April 8, 2016 at 7:39 p.m.
Walmart shifting to cage-free eggs
Business Roundup
Walmart announced this week it will join the movement to cage-free eggs, with only cage-free eggs in its stores by 2025.
Because Walmart is the largest grocery store chain in the country, the shift is expected to help bring down the price of cage-free eggs over time.
McDonald’s, Kroger, Burger King and Costco have already announced plans to move to cage-free only eggs in the future.
This week’s announcement also affects Sam’s Club stores.
“Our customers and associates count on Walmart and Sam’s Club to deliver on affordability and quality, while at the same time offering transparency into how their food is grown and raised,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, chief sustainability officer at Walmart, in a prepared statement. “Our commitment to transition to a cage-free egg supply chain recognizes that expectation and represents another step we are taking to improve transparency for food we sell in our U.S. stores and clubs.”
Walmart has offered cage-free eggs since 2001.
The company said its transition to 100 percent cage-free is based upon available supply, affordability, and customer demand. Walmart will require that 100 percent of shell egg suppliers be certified and fully compliant with the United Egg Producers Animal Husbandry Guidelines.
The company intends to challenge suppliers to use selective breeding practices, innovation, and best management practices to improve the health and welfare of hens.
“This includes improving mortality rates and reducing painful procedures like beak trimming. We will be tracking continuous improvement against these metrics as part of our Sustainability Index,” the company’s policy statement said.
The Humane Society told Reuters that Wal-Mart’s move would effectively mark the end of the use of cramped cages, citing the retailer’s size and purchasing power.
“This announcement will likely benefit more animals than any other corporate announcement in the history of the animal protection movement,” the organization said in a statement.
United Egg Producers recently estimated only six percent of U.S. hens — about 18 million birds — are currently raised cage-free.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has 11,535 stores under 72 different banners in 28 countries. It also operates e-commerce websites in 11 countries.
Its fiscal year revenue for 2016 totaled $482.1 billion. The company employs more than 2 million.
Building permits
A $2.5 million grain storage bin construction project at POET Biorefining-Portland topped building permits issued in March by the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Office.
Other permits issued last month include those issued to Bretton Basford for a $25,000 pole barn at 9325 Balbec Road, Jacob Graber for $30,000 storage buildings at 4367 E. 600 North, Brian Clevenger for a $19,000 compost building at 7592 S. State Line Road, Michael Schwieterman for a $22,000 compost building at 3158 S. 100 West, Jack Shawver for a $25,000 compost building at 1452 W. 200 North, Miichael Rupe for a $30,000 addition at 616 W. Walnut St., Portland, and Jennifer Nibarger for a $600 fence at 1209 S. Bridge St., Portland.
Also to Christina Hicks for a $6,000 fence at 1208 N. Ben Hawkins Ave., Portland; Lonnie Mertz for a $1,100 fence at 651 E. North St., Portland; Eric and Crystal Fullenkamp for a $250,000 home at 6667 N. 450 East; Bruce Counterman for a $170,000 home at 3635 W. 700 South; Patrick Byrum for a $255,000 home at 1857 W. 350 South; the City of Portland for a $65,000 concession building on Western Avenue; Larry Rowles for a $2,500 porch addition at 215 E. Brooks Creek Road, Pennville; Kyle Broering for a $50,000 addition at 8419 E. 200 South; and Harvey DeHoff for a $20,000 addition at 7348 W. 150 North.
Also to Glenn and Deolla Bond for a $2,000 enclosed deck and carport at 3 Sesame St., Portland; William Hixenbaugh for a $15,000 addition at 315 W. Ninth St., Portland; Mark Goldman for a $25,000 deck at 2296 S. Brook View Drive, Portland; Roger Teeple for a $4,000 storage building at 3718 E. Indiana 67; Michael Wangler for a $76,000 storage building at 5978 W. 350 South; Aurelio Onate for a $4,000 gazebo at 215 W. Votaw St., Portland; and Noe Cruz for a $15,000 garage at 106 Rayburn Drive, Portland.
A business occupancy permit was issued to Michelle Seibold for Vulture Culture Vintage at 119 E. Main St., Portland.
Best advice
The chief executive officer of Motherson Sumi, parent company of Portland’s MSSL Wiring Systems, says he religiously follows the advice of his favorite Hindu deity in running his business.
Vivek Chaand Sehgal told Economic Times Auto this week that the best advice comes from Lord Krishna: “Be yourself, better yourself.”
“You can’t set a benchmark for yourself because then the best you can be is your benchmark,” he said. “The key is to keep bettering yourself.”
Sehgal grew a company with assets of $2.5 million in 1993 into a $7 billion major auto component manufacturer today.
Motherson Sumi is one of the fastest growing auto component companies in the world. In the past 12 years, Motherson has acquired 11 companies, the most recent being the acquisition of Stoneridge, the previous parent of the Portland wiring harness plant.
Chair to retire
Andrew J. McKenna, chairman of the board of McDonald’s Corp. for the past 12 years, will retire next month.
A new chairman will be elected after the May 26 annual meeting. McKenna, an independent director of McDonald’s for 25 years, will continue as chairman emeritus.
Banquet set
The Geneva Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards banquet on Tuesday, April 12, in the community room on the second floor of Geneva Town Hall.
A reception begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the awards program to follow.
To make a reservation, phone (260) 368-7251 or email [email protected].
Chicken fight
A proposed 1.69 million layer-hen operation in Mercer County has run into opposition from the Lake Improvement Association in Celina.
The Lake Improvement Association has been focusing on environmental problems surrounding Grand Lake and the Grand Lake watershed.
Concerns about the proposed cage-free facility will be aired at a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, at the Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District office in Celina.
Green light
Gannett’s acquisition of Journal Media Group of Milwaukee, which had been held up by federal regulators, has received a green light.
The U.S. Department of Justice had been concerned about a possible anti-trust situation.
Attends seminar
Dr. Steven DeGroff, an optometrist with practices in Berne and Winchester, attended a two-day seminar on eye disease this month in Cincinnati. The meeting included lectures on glaucoma, ocular surface and dry eye diseases, macular degeneration, and ocular neurology.
Named CFO
Kevin Gould, vice president and controller at First Bank of Berne, has been named the bank’s chief financial officer.
A graduate of Norwell High School, he received his bachelor’s degreee in accounting from IPFW and his master’s in business administration from St. Francis University.
He took the position of controller in April 2013 and was named vice president in January of this year. He and his wife, Janet, reside in Fort Wayne.
Therapist certified
Melanie Sowers, a physical therapist at Community Sports and Therapy Center in Coldwater, Ohio, has completed training to become a Certified Lymphedema Therapist.
Lymphedema is a swelling of a body part due to the accumulation of protein-rich edema fluid.
New hire
Tanner McClain has been hired by First Bank of Berne as a full-time residential mortgage originator for the Portland and Bluffton markets.
A graduate of Ivy Tech with a degree in business administration, she has five years of banking and lending experience.
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