Poultry welfare: Prof. Zulkifli Idrus in conversation with Clive Phillips

Clive Phillips was Australia's first Professor of Animal Welfare, at the University of Queensland, and has written widely on the welfare of farm, zoo and companion animals. In 2022 he conducted a series of recorded dialogues (Conversations With Clive) with senior animal welfare scientists and academic experts, including poultry welfare expert Prof. Zulkifli Idrus - at the University of Putra, Malaysia.These dialogues are aimed at upskilling organizations concerned with farm animal welfare, helping them gain a more nuanced understanding of welfare issues from academics with deep knowledge of animal agriculture systems and direct experience of practices. Relevant academic publications and references are included at the end of the recording.Key topics of the 40-minute conversation from August 2023: 1) Clive introduces Zulkifli Idrus. 2) Red Junglefowl are the ancestors of modern chicken breeds. 3) Tonic immobility tests show modern commercial chicken breeds are less fearful than Junglefowl. 4) Biggest problems to broiler (meat) chicken welfare - rapid growth, leg and skin problems. 5) Cardiovascular problems and sudden-death syndrome. 6) Skin problems - contact dermatitis with breast, foot-pad and upper leg (hock) injuries. 7) Feed restriction methods to manage rapid growth rate in hot climates. 8) Harvesting and transportation issues. 9) Nutritional supplements such as probiotics and prebiotics to improve gut health. 10) Heat stress mitigation and future challenges with climate change. 11) Welfare issues concerning stocking densities and litter quality. 12) Welfare of layer chickens and other poultry. 13) Final comments

Sustaining DEI momentum after the Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action

After the recent SCOTUS decision on affirmative action in higher education, leaders and organizations are grappling with the potential ripple effects on corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the near and long term. In navigating this moment, leaders can do two things: (1) reground themselves on why their organization is investing in DEI strategies in the first place, and (2) take a look at existing DEI initiatives to understand where they may evolve and continue to create equal opportunities for all. Assessing risk will no doubt be part of the conversation. Yet, with the strong business case for DEI efforts, how can organizations ensure the risks of discontinuing certain DEI efforts are given the same weight as the risks of continuing them? This how-to guide, created through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Expanding Equity program, provides a framework for what to consider while charting a path forward as you review and adapt your DEI strategies — all while remaining true to your aspirations for creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces

Immigrants in the Long Island Economy: Overcoming Hurdles, Yet Still Facing Barriers

There 550,000 immigrants living on Long Island, according to an analysis of the most recent census data by Immigration Research Initiative (IRI). This includes all people born in another country and living on Long Island: people who are undocumented, have green cards, or are naturalized citizens; adults, and children; refugees, asylum seekers, agricultural workers, people with high-skill visas, and more. Making up 19 percent of the population, immigrants are a vital part of the social, economic, and cultural life of all communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties

Monopoly Politics 2024

FairVote has conducted the Monopoly Politics project in each Congressional election cycle since 1997.Monopoly Politics projects the results of every congressional district up to two years in advance, demonstrating that partisanship is the primary factor determining electoral outcomes, dwarfing other factors like local issues and candidate strength. The result is a polarized system where candidates are rewarded for adopting hyper-partisan platforms, particularly in hyper-partisan districts, instead of championing inclusive policies and bipartisan compromise that benefit all. Our 2024 projections suggest that 85% of seats are "safe" for one party, and another 9% favor one party, leaving only 6% of seats as true toss-ups. The 85% share of safe seats is the highest in the 25-year history of Monopoly Politics. At FairVote, we think outside the box. We promote legislative reform that prevents gerrymandering and improves equal voting power and fair representation in multi-winner districts. FairVote is working to end single-winner congressional districts. To end redistricting battles for good, we must reimagine how we elect our representatives

Leveraging the Developmental Science of Adolescence to Promote Youth Engagement in Research and Evaluation: A Guide for Funders

Effective, strategic, meaningful youth engagement has the greatest potential for success. Funders and youth allies who engage in the necessary planning prior to implementation have the greatest chance of working with youth in a way that best serves young people, programs, and organizations, and maximizes the potential for meaningful social change. This guide provides a tool to evaluate the developmental appropriateness of youth-engaged research and evaluation strategies

What Portion of Illinois Residents Eligible for Safety Net Benefits Receive Those Benefits?: Estimates by Program, Population Subgroups, and Counties

Safety net benefits can help to improve the economic well-being of families with lower income levels, but many families and individuals who are eligible for benefits do not receive them. Designing the best interventions to increase participation rates requires knowing more about who receives assistance. We explored program participation rates in Illinois, focusing on seven programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Public and Subsidized Housing, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The analysis rests on detailed estimates of program eligibility produced by the Urban Institute's ATTIS (Analysis of Transfers, Taxes, and Income Security) microsimulation model. Statewide participation rates in 2018 varied from a low of 13 percent among families eligible for TANF to a high of 57 percent among those eligible for SNAP. Some subgroups of eligible families—for example, families with children with a single parent compared to those with two parents—are generally more likely to participate. Other patterns, including differences by race and ethnicity and by county population-size, vary across the programs

A Call to Funders: Tactics in Law, Policy and Advocacy for Reproductive and Birth Justice

On November 16, 222, Funders for Birth Justice and Equity convened over 80 funders and donors for a special webinar on how philanthropy can support the ecosystem of activism toward reproductive and birth justice.  The webinar, supported by Irving Harris Foundation, Perigee Fund, and co-sponsored by ECFC and other philanthropic partners,  presented a conversation between four community-based legal experts examining: how systems threaten people's ability to make decisions about their bodies, families, and communities; law and policy work being done on the ground to transform the architecture of our health and human service systems; and how funders can partner with advocacy groups to support the ecosystem of activism toward reproductive and birth justice, and advance bodily autonomy and full spectrum care for pregnant, birthing people, and their families.This report summarizes the specific strategies and invitations to action shared on the webinar; highlights examples of inspiring grassroots efforts taking place across the country; and invites funders to be part of supporting the kind of transformative work that will bring us closer to achieving reproductive and birth justice

Mapping Highlights of the Independent Grantmaking Organizations for Social Justice and Community Development in Brazil

Comuá Network and ponteAponte partnered to conduct the mapping. It is a study developed from qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (questionnaires) approaches to understand, characterize, and highlight the independent organizations that have donated funds to social justice and community development organizations, groups, and civil society movements in Brazil. The research was conducted from January to August 2022

Economic Policy in a More Uncertain World

The Aspen Economic Strategy Group's Annual Policy Volume Economic Policy in a More Uncertain World marks the group's 5th anniversary and is released against a backdrop historic economic and strategic uncertainty. The book's seven chapters, each written by leading experts and edited by AESG Director Melissa S. Kearney and Deputy Director Amy Ganz, provide a deep-dive on long-term economic headwinds confronting the country, including demographic changes—declining fertility and population aging—and what a smaller worker to population ratio means in terms of slower economic growth, reduced revenue, and lower productivity growth. Additional chapters on the US immigration system and US innovation policy highlight potential solutions for countering these trends.  Another chapter explores potential adverse impacts on local labor markets from the green energy transition and highlights policies to avoid repeating painful mistakes of the past, including the response to the decline of the coal industry and rise of globalization and automation. A final chapter highlights lessons learned from the unprecedented federal aid to state and local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic

2023 Edition - California Health Care Spending

For the first time since 2017, the federal government has released health care spending data by state. The data, available for 1991 to 2020, cover spending on personal health care (PHC), which includes goods and services, such as hospital care, physician services, and prescription drugs, but excludes the net cost of health insurance, government administration, public health activities, and investment.In 2020, California PHC spending totaled $405 billion and accounted for 12$10,299) surpassed the US average ($10,191) for the first time since 1991.Between 2010 and 2020, health care spending in California grew faster on an annual average basis than health spending in the US and the economic growth in the state