A student has described how an obsessive healthy eating disorder known as orthorexia nearly ruined her life and warned that is it dangerously common.

Sophie Smith, 21, from Perth in Western Australia, recalled how her obsession with size began when was just 15, after she was weighed as part of a biannual fitness test in her physical education class in high school.

Feeling less confident as her weight was slightly higher than the other girls, British born Sophie who moved to Australia when she was 10 - said she began actively researching ways to lose weight and eat healthy.

The science and arts student said over the next few years she soon spiralled into a dangerous obsession with food and exercise and said that the stress and pressure of trying to be 100 per cent healthy all the time turned her into not a very nice person.

The young woman said it got to the point where her mood would determine on how much she weighed each morning while she also weighed most of her foods and tracked every single calorie.

She never ate any type of bad foods and even forced herself to work out every single morning, even when sick.

Sophie added that she became scared and anxious going on family holidays, and never enjoyed celebrating Christmas or birthdays, because she was so worried about gaining weight.

More on 7NEWS.com.au

And as she always avoided going to social events due to having no control over the food, it was difficult for her to form and maintain solid friendships or have any type of social life.

She said: Growing up, I always felt good about myself and had a positive relationship with food.

My obsession with being healthy started when I was about 15. I went to an all-girls private school and part of our fitness class was to be weighed.

I was scared of knowing the number on the scale during the fitness test and I knew everyone was probably comparing their weights. I felt alone, like I was the only girl gaining weight.

I was scared to go on family holidays because I wouldnt have control of the food or exercise.

Thats when I decided to start doing things about my weight. Id look up top tips about how to avoid getting fat and I made up a list of all these foods that were bad for me.

Id weigh myself every day and none of my family ever knew. It was very compulsive, and my mood depended on how much I weighed that day.

I told myself to get down to a certain weight. I wanted to be the lowest range of healthy as I could be on the BMI scale.

Id be very strict in following all the rules. Id have to exercise everyday even if I was sick.

Sophie said she would not go to social events and rearrange plan to avoid meeting at cafes and restaurants.

I was scared to go on family holidays because I wouldnt have control of the food or exercise. Id terrified the whole time that Id gain all this weight, she said.

It was really damaging to my life, but I just couldnt see it at the time.

At 16, Sophie was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis - inflammatory bowel disease - which she believes could have stemmed from her eating disorder and the amount of stress and pressure she put on herself to be healthy.

I think more people have orthorexia than they realise.

Although she never got down to a dangerously unhealthy weight, she said she did lose around 20 per cent of her body weight while going through her struggles with orthorexia.

I think more people have orthorexia than they realise. It is so hard to recognise as from the outside, there is nothing bad about being healthy, Sophie said.

But when that stats negatively impacting your mental health and life, thats when it becomes dangerous.

It was not until a family holiday to Melbourne in September 2017 with her mum Clare and identical twin sister Eloise that she realised how much her obsession with being healthy impacted her life.

Instead of enjoying her holiday, Sophie said she was constantly anxious that she was not getting enough exercise and was stressed that she could not eat her usual healthy diet.

The turning point was when I realised things were getting out of control and I wasnt enjoying myself anymore, she said.

What should have been great family holidays became sources of stress and anxiety. I could never enjoy myself or fully let go and be in the moment.

I just felt so much guilt and shame all the time. If I ate one tiny chocolate, Id feel bad all day.

Over the next two years, Sophie saw a psychologist and a dietitian to help overcome her eating disorder and to restore a healthy relationship with food.

She also began taking care of her mental health by unfollowing toxic diet culture accounts on social media and focused on body positivity.

Sophie said she feels she has recovered from orthorexia and no longer feels obsessed with healthy eating but instead, allows herself to eat whatever she feels like and do exercise she enjoys, while also taking rest days.

Now the inspirational young woman is raising awareness about this relatively unknown eating disorder, as she believes it is far more common than what people realise.

My life is so much better now. Im not weighed down by any mental baggage and I feel free and happy, she said.

- Caters

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Perth woman Sophie Smith reveals how obsession with being healthy ruined her life - 7NEWS.com.au

Saturday February 29 2020

I feel lighter. Writer Stella Adi after undergoing a 30-day vegan diet. PHOTO | COURTESY

Are you thinking about ditching meat and dairy products from your diet? It was quite the rollercoaster.

You need to be on top of this diet or else the convenience of eating something non-vegan will overwhelm you. Plan, plan, plan and have an accountability person.

When you drastically change your diet, you are bound to feel horrible for a few days before your system can come to terms with whats happening.

First, a round of applause to me, a meat-lover who completed the entire 30 days - no meat, no fish, no dairy (actually, I slipped with this. Ill explain) and no eggs. No eggs! And another round for pulling it off while the rest of my household continued to pander to their carnivorous ways.

After hearing some pretty big claims on the wonders of living on a plant-based diet, from reducing ones risk of high blood pressure and heart disease to the more vain reports of radiant skin and healthier hair, I was sold.

I chose January because I figured, heck this is resolution month; the one time of the year universally accepted as the new year, new you season. It was also a welcome time to detox after a particularly self-indulgent December.

Armed with my research and a fortified fridge and pantry filled with my staples for the next 30 days; packets of almond milk, mushrooms, and a wide array of fruits, vegetables, legumes and pulses (some of which I hadnt eaten in years), I was ready.

It was quite the rollercoaster. I had read somewhere that the best way to successfully go through a restrictive dietary change, is to make sure you have enough of the right foods lying around to ward off temptation. Thankfully, I already had a soft spot for some vegetables (courgettes remain a struggle).

Since the rest of my household had no intention of joining me, I had to learn how to deal with the occasional aromas of cooked meat or fried eggs or sausages or bacon oh bacon! Giving up my morning cereal didnt help either (the plant-based milk didnt taste right).

Week two came with some weird mood swings. Id go from euphoric and crave-free one day to unmotivated and defeated the next. Happily, this got much better. This was the week I learned to appreciate the wonderful joys of snacking. Ive never been much of a nibbler. I was used to two or three big meals a day but now Id pepper my day with a serving of peanuts or almonds, a small cob of boiled maize or if Im in the mood, a bowl of popcorn. I realised that having fruit salad was a great way of adding more fresh fruit to my diet. One significant change I noticed is that my, errrm, movements were much more regular and the experience more pleasant. This I would attest to the uptake of fibre in my diet.

It brought with it a tedium with repetitive foodstuff. Up to this point my diet consisted of the same types of food and the humdrum was getting to me. I was especially craving soup but since I was too lazy to make one myself - off to the supermarket I went and stocked up on lentil, vegetable and mushroom soups. A few packs down I realised that they all contained egg, milk and other dairy extracts! Nope, not vegan! To be honest they werent very good either. They have loads of chemicals in them and sadly I admitted that I was better off just making the soups from scratch myself.

This was a good week. I felt lighter and overall more energetic which felt so amazing! I could get used to this.

I felt better than ever. Honestly. I was alert, energetic and seldom tired or lethargic. I was likewise feeling very in tune with myself. I started feeling more mentally clear and positive. The feeling only grew stronger week after week.

My skin was visibly clearer and smoother but between you and me, I was hoping for more dramatic results. Still, the new glow was enough for my friends to notice so a definite plus. At the back of my mind however, lay the fact that this was week four and I wont lieI was fantasising about what I wanted to do to a juicy beef burger with a side of cheesy fries. I wanted the week to end already!

Looking back though, I have a few regrets. For one, the next time I try this and there will be a next time I will pick something like fish or chicken or even eggs as my first non-vegan meal. I was so bloated after my meatballs and sausage breakfast that I couldnt eat anything else for the rest of the day. Another is throughout the month I was so focused on the 30 days that I often forgot to relax and really enjoy my food. I also wish I dared to be more creative with vegan food.

Vegan food is so tasty! I dare say it can oftentimes be tastier than meaty meals even (meat-lovers please dont come for me).

Its pocket friendly. Unless you eat very few to no vegetables or legumes in your day-to-day life, this is one diet that you can pull off by simply taking away without necessarily adding too much more. I didnt purchase any fancy shmancy vegan substitutes. I kept it simple and stuck with foods I know.

You can lose weight! I never imagined a diet heavy on rice, pasta and bread would result in weight-loss, but this was a delightful surprise. I lost about four kilos in all. I turned up the volume with my exercise which was more regular now.

What I wish someone told me

You need to be on top of this diet or else the convenience of eating something non-vegan will overwhelm you. Plan, plan, plan and have an accountability person.

When you drastically change your diet, you are bound to feel horrible for a few days before your system can come to terms with whats happening. This is completely normal.

Eating out (or ordering in) will be a challenge. Your options will be very limited. Fill up on something at home before leaving for a social call with friends.

You. Will. Be. Gassy. A lot.

These tips will make your transition to a plant-based diet easier.

Come up with a timetable in advance. I did this weekly. Trust me, youll thank me later.

Keep a food diary. This not only helped me keep track of what I was eating, I would easily see if I was eating too much of the same thing.

Try not to go it alone. My friend Annemarie and her husband took up the diet too. Wed share pics of our meals, exchange recipes and articles and encourage one another when the cravings came knocking.

Technology is your friend. I used an app called VegMenu which came in handy for when I was feeling less than creative and got tired of the same old meals.

If you decide to go on a vegan diet on a long-term basis, consult your doctor to ensure youre not deficient on any essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 which we get from animal products.

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I went 30 days on a vegan diet and this is what I learned - Daily Nation

That technological sophistication starts at the top. A few months ago, in an exclusive interview, Workday CEO Aneel Bhusri described himself as the companys Pied Piper of ML for his passionate advocacy about a technology that he believes will be even more disruptive than the cloud.

In his own understated but high-impact way, Workday cofounder and CEO Aneel Bhusri has become one of the worlds most-bullish evangelists for the extraordinary power and potential of machine learning.

Weve always talked about predictive analytics but theyre now a realityand its really a reality, Bhusri said in a recent exclusive interview.

Its what weve dreamed about for a long time. But we never actually got there because the technologies werent therebut now theyre here.

And Bhusri is making sure that Workdaywhich is on the verge of posting its first billion-dollar quarteris at the forefront in giving corporate customers the full benefits of MLs transformative capabilities.

Machine learning is just so profound, right? Its impacting all of our lives in so many ways, Bhusri said when I brought up his comment that ML will be even more disruptive than the cloud.

Internally I described my role to the company as the pied piper of machine learning, he said with a chuckle.And I asked every employee in the company to buy the bookPrediction Machinesand charge it back to Workday because we all have to get comfortable with this new world and be able to succeed in it and be able to talk to our customers about it.

It looks like one of the ways Bhusri is helping Workdays entire workforce to get comfortable with this new world is by letting them know that hes driving the conversation for that conversion.

For me theres actually something very gratifying when I can say, okay, not going to try to get the engineers to work on five different things, says Bhusri, who refers to himself self-effacingly as a products guy.

So every time I see one of our engineers or developers, I ask, what are you doing on machine learning? Or what do you think about machine learning? And what should we be doing with machine learning?

Pretty soon theyre all saying, Okay, before I meet with Aneel, I know hes going to ask about machine learning so I should have my act together, Bhusri said.It gets everybody on the same pagepeople are excited.

At least so far, Workdays customers have been eager to share that excitement and allow Workday to help them build their digital futures.

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Workday, Machine Learning, and the Future of Enterprise Applications - Cloud Wars

Fans of games like Dungeons & Dragons know that the fun comes, in part, from a creative Dungeon Masteran all-powerful narrator who follows a storyline but has free rein to improvise in response to players actions and the fate of the dice.

This kind of spontaneous yet coherent storytelling is extremely difficult for artificial intelligence, even as AI has mastered more constrained board games such as chess and Go. The best text-generating AI programs too often produce confused and disjointed prose. So some researchers view spontaneous storytelling as a good test of progress toward more intelligent machines.

An attempt to build an artificial Dungeon Master offers hope that machines able to improvise a good storyline might be built. In 2018, Lara Martin, a graduate student at Georgia Tech, was seeking a way for AI and a human to work together to develop a narrative and suggested Dungeons & Dragons as a vehicle for the challenge. After a while, it hit me, she says. I go up to my adviser and say We're basically proposing a Dungeon Master, aren't we? He paused for a bit, and said Yeah, I guess we are!

Narratives produced by artificial intelligence offer a guide to where we are in the quest to create machines that are as clever as us. Martin says this would be more challenging than mastering a game like Go or poker because just about anything that can be imagined can happen in a game.

Since 2018, Martin has published work that outlines progress towards the goal of making an AI Dungeon Master. Her approach combines state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms with more old-fashioned rule-based features. Together this lets an AI system dream up different narratives while following the thread of a story consistently.

Martins latest work, presented at a conference held this month by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, describes a way for an algorithm to use the concept of events, consisting of a subject, verb, object, and other elements, in a coherent narrative. She trained the system on the storyline of such science fiction shows as Doctor Who, Futurama, and The X-Files. Then, when fed a snippet of text, it will identify events, and use them to shape a continuation of the plot churned out by a neural network. In another project, completed last year, Martin developed a way to guide a language model towards a particular event, such as two characters getting married.

Unfortunately, these systems still often get confused, and Martin doesnt think they would make a good DM. We're nowhere close to this being a reality yet, she says.

Noah Smith, a professor at the University of Washington who specializes in AI and language, says Martins work reflects a growing interest in combining two different approaches to AI: machine learning and rule-based programs. And although hes never played Dungeons & Dragons himself, Smith says creating a convincing Dungeon Master seems like a worthwhile challenge.

Sometimes grand challenge goals are helpful in getting a lot of researchers moving in a single direction, Smith says. And some of what spins out is also useful in more practical applications.

Maintaining a convincing narrative remains a fundamental and vexing problem with existing language algorithms.

Large neural networks trained to find statistical patterns in vast quantities of text scraped from the web have recently proven capable of generating convincing looking snippets of text. In February 2019, the AI company OpenAI developed a tool called GPT-2 capable of generating narratives in response to a short prompt. The output of GPT-2 could sometimes seem startlingly coherent and creative, but it also would inevitably produce weird gibberish.

Here is the original post:

Forget Chessthe Real Challenge Is Teaching AI to Play D&D - WIRED

Machine Learning as a Service Market valued approximately USD 0.87 billion in 2017 is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 43.9% over the forecast period 2018-2025.

Machine learning as a service is a significant range of solutions and services that are offered by cloud service providers. The tools offered by service providers include APIs, data visualization, natural language processing, face recognition, deep learning, and predictive analytics. The main benefit associated with these services is that the customers are able to quickly start with machine learning with no need to install or download any software on their servers.

Enhancements in technology, growth in data volume and rise in IT spending in some of the developing regions are the major factors which are driving the growth in the global market. Additionally, growth in acceptance of cloud-based technologies and the increasing need to know customer behavior is further boosting the demand for Machine learning as a service. Moreover, the high demand for private cloud in enterprises is likely to propel the growth of the market. Besides this, a rise in the area of application and growing investments in the healthcare sector represents significant growth opportunities for the market in the near future. However, scarcity of trained expertise and several security concerns are expected to hamper the market growth.

The regional analysis of Machine Learning as a Service Market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. In a region such as Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa, the rise in usage of passenger vehicles set the growth in Machine Learning as a Service Market over the forecasted period 2018-2025. Asia-Pacific is estimated to hold a prominent share of Machine Learning as a Service market. Developing countries, such as India and China, are significant players boosting the demand for Machine Learning as a Service Market. Europe, North America, and the Middle East and Africa are continuously witnessing infrastructural growth which fueling the demand for Machine Learning as a Service Market over the coming years. Asia Pacific region is contributing towards the growth of global Machine Learning as a Service Market and anticipated to exhibit higher growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2018-2025.

The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:

By Type:

Software Tools Cloud and Web-based Application Programming Interface (APIs) Others

By Application:

Manufacturing Retail Healthcare & Life Sciences Telecom BFSI Others (Energy & Utilities, Education, Government)

By Regions: North America o The U.S. o Canada Europe o UK o Germany Asia Pacific o China o India o Japan Latin America o Brazil o Mexico Rest of the World

The leading Market players mainly include-

Google IBM Corporation Microsoft Corporation Amazon Web Services BigML FICO Yottamine Analytics Ersatz Labs Predictron Labs H2O.ai AT&T Sift Science

Target Audience of the Machine Learning as a Service Market in Market Study:

Key Consulting Companies & Advisors Large, medium-sized, and small enterprises Venture capitalists Value-Added Resellers (VARs) Third-party knowledge providers Investment bankers Investors

To request a sample copy or view summary of this report, click the link below:https://digitsnmarkets.com/sample/5455-machine-learning-as-a-service-market

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Digits N Markets has a vast repository of latest market research reports on trending topics, niche company profiles, market size and other relevant data released by renowned publishers. We have access to the database related to niche markets and trending topics in various industries. We also update the data regularly to provide recent statistics to the client. Recent data and reports will be featured on our websites and clients will be able to access the same. Our clients will be able to benefit from qualitative & quantitative insights in the report which will support them in taking concrete business decisions.

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Global Machine Learning as a Service Market, Trends, Analysis, Opportunities, Share and Forecast 2019-2027 - NJ MMA News

ALBANY, New York, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The property management software market will witness a notable growth during the forecast period at a CAGR of 7.0%. The growth is notable for various reasons, including the emerging challenges in the sector such as relatively high-investments costs. However, the growth rate suggests a considerable growth in investor pool in the housing market, which conventionally relied on local investments. The notable shift in dynamics of the demand will a key trend to watch out for during 2019-2029 period.

According to TMR analysts, the level of competition in the property management softwaremarket continues to be intense as traditional players are diverging major resources to invest in new strategies, and digital-first outlook. Furthermore, the key players in the market continue to move towards AI-based techniques for growth, thanks to rising value generation of automated software-based property showcases.

Key Findings in the Property Management Software Market

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Key Impediments for Property Management Software Market Players

Apart from high-costs associated with property management softwares, the lack of customization options, and growing complexity in technology remains a challenge for players in the property management software market. The problem is often two-fold, wherein end-players are often looking for intuitive solutions. However, their limited ability to understand technology limits the end-use of products.

The rising influx of user-generated customized property management solutions promise a major challenge for established players in the property management software market. The high-costs of developing complex tools, and the ease of copying features, promises to make this an-ongoing battle for players in the property management software market. The growing demand for legal compliance for property is a promising avenue for established players to bring more legal outlook, which would be difficult to emulate for newly established small players in the property management software market.

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Property Management Software Market: Region-wise Analysis

The rising popularity of social media, and influencer driven marketing in North America promises significant growth for players in the property management software market. The North America region reached a valuation of US$600 million in 2018, and will likely hold a dominant lead in the global market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific with rising disposable income, and rising demand for posh-gated communities will grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.

Property Management software market growth in 30+ countries including US, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Russia, Poland, Benelux, Nordic, China, Japan, India, and South Korea. Request a sample of the study.

Property Management Software Market: Competitive Analysis

Key companies in the property management software market Chetu, Inc., Oracle Corporation, Alibaba Cloud, Eco Community Sdn Bhd, Yardi Systems Inc., and MRI Software Inc. The leading companies in the market are investing in heavily in cloud technology, AI, and augmented reality to expand global reach.

Component

Cloud

Application

Commercial

Residential

End User

Region

Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the Global IT & Telecom Industry:

Software Defined Everything Market- The global software defined everything market is witnessing substantial growth due to factors such as growing requirement for minimizing IT spending in line with changing business environments and increase in adoption of cloud services among enterprises.

Software Assurance Market- There is rising adoption of internet of Things (IoT) to collect and exchange data which utilizes large number of software. This is contributing to the increasing need for software assurance solutions in the market.

Software Construction Components Market- Increasing development and maintenance costs in the software industry are the major drivers identified for the software construction components market. The advent of internet of things (IoT) has made software development a larger and complex process.

Software Localization Tools Market- Increase in the focus of enterprises on worldwide expansion is a driving factor for the software localization tools market. Enterprises in different regions are focusing on expanding their presence across the globe.

Gain access to Market Ngage, an AI-powered, real-time business intelligence that goes beyond the archaic research solutions to solve the complex strategy challenges that organizations face today. With over 15,000+ global and country-wise reports across 50,000+ application areas, Market Ngage is your tool for research on-the-go. From tracking new investment avenues to keeping a track of your competitor's moves, Market Ngage provides you with all the essential information to up your strategic game. Power your business with Market Ngage's actionable insights and remove the guesswork in making colossal decisions.

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Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

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TMR Projects Strong Growth for Property Management Software Market, AI and Machine Learning to Boost Valuation to ~US$ 2 Bn by 2027 - PRNewswire

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After a $700 million investment and the creation of at least 4,200 permanent jobs, the developer of Matrix Global Logistics Park -- which houses Amazon and Ikea facilities -- is looking to lease the last of four warehouses on its 200-acre Bloomfield site.

The project represents one of the largest industrial property investments in the borough, and was built within five years without any major stops or delays.

This project has created a significant number of jobs,'' said Borough President James Oddo, noting that in addition to full- and part-time positions, thousands of construction jobs have been created during the course of the project. "It is the biggest bonanza of jobs that weve seen in this borough in a long time.

The Cranbury, N.J.-based Matrix Development Group is currently seeking to lease the last 975,000-square-foot structure on the property, said Joseph Taylor, company CEO.

Our last building of about 975,000 square feet is about half finished, he said. Its a speculative building [which means] we dont have a tenant for it yet. But thats how we did the other three. Wed love to have another warehouse user, like Ikea and Amazon, here.

Once the final building is leased, Taylor said the company would like to invest further in the borough and has been looking for additional property.

We have been looking around at a number of different sites,'' he said. "We havent settled on any one site.

SITE HISTORY

Matrix Development Group broke ground on the logistics park in late fall 2016.

First to be built and occupied was a 855,000-square-foot warehouse, which is now home to Amazons $100 million Fulfillment Center, which opened in 2017. That facility employs more then 4,000 people who work alongside robots to pick, pack and ship customer orders that are delivered to various geographic areas.

Another 975,000-square-foot facility is occupied by Ikea, which opened in 2018. The Staten Island unit supports delivery to many customers in New York City, whether they are shopping in store, at the IKEA Planning Studio or online. The Advance has previously reported that about 200 people are employed at the facility.

Recently leased to Amazon by Matrix was a new 450,000-square-foot warehouse to be used as a delivery station that will help speed up deliveries to local residents. The new warehouse will have a different use than the existing Staten Island Amazon facility. It will be for last mile deliveries," which means packages from the facility will go to a specific geographic areas in New York City.

Part of the success of the site is that Matrix was able to have MTA buses stop on the property to get employees to and from work, said Taylor.

Included in the $700 million investment is $25 million used for road improvements on and around the site, which included making Gulf Avenue a one-way street, he said.

Matrix Development Group has been in existence for 35 years, and its portfolio of industrial properties boasts some as large as 40 million square feet throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The company also has an extensive portfolio of office and residential properties.

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A $700M investment, 4,200 jobs; Matrix now building 4th warehouse - SILive.com

In business, connections mean opportunities for sales, suppliers, and more. The Chamber of Commerce works to connect local businesspeople to other business people, because we understand that it drives value for all of our members.

Throughout the year, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and its six Community Chambers in Dunkirk, Fredonia, Hanover, Jamestown, Mayville-Chautauqua, and Westfield-Barcelona host Experience Chautauqua Business After Hours events. More than just a networking event, these are opportunities for all of us to learn about some of the business assets we have right here in our own backyard. And now, the Chamber offers these opportunities for FREE to our member businesses.

Chamber member companies can sign up two staff members to attend at no charge at each of these events as part of the value of your Chamber investment. To take advantage of the complimentary attendance, we ask that all personnel pre-register. Member businesses are welcome to bring as many people as they like, and the first two are free. After that, the cost is $13 for Chamber member employees. Non-members pay $20 for these events.

The Chamber has a long history of offering networking opportunities to its members. Bringing people together is a core tenet of what we do. In addition to the Business After Hours series of events, there are also networking opportunities built into our other events that focus on advocacy and awards presentations. The Chambers Annual Awards Banquet in October is the largest single business assembly in Chautauqua County each year and one of the largest gatherings of businesspeople in Western New York. In addition, the Chamber works with other partner organizations to promote opportunities that build connections for local businesspeople.

Your business investment in the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce makes you part of one of the largest business associations in Western New York. Our focus is on driving service and value. We thank you for your investment and your participation in the Chamber of Commerce and look forward to serving your business throughout the year.

Get involved in STEM Wars March 12

On March 12th manufacturers and schools from throughout the region will come together for STEM Wars. STEM Wars provides students an opportunity to showcase their science, technology, engineering and math talents and projects. STEM wars features a variety of competitions and an opportunity for students to meet with area manufacturers to learn about their companies and products. The event takes place at the Jamestown Community College Campus in Jamestown, bringing together over 800 students from around the region to participate in a fun and educational event, featuring STEM activities, competitions, local manufacturing technology companies, and on-site team building/leadership skills projects. Middle school and high school students are invited to participate each year, and work for weeks in advance to prepare their projects for competition.

STEM Wars is co-presented by Dream It Do It Western New York (DIDIWNY) & the New York State Technology and Engineering Educators Association (NYSTEEA) Chautauqua County Chapter. STEM Wars is produced with support from the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce (CCCC), Jamestown Community College (JCC), The Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST), Pathways in Technology Early College High School (PTECH), and the Chautauqua County Education Coalition. There is still space for manufacturers who want to participate in the career fair, where students can engage with local businesses about skills, studies, products, and more. Sponsorship opportunities are still available as well. For more information, contact Tim Piazza at tpiazza@mast-wny.com or (716) 483-1833.

Celebrate St. Patricks Day in downtown Jamestown March 14

Your business can get more GREEN on St. Patricks Day! Dollars, that is. The Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce will once again Turn the River Green for St. Patricks Day in downtown Jamestown. Everyone is invited to join us at the Riverwalk in Brooklyn Square for the event at 11am, Saturday, March 14. This event is sponsored this year by the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau and M&T Bank. The Chamber strongly encourages local businesses to participate for the day as well. We will provide you with a standard Leprechaun Crossing poster for your business that indicates you are offering some special deal on Saturday, March 14. Just let us know that youll be participating and we will add you to our list to be handed out during the event at the Riverwalk. It could be a discounted price, a special food item, or anything of your choosing. Our goal is to move foot traffic from Brooklyn Square into to local businesses for shopping, brunch, or lunch. Any Jamestown business can participate. For more information or to get listed, contact Jamestown Community Chamber Coordinator Joanna Dahlbeck at jdahlbeck@chautauquachamber.org or call the Chamber at 484-1101.

CCIDA offers manufacturing Business-to-Business event March 18

Buyers, sellers, service providers and anyone in a manufacturing related field is encouraged to attend the Business-to-Business networking event with their peers from Chautauqua County from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 18 at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, 10 Dunham Avenue, Celoron. This event will include dedicated time with vendors and buyers in a one-on-one speed dating format, as well as a lunch presentation featuring Patience Fairbrother, Account Director with Development Counsellors International, including findings from their latest Talent Wars study a survey of over 1,500 working age individuals on how they make decisions about jobs, locations, and best practices. This event is co-sponsored by the Chautauqua Works, Jamestown Community College, and the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier. The cost ranges from $35 for one attendee to up to $500 as a Champion Sponsor for 6 attendees and a premium table. For more information or to register, contact Jeanette LoBello at CCIDA at (716) 661-8901.

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The value of your investment: Connecting business to business | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer

You may already be familiar with how to invest in traditional real estate - what to consider when comparing properties, how to think about risk, what options you have to invest more actively (or passively), etc. - but most people dont have the same fluency outside of commercial real estate.Below I outline for you the differences and similarities of farmland investing and real estate investing.Youll see how you can apply the same knowledge and frameworks from traditional real estate to evaluate farmland.

Over 11% of all the land on Earth is used for farming today. This number is even higher in America - over half (55%) of the landmass of the United States is used for agriculture. That number may surprise you, but it shouldnt: the United States is the worlds #3 producer of food and the leading global food exporter. The only two countries that produce more agriculture are China and India, both of which have over 1 billion people compared to just 330 million in America. This is because no country produces food as efficiently as the U.S., mainly because agriculture production in America is more productive than anywhere else in the world and productivity has been increasing for decades (for example, the U.S. now produces more than 2x the food today than it did during the post-WWII period, despite the fact that total active farmland has decreased).

The farmland market in the U.S. is worth nearly $2.5 trillion today. For comparison, multifamily (the biggest sub-segment of real estate outside of single family) is worth $2.9 trillion. I point this out to express the magnitude of the market opportunity, since we know many of you are familiar with multifamily. We always talk about multifamily being a huge, virtually unlimited TAM, and the reality is that farmland is almost the same size.

1 - Investment Structure

You can make either debt or equity investments in both farmland and real estate. With debt, youll receive periodic payments plus interest on the principal.For equity investments, youre getting rental income as well as a lump sum from the appreciation when the property sells.More than 30% of Americans rent rather than own; and the same is true looking at the percentage of farmers who rent the property they farm, making rental properties a viable long-term option for CRE and farmland.

FarmTogether

In about a fifth of cases, farmland owners use variable rent, which provides additional exposure to the underlying commodity itself.Its a higher risk/return arrangement, with a flat, smaller portion of rent up-front and the balance at the end of the season based on a percentage of the farmers revenue.

2 - Variables Impacting Cap Rates: Demand & Market Trends

Cap rates aim to estimate risk. Less elastic demand is perceived as less risky, hence lower cap rates.For example in CRE, this translates to lower cap rates for multifamily buildings, considering that no matter whats going on in the economy people always need a place to live.For farmland, youll see the same concept with primary cropland (wheat, soybeans, corn, cotton, rice) as theyre all essential to everyday products used for human consumption (raw or as inputs to other food); livestock feed; biofuels; and clothing.

CBRE Research

More exposure to market trends - like a preference for one food over another or a predilection for open office space - and broader economic conditions affect cap rates. Lower demand means longer or more frequent vacancies or lower rent. The inverse is also true, just look at industrial real estate over the last decade with the rise of online shopping. Cropland ideal for annual speciality crops, like most veggies, means farmers should consider trends before planting, though they still have flexibility between seasons to alter what theyre growing.Accordingly, this type of farmland will have lower cap rates than vineyards or orchards (permanent cropland) that take multiple years to mature. With permanent crops, either a mismatch to demand or an extreme weather event can mean years to re-establish a profitable business, so more risk and thus higher cap rates.

3 - More Cap Rate Variables: Location & Quality

Location and asset quality also impact risk perception for CRE and farmland.Real estate closer to a metro area (segment), with more up-to-date features (class), and in a higher tiered metro area will have a lower cap rate.Different crops have different optimal conditions. E.g. citrus, like many people, prefer the climates in certain parts of California and Florida, but a viral disease in Florida means less production and falling land values over the last decade.Even within any particular region, property quality (soil, sun, water, etc.) varies, impacting yields.Higher quality land means more rent and production. While not as straightforward as CRE classes, there are tools like American Farmland Trusts PVR (Productivity, Versatility, and Resiliency) to measure quality.

USDA

4 - Value Add Investments

If you want higher returns, you can also try to convert your real estate investment to its highest and best use.Value add in CRE ranges from less risky, light capex projects (think renovating apartments between tenants) or converting the land entirely from apartments to office space.Major changes are costlier, take longer, and are more at risk to delays, especially if you have to go through a rezoning process, but it often means more in rent and potentially higher profits at resale.

For farmland, your marginal improvements are things like increasing tillable acres or capex for improvements like replacing a well or optimizing irrigation.The bigger, costlier and thereby riskier capex investments for farmland are in permanent crops where you can either convert existing orchards to more desirable crops or through clearing acreage to establish trees or vines from scratch.

5 - Operating Agreements and Leases

Lease terms and market norms vary across real estate types and impact the magnitude of an investors opex.Farms, like industrial properties, usually use net leases in which tenants are responsible for taxes, most insurance, and most maintenance.Practically, this means relatively low opex for farmland owners as your tenant does and pays for most of the upkeep.

Over 50% of operating leases for farmland are renewed annually, like with multifamily housing.That said, the majority of landlords have much longer relationships (7+ years) with their tenants. Accordingly, the fact that the leases are renegotiated annually does not necessarily mean that theres high tenant turnover.

With historically near zero-vacancy rates for farmland and continued demand for agricultural products driven by population growth, it is becoming less likely that farm properties will sit idle without a tenant.

Conclusion

In many ways, farmland functions similar to traditional real estate and can be a great alternative. This increasingly scarce resource includes similar return drivers - rental income and appreciation - as traditional real estate as well as the ability to adjust risk. Over the last decade, tech platforms, like Fundrise for conventional real estate, have eliminated the historically high cost-to-entry, and now companies like FarmTogether are creating the same options for farmland investing.

Link:
5 Ways Farmland Investing Compares To Traditional Real Estate - Forbes

Bill Gates in 2018.

Topline: Bill Gates wrote in a Friday op-ed that in order to stop pandemics, governments and the private sector should invest billions, calling it a bargain in contrast to the economic pain caused by the coronavirus, which continues to spread and pummel markets around the world.

Crucial quote: In the past week, COVID-19 has started to behave a lot like the once-in-a-century pathogen weve been worried about, wrote Gates. I hope its not that bad, but we should assume that it will be until we know otherwise.

Big number: $100 million. Thats how much money the Gates Foundation committed on February 5 to fight coronavirus, a ten-fold increase on the $10 million the organization had committed to in January. The funds are earmarked for vaccine research and treatment, in addition to aiding developing countries.

Key background: By the time Gates published his op-ed Friday, over 88,000 people worldwide had been sickened by coronavirus, while over 2,800 have died. The World Health Organization raised the global risk for coronavirus on Friday to very high, its most severe level. WHO also said that at least 20 different vaccines for coronavirus are in development, and expects some initial results within the next few weeks. Gates predicted large-scale vaccine trials could kick off as soon as June. Meanwhile, at least $5 trillion has been wiped off global markets as investors react to the ongoing coronavirus panic.

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Bill Gates: Governments Should Invest Billions To Battle 'Once-In-A-Century' Pathogen - Forbes