Latest news with #Gall
Press and Journal
6 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Thousands of farmers flock to Aberdeenshire farm for BeefTech 25
Thousands of people flocked to an Aberdeenshire farm for the Royal Northern Agricultural Society (RNAS) BeefTech 25 event today. It showcased some of the latest machinery and technology available to Scottish farmers. Although primarily aimed at the beef sector, there was plenty to interest sheep and arable farmers too. With numbers steadily building throughout the day, helped by sunny weather, an estimated 4,000 visitors attended the event at Home Farm, Kininmonth, near Mintlaw. The Gall family played host to BeefTech 25 and one of them, Joanna, said they were 'proud' to be helping to showcase Aberdeenshire farming to visitors from near and far. 'It was an honour to be asked to host this event,' said Joanna, adding: 'The lovely dry weather we've had lately made the preparations easier.' Aberdeenshire Provost Judy Whyte called the event a 'great showcase' for north-east agriculture. More than 19% of Scotland's beef cattle herd is in Aberdeenshire alone. The area also boasts in excess of 34% of Scotland's total red meat production. BeefTech 25 featured a broad range of activities to promote the agriculture and the beef industry, continuing a long tradition of specialist events hosted by RNAS over the years. There were lots of well-kent local faces in attendance. But Joanna said she'd been pleasantly surprised to also see so many farmers from much further afield. The day kicked off with a breakfast seminar featuring a banker, vet, sheep farmer and meat processor. The banker was Stephen Buchan, Virgin Money's head of agriculture for Scotland. He highlighted some of the financial pressures for farmers just now, and told a packed seminar how good cashflow and performance monitoring were key to securing a loan. Graeme Fowlie, of Meadow Vets, updated the audience about new treatments coming onto the market to help farmers keep their livestock healthy. He livened up his slide presentation with video segments and images of Aberdeen FC's historic Scottish Cup win over Celtic. And he gave everyone a close up of a cow's internal organs via a live camera link into a bucket. Cammy Wilson is a well-known sheep farmer from Ayrshire. His YouTube channel about life on his farm, The Sheep Game, now boasts more than 400,000 subscribers. His entertaining seminar presentation focused on opportunities for new entrants to the industry. Luck and good networking are crucial, said Cammy, whose enthusiasm for farming shone through. And he said his social media activities were helping to keep his farm financially viable. Prys Morgan is procurement director for meat processor Kepak UK, principal sponsor for BeefTech 25. Speaking about market opportunities for the UK beef supply chain, Prys said consumer demand for quality produce remains strong. And global events including the war in Ukraine highlight the importance of food security, he added. But the industry is facing a major challenge around costs and a long-term decline in the size of Britain's beef cattle herd, he warned. Prys also described the lack of any legislation committing the UK hospitality industry to tell customers where food comes from as a 'significant flaw'. The biggest challenge facing Britain's beef sector is to make sure it remains profitable for farmers without the end product becoming too expensive for consumers, he said. The host farm for BeefTech 25 supplies most of its finished cattle to Kepak's McIntosh Donald abattoir at Portlethen. McIntosh Donald procurement manager Ewan Hutcheson had previously hailed today's event as a 'great opportunity' to promote the beef industry. It also helped to highlight those within the supply chain who help sustain the industry through thick and thin, showcasing their commitment, talent and passion, he said. Other major sponsors at BeefTech 25 included Virgin Money, ANM Group, Denis O Brown, AAB and Harbro. As well as trade stands and beef industry seminars, there was a popular breed society marquee, as well as barley trial plots and working demonstrations of feeder wagons. Visitors got to see an autonomous tractor and hi-tech weed sprayer in action. Meanwhile, a walking tour with one of the Gall family took in some of Home Farm's feeding cattle, cows and calves. A stock judging and auction raised cash for the local branch of Macmillan Cancer Support. Home Farm, Kininmonth, has been under Gall ownership for more than 100 years. Its current custodians finish 1,000 head of cattle a year, many of them from Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. About 800 Shetland cross lambs are also bought for finishing and lamb is prominent on the menu at Saplinbrae Hotel and Lodges, a 14-bedroom establishment Noel and Joanna Gall acquired in 2015. The Galls showcasing their suckler cow and cattle finishing system at BeefTech 25. Their farm stretches to nearly 600 acres, with a further 200 acres rented – half for crops and half for grazing. About 350ac of barley are grown for feeding, with oats, wheat and oilseed rape taking up 120ac, 60ac and 60ac respectively.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MGPI Q1 Earnings Call: Revenue Tops Expectations, Margin Pressures Remain Amid Strategic Refocusing
Food and beverage supplier MGP Ingredients (NASDAQ:MGPI) reported revenue ahead of Wall Street's expectations in Q1 CY2025, but sales fell by 28.7% year on year to $121.7 million. The company expects the full year's revenue to be around $530 million, close to analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.36 per share was 3.3% below analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy MGPI? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $121.7 million vs analyst estimates of $117.5 million (28.7% year-on-year decline, 3.5% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.36 vs analyst expectations of $0.37 (3.3% miss) Adjusted EBITDA: $21.76 million vs analyst estimates of $19.54 million (17.9% margin, 11.3% beat) The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $530 million at the midpoint Management reiterated its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance of $2.60 at the midpoint EBITDA guidance for the full year is $110 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $107.9 million Operating Margin: -0.6%, down from 17% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was $24.76 million, up from -$2.4 million in the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $691.8 million MGP Ingredients delivered first quarter results that management described as in line with expectations, emphasizing early progress on its core initiatives to stabilize the brown goods (whiskey) business and focus on premium brands within its Branded Spirits segment. Interim CEO and CFO Brandon Gall highlighted that while industry-wide whiskey inventories remain elevated and consumer demand is cautious, targeted investments in premium products like Penelope, El Mayor, and Rebel 100 led to growth within the company's Premium Plus portfolio. Gall noted, 'These early signs of stabilization are encouraging and give us confidence that the proactive steps we're taking are beginning to take hold.' Looking ahead, management reaffirmed its full-year revenue and profit guidance, citing ongoing productivity initiatives and cost controls as central to achieving its targets. Gall reiterated that operational execution, particularly in ingredient production and customer partnerships, will be key for the remainder of the year. The company believes its pipeline of innovation and efficiency projects, along with a strengthened balance sheet, position it to navigate current market headwinds. Management stated it would continue to monitor the industry's inventory correction and supply chain challenges, maintaining a focus on shareholder value creation. MGP Ingredients' management attributed first quarter performance to a mix of consumer and industry trends, as well as disciplined execution of strategic initiatives. The quarter's deviations from analyst expectations were primarily linked to a sharper decline in year-over-year revenues, offset by better-than-expected cost controls and working capital management. Premium Plus brands drive growth: The Branded Spirits segment's Premium Plus portfolio, including Penelope, El Mayor, and Rebel 100, posted 7% growth, fueled by targeted brand investment and product innovation such as Penelope Wheated and ready-to-serve cocktails. Distilling Solutions stabilization efforts: Management focused on recalibrating customer contracts and production volumes in Distilling Solutions, leading to more collaborative customer relationships and extended agreements, though overall brown goods volumes and pricing were down as anticipated. Ingredient Solutions execution challenges: Sales in the Ingredient Solutions segment were impacted by adverse weather and the Atchison distillery closure, but management cited progress on operational projects like the Deep Well and biofuel facilities, expected to improve efficiency and margin in future quarters. Cost structure and productivity: The company's ongoing productivity agenda, including scheduling optimization and supply chain efficiencies, helped mitigate margin pressures from lower whiskey volumes and ingredient production issues. Leadership and governance updates: The ongoing CEO search continues, but recent Board of Directors changes are intended to strengthen oversight and support execution of growth initiatives, with Gall emphasizing that strategic projects are moving forward despite interim leadership. Management's outlook for the remainder of the year is shaped by ongoing efforts to optimize product mix, improve operational reliability, and navigate an industry-wide inventory reset, with a focus on margin discipline and targeted brand investments. Premiumization strategy: The company believes continued emphasis on premium spirits brands and innovation will support revenue stability, even as mid- and value-tier brands face ongoing declines and promotional pressures. Operational improvements: Projects in ingredient production, such as the new biofuel facility and increased maintenance investment, are expected to improve reliability and reduce costs, positioning the Ingredient Solutions segment for sequential improvement. Risks from market dynamics: Management acknowledged the risk of prolonged elevated whiskey inventories across the industry, as well as potential supply chain disruptions and consumer caution, which could affect timing and magnitude of any recovery. Marc Torrente (Wells Fargo): Asked about the visibility and progress in recalibrating customer contracts in Distilling Solutions. Management said 75% of customer negotiations are complete, with most adjustments reflected in current guidance and further extensions possible. Bill Chappell (Truist Securities): Sought more detail on stabilization actions for mid- and value-tier spirits brands and improvement plans for Ingredient Solutions. Management pointed to price support strategies and operational investments, expecting gradual improvement but emphasizing execution risk. Seamus Cassidy (TD Cowen): Questioned whether Premium Plus growth exceeded expectations and how pricing actions will impact segment margins. Management confirmed a strong start from Penelope but maintained a cautious full-year outlook, noting that price reductions do not always translate to lower margins. Sean McGowan (ROTH Capital): Inquired about any demand shifts related to tariff concerns and the sustainability of Penelope's improved performance. Management reported no evidence of tariff-driven customer behavior and reiterated optimism about Penelope's growth trajectory. Mitch Pinheiro (Sturdivant): Asked about production timing, inventory management, and the effect of lower throughput on cost structure. Management explained that higher Q1 branded barrel put-away was due to scheduling and affirmed productivity initiatives are designed to maintain competitiveness despite volume reductions. In upcoming quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) the pace and success of renegotiated customer contracts and inventory management in the Distilling Solutions segment, (2) operational reliability and throughput improvements in Ingredient Solutions as new projects come online, and (3) the ability of premium brands to offset declines in mid- and value-tier spirits. Execution on cost-saving and productivity initiatives, as well as the ongoing CEO search, will also be key indicators of future performance. MGP Ingredients currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12.2×. At this valuation, is it a buy or sell post earnings? The answer lies in our free research report. The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The National
11-05-2025
- The National
How has Scotland's ‘gold standard' law supported victims?
Dr Marsha Scott, CEO of Scottish Women's Aid, sums up the feelings of leading victims' advocates on how the criminal court system is working for domestic abuse survivors, six years after the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (DASA) came into force. The legislation, lauded by campaigners as the 'gold standard', created a new criminal offence of coercive control, defined as 'engaging in a course of behaviour which is abusive of a partner or ex-partner'. READ MORE: Charities blame cost-cutting for lack of specialist domestic abuse courts Despite progress, Scott feels the criminal justice system continues to demonstrate long-standing misconceptions. 'It is difficult to overcome this notion of domestic abuse as physical violence, and of physical violence being more serious than coercive and controlling behaviours – which is not what women and children have said for decades.' While the concept of 'coercive control' is now broadly understood, Scott says the problem lies with a perception that this is somehow distinct from 'domestic abuse', whereas 'pretty much every domestic abuse case includes coercion'. 'Another myth in the system' which Scott says has persisted is that if a father 'wasn't physically abusive to the children, then he must be a safe enough father'. This, she argues, is why child aggravators on domestic abuse convictions remain underused. This is despite the fact that one of the achievements of DASA was that harsher sentences can be applied where a 'reasonable person' would consider that the behaviour would cause a child to suffer harm, even where the child is not the focus of the abuse. In the face of gaps in both understanding and resources, experts in victims' experiences paint a picture of a system which has yet to catch up with the legislation at its disposal. Gemma Gall of domestic abuse charity SafeLives points to the statistics which underline this issue: 'If you look at the number of charges there were last year that were domestic abuse in nature, there were more than 30,000 charges and less than 2000 of those were DASA charges. 'That leads me to question: are there other cases where that could have been applied? We're still falling back into laws that would have been used before 2018 – assaults, sexual violence, threatening and abusive behaviour – but we're not tying it all together as well.' Gall was a Domestic Abuse Court Advocacy (DACA) worker before and after the introduction of the legislation, supporting victims to navigate the criminal court process. Now, she's leading on a programme of standards and accreditation for DACA workers, with a view to ensuring everyone who needs this kind of support is able to access it. Currently, 13 of Scotland's 32 local authorities don't have an established DACA service. Without someone to advise and advocate for them, Gall says survivors can find the process 'disempowering, like you're being treated as a piece of evidence or as a witness in a case that's very personal to you'. Positively, Gall stresses that, since the introduction of DASA, there has been a recognition from the Scottish Government that court advocacy is needed, backed by funding to 'look at ways to really centre victims', like SafeLives's work. That being said, she notes that much of the funding for advocacy services is part of the time-limited Victim Centred Approach Fund and Equally Safe Fund, so questions remain about 'what's beyond that'. According to Cynthia Gimenez, team leader of the Edinburgh Domestic Abuse Court Service (EDDACS), run by Edinburgh Women's Aid, the need for advocacy services is accentuated by the fact that 'the majority of women that go through court for domestic abuse find it re-traumatising'. READ MORE: Wildfire 'bigger than five football pitches' near Scottish town This is the result of a variety of factors. For one, while there are special measures that can be provided by courts to keep vulnerable witnesses safe during the process – such as the ability to provide evidence from a remote location or from a separate room – Gimenez says these are 'not always available' because of a 'lack of resources'. One of EDDACS's roles is to ensure victims are informed of the outcomes of hearings, however, Gimenez says the court doesn't always provide that information on the same day, resulting in situations where the victim 'might not feel safe to leave the house'. 'You don't know if the bail conditions have changed. You don't know if someone was in custody and has been released that day. You don't know if the case hasn't been taken forward because of a lack of evidence. If you are going to be trauma-informed, you would think that's essential,' she says. Ultimately, the fact that cases can take years to be prosecuted only exacerbates these issues. 'The delays are what increases that feeling of, what's the point? Why did I go through all of this – this horrific process where I was feeling unsafe and which might have potentially caused the situation to escalate – if I wasn't going to get anything out of it, if I wasn't going to feel safer at the end of it?' she says. Fiona McMullen, operations manager at Assist, a domestic abuse court advocacy service which serves 13 local authorities, echoes these concerns, while stressing that she 'would always encourage victims to report'. She adds: 'We have to acknowledge how far we've come.' One of the key achievements of DASA, McMullen says, was that it is now mandatory for sheriffs to consider non-harassment orders (NHOs) in domestic abuse cases. 'That was huge to us,' she recalls. However, sheriffs do not grant NHOs after every conviction, even where this has been requested by the victim. 'This is the biggest letdown for our clients. They've been through that journey, they've often had to give evidence – because perpetrators of domestic abuse will often not plead guilty – then they don't get a non-harassment order,' McMullen says. Another positive development which McMullen highlights is the introduction of case management pilots which are rolling out across Scotland in summary (non-jury) cases. This effectively means that the defence and prosecution can see the evidence 'earlier in the process and can better inform the plea being made', she explains. 'It reduces the need for the victim and witnesses to give evidence in court,' McMullen says, and the aim is to 'bring about early resolutions'. While this is 'very helpful', McMullen warns of a need to ensure that sheriffs 'are still sentencing robustly', which is not always the case. 'We need to make sure we're not just saying, well, they pled guilty early, so we'll admonish them, or it's a fine – and fines are inappropriate in domestic abuse cases, because you're putting a financial cost on someone's abuse,' she says. In McMullen's experience, what domestic abuse victims are looking for from the criminal justice system is 'protection' and 'something to stop the abuse'. She adds: 'If a sheriff isn't putting in a sentence that does any of that, that's when victims might begin to lose faith in the system.' Still, each of these advocates for survivors believe a better system is in reach. Gall emphasises that 'there are so many motivated people within these systems trying to make that change'. One example she highlights is that the Crown Office and Prosecution Service (COPFS) has accepted all recommendations of a recent inspection report on domestic abuse. Another is the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which aims to improve victims' experiences with a particular focus on sexual violence cases. Gimenez feels that an important step the courts and prosecution service could take is to ensure that training in domestic abuse for all staff is made 'mandatory and embedded into their usual practice, because it constitutes a lot of the cases that are going through court'. READ MORE: Scottish musician releases single condemning Israel's war crimes in Gaza For Scott – having contributed to the training for sheriffs in the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act and observing 'no sign of improvement in sheriffs' judgements in the context of domestic abuse' – the key to change is 'accountability'. Scott says: 'The critical thing which is missing is a system that says, in order to uphold the law in Scotland, you need to be able to do these things – and if you're not doing these things in your courtroom, or in your police call, or prosecution, then you're not doing your job competently.' A recurring theme, which McMullen articulates, is that the knowledge is already there on how to deliver a system that works for victims: 'That's court advocacy, it's police resource, it's resource within COPFS to make sure that victims are engaged, and it's robust sentencing and perpetrator programmes available across Scotland which address the offending.' In many areas, McMullen says, what's missing is the resource: 'We know what good looks like – but we need the resources to deliver it.'
The Courier
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Jim Goodwin defends Dundee United's Declan Gallagher
Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin has leapt to the defence of experienced centre-back Declan Gallagher following criticism of his performance against Hibs on Saturday. The Scotland international was at fault for Martin Boyle's opening goal, was outpaced by Mykola Kuharevich for the second and didn't cover himself in glory – in common with several other players – for Dwight Gayle's late header. Gallagher bore the brunt of some scathing social media commentary following a challenging afternoon against a pacy, physical Hibees outfit. Some even went as far to suggest that his contractual status – it was confirmed recently that he will leave the club at the end of the season – had some bearing on the performance. However, the 34-year-old was visibly playing through the pain barrier in the capital, and Goodwin insists it is important to remember Gallagher's 'immense' contribution towards United being in the hunt for European qualification. The excellent Mykola Kuharevich gave Declan Gallagher a torrid time. Image: SNS 'Gall has been immense for us all season,' lauded Goodwin. 'He was a huge part of that early run that we went on where we were defensively so solid. 'But it's a long, gruelling season, especially for the older players. It can be really demanding week-after-week to churn out performances. 'We tried to protect him in the game against Celtic, giving an extra week to recover for the Hibs game. But he had a difficult game. There's no getting away from that. 'Gall would be the first one to hold his hands up and admit that. 'However, over the course of the season, I don't think anybody can deny how well Gall has done for us as a team and for what he's given to the club over the last couple of years.' Race against time Gallagher is facing a race against time to be fit to face St Mirren on Saturday, along with fellow defenders Emmanuel Adegboyega and Sam Cleall-Harding. Goodwin added: 'We know we've got a really physical game on Saturday against St Mirren, so hopefully Gall will be okay for that one, because he's a leader at the back.'
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
16-year-old firefighter in Missouri killed in line of duty
Missouri officials said a 16-year-old firefighter was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call for service over the weekend. Chevy Gall, a firefighter with the all-volunteer Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District, was involved in a motor vehicle crash at approximately 4:15 p.m. Saturday while responding to a reported water rescue, according to the department. Gall, 16, "sustained critical injuries and was transported to Mercy Washington Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased," the Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District said. Veteran California Police Officer Killed In Shootout During Transnational Drug Ring Takedown "Tonight is a fire chief's worst nightmare. We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our own," Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District Fire Chief Terry Feth said in a statement. "Chevy died while answering the call to help others. Our entire department is grieving, as we mourn with Chevy's family, friends, and our fellow first responders during this incredibly difficult time." Gall was headed down Highway 50 east of MO-185 when his vehicle crossed the center line and hit the front of a cargo van, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol obtained by KSDK. Read On The Fox News App The van's driver, identified as a 30-year-old man, was transported to a hospital where he was treated for minor physical injuries, the report said. The crash happened near Beaufort, which has a population of less than 2,000 people. The cause of the collision was not immediately known, but Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Abe Cook told KSDK that the crash happened during heavy rainfall. The Beaufort area experienced several flash flood warnings a day earlier amid severe weather conditions, but the water levels had subsided significantly by the time of the crash, according to KSDK. Florida Man Impersonates Ice Agent, Threatens To Deport 2 Men, Police Say The Chief Mason Griffith Foundation announced Gall's death on social media. "In a heartbreaking turn of events, he became involved in a motor vehicle accident and, despite the tireless efforts of medical professionals, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital," the nonprofit, which supports first responders, said. "Chevy's passing leaves behind his loving parents and two siblings, who are engulfed in grief." The nonprofit said Gall's family was already mourning the loss of his uncle, aunt and cousins "who were killed in a separate accident" at the time of the young firefighter's death. "This unimaginable situation has cast a shadow over our entire community, reminding us of the tremendous sacrifices our first responders make every day," the foundation wrote, asking for donations for the family. An American flag was raised on Sunday over the I-270 overpass, which multiple agencies lined with emergency vehicles during the dignified transfer of Gall to Washington, article source: 16-year-old firefighter in Missouri killed in line of duty
