, and GDM, a leading company in plant genetics with U.S. headquarters in Champaign, Illinois, today announced a strategic collaboration to develop higher-yielding soybean varieties for farmers.

By incorporating TCS high-yielding technology into GDM’s world-leading soybean genetics using gene-editing and advanced plant breeding techniques, the collaboration aims to develop new soybean varieties that deliver higher yield under a wide range of growing conditions, varying from ideal to stress-impacted.

Soybeans are one of the main sources of plant protein for both human and animal nutrition. In addition to the ongoing need for higher yields, soybean growers also face increasing challenges associated with the impacts of climate change.

Forty percent of worldwide soybean production is made using GDM genetics, stemming from innovative technologies that combine data science, biotechnology, and agricultural management for the continual genetic improvement of soybean crops.

High-yielding technology from TCS has been under development for more than a decade and proven to increase soybean yields by up to 34 percent through more than 70 intensive field trials carried out over seven years and nine growing seasons at locations in North and South America.

A recent scientific publication in www.nature.com/scientificreports describes yield improvements in soybean lines with TCS yield technology, as well as stress tolerance characteristics that contribute to achieving climate resilience in crops. The publication can be found at: https://texascropscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/soy-field-trial.pdf

“Soybeans provide the foundation of the world’s protein supply, and the twin challenges of global demand for protein and climate instability create stress on the soybean production system,” said Simon Hiebert, CEO of TCS.

“Bringing together TCS’s ground-breaking yield trait technology and GDM’s world-leading position in plant genetic innovation and development results in a powerful combination to create a stream of soybean products that will benefit farmers with increased and climate-stable yields, while also benefitting consumers through increased global food security and reduced environmental impact,” he said.

“We are excited about our partnership with TCS. GDM’s focus on bringing the best high-yielding varieties to the market and thus sustainably contributing to productivity fits with a collaboration with TCS, which strives to address global issues such as food security and a clean environment. We are looking forward to the results of this collaboration,” concludes André Beló, New Breeding Technologies Global Manager.

 

Corteva Agriscience, bunge partner to develop amino acid-enhanced soybeans

Unlocking the water and food challenge in Northern Kenya amidst drought

Unlocking the water and food challenge in Northern Kenya amidst drought


The rains have failed for five seasons in many of Northern Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas. The Adadijole Women’s Group in Wajir County came together to farm, sell their produce, and earn a living for their families, but the unprecedented drought suppressed their plans.

The group had subdivided their 2.8-acre land into 18 20-by-30-meter plots, enabling each member to till a section of land that is partly clay and partly loamy for cultivation. However, they needed water and favorable planting conditions.

In 2021, the Feed the Future Kenya Livestock Market Systems Activity (LMS), funded by USAID, worked closely with the county government and a local group known as the Bute Ward Planning Committee to revive the hopes of the farmers through investment. Given the hot temperatures in Wajir County, which can reach as high as 36 degrees Celsius, the group required an adaptable environment to grow their crops.

LMS supported the group to invest in twin greenhouses. This way, the group controlled the plants’ exposure of temperature and humidity throughout the year.

MS also desilted a nearby water pan, removing the accumulated soil particles and increasing its volume. LMS then connected the water pan to a 10,000-liter water tank using pipes and a solar-powered pumping system. LMS further lined the water pan to eliminate the chances of water seepage. As a result, the group could draw water from two water pans – the desilted one and another one owned by the community. Lastly, using water from the tank, LMS established a modern drip irrigation system covering the entire farm, including the greenhouse and open fields.

The results were outstanding. The division of the open field farm into plots enabled the group to plant diverse crops, such as tomatoes, onions, carrots, indigenous vegetables, and watermelons. Because they could plant these crops during different seasons, they improved disease management through crop rotation.

Access to two water pans provided the group with options for drawing water throughout the year.

With a solar-powered system, the operating and maintenance costs became minimal, giving the group a financial advantage and allowing them to divert revenue to expand the system. In December 2022, the group made its first harvest worth $300 since the installation of the greenhouse.

They sold the product to retailers in the nearby Bute and Adadijole towns. The group plans to install fences to deter wild animals from destroying their crops and to increase water storage capacity.

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Corteva Agriscience, bunge partner to develop amino acid-enhanced soybeans


Corteva Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), and Bunge (NYSE: BG) announced today significant advancements in the development of more nutritious soybean meal for the animal feed industry, specifically suited for poultry, swine and aqua feed.

The companies have a multi-year collaboration to develop and commercialize soybean varieties that can create a potential new value stream opportunity for soybean farmers while giving feed compounders a new option to reduce their use of synthetic additives, lower costs, and shrink their carbon footprint.

Through this collaboration, Corteva is leveraging its expertise in germplasm, gene editing, and traits discovery to develop soybean varieties with greater protein content, optimized amino acid profiles, and lower levels of anti-nutritional factors.

Early field trial research has confirmed Corteva’s approach to boosting protein levels and significantly increasing the proportion of the key amino acids methionine and lysine in the soybean while maintaining high field and oil yields.

“The future of food production hinges on developing new tools and technology to help farmers sustainably meet their production goals,” said Dr. Tom Greene, VP, Biotechnology, Corteva Agriscience.

“Our collaboration with Bunge aligns with our commitment to sustainable innovation while supporting improved animal performance and greater value opportunities for livestock and row crop farmers. Our next step is to bring the higher-protein, enhanced-amino acid profile into a commercial soybean variety that offers the best value for soybean farmers.”

Bunge will be the exclusive processor of the oilseed as well as exclusive merchandiser of the high-value meal and oil, leveraging its deep farmer relationships and existing facilities to source the oilseed and deliver incremental value to farmers, feed compounders and animal protein producers.

Globally, sales of synthetic methionine and lysine for feed applications exceed $10 billion annually, and the market is expected to grow with underlying animal protein demand.

“As a global leader in oilseed processing, we are uniquely positioned to leverage upstream and downstream partnerships with leading and innovative industry players to unlock value for our farmers and customers. We are very pleased by the early results of this collaboration with Corteva,” said Kaleb Belzer, VP of Protein Ingredients at Bunge.

“Naturally over-expressing methionine and lysine will make soybean meal an even better ingredient for our feed customers, enabling them to significantly reduce or even eliminate the use of expensive synthetic additives and to cut the carbon emissions associated with those supply chains, which is multiples larger than that of soybean meal.”

The companies expect to commercialize these soybean varieties by late this decade.

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Corteva Agriscience unveils plant breeding technology to combat corn disease


Corteva Agriscience (NYSE: CTVA) today announced a game-changing gene editing technology that will bring added protection to elite corn hybrids is advancing through the company’s R&D pipeline.

The early-stage concept uses proprietary technology to package multiple disease-resistant native traits into a single location in the gene to better address the most devastating North American corn diseases facing farmers today.

In 2021, Northern leaf blight, Southern rust, gray leaf spot and anthracnose stalk rot combined to cost North America corn growers more than 318 million bushels in production. By using gene editing to combine and reposition disease resistant traits that already exist within the corn genome, Corteva is able to bolster disease tolerance and minimize production stress.

Additionally, the technology could result in healthier plants and increase yield potential even further.

“This transformational technology represents the next generation of plant breeding innovation,” said Sam Eathington, Chief Technology and Chief Digital Officer, Corteva Agriscience. “Our best-in-class gene mapping capabilities have allowed us to identify and optimally position the best native resistant genes in our already high-performing hybrids, so that we can deliver a premium product to farmers.”

As plant disease continues to be a growing concern for farmers, the multi-disease resistance concept is intended to simplify disease management and improve sustainability by reducing the need for additional crop protection product applications. This advancement will also meet Corteva’s sustainable innovation criteria for new products, which are based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Additionally, it provides farmers with more freedom to select performance characteristics more in line with their yield goals than having to worry about disease resistance.

Corteva has a long-standing commitment to meeting the rapidly evolving needs of farmers around the world. This breakthrough is another proof point in Corteva’s efforts to provide farmers with more sustainable ways to protect their crop while continuing to safeguard the land, water and air resources that make food production possible.

While this groundbreaking plant breeding approach is initially being applied to the diseases that most concern North American farmers, it has the potential to be scaled to other crops, incorporate other diseases or be otherwise tailored to specific geographies.

The company anticipates this concept to advance to commercialization by the end of the decade.

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Yokohama: Alliance Agri Star II, two New Sizes

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Yokohama Off-Highway Tires announces the launch of yet two more sizes of its much sought-after radial tractor tire Alliance Agri Star II.

With immediate effect, sizes 800/70R38 and 210/95R18 are now available, bringing the total number of SKUs in this tire range to 89.

“It is with enormous pride that we see customers’ appreciation across different markets such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy or the Netherlands.

We receive highly positive feedback via our field engineers and distribution partners in particular to prolonged traction, low wear, and the resulting excellent quality price ratio”, highlights Angelo Noronha, President Europe at ‎Yokohama Off-Highway Tires.

Latest feedback from France: 8 months of Agri Star ll
Following about eight months of mastering everyday challenges with the Alliance Agri Star II, French contractor Olivier Gayet is more than satisfied. “We have done 1000 hours of work with them, a lot of transport, and we have been able to see that with these Agri Star II tires, we have never had any traction problems in terms of grip on the road and in the fields.

“ For him, it is particularly important and remarkable that “thanks to these Agri Star II tires, we have been able to optimise the working time.”

Practical experience in the last four years have given solid evidence that – whatever the circumstances are in terms of soils, tasks or tractors – the construction of this tire pays off: thanks to the unique Stratified Layer Technology (SLT) developed by Alliance, the footprint of this radial tractor tire evolves throughout its lifetime, thus ensuring prolonged traction.

“Comments of end-customers often refer to the good balance between grip and preservation of the soil, efficiency and quality, the level of performance and comfort that is reported to match that of more expensive brands”, says Angelo Noronha.

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Zoetis boosts livestock health and productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa


Zoetis is pleased to receive a $15.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop and integrate innovative solutions to advance veterinary care and diagnostic services that will ultimately improve livestock health and productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The grant will help Zoetis to expand its original African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (A.L.P.H.A.) initiative to include aquaculture in addition to cattle, poultry, and swine in an additional seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Part of the company’s Driven to Care long-term sustainability commitments, the new five-year African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement Plus (A.L.P.H.A. Plus) initiative aims to improve veterinary health and food security in some of the most rapidly developing regions in the world.

This new funding, part of the ‘Innovative Animal Health Models for Small-Scale Producers’ grant, will accelerate access to veterinary products, services and diagnostic tools to increase the productivity of smallholder farms, with a particular focus on supporting female farmers.

“We are grateful for the grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as we live our purpose to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals in Sub-Saharan Africa, expanding our work to drive greater impact.

The combination of Zoetis’ leadership in animal health and experience in forging broad collaborations in emerging markets will allow us to accelerate the advancement of animal health in the region,” said Kristin Peck, Chief Executive Officer of Zoetis.

“Access to medicines and technology will help farmers raise healthier animals, improve productivity and secure more sustainable revenue, which is critical to the economic development and well-being of the region and its population.”

A.L.P.H.A. Plus will focus on dairy and beef production, poultry and aquaculture in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and now extend to include Kenya, Ivory Coast and five additional markets from East, West and Central Sub-Saharan Africa.

Drawing on the success of the company’s first A.L.P.H.A. initiative, which began in 2017 in Uganda, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, and later expanded into Tanzania, the new grant will seek to further animal health and farmers’ livelihoods through enhanced training – with a target to train 100,000 stakeholders by 2025.

There will be a strong focus on gender diversity, including women-led, female-only training courses optimally designed to maximize attendance.

The grant will also enable Zoetis to further develop distribution and training models for ‘last mile’ networks, build disease diagnostic services through laboratory networks in cooperation with public and private local partners, as well as develop outcomes research and digital services.

Expanding and improving access to veterinary medicines, vaccines and services are essential for animal health, nutrition, and an inclusive, sustainable economy – and therefore a key pillar of the initiative.

Exploring opportunities to scale up fish production in the region

Through the initiative, Zoetis will explore opportunities to accelerate and increase fish production in Lake Victoria and Lake Volta, using expertise through our aquatic health business PHARMAQ to help understand the veterinary and productivity requirements of small-scale fish producers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

With tilapia being one of the fastest growing animal protein sources in emerging markets, facilitating its geographic expansion and scalability can have a significant, positive impact on sustainable nutrition and economic growth in the region.

As one of the most rapidly developing regions in the world, Sub-Saharan Africa is also home to some of the largest livestock populations in the world, and the highest density of impoverished livestock farmers.1 Livestock are an essential asset to rural communities, and consequently animal health is critical to achieving food security in areas of exceptionally high animal and human disease incidence.

Through A.L.P.H.A. Plus, co-funded by Zoetis and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Zoetis will collaborate with governmental authorities, local veterinary associations, national and international NGOs, farmer associations and the public and private sector to maximize its positive impact in the region.

Over the course of the five-year program, Zoetis will build on the progress and key learnings from the initial A.L.P.H.A. initiative, to deliver a long-term sustainable business model and animal health infrastructure for livestock farmers in the wider Sub-Saharan Africa region.

In October, Zoetis was named to Fortune’s 2022 Change the World list, a global ranking of the top 50 companies making a positive social impact through business practices, based on the company’s African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (A.L.P.H.A.) initiative.

In June, Zoetis shared its 2021 Sustainability Progress Update. The company has committed to sharing updates on its sustainability activities, including progress against its Driven to Care goals, and reporting annually.

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AfDB boosts agriculture in Madagascar

 

AfDB boosts agriculture in Madagascar

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In Madagascar, the South-West Region Agricultural Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project, funded by the African Development Bank Group, has provided a new boost to agriculture, resulting in enhanced farmers’ incomes, according to the project completion report published on 11 January 2023.

The project recorded significant achievements: increased production, rehabilitated lowlands, strengthened value chains, and others.

The African Development Fund, the concessional lending window of the African Development Bank Group, funded the project with $25.02 million. The Nigeria Trust Fund, one of the three entities of the Bank Group, contributed $9.49 million and the Global Environment Facility, a multi-donor fund administered by the bank, contributed $5.9 million.

The project, implemented between 2013 and 2021, saw rice yields in the Bas-Mangoky farming area increase from 3.1 to 5.3 tonnes per hectare. The Ranozaza and Bezaha farming areas now produce 3 tonnes of rice per hectare, compared to 2.4 tonnes previously. Lima bean yields have reached 1.2 tonnes per hectare, compared to 0.6 tonnes ten years ago.

This boost in yields helped raise the average income of farmers from $415.67 in 2014 to $478.04 in 2021.

“The Madagascar government’s collaboration with the African Development Bank has borne fruit and the operation has boosted agricultural productivity and raised farmers’ incomes in the South-West region of Madagascar. The South-West region is a rice granary for the country and will be the main supplier of the Tulear agro-industrial park, which is being built with financing from the Bank,” said Adam Amoumoun, the bank’s Country Manager in Madagascar.

The project entails building major canals in Bezaha and Ranozaza, with 37 km of roads and providing 14,190 hectares of irrigated land. A 40 km protective dike was rehabilitated in the Bas-Mangoky area to prevent floods.

It also provided protective grassing for several hectares of land against floods and erosion. The project also helped develop climate-resilient pre-basic seeds and assisted farmers in adopting resilient agricultural practices. It also fostered improved land management. At least 75% of the region’s farmers now have land titles.

The report notes: “The Manombo Ranozaza farming area has become accessible at all seasons, making it possible to haul produce to the local market or the city of Tulear without any major constraints,” concludes the document.

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Congo must protect agriculture sector from the impacts of climate change


Protecting its people and its vital agriculture sector from the impacts of climate change can help the Republic of Congo build a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive economy for the years to come, says the World Bank in its latest Economic Update report on the country.

The report, titled Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Opportunities, notes that Congo is already experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis: Average temperatures have increased, rainfall has become more erratic, floods are becoming more frequent and heat-related, and infectious diseases are on the rise. This drives up healthcare costs, lowers labor productivity, and damages arable land.

Congo’s economy returned to growth in 2022, following a multi-year economic contraction. However, achieving long-term growth requires adjusting to the realities of climate change and adopting key adaptation actions with a focus on reducing impacts on agriculture, a key source of income for the poor and women, as well as labor.

“It is crucial for Congo to integrate effective climate actions in the country’s development path. A focus on agriculture is critical to ensure the country’s food security and economic diversification,” said Korotoumou Ouattara, World Bank Resident Representative for the Republic of Congo. “The World Bank is committed to support the Government in protecting the Congolese people and economy from climate and other external shocks.”

The report notes that Congo is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change and recommends actions in the following four priority areas:

  • Agriculture: A key driver of adaptation in agriculture should be to strengthen food security. Farmers, especially smaller and more vulnerable ones, will need information about the impact on crop yields of changing patterns of temperature and precipitation as well as access to more resilient seed varieties.
  • The promotion of climate smart agriculture can increase productivity, enhance resilience, reduce emissions, and raise rural incomes, while reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and preserving biodiversity.
  • Labor productivity: A third of Congo’s workforce is employed in the agriculture sector. With climate change projected to cause substantial loss in agricultural output, this would result in a decline in rural incomes and increase in poverty. Actions to address the problem include changes in working hours, longer breaks, and use of heat protective equipment.
  • Health: Congo is vulnerable to diseases that are influenced by climatic factors. Most notably, malaria is a big concern for the country as it is the leading cause of child and adolescent mortality. Early warning system and investments in clean water and to control mosquitoes (e.g., bed nets, residual spraying, prompt treatment of diagnosed patients, and mosquito repellent sprays and coils) are needed.
  • Coastal areas: The country’s coastal areas are already at risk from rising sea levels and storm surges. Nature-based solutions, when well-designed and implemented, can generate large economic returns. Such solutions should be seen as part of structural transformation of the coastal zones in response to sea level rise.

The report proposes urgent actions to address in the short term. Exiting debt distress and maintaining long-term debt sustainability will require the government to continue enhancing domestic revenue mobilization, as well as debt management and transparency.

The government also needs to protect the most vulnerable from the surge in food prices, triggered by disruptions in global supply chains and exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, while putting in place measures to gradually reduce the country’s dependence on food imports.

An intensification of the war in Ukraine and related spillovers as well as unsteady oil production represent significant risks for Congo’s economic recovery and reforms to diversify the economy remain critical.

“Congo’s economy is yet to recover from the impacts of a series of multiple shocks that started in 2014. Urgent policy actions to stabilize the economy in the short term, combined with long-term investments in climate can help minimize economic disruptions from shocks,” said Vincent Belinga, lead author of the report.

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Capacity building workshop on pesticides dossier evaluation,risk assessment underway in Kigali

Capacity building workshop on pesticides dossier evaluation,risk assessment underway in Kigali

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The East African Community (EAC) capacity building workshop on ‘Dossier Evaluation and Basic Risk Assessment’ for regulators from Partner States is currently underway in Kigali, Rwanda.

The four-day workshop from 6th -9th March, 2023 is being attended by members of the EAC Technical Working Group (TWG) on Pesticides and regulators responsible for evaluation of applications for registration of pesticides, evaluation of pesticide dossiers, risk assessment of pesticides and evaluation of efficacy trial reports. The regulators from Ghana and Ethiopia are also in attendance for benchmarking purposes.

The main objective of the capacity building workshop is to contribute to increased institutional capacity and better practices for the pesticides registration to safeguard human health and the environment.

In 2018 and 2019 the EAC’s Council of Ministers and the Sectoral Council of Ministers on Agriculture and Food Security (SCAFs) directed EAC Partner States to domesticate and implement a set of six harmonised guidelines on testing and registration of pesticides. Against this background, the EAC Secretariat with support from development Partners has implemented several technical and capacity building activities to support the domestication of harmonised guidelines. Capacity building in dossier evaluation and risk assessment has been identified as one of the priority areas.

Making his opening remarks, Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana, Director of Productive Sectors at the EAC Secretariat underscored the significance of the workshop in promoting a common understanding on internationally agreed principles, methodologies and criteria for risk assessment and dossier evaluation of plant protection products.

He noted that the knowledge imparted will strengthen the capacities of regulators in the EAC to make science-based decisions that will ensure farmers in the region have access to safe, quality and affordable crop protection products, one of the enablers for increased production for food security and food safety.

Mr. Havugimana thanked USAID and USDA for consistently and generously supporting EAC in several areas of regional integration including Food and Nutrition Security, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Agricultural Trade Facilitation and highly commended and appreciated members of the EAC Technical Working Group on pesticides for the commitment and dedication that they have demonstrated in the development and implementation of the harmonized guidelines.

On her part, Ms. Stella Simiyu Wafukho, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Stakeholder Relations, CropLife Africa Middle East, affirmed the commitment of her organization in supporting the efforts towards full domestication and implementation of EAC harmonized guidelines.

A team of technical experts drawn from the CropLife network’s expert teams of consumer safety and environmental risk assessment are facilitating the workshop, covering various aspects of environmental risk Assessment, toxicology, occupational and dietary risk assessment and Maximum Residue limits (MRLs).  During the MRLs session, eLearning modules on MRLs, Consumer Safety and Trade will also be launched to support knowledge exchange in the region and beyond.

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