June 27, 2013

27/06/13: Explosion at elevator kills man; FAO Statistical Yearbook 2013; all aboard the grain train

A man has died in an explosion at a grain elevator in Indiana, USA. James Swank, 67, was working at the Co-alliance owned facility, Union Mills the when the explosion happened on Monday June 24, 2013. The cause of the accident is as yet unknown but the focus of investigations is on grain ignition.

On Tuesday June 25, 2013, a fire broke out on one of the conveyor belts at the top of the elevator. This fire was a result of smoldering grain from the original incident and as a precaution, 30 nearby residences were evacuated.

In a statement, Co-Alliance says that there are now 'hot spots' of concern in five grain silos which are being watched closely by local fire agencies on the scene, Nationwide Insurance's grain salvage expert, and Co-Alliance professionals. In three of the five concerning bins, the fire department has added water in an effort to remedy the situation. Next steps of action are being determined for the remaining issues.
More information...

The FAO has released its FAO Statistical Yearbook 2013 - a comprehensive reference point for statistical data on food and agriculture. The publication also provides a snapshot of related economic, environmental and social trends and issues.

According to José Graziano da Silva, director general, FAO, "Good statistics are needed to monitor the progress of development. The better the data, the better policies can be designed to protect vulnerable populations. And, without good data, it is impossible to evaluate or determine the impact of policies."
Print copies are available to buy but there is also a wealth of information which is free to access online and downloads for e-book readers and tablets.

All aboard! It's the Victoria to Melbourne grain train. This video charts the progress of a 638 metre grain train as it makes its way across Australia through the night.



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