This week’s business news includes Xcel’s Day of Service, Dairy Day

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Employees, community members give back for Xcel Energy’s Day of Service

MINNEAPOLIS – Nearly 2,500 volunteers from Xcel Energy and the communities it serves took action to support nonprofit organizations during the company’s 13th annual Day of Service earlier this month.

The volunteers dedicated over 7,200 volunteer hours to support over 100 organizations with projects that ranged from packing meals and repairing homes for families to cleaning up nature trails and planting trees. Volunteer efforts generated $230,000 in economic impact across communities in many of the states the company serves, including Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.

“Volunteering is in our DNA; it allows us to change lives, deepen our roots in the community and address the things that matter most to our families, friends and neighbors,” said Bob Frenzel, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy, who took part in the event by joining Minnesota nonprofit Hearts & Hammers in landscaping and painting the home of a local veteran. “It was inspiring to see our employees come together with community members and support their local nonprofits.”

Highlights from Day of Service in Texas and New Mexico: 150 volunteers contributed 340 hours, with an economic impact of over $10,000. The volunteers packed 500 care packages and laid 12 pallets of sod, among other accomplishments.

Day of Service, a tradition since 2010, was created as a tribute to the victims, survivors and first responders of 9/11, as well as all those who work to keep communities and the country safe. The annual volunteer event provides an opportunity for Xcel Energy and members of the community to come together and contribute to projects that benefit local nonprofits.

Southwest Dairy Day will be at Del Rio Dairy near Bovina on Oct. 18

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s 2023 Southwest Dairy Day is set for Oct. 18 and will feature the Del Rio Dairy near Bovina. The field day will highlight cutting-edge technologies, including an anaerobic digester and rotary parlor with automated teat sanitation.

The free event will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1098 State Highway 86, Bovina. Bus tours to the Del Rio Dairy will begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue through noon. The Texas Beef Council, Southwest Cheese and Hi-Pro Feeds will provide the noon luncheon.

The tours will include three stops at the anaerobic digester, Saudi barns and rotary milking parlor.

“The 2023 Dairy Day will highlight the most current topics of interest in the dairy community,” said Juan Piñeiro, DVM, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension dairy specialist, Amarillo. “Automation and precision technologies may help increase efficiency and address labor scarcity issues. Anaerobic digesters decrease greenhouse gas emissions and provide dairy farmers another revenue stream in a market with increasing feed costs and low milk prices.”

Topics and speakers at the various stops will be:

Stop 1: Welcome and brief history. Management of Saudi barns and water use — Rocky Gingg, owner of Del Rio Dairy, Jennifer Spencer, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension dairy specialist, Stephenville and Robert Hagevoort, Ph.D., New Mexico State University Extension dairy specialist, Clovis, New Mexico.

Stop 2: Automation in the rotary parlor — robotic pre- and post-dipping; activity monitors and sorting gates — Nathan Maroney, Del Rio Dairy farm manager, and Sushil Paudyal, Ph.D., assistant professor of dairy science in the Department of Animal Science, Bryan-College Station.

Stop 3: Manure management and anaerobic digester system — Justin Pitsch, Del Rio Dairy anaerobic digester project manager, and Zong Liu, AgriLife Extension specialist and assistant professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Bryan-College Station.

For more information, contact Piñeiro at juan.pineiro@ag.tamu.edu or Spencer at jennifer.spencer@ag.tamu.edu.

Canyon Economic Development Corporation introduces new Business Coach Program in partnership with Leading Edg

CANYON – The Canyon Economic Development Corporation (Canyon EDC) is thrilled to announce the launch of its innovative Business Coach Program, in collaboration with Leading Edg. This valuable resource is offered to businesses free of charge, as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth in the community.

The Canyon EDC Business Coach Program is designed to provide entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners with expert guidance, strategic insights, and personalized advice to help them navigate the challenges of building and growing a successful enterprise. Through this program, participants will have access to a team of experienced business coaches from Leading Edg who will offer their expertise across various aspects of business development, including business planning and strategy, marketing and branding, financial management, operations and logistics, sales and customer engagement, and much more.

“We are excited to partner with Leading Edg to bring this invaluable resource to the businesses of Canyon,” said Stephanie Tucker, Executive Director of the Canyon Economic Development Corporation. “Our mission is to empower local entrepreneurs and provide them with the tools they need to thrive. The Business Coach Program is a testament to that commitment, and we encourage all interested business owners to attend the Lunch and Learn event to explore the endless possibilities it offers.”

For more information about the Canyon EDC Business Coach Program or to learn about other services and opportunities available, call 806-656-6835.

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