The Global Miller: August 2014

August 29, 2014

29/08/2014: Registration open for AFIA's 'Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing'

Registration is now open for AFIA-500: Fundamentals of Feed Manufacturing. The distance education program is sponsored by the American Feed Industry Association and Kansas State University and is ideal for individuals at all levels interested in gaining a better understanding of the feed manufacturing process.

"The course is taught solely through an e-learning platform. It is self-paced and will last five weeks running from October 12 through November 15," said Keith Epperson, AFIA vice president of manufacturing and training.

"Even though participants don't have to travel to and from the classroom they will still have the benefit of actively engaging in online discussions about the course materials."

AFIA-500 was developed by the feed technology group in KSU's Department of Grain Science and Industry. Topics include the process flow from particle size reduction to batching and mixing, conditioning and pelleting, boilers, post-pellet systems, packaging, load out and maintenance.

The course will be taught by Dr Charles Stark of KSU's Department of Grain Science and Industry. Fifty participants will be accepted into the program.

To register for the course online, go HERE.
To register via PDF go HERE.

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine GFMT
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

For additional daily news from milling around the world: global-milling.com

Brabender - Preview product for JTIC

http://www.brabender.com/english/food.html

Brabender will exhibit this product at JTIC at stand number M31-M34, on 15-16 October in Reims, France.

The GlutoPeak^® process by Brabender^® offers a quick, but precise technical solution to describe the functionality of flours, bruised grains, baking mixes or vital gluten measuring the aggregation behaviour of the gluten component in a sample.

The device first separates the gluten, and then aggregates it into a characteristic network before destroying it with the rotation of its mechanical measuring paddle. Time and torque curve of the physics of the gluten is recorded and displayed as a graph. The time to reach the maximum point on the curve, the peak, its height, and the following decline of the curve provide essential information on gluten quality.

29/08/2014: EU Commission decision concerning vital food and feed import urgently needed to secure food and feed supply to the EU

COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC call on the European Commission to urgently, by September 2014, take a Decision on the EU authorization of eight GM products (1) for import, food and feed processing to avoid further threat to the EU supply of soybeans, maize, rapeseed and various protein-rich products derived thereof.

The EU depends for 75% of its needs for protein-rich ingredients for feeding purpose on the global world markets. Europe consumes yearly around 414 million tons of cereal grains, oilseed and derived products, catering for food, feed and industrial needs: 339 million tons of these agricultural products are produced in the EU and 75 million tons are imported from third countries.

In light of the EU dependency on imported agricultural products and vegetable proteins, Paul Della Tolla, COCERAL’s President, warns: Any further delay - if not denial - by the EU Commission would result in an unavoidably suicidal situation for Europe which will lead to important disruptions to trade as well as serious legal uncertainty. Europe needs to adapt to the world which is rapidly globalizing and facing intensified external competition. The EU Commission, therefore, needs to act on this burden of “non-adjustment”. As several of these GM products are currently being grown and harvested in the key exporting countries to the EU, it won't take long before their unavoidable presence starts being detected in traditional commercial channels, regardless of whether GM or non-GM agricultural products are traded.”

Kevin Brassington, President of FEDIOL, comments on the current situation: "Without a guaranteed supply of imported soybeans from traders to oilseeds processors, approximately three million tons of EU-produced vegetable oils and 10 million tons of protein-rich meal, GM and non-GM alike, would no longer reach food and feed manufacturers and their customers. The financial consequences and liabilities of this scenario would jeopardize the economic viability of our industry."

Ruud Tijssens, FEFAC President, highlights: “The urgent need for the EU Commission to provide legal certainty for feed business operators regarding market access to vital raw materials supplies. EU feed manufactures and livestock producers rely on imports of more than 30 million tons of protein-rich feed materials annually, for which there is no viable alternative available on the European feed market. Any further delay in the GM import approval process could erode further the EU livestock sector’s competitiveness.”

The eight GM products have been deemed safe by the European Food Safety Authority (ESFA) and have reached the final stage of the risk management process. The decisions for the related EU import authorizations lay in the hands of the EU Commission: some of them have been awaited since the end of 2013.

August 28, 2014

28/08/2014: An example of trading in 'RTRS responsible soy' credits

Arla Foods has already got the purchase of more than half of the RTRS Credits planned for this year and in the next months, shall meet its total commitment.

The transaction of +420K credits has already been included in the records of the RTRS Trading Platform and is available for general public consultation on our website.

As usual, RTRS keeps this information public, according to its commitment with transparency.

This initiative has become a highly relevant driver for all RTRS Producers. Not only is it an example of meeting sustainable goals, but also of the existing demand of RTRS Responsible Soy and of its benefits, including cost compensation derived from Certification.

As a Member since 2010, at the beginning of this year, Arla Foods gave a definitve step towards its commitment with responsible soy: acquiring sufficient RTRS Credits for making up for 100% of soy used by its livestock producers for bovine feed throughout Europe.

Read more HERE.

28/08/2014: An invitation to visit Iran's poultry and livestock expo in 2015

The Kish
Iran Poultry & Livestock Expo (K.P.L.E)
18-20 February 2015
Organized by: Sunsafa and powered by VIV Europe
Kish Island
Iran (a free economic zone with free visas)

Dear Managing Director

I hereby would like to make the most of this opportunity to remind our discuss about VIV -Iran Expo on Utrecht, as you know my company Sunsafa Co. is as one of the major directors and organizers of poultry – livestock industry shows in Iran. below I will send you about the second edition of Kish Island poultry Expo.

Update in brief & what Kish Expo 2015 offers you:

For the time being 21000 sqm had intended for domestic and International participants plus ( VIV pavilion)in addition some American companies and delegations
this show is the poultry and livestock industry’s most prestigious and productive trade fair together the foremost domestic & overseas suppliers and playing an essential role in developing the production of poultry feed, animal health and equipment
Participation of the Center for trade Development of Islamic Countries besides stake holder of poultry and husbandry industries from all Iranian next door countries
At K.P.L.E 2015 as a regional function you will meet your customers of today and tomorrow

VIV Master Class and poultry & Aquaculture seminars.
Hotel booking are available in Kish Island for Exhibitors & Visitors.
Flight booking from origin to destination & vice versa (direct from Dubai to Kish Island)

For more details about further services,looking forward to hear from you.
http://kple.sunsafa.com/assets/Documents/EXHIBITION_MANUAL.pdf

Kind Regards
H. Rahbarsafa
Managing Director

Powered by VIV & Organized by Sunsafa Co
No.93,Unit No. 5,Forsat Shirazi
St Tohid Ave.,Tehran-Iran
Post Code:1419794563
Tel:+98-21-66927433
Fax:+98-21-66927436
Email: renate.wiendels@vnuexhibitions.com
Info@sunsafa.com, sunsafa@rocketmail.com
Website: www.sunsafa.com, www.viv.net
Tel : +31 628 4649 13

28/08/2014: The facts, not the spin on mycotoxin at the Motor Cycle Museum

Biomin UK Ltd held a seminar on August 21 at the UK's Motor Cycle Museum in Birmingham, which was attended by leading technical personnel from all around the UK/Ireland agriculture and animal feed industries, including representatives from the veterinary profession, who were all keen to hear the latest "state of the art" information on mycotoxins.

The venue

The seminar aimed to address the effects of mycotoxins on both animal health and performance.

Professor Chris Elliott (Queens University, Belfast) the UK/Ireland independent expert on food related contaminants, kicked off by presenting Emerging Mycotoxins: Animal feed surveillance data & implications for animal health & performance, which included information on such as storage effects, ergot alkaloids and prevalence in colder/wetter conditions and the conclusion that mycotoxin regulations are currently minimal, but will almost certainly increase significantly in the next few years. Prof Elliott also reported on an interesting project moinitoring DDGS samples and mycotoxin levels.

Verena Starkl DI (Biomin) then made two presentations, Mycotoxins Occurrence – how are we affected?

This included information on the Global Biomin Survey, methods of analysis, masked mycotoxins and overall effects of mycotoxins and Mycotoxins Risk Management.

The presenters

Verena specifically emphasised that DON cannot be removed by using simple binders, instead it has to undergo biotransformation into safe metabolites using such as Mycofix Plus and Mycofix Select.

After lunch Luis Cardo DVM (Biomin) presented Mycotoxins in Ruminants - Effects & Management and Andrew Robertson presented Mycotoxins & their Effect in Pigs & Poultry, each presentation focusing on specific health and performance issues related to mycotoxins contamination, even when present at relatively low levels - well below the legal limits.

August 27, 2014

27/08/2014: FAOSTAT infographic on wheat

Today's FAOSTAT from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Rome Italy is quite enlightening for all in the grain industry.

https://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/bf34e496-2db9-11e4-8b56-12313b027a03-original.jpeg

Credit: FAO

See more here:

27/08/2014: Oil shipments take precedence over grain in the mid-west

Oil is out-competing grain for rail transportation in parts of the USA as farmers face a crisis of not being able to move their grains to market.

It is calculated that the delays are already resulting in million of US$ of losses and slowing production for some breakfast cereal manufacturers such as General Mills. There is a general fear the export markets might be forced to look elsewhere for supplies if rail shipments don't get through to ports in a timely manner.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/26/us/grain-piles-up-waiting-for-a-ride-as-trains-move-north-dakota-oil.html?_r=0#story-continues-4

Are railways favouring oil orders over grain orders?

With record soy and wheat crops coming off the farmland throughout the mid-west, harvested grain is piling on the pressure for a workable solution to be found. Farmers believe the situation can only get worse before it gets better.

Some farmers are predicting that if they can't get harvested crops into store then it will rot in the fields. The problem is particularly pronounced in North Dekota where oil is beginning to overtake agriculture as the number one contributor to the state's GDP. Trains have traditionally moved the state's harvested crops to ports in place such as Portland, Seattle and Vancouver and from where it meets the demand for grains from the Pacific and Asia. Grain from this state also goes into east coast ports of Albany by trail and is then shipped on to Europe.

Read more HERE.

27/08/2014: Fighting antibiotic resistance on behalf of the consumer

Following the first public meeting for 3 years on antibiotic resistance in livestock, Maryn McKenna writes a gripping report on the struggle the US Food and Drug Administration has had in curbing the use of antibiotics in livestock.

Her report traces the background to the current round of discussions and put the Animal Health Institute firmly in the dock for not coming up with better arguements or even an acknowledgement that their might be a problem in the US livestock and retail meat chain that can be attributed to the widespread use of antibiotics and the associated risk of anbiotic resistance.

Maryn McKenna's piece suggests that public opinion might well win the day and bring about change faster than the USDA and industry has managed over such a long period of time. She also makes reference to the European experience that suggests industry does need tight regulation in order to force change.

Getting a Farm Off Antibiotics from maryn on Vimeo.

Read more HERE.

27/08/2014: The Yara Prize honors leadership for the future of farming

The Yara Prize 2014 is being awarded to Professor Tekalign Mamo Assefa.

Currently state minister and adviser to the Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture, Professor Mamo has long been a key contributor to the country's food security, soil health and natural resources programs.

For 2014, the Yara Prize Committee has focused on the future of farming in Africa. Special attention has been given to food and nutrition security and the twin challenges of employment and income generation.

"As a laureate, Professor Mamo stands out for his remarkable effort across levels, but always rooted in a profound understanding of how transformation must always include the farmer. As a scientist, leader and practitioner, Professor Mamo's innovative and inclusive efforts have been instrumental in lifting millions of farmers' income," says Jørgen Ole Haslestad, President and CEO of Yara and Chairman of the Yara Prize Committee.

Over the past three decades, Professor Mamo has endeavored to improve the livelihoods of Ethiopian farmers, leveraging his scientific knowledge and exhibiting leadership. Developing targeted interventions for management of waterlogged soils, rehabilitating acidic soils and degraded landscapes, winning farmer acceptance of technologies and modernizing Ethiopia's fertilizer advisory service are important hallmarks of his engagement.

"By awarding the Yara Prize, we salute the champions of sustainable agricultural development. I wish to extend my personal congratulations to Professor Mamo," says Haslestad.

The laureate will be celebrated during the Yara Prize Ceremony in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 2 September in connection with the African Green Revolution Forum 2014.

About the Yara Prize laureate
Born in 1956 in Lekemt, Ethiopia, Professor Mamo graduated as Ph.D. in Soil chemistry and fertility at Aberdeen University, Scotland. From a strong academic basis, Professor Mamo has expanded beyond a purely academic role. In 1985, he and a team of experts launched a national project to improve the country's vast clay soils, especially those that get waterlogged and impair crop productivity. The results have benefited millions of farmers to date.

In 2005, he led the work on a watershed development strategy, focusing on community ownership and the use of proven technologies. Using this approach, Ethiopia reversed degradation on about 13 million hectares of land, and turned them into productive assets. The rehabilitated watersheds are now being legally transferred to landless and jobless rural youth, who can use it to generate income while preserving the environment.

He has also engaged in several initiatives on soil fertility, addressing both acidic soils and nutrient deficiencies. Through his recommendations and leadership, a new conceptual and operational framework for fertilizers has been developed. A national mapping of soil fertility at a district level has been undertaken, and new fertilizers have been introduced which improve past approaches. Over 40,000 new fertilizer demonstrations have been conducted. Many consider this the beginning of a new era of fertilizer use in the country.

Professor Mamo's achievements have also led to his position as one of 13 global commissioners for Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, and him serving as one of 27 leading global experts in the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils. He still guides and supervises graduate students, and he is the founder of the Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources.

About the Yara Prize
The Yara Prize for an African Green Revolution seeks to contribute to the transformation of African agriculture and food availability, within a sustainable context, thereby helping to reduce hunger and poverty. The Yara Prize is based on nominations of candidates who are carefully evaluated by the Yara Prize Committee. The Yara Prize consists of USD 60,000, a crystal trophy and a diploma. The Yara Prize was handed out in Oslo from 2005 to 2009.

From 2012, the prize ceremony was moved to Africa where it is handed out as part of the African Green Revolution Forum, which took place in Arusha, Tanzania (2012) and Maputo, Mozambique (2013).

Read more HERE.

August 26, 2014

25/08/2014: Researching the past and exploring the future for milling

Rob Shorland-Ball and Olivia Holden met at the offices of GFMT to discuss how the past can impact the future when reporting on milling for the global industry.

http://issuu.com/gfmt/docs/fgfmt1404_w1/c/sldws09

Rob and Olivia discuss the old and the new in milling at GFMT headquarters in Cheltenham today

Rob, who is undertaking the task of co-authoring a new book on the Roller Flour Milling Revolution, which is expected to be published in 2015, visited Cheltenham to talk to GFMT (the modern-day name of the original Milling magazine which dates back to 1891) about the future direction of the magazine and how it is still assisting industry in various parts of the world.

Olivia, who is new to GFMT and the milling industry, is keen to catch up on the history of the publication and the industry from discussions with Rob and the Mills Archive Trust which is supporting the development of the proposed book.

Read more HERE.

25/08/2014: 2015 IPPE Surpasses 450,000 Square Feet

With five months remaining until the trade show, the 2015 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) has surpassed 450,000 net square feet of exhibit space. Comprised of the three integrated trade shows – International Poultry Expo, International Feed Expo and International Meat Expo – the 2015 IPPE has also secured more than 1,000 exhibitors and is on pace to have 1200 exhibitors by January.

“More than 85 percent of the show floor has been booked, including our expansion into Building C. We anticipate more than 28,000 attendees at the 2015 IPPE, with the Expo providing an excellent location to learn about new products and services and for businesses to collaborate and attendees to network. The 2015 IPPE will also benefit from an expanded audience as AMI and the North American Meat Association (NAMA) complete their merger,” stated Charlie Olentine, IPPE show manager.

Charlie Olentine, IPPE show manager - picture courtesy Agwired.com

“NAMA members are excited to be a part of IPPE moving forward,” said Barry Carpenter, NAMA President and CEO.

“Their presence will bring increased value to all the show’s exhibitors, as they look to find the latest technology, equipment and services in the industry.”

The global annual poultry, feed and meat industry trade show will be held Tuesday through Thursday, January 27-29, 2015, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. The Expo will highlight the latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing of feed, meat and poultry products. IPPE will also feature dynamic education programs addressing current industry issues, combining the expertise from AFIA, AMI and USPOULTRY.

2015 IPPE SHOW HOURS:

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 10am – 5pm
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 9am – 5pm
Thursday, January 29, 2015 9am – 3pm

For more information about the 2015 IPPE, visit www.ippexpo.org.

25/08/2014: Norel’s new distributor in Colombia

Norel has a new distributor in the Colombian market.

Biotecno-V is a company specialised in raw materials for animal nutrition and animal health. Biotecno-V produce, commercialize and distribute products with innovation and add-value for the feed industry sector.

Biotecno-V has a professional team dedicated to the satisfaction of the needs of the customers through specialized products and optimal quality in nutrition and animal health, national and international, boosting the technology and developing new products.

Norel, always thinking in the customers services decided to open new operations in Colombia. The new project will allow us to have presence in the feed additives sector with specialized products, developed with the higher technology and know-how.

Norel’s products are present in the Colombian market, from now. The customers’ services and the quality of our products drive us to the excellent results that we are expecting.

25/08/2014: The Asia Livestock series on the move

The globally renowned major Asia Livestock Industry Event Series by UBM ASEAN feature a wide range of innovative products and solutions, including improved farming systems, genetics and feed to help the feed, livestock and meat industries meet the challenges.

UBM organised livestock events are held across ASEAN countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar and the series continues to expand each year after proving to be a cost- effective marketing platform for industry players.

VIETSTOCK 2014
With the theme "Restructuring The Livestock Industry For Sustainable Development, the 7th edition of VIETSTOCK will gather together more than 250 leading local, regional and international suppliers representing the entire livestock value chain from 'farm to fork'. The event was launched in 2004 and has become the country's showcase for attracting investments in feed and livestock.

Now in its 10th year, VIETSTOCK continues to get bigger and better with more comprehensive seminars and a wider showcase featuring the modernisation of livestock rearing and feed manufacturing, both of which will greatly benefit both local and international firms.

Enjoying strong support from The Department of Livestock Production (MARD) since the first staging of the event, VIETSTOCK will be held at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre (SECC), HCMC from15-17 October 2014.
Pre-register at: http://www.vietstock.org and plan your visit today!

LIVESTOCK MYANMAR 2015
Following the success of its debut edition Livestock Myanmar 2014, several exhibitors have already rebooked for 2015. The event will follow in the footsteps of other UBM livestock events and will certainly be another successful event - one especially designed for Myanmar's regional industry. This event, Myanmar's first official feed, livestock & meat industry event will take place on 29 – 31 January 2015 at Tatmadaw Exhibition Hall, Yangon.

Find out more about Livestock Myanmar 2015 by visiting: http://www.livestockmyanmar.com.

LIVESTOCK PHILIPPINES 2015
This will be the third staging of the event following its great success of the 2013 event. Livestock Philippine 2013 drew more than 200 exhibitors from 20 countries and was officially opened by no less than Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III.

Foreign participation was evidenced by international pavilions from China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the UK. Supported by the Department of Agriculture, LIVESTOCK PHILIPPINES 2015 is expected to attract more than 5,000 industry participant. The show will take place at the SMX Convention Centre,Pasay City, Philipphines from 24 to 26 June 2015.

To discover more on the event, please log on to: www.livestockphilippines.com.

LIVESTOCK ASIA 2015
This has developed an outstanding reputation since 2001 as Asia's leading event for feed, livestock and meat industries. With the theme "Feeding AEC's Future", the 8th edition of Livestock Asia is timely as it falls just before the single integrated market and production base, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which becomes effective on 31 December 2015. Co- located with Livestock Asia 2015, a new event ASIAMEATEC the show will focus specifically on the needs of the meat industry from production, processing and packaging all the way through to the plate.

With a floor plan expanded by 30%, Livestock Asia 2015 will take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 21 - 23 September 2015.
For more information, kindly go to: http://www.livestockasia.com.

"Asia Livestock Series developed an outstanding reputation as Asia's leading event for the feed, livestock and meat industries and efficiently accommodate industry professionals and players interact with their ASEAN and other foreign counterparts to discuss challenges and opportunities forging mutual partnerships towards harmonies global competitiveness," said Ms Rungphech Chitanuwat, Business Development Director, UBM Asia.

Exhibitors and visitors both understand that meeting face-to-face is important, as it gives the opportunity not just to see products and have hands-on inspection of the latest equipment, but also to exchange valuable ideas and experiences with other industry professionals and find solutions for their business challenges - all in one place. The Livestock Event Series also feature a comprehensive seminar and conference program featuring industry experts to keep you up-to-date the latest products, developments and industry trends.

For more information on
LIVESTOCK SERIES
Ms Rungphech Chitanuwat – Director of Asian Livestock Series
E: rose.c@ubm.com
VIETSTOCK 2014
Ms Chau Tran
E: chau.tran@ubm.com / vietstock@ubm.com
LIVESTOCK MYANMAR 2015
Ms Yee Mon
E: yeemon.c@ubm.com / livestockmyanmar@ubm.com
LIVESTOCK PHILIPPINES 2015
Ms Jessica Go
E: jessica.go@ubm.com / livestockphil@ubm.com
LIVESTOCK ASIA 2015
Ms Rita Lau / Ms. Salmiza Salim
E: rita.lau@ubm.com / salmiza.salim@ubm.com / livestockasia@ubm.com

About UBM Asia
Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is Asia's leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in mainland China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global presence in 25 major cities with 30 offices and over 1400 staff.

With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in 21 market sectors with 160 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions, 75 high-level professional conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 round-the-clock vertical portals and virtual event services for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world.

We provide a one-stop diversified global service for high-value business matching, quality market news and online trading networks.
UBM Asia has extensive office networks in China, Southeast Asia and India, three of the world's fastest growing B2B events markets. UBM China has 11 offices in the major cities in mainland China, including Beijing,Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen, where we organise more than 70 exhibitions and conferences. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnamand the Philippines with over 50 events in this region. UBM India teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore,Chennai and Hyderabad organise 20 exhibitions and 60 conferences every year across the country.

Read more HERE.

25/08/2014: Rice yields can triple with drip watering systems

Rice production can be raised and greenhouse gases reduced with the strategic use of irrigation through drip or micro watering systems. This is the findings of an irrigation scheme carried out in Israeli trial at Netafim.

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/agri_index.html

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Israeli and Indian scientists from Netafim and Tamil Nadu respectively, have been working on flood irrigation that shows the practice causing much additional greenhouse gas emissions when compared to drip watering systems.

The new system for rice does not stop at just supplying water to the plant;it also caries fertilisers and makes a significant contribution to reducing associated greenhouse gases of methane and nitrous oxide and the release of nitrates into groundwaters.

Traditional paddies can produce gasses through anaerobic processes while at the same time allowing bacteria which feed off anoxic conditions produce nitrous oxides.

Scientists from Israel found that in the southern Indian states, a square metre of paddy field can produce as much as three milligrams of nitrous oxides a day while paddies using the drip system produced just one sixth of that amount per day.

It's a system designed to provide the plant with moisture and nutrients it needs without allowing excessive water and fertilisers to be washed into the soil and into groundwater to threaten the environment and even internationally important structures such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, says the scientists.

Similar work can be traced back to Thailand in 2005 when researches at the University of Technology in Thonburi undertook draining fields and modifying fertiliser programmes to minimise emissions and reduce ground water contamination.

As rice has been cultivated using flood systems for over 5000 years it is not easy to promote the benefits of alternative watering technology. However, the Israeli-Inidan collaboration is proving a yield increase of more than three times traditional crop sizes which are note being replicated in commercial operations in southern India.

Read more HERE.

August 21, 2014

21/08/2014: Less wheat and canola grown in Canada

Canadian farmers are on course to produce less wheat and canola than expected, according to Statistics Canada’s first report on this year’s harvest.

Statscan, using a farmer survey, pegged the 2014/15 all-wheat crop at 27.7 million tonnes, down 26 per cent from last year’s record harvest and below the average trade expectation of 28.5 million tonnes. Canada is projected to be the fourth-largest wheat exporter this year.

Read more HERE.

21/08/2014: France rain-hit wheat crop offset with imported supplies

France's rain-hit wheat crop has delivered the first shock of the 2014/15 season: the EU's top grower and exporter is buying Lithuanian and British milling wheat to mix with its unusually poor-grade crop to meet contracts signed before the harvest, reports Reuters.

French exports exceed those of Britain and Lithuania on the world market, but a wet summer has meant France is set to produce more wheat for animal feed and less higher grade bread-making grain this year.

The imports are the latest signal that France might struggle to retain its market share of milling wheat exports this season because a large part of its crop is failing to live up to its traditional clients' criteria.

During the past 13 years for which Reuters has records, France has only once imported significant amounts of Lithuanian wheat.

That was during the 2010/2011 season, which was also beset by quality problems.

The total amount imported then, at 22,600 tonnes, was less than the single shipment of 27,500 tonnes of high protein-content wheat, which trade and port sources told Reuters was being unloaded at the Port of Rouen on Thursday.

The French imports point to the potential for more unusual global grain trade flows this season.

"Clearly there is a significant quantity of feed wheat in France which is normally not there, therefore they are struggling to fulfil some of their normal export destinations and obligations," said a trader in Britain.

"Consequently grain has been bought to replace that French wheat from Scandinavia, Germany, Poland, the UK."

France's key markets in North Africa, particularly the world's fourth-largest wheat importer Algeria, are expected to look beyond their traditional supplier for future purchases but in the meantime, French exporters are meeting existing contracts by mixing in higher quality foreign wheat.

"I think that France will certainly have a problem with high-volume sales to some of its traditional markets this year, especially Algeria and Morocco," a German trader said.

"The French are also likely to be aggressive sellers of feed wheat which could be offered in the Arabian and Asian markets as a competitor to corn," he added.

As for British milling wheat, a shipment of 3,000 tonnes reached Dunkirk earlier this week. A second, for 4,400 tonnes, was in Rouen on Thursday, and others should follow, the sources said.

Britain, which had a reasonably good quality harvest this season, is a more regular supplier of wheat to France, but its exports are usually aimed at the lower quality animal feed market.

Read more HERE.

21/08/2014: Grain drying in 2014

Grain prices are down, yields are expected to be at a record level, and for the first time in several years, you may store grain for a longer period of time as part of your marketing strategy, reports Aquaculture.com.

http://www.agriculture.com/crops/grain-handling-and-storage/grain-dryers/grain-drying-issues-f-2014_182-ar44814#.U_OIesRr54w.hootsuite

In addition, more farmers are holding grain above 15% moisture content and blending on the farm, says Gary Woodruff, GSI.

“There will be a lot of grain that is more difficult to keep in condition with these three trends,” he says.

Storage moisture and grain temperature determine grain storage life. “To safely store corn through spring, it should be no higher than 15%,” advises Woodruff. “To safely store through next fall, it should be no higher than 14%, and to store for one year or more, it must be at 13%.”

The following chart shows how long grain can be stored at different moisture contents and temperatures. If grain at 16% moisture is held at 80° for 24 days (half of its storage life) and is then cooled to 50°, it then has half of the storage life left at this temperature (or 170 days). This is with one grade loss, if everything goes perfectly.

Allowable storage time for clean, undamaged shelled corn at various temperature and moisture levels before a 0.5% loss in dry matter occurs (one grade loss). Off odors can be observed earlier. Actual storage time may be half this if fines and FM are present. Source: ASABE with wider temperature and moisture numbers extrapolated or picked up from other sources.

“Many today believe they can hold grain above 15% without risk or loss of net income,” says Woodruff. “This is a completely false premise."

If you’re going to hold on to grain for more than a year, it needs to be at 13%. The reason for this is that at 13% there is little or no free water in the grain. Mold and insects can’t access bound water, so they can’t grow or survive. As free water increases, storage life decreases and chances of out-of-condition grain increase. “Safe storage moisture is not an accident; it’s physics,” adds Woodruff.

Above 15% moisture, there is never enough aeration air to properly dry the grain, so water is moved from the bottom to the middle of the bin, compromising the grain. This out-of-condition grain may blend as the bin empties, but it is still there.

It takes about 1% of the corn’s value using LP gas to dry corn from 17% to 15%. When grain heats during the rotting process and loses one grade, 1% or more of the test weight is lost. “At best, financially, you will break even,” says Woodruff. “And the chances of out-of-condition grain increase greatly.

“Holding overly wet grain started gaining popularity in the last 10 years,” he adds. “This last year we’ve seen some of the highest loss rates despite the grain being brought in last fall in pretty good condition.”

His warning: The lure of a faster harvest and lower drying costs from storing above 15% may seem like a better option, but grain at a higher moisture content has no financial benefit, it increases your risk for the grain going out of condition, and threatens your ability to store it long-term.

The best practice for grain bin safety is to never enter the grain bin. “The best way to move toward zero entry is to not allow grain to go out of condition,” advises Woodruff.

Falling through a crust into a cavity, being sucked into the grain as you try to unplug a discharge, or having a wall of standing grain fall on someone all come from grain that is compromised.

In the Midwest, recent cooler weather and rains along with the Corn Dent report suggest harvest may be a week or so later with higher grain moistures than average. If the rain and cool temperatures persist, this could slow down harvest further. This would slow down drying and require careful monitoring and management to ensure that grain doesn’t go out of condition.

The North was planted late and hasn’t seen the normal number of heat degree days. “Harvest will be late and wet,” says Woodruff. “But farmers in the North are used to this and prepared to deal with it.” The biggest threat in this region is a frost before maturity is reached. This would stop the corn from drying, test weight and yield would be reduced, and drying and storage would become extremely difficult.

Read more HERE.

August 20, 2014

20/08/2014: Young farmers in Montana stressed by low wheat prices

by TOM LUTEY, Billings Gazette

August cash prices for winter wheat are nearing an eight-year low in Eastern Montana, which could make the 2014 crop unprofitable for some, observers say in the Missoulian.

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/low-wheat-prices-stress-young-montana-farmers/article_b32a7d28-288c-11e4-b623-001a4bcf887a.html

Young wheat farmers under stress

Grain elevators in the northeast and southeast part of the state were offering an average price of $4.74 a bushel on Tuesday, according the the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service. One has to go back to 2006 to find a lower August average.
Global wheat production is at a record high, according to the USDA, and the glut is driving down foreign demand for U.S. grain.

That’s bad news for the young Montana farmers who often lease their land and equipment. Profit margins are often much narrower for young farmers, which makes weathering low prices difficult. Six-figure operating loans for a single a year aren’t unheard of for a farm couple with a few years experience under their belt.

“You’re more susceptible to risk when you’re at the beginning stages of your farming career, or midway through your career, because that’s when you’re servicing a large amount of debt because of land payments,” said Bin Von Bergen, Moccasin farmer and immediate past president of the National Association of Wheat Growers.

Read more HERE.

20/08/2014: Japan to resume exports of rice grown in Fukushima, will send 300kg to Singapore

Japan is to restart exports of rice grown in Fukushima for the first time since foreign sales were halted due to fears of contamination by the nuclear disaster there, officials said on Tuesday, reports The Straits Times of Asia.

The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh), a major wholesaler of Japanese agricultural products, said it will send 300kg of the grain to Singapore. Its provenance will be marked and it will not be mixed with other produce, an official said. The rice was grown some 60km to 80km west of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, he said.

It will be the first time rice grown in Fukushima prefecture - which hosts the battered Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant - has been sold abroad since fiscal 2012, when the region exported 17 tonnes to Hong Kong, a Fukushima official said.

"Despite our efforts at explaining the safety of Fukushima-made farm products, up until now we have not been able to find retailers who wished to trade rice grown in Fukushima," said an official for Zen-Noh. "From now on, we aim to export more Fukushima rice, including to Singapore."

Read more HERE.

20/08/2014: China halts genetically modified rice and corn developments

China’s Ministry of Agriculture has decided not to renew biosafety certificates that allowed research groups to grow genetically modified (GM) rice and corn, reports Dennis Nomile in Science Insider today.

http://news.sciencemag.org/asiapacific/2014/08/china-pulls-plug-genetically-modified-rice-and-corn

Tine Steiss/Wikimedia

The permits, to grow two varieties of GM rice and one transgenic corn strain, expired on 17 August. The reasoning behind the move is not clear, and it has raised questions about the future of related research in China.

The ministry, with much fanfare, had approved the GM rice certificates in August 2009. The permits enabled a group at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan to produce two varieties of rice carrying a gene from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacteria that provides pest resistance. At the same time, the ministry approved production of a corn strain developed by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences' Biotechnology Research Institute in Beijing. Researchers had altered the corn so that kernels contain phytase, a livestock feed additive that boosts absorption of phosphorus, which enhances growth. All of the certificates were valid for 5 years.

Since the certificates were issued, however, public skepticism about the benefits of GM crops has grown in China. Some scientists conducting GM plant research have been attacked when giving public lectures.

Why the ministry allowed the certificates to lapse is in dispute. Some environmentalists say public worries about GM crops played a decisive role. "We believe that loopholes in assessing and monitoring [GM] research, as well as the public concern around safety issues are the most important reasons that the certifications have not been renewed," writes Wang Jing, a Greenpeace official based in Beijing, in an e-mail to ScienceInsider.

Others believe agricultural economics also influenced the decision. China has nearly reached self-sufficiency in producing rice using conventional varieties, so the ministry has decided there is no need to commercialize Bt rice in the near future, says Huang Jikun, director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy. He says that with commercialization off the table, there was no point in renewing the certifications. Huang says "rising public concerns [about the] safety of GM rice" likely also played a role.

Whatever the reason, the decision marks an abrupt change in fortunes for transgenic rice in China. Five years ago, "China was widely expected to soon put GM rice on the country’s dining tables," wrote Cao Cong, a China policy expert at University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, in a post on The Conversation, an Australian website. The Bt rice project "is now to all intents and purposes dead and buried," he wrote, blaming an "anti-GM movement whose power and influence are more than matched by its fervour and sheer, undiluted paranoia."

Huang says this decision does not reflect a change in China’s overall policy regarding agricultural biotechnology. The government is increasing its support for Bt corn research, other specialists note; GM corn has faced less public opposition, in part because it is primarily fed to livestock.

The researchers behind the affected GM crops could not be reached for comment.

Read more HERE.

20/08/2014: Apparent protein, energy and amino acid availability of meat and bone meal

A report has just been published in Journal of the World Aquaculture Society about meat and bone meal (MBM) as an excellent source of amino acids (AAs) for fish but with proviso about its proximate composition varies according to its origin and processing.

Besides the low AA quality of MBM-340, 370 and 400, their utilisation is limited by low digestible energy and high ash, which should be considered in the production of least-cost, well-balanced and sustainable diets for Tilapia.

Read more HERE.

August 19, 2014

19/08/2014: Animal feed trials at HGCA

by Tom Blacker, from a visit to Cereals UK
GFMT’s Tom Blacker spoke exclusively to Dr Jos Houdijk, Reader in Animal Nutrition and Health at Scotland’s Rural College, about this development.

The UK’s Home Grown Cereals Authority gave an exclusive presentation to Grain and Feed Milling Technology about its new steps in the world of animal feed. Usually researching and providing essential services in the wheat and cereals areas, animal feed is a new sector it is entering into with European partners.

Dr Jos Houdijk, Reader in Animal Nutrition and Health at SRUC

Processing grain in a feedmill requires a lot of quantity.
Companies such as Cargill would tell us to come back with an amount as large as 500 tonnes to process as a minimum, the man from HGCA told me.

He found a small pilot plant in France, working with quantities between 100 to 300kg.

“We packed up 12 batches of variety specific whole seed grains on a ship to Paris and Bordeaux and they will be processed and sent back to us,” says Dr Jos Houdijk, Reader in Animal Nutrition and Health at Scotland’s Rural College.

“We are now in the process of characterising their chemistry and putting them through [feeding] chickens and pigs for the research work.

“In the end, what we are trying to achieve is to say to levy payers that different varieties of rapeseeds may have a different feeding value when it comes to the effect on a pig or chicken.

“It is going to be a long process to improve the varieties and improve the nutritional qualities, even from a mix of varieties. Nevertheless, if for arguments sake we suppose that the range of varieties are split by half: a good side and a bad side, and if the bad ones can be phased out, quicker than the good ones, then by definition, it should go up in quality: this is what we are trying to achieve,” he added.
HGCA hopes to get the first results out in the open by the end of 2014.

It will not be in time for drilling seeds this year but hopefully for next year’s drilling. Growth trials will follow when HGCA understands the effect of grain variety on digestible energy and standardized ileal digestible amino acid levels.

Grower pigs may expect 7.5 percent of their feed to be formed by these varieties and older pigs at 10 to 12 percent.

In poultry, the level will be at about five percent.

This new type of formulation will mean HGCA can go higher in information and advice on using rapeseed for two reasons: first, the information it does have is 10 to 15 years old, the new information will mean that feed formulations can go higher in the amounts of these varieties used; second, a country like Canada is using much higher levels of rapeseed meals with pigs without any side effects in production.

Therefore, the potential must be there for the UK, HGCA extrapolates.

“In Canada they use more current data than us, in feed formulations based on standardised ileal digestible amino acids and net energy levels. Here, we use that on values from books that do not tell us information about these varieties, which are the differences.”

The effects on the animals should hopefully be better digestibility of proteins from one variety compared to another. If we know the digestibility of protein and other minor assets in the protein it’s better.

We can then recommend using that variety in feed formulations. This also means using lower amounts of the other varieties in the feed matrix when comparing varieties with soy, he says.

Benefits will include the feed industry being more actively able to accordingly formulate diets to requirements.

“We can make better use of the differences between varieties. In the past, it was not possible.

“We will have a lot of data at the end of this year that will hopefully be published in papers and on the HGCA website,” he says.

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