Tag Archives: green
Q&A with Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Discussing Agriculture and Water
“There is absolutely no substitute for water at any price” – Steve Yuzpe Ideas get bigger when you share them… New York, NY, Point Roberts, WA – September 18, 2013 (Investorideas.com Water Stocks Newswire) Investorideas.com, an investor research portal specializing in sector research for independent investors including water and agriculture stocks issues an exclusive interview with Mr. Steve Yuzpe, Chief Financial Officer at Sprott Resource Corp. Mr. Yuzpe provides insight into global trends and opportunities within the sectors. Q: Investorideas.com Where do you see the biggest opportunities in agriculture and can you give us some of the publicly traded companies you like? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Sprott Resource Corp. is the private equity group within the Sprott Group of Companies … so public stocks are not my specialty. That said, the Ag sectors that we like are fertilizers (especially phosphate), healthy food themes and water Q: Investorideas.com Outside of traditional agriculture companies and related suppliers like seeds, fertilizer and transportation do you see agriculture getting more into technology, for example water management and treatment technologies within the actual umbrella of an Ag company? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Yes. I think technology and water management will be very important sub-sectors within the agriculture sector. Technology: has to be part of the solution to deal with the increase in primary production required to feed the planet in the next 40 years. The population will grow by 40 – 50%, but the global grain and oilseed production will need to increase by 80 – 100%. Technology will impact every aspect of primary production (for example, off the top of my head, seed genetics, variable rate farming, farm machinery (smart, auto-steer seeding units), efficient / secure storage, water extraction, enhanced food preservation, etc.) Water: 70% of global water use is from agriculture and significantly more water will be required to increase global production. Improvements in technology, awareness and conservation are all part of the solution. There is absolutely no substitute for water at any price. Q: Investorideas.com How do you see the global eating trends of organic, vegetarian and vegan impacting agriculture, for an example the growing shift from sugar to alternatives like stevia? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp The trend in wealthy countries is an increase in ‘healthy diets’ … I think the themes of organic, hormone free, antibiotic free, nitrate free, grass fed, etc. are poised to gain mindshare of consumers, which should lead to investment opportunities. Q: Investorideas.com I have read that countries in the Middle East and China have bought up agricultural lands with water rights globally in anticipation of drought and bigger issues in food supplies from climate change. How will that impact the global picture long term? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp The counties you mention have to deal with the very real threats of food security and food inflation. The rise in commodity prices has already contributed to the overthrow of regimes in the Middle East and in the last 5-years has led to riots across from Bahrain all the way to Morocco and is driving up costs in China and India. The way that water is priced and managed globally leads us to believe that localized water shortages are inevitable. As mentioned above, Canada is lucky that we have significant water resources. Opportunities exist because agriculture is facing serious issues in the near and long-term. We will likely solve some of the issues we are facing, but I don’t see how we can solve them all. The long-term impact is tough to predict. All over the world there has been a strong pushback against foreign buyers of farmland. Q: Investorideas.com Are you looking at South American opportunities and if so where? For example I published an article from another writer recently entitled “It’s a good time to buy land in Argentina”, based on falling coffee and sugar prices . A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp We like certain jurisdictions in South America and would definitely avoid others. Our investment style considers geopolitical risk, currency risk, etc., in addition to return profile of the investment. For example, we have a large position in Union Agriculture Group, a large farming operation in Uruguay. We also have a large position in Stonegate Agricom, which has a phosphate deposit in Peru. Q: Investorideas.com What will be the driving force to get more investors into agriculture and water? Do you think like a lot of other sectors, that it will be event driven (water shortages, drought, and contamination) or simply pocket book related as prices rise? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp The agriculture segment is much smaller than other investment sectors. To bring more investors into the sector, we also need to build and develop more companies and products to invest in. It could legitimately be from either event driven or market driven (inflation protection) event, but likely it is from a linked event. A geopolitical or production crisis (weather, etc.) would start prices to rise and fear and greed would exacerbate the price moves. Q: Investorideas.com Where do you think Canada fits into the global market? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Long term, Canada has a very important role to play in primary food production … a large arable land base, already a net exporter of production (with a small population, so little chance that production will be held back from export in a food crisis), significant water resources, geopolitical stability, infrastructure is in place, experienced farmers and a system of strong food safety standards. About Steve Yuzpe, Chief Financial Officer Mr. Yuzpe has over 10 years of financial administration management experience with public and private corporations. Over his career, Mr. Yuzpe has developed specific expertise in financial and internal reporting, strategic development and business planning, corporate governance, investor relations, regulatory compliance, treasury, financings and restructurings. Since 2009, Mr. Yuzpe has served as the Chief Financial Officer of Sprott Resource Corp., and is currently the chairman of One Earth Farms Corp., as well as a director of One Earth Oil and Gas Inc. Mr. Yuzpe has also been involved with Street Kids International, a charity focused on youth at risk, as the Treasurer, member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for more than 10 years. He was also a founding board member of Inroads to Agriculture Institute, an organization whose mission is to help Aboriginal people secure full time employment in the agricultural industry through training and employment support. Mr. Yuzpe holds a Bachelor of Science, Engineering (Mechanical) degree from Queen’s University along with the Professional Engineering designation (P.Eng.) and a Masters in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario. Mr. Yuzpe is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder. Continue reading
Middle Eastern Influences Dominate In The Coming Season
Aug 25 2013 Middle Eastern influences dominate in the coming season Several European fragrance houses have experimented with oud wood recently, creating warm and exotic perfumes. Picture: Getty Images This year, the stars of the perfume world are scents traditionally associated with the Middle East, such as the once rare and expensive oud wood essence. This fragrant resin features a rich array of nuances, including of wood, leather and animalic notes. Several European fragrance houses have experimented with oud wood recently, creating warm and exotic perfumes. We take a look at some of the most remarkable fragrances of the season illustrating this trend. Musk Oud by Kilian One of the first European perfumers to draw inspiration from Middle Eastern traditions, Kilian presented the first fragrance from its Arabian Nights collection in 2010. Today, the line consists of five fragrances, all with oud wood at their core. The latest essence from the line, Musk Oud was launched last June. The nose Alberto Morillas prepared this intoxicating blend of lemon and mandarin notes, complemented by spicy cardamom and coriander, all over a base of sensual oud wood. The fragrance is priced at €295 for 50 ml. Damask & Oud by Hugo Boss The lifestyle brand released its Damask & Oud eau de toilette June 1 through its luxury menswear label, BOSS The Collection. Available only in an exclusive set of department stores, the fragrance is based on fine and rare essences including white pepper, saffron, rose, oud wood, guaiac wood and papyrus. The eau de toilette is priced at €110 for 50 ml. Flowerbomb Rose Explosion by Viktor & Rolf The famous Dutch designers have issued a new version of their popular 2005 perfume, Flowerbomb, which has been updated with oud wood and bears the name Flowerbomb Rose Explosion. On top of the fragrant woody essence, the perfume layers an ideal pairing of Turkish and Moroccan rose absolutes and a complex burst of mandarin, bergamot, saffron, jasmine, patchouli and amber notes. This new fragrance, launched in early August, is available at the price of €149 for 100 ml. Myrrhe Impériale by Armani Privé Giorgio Armani also pays homage to the Middle East in fragrance through the 1001 Nights collection, named for the folk tales of the Islamic Golden Age. Unlike its predecessor Oud Royal, released in 2012, the latest fragrance in this collection is not based on this year’s star essence but contains a masterful combination of other signature Middle Eastern notes, including benzoin, myrrh, pink pepper and saffron. Myrrhe Impériale eau de parfum will be available from the end of August, priced at €215 for 100 ml. Valentina Oud Assoluto by Valentino The Italian couture brand called upon world famous nose Olivier Cresp to concoct a new version of its signature feminine fragrance, Valentina, with a Middle Eastern twist. The new eau de toilette is based on an alliance of orange blossom and oud wood, with notes of cardamom, Bulgarian rose, leather, saffron and dry wood. The fragrance will be available from September, priced at €106 for 80 ml. -Relaxnews Continue reading
Sustainable Forest Innovations Revitalize Hard Hit Communities
By Charlie Spies, CEO CEI Capital Management LLC From Maine to Georgia to Arizona to Oregon, new forest-based enterprises are coming on line with financial support from New Markets Tax Credits every day. These tax credits provide incentives for private investors to fund projects that create or preserve jobs and diversify economies in distressed communities. The result is re-invention and job creation within the supply chain of an age-old industry: growing new forests, sustainably harvesting and moving the timber, and then processing it in 21 st century ways by breaking down the trees into fiber and even into molecules with a variety of potential uses. For instance, this month in rural Berlin, NH the first delivery of sustainably harvested wood to the Burgess Biomass Plant marked a milestone in the evolution of the region’s forest-based economy. On track to come online by the end of the year, it is a prime example of next generation forest utilization as an economic engine. The plant is built on the site of a defunct paper mill, where it will produce 75 megawatts of power, sustain 40 jobs in management and plant operations, plus spur hundreds more jobs in the woods associated with harvesting and transporting biomass. The project received $64 million in New Markets Tax Credits, which attracted private investors to participate. Congress first established New Markets Tax Credits in 2000 to stimulate investment and economic growth in low-income and underserved rural and urban communities that are often overlooked by conventional capital markets. Investors receive 39 percent federal tax credit over seven years as incentive to finance businesses and economic development projects in these distressed communities. The New Markets Tax Credits program has been the impetus for projects on the cutting edge in the forest product industry over the last decade. The program has allowed for millions of acres of timberlands to be managed as sustainable forests available for both industrial and recreational use, as well as creating jobs through continued innovation in the use of forest products from high speed lumber manufacturing, to composite material manufacturing, to cellulosic fuel. These targeted private capital investments are helping to reinvent local economies and protect their future viability using environmentally sustainable practices. New Markets Tax Credits helped Westervelt Company to fund a new wood pellet manufacturing plant in rural Alabama, where nearly half the population lives in poverty and unemployment is greater than ten percent. The plant will produce 280,000 metric tons of wood pellets for use as an alternative fuel source around the world. This project has so far created 45 permanent jobs while assuring demand for locally produced timber and the people that harvest and transport that wood. Alternatively, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Maine Woods Initiative uniquely combines recreation, natural resource protection, sustainable forestry, and community partnerships. By encouraging nature-based tourism, the project is creating jobs: logging crews are busy at work supplying local paper mills while three traditional sporting camps are staffed to welcome visitors, and professionals are employed to manage nearly 70,000 acres of timberland, not to mention the ripple effect in the local economy. The AMC’s purchase of this working forest for conservation and continued public use for both forestry and recreation was supported through New Markets Tax Credits valued at approximately $16.5 million. Further, with cutting edge research and development at the molecular level, ZeaChem Applied Technology in Oregon is using its “know how” to produce fuel and other valuable chemicals from low value wood. The work was made possible with New Markets Tax Credits, employing chemical engineers and researchers while developing green energy. If you believe your project is a candidate for New Markets Tax Credits, your best first step is to speak with a professional who understands the program and can help you understand how you need to structure the financing, corporate ownership and other considerations necessary to qualify. There are a variety of banks that are experienced in this sort of community development, as well as the qualified Community Development Entities (CDE’s) like CEI Capital Management, who administer the program. Charlie Spies is CEO of CEI Capital Management which creates and preserves jobs and improves quality of life in rural, low income communities by providing access to project capital through New Markets Tax Credits. Over 10 years CEI Capital Management has placed more than $658.8 million in 74 different projects across the U.S. In addition to fiscal soundness, CEI Capital Management evaluates each project according to its benefit to the local community, economic gain and positive impact on the environment. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of CEI, the Maine-based nonprofit community development financial institution which was among the founders of this important federal economic development program. For more information, visit http://www.ceimaine.org/CCML Continue reading
