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February 28, 2017

01/03/2017: Safer roof hatch for use on all models of SCAFCO grain bins

Industry standards updated for a much safer entry and exit

SCAFCO Grain Systems, a manufacturer of grain silos for worldwide use, will introduce a new, safer roof access hatch for their entire line of corrugated and galvanised steel storage bins.

 
www.scafco.com
The new roof hatch is appreciably larger than the previous trapezoidal hatch and opens to the right rather than uphill on the roof, facilitating safer entry and egress from the bin. The hatch’s inside dimension measures 18” x 30”.

The new hatch will be conveniently placed adjacent to the roof ladder cleats or roof stairs. The new roof hatch meets or exceeds emerging standards that have been in development for over ten years by a committee led by Daniel Wambeke, SCAFCO Grain Systems Vice President.

The informal group made up of industry professionals developed the standards for the new hatch in response to critical safety concerns still unaddressed in current grain bin designs.


Read more HERE.
 

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


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

01/03/2017: Cargill completes sale of two European oilseed processing facilities to Bunge

Cargill has completed the sale of its soybean/rapeseed crush and oil refinery and the beans discharging operation alongside its processing plant in the port of Amsterdam, Netherlands as well as its soybean/rapeseed crush facility in Brest, France to Bunge

 
Image: Oregon State University
As part of the deal, first announced in August 2016 employees associated with the business have transferred to Bunge.

Cargill will retain its two other soybean processing facilities in Western Europe, in the ports of Barcelona in Spain and Liverpool in the United Kingdom, together with a solid network of offices to distribute protein meal to its customers. 

The company also has an extensive network of plants processing and refining other oilseeds and tropical oils across Europe and it continues to focus on serving its customers and growing its longer term business in this region.

Read more HERE.
 

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


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

February 27, 2017

Symaga company profile

  


SYMAGA was created by a group of professional experts in 1985 as a company devoted to the manufacture of silos and livestock equipment. 


The company possesses modern, fully automated machinery, which enables Symaga to manufacture high quality products at a reasonable price.

The company possesses 30,000 m2 of buildings and is located on a 300,000 m2 plot belonging to the company.  




Their professionals will advise you on the design and engineering of any project, providing you with suitable information for fast, safe installation. 

Visit the website 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

28/02/2017: The Raghavan Report, Asia’s food future: a fresh perspective

by Raghavan (‘Ragha’) Sampathkumar

To say 2016 was an eventful year would really be an understatement not just for the Americans but for the world

 
Raghavan Sampathkumar

Among several key developments, as a food and agribusiness professional, I list the following as my favorites. First, the humble grain got glorified as the IR8 rice variety celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Hailed “the miracle rice”, IR8 helped prevent famine-induced deaths in the 1960s and brought millions of Asians out of acute hunger. Still rice contributes close to four fifths of all calories consumed by over four billion Asians.

However, as diets are transforming faster, per capita rice consumption has been declining over the last few decades and consumption of livestock products, fish, fruits and vegetables has grown rapidly. Then, pulses had their fair share of recognition as the United Nations announced 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP).

Their rich nutritional value as “natural superfoods” and their contribution to environmental sustainability aspects are getting due attention globally more so in the traditionally animal-protein consuming regions.

The third one is a tale of two cities - New Delhi and Beijing. The two Asian giants were fighting for the notorious top spot of “the most polluted” in the world.

Unlike the latter, New Delhi’s dangerous air pollution was caused by burning of wheat stubbles after harvest in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.

Strong voices were raised to press the Government to review India’s over emphasize on cereal-based agricultural and food subsidisation policies that made these states “the wheat bowl of India”.

Further, FAO in Asia Pacific stressed the need for more action on the Anti-Microbial Resistance issue and called for concerted action by all stakeholders in the food chain.

Meantime in South Korea, two strains of H5 virus (bird flu) struck in December when global meat demand will probably be at its peak. At 15kg per capita, South Korea is one of the top consumers of chicken meat in Asia. These will have significant biosecurity and food safety ramifications on domestic production and trade of meat, feed and grains globally.

The Dairy Declaration of Rotterdam led by the FAO and the International Dairy Federation (IDF) was a defining moment for the global dairy sector.

It promulgates enhanced focus and integrated multi-stakeholder approaches with special emphasize on income, employment and livelihoods of the smallholders; sustainable development goals (SDGs); nutritious and healthy diets; the need to address environmental degradation and climate change, and to support biodiversity.


Read the full article HERE.
 

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


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

28/02/2017: Survey reveals high acceptance for phytogenic feed additives among millennial foodies

For 87 percent of millennial foodies, meat and poultry produced with phytogenic feed additives would make a positive impact on their brand choice Bangkok, March 15th, 2017

Phytogenics score a high level of approval among millennial foodies, according to an online survey conducted in December 2016 by Millennium Research and commissioned by Delacon – the global pioneer in phytogenic feed additive solutions for animal nutrition.

 
Image: Clemens v. Vogelsang
Nine out of 10 (87 percent) millennial foodies say meat and poultry produced with phytogenics would make a positive impact on their brand choice. And, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of millennial foodies look at labels closely, suggesting an untapped opportunity for food brands to differentiate themselves with the powerful story of phytogenics.

“An increasingly transparent food system means producers need solutions that not only work, but also resonate positively with consumers,” says Sonny Pusey, Delacon’s regional manager for North America.

Millennials – now a quarter of the US population – embrace food experiences and make buying decisions that align with their values, Mr Pusey notes.

“While they have no prior awareness of phytogenic feed additives, the survey revealed a tremendous opportunity to connect with influential millennial foodies with a story about animal wellness, including how natural plant-based ingredients, such as garlic, cinnamon and thyme, are fed to chickens, pigs and other animals.”

Delacon shares three takeaways on how sharing the phytogenics story can connect with this audience:

1. Millennial foodies care about animal well-being, and the environment For millennial foodies, the three most important attributes when selecting a specific brand of poultry or meat are “raised with good animal welfare practices,” “raised without antibiotics ever,” and “raised in ways that reduce environmental impact,” outranking “certified organic” or “locally raised.” The benefits of feeding phytogenics to animals – including promoting animal gut health, reducing ammonia emissions by up to 50 percent and being a proven performer in antibiotic-free production – support a compelling narrative targeting millennial foodies.

2. Phytogenics help millennial foodies feel great about their food choices Food is a form of social currency, and millennials make buying decisions that provide them with satisfaction or a feeling of superiority. Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of millennial foodies say knowing that animals were fed completely natural phytogenics would make them feel great about their food choices. More than half (55 percent) say they would choose meat and poultry raised with phytogenics to reflect their concern about the environment, animal welfare and natural ingredients.

3. Food brands may be able to motivate purchases by calling out phytogenics on their labels among the most compelling findings? If given the opportunity, six out of 10 (59 percent) millennial foodies “would choose meat and poultry raised with phytogenics.” Delacon aimed to measure whether millennial foodies’ preference for meat and poultry raised with phytogenics would influence their purchase decision, Mr Pusey notes. “Our product concept checked out, showing enormous promise among millennial foodies.” He adds that several label claims were shown to be influential for this segment. Ranking most influential was “a special diet that improves overall wellness and strengthens immune system.” However, “fed a diet of natural ingredients that actually reduces greenhouse gas emissions by animals” and “leaves no harmful residues” also were influential.

Delacon provides solutions and expertise for US producers
For three decades, Delacon has been committed to using the power of nature to find solutions to animal nutrition challenges. What started as a niche has grown into a market of global importance.

“Phytogenic feed additives are a natural choice for producers, and a cornerstone for both conventional and antibiotic-free feeding programs,” says the company’s CEO Markus Dedl.

“Furthermore, survey findings indicate the story of phytogenics resonates with consumers.”

Phytogenics optimise animal performance by supporting nutrient utilisation, as well as gut health and integrity, and make a proven impact on sustainability, and feed and food safety, Mr Dedl says, adding that naturally derived phytogenic feed additives are shown to have greater synergistic effects between active substances than synthetic nature-identical substances.

Delacon and Land O’Lakes, Inc. animal nutrition businesses, including PMI Nutritional Additives, are exclusive partners in the United States for phytogenic feed additives. Delacon’s deep knowledge in plant-based feed additives and PMI Nutritional Additives’ extensive experience in US animal nutrition, are a strong combination of capabilities for success in the livestock feed business.

“We believe no other feed additive can better connect the power of nature from farm to fork,” Mr Dedl says. 


Read more HERE.
 

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


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

28/02/2017: Tornum to establish a subsidiary in Thailand to capitalise on the fast growing market

The Swedish supplier of grain management systems, Tornum, is expanding its international presence with the establishment of a subsidiary in Thailand

The company is headquartered in Bangkok and is serving customers all over South East Asia. Sales is conducted via both distributors and through direct sales to end customers.

Tornum is already present on several markets outside of Sweden. However, the subsidiary in Thailand will be the first establishment outside of Europe for the company.

 
Narongsak Tabyam and Per Larsson
“On the markets where we currently are present we have a strong market position. We are well known for our high quality products, our high level of service and our innovative approach. During the last years we have seen an increased interest in our products from customers outside of Europe. The establishment of a subsidiary in Thailand is a logical next step for us in our efforts to become a leading global supplier to the grain industry. With this establishment we will further develop our capabilities to serve customers in this part of the world and hopefully more customers will be interested in our products,” said Per Larsson, CEO of Tornum.

The subsidiary in Thailand will be managed by Mr Narongsak Tabyam.

Mr Tabyam has extensive experience from the food processing industry. Prior to joining Tornum, Mr Tabyam was managing the Indo China region for the American company John Bean Technologies.

In addition to Mr Tabyam, one local technical support person will be employed by the company.

“At first, we are looking for the opportunity to convert batch drying systems into continuous controlled systems by offering our expertise in drying and cooling of grains. The customers will benefit from the highest product quality in combination with high energy efficiency at optimised capacity. All in all, our offering will provide the customers with a very low total cost of ownership. Going forward, we will expand our offering to include the design of complete turnkey grain handling and storage facilities”, said Narongsak Tabyam, Area Manager SEA at Tornum.

Tornum has already completed some installations in South East Asia and have a well-established relationship with one of the leading grain companies in the region. Going forward, Tornum is aiming at developing this relationship as well as selling complete systems to customers in the region.

“South East Asia is one of the most dynamic regions in the world with a fast growing grain and feed industry. There is an ongoing consolidation trend in the grain industry and the leading companies are demanding high quality and reliable production equipment. We are confident that the equipment that we deliver is fulfilling these requirements, hence we are well positioned for delivering complete solutions for these type of customers”, said Per Larsson, CEO of Tornum.

Tornum has conducted customer visits in the region and the feedback from the customers on the product range has been very positive. The customers were especially impressed by the Cooling Machine and the dryers with Intelligent Dryer Control (IDC).

The Intelligent Dryer Control enables remote access to the grain dryer from any Internet connected device (mobile phone, tablet, computer).

Thanks to this ground breaking technology, Tornum’s clients can take control of and optimise the drying process.

This solution also provides the possibility to search for errors in a grain dryer from distance, e.g. troubleshooting from Sweden on a grain dryer that is installed in Thailand.


Read more HERE.
 

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


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

Erkaya company profile



Erkaya, which was founded in 2000, it is one of the leading and outstanding manufacturers of Turkey in the field of basic laboratory equipment and ingredients for wheat mills and bakeries.

Erkaya holds a major part of the Turkish market. Strong international focusing, formulated, fast, economic solutions combined with continually evolving quality awareness and customer oriented services form a significant part of its business concept.

Because of these special features, Erkaya has become a fast growing company among its competitors. Having ISO 9001:2000 Erkaya is exporting to many countries worldwide by the contribution of its professional work force and very competitive quality and price.

What they have been proudly manufacturing and marketing are as follows;

- Flour additives
- Bread improvers
- Vitamin premixes for flour fortification
- Laboraory Equipment for grain, flour and feed industry
- Cereal flours
- Laboratory chemicals

They have an experienced team in all departments such as Production, Quality Control, Sales and Technical Assistance.

Their vision is 100 percent customer satisfaction. Erkaya is ready to meet the needs and demands of its customers all times and just in time.

Their sales team pays great attention to satisfying their customers from order to delivery in modern attitudes.

Their range of customers includes;

- Flour mills
- Bakeries
- Universities
- Private corporations doing grain purchasing and marketing
- Trading markets
- Feed sector


Visit the website 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

27/02/2017: The French engineering works of MM Rose Frères at Poissy, France

by Mildred Cookson, The Mills Archive, UK

Milling journals of the past at The Mills Archive
 
Mildred Cookson

Following on from my last two articles, I am continuing to mine the rich seam on milling engineering works described in The Miller during 1885.

Each features the manufacture of “milling machinery and appliances belonging to the miller’s art”.

The 5th October issue featured the workshops of the French firm MM Rose Frères at Poissy in the department of the Seine-et-Oise.

This remarkable firm started from a comparatively modest beginning in 1865 to become 20 years later one of the most important millwrighting factories in France.

Messrs Henry and George Rose, the owners of this important company, started in business around 1860, and during the whole of their professional careers were noted for steadily keeping abreast of mechanical progress in the miller’s art.

They were, in effect, to the manor born, for their father, Mr J Rose, lived in England and was himself a miller. The two brothers were regularly trained to follow their father.

This gave them the practical knowledge of, and sympathy with the work of the miller, which they would have acquired in no other way.

It is interesting to note that the two brothers were nephews of one of the most eminent UK millwrights of that time, George Packham, who designed the Ville d’ Eu Mills for King Louis Philippe of France and whose business relations with that monarch ripened into a life long friendship.

An item on this in the 3rd September 1877 issue, p337 may allow me to write more on this topic in a future article.

A millstone balance

Among the early achievements of MM Rose Frères was the introduction into France of a millstone balance.

 
Poissy Works Aerial Engraving
This was in 1861 when their father was still a miller at Epouville, near Le Havre. The father and two sons joined forces to work on the patent balance for millstones which was sold under the name MM Rose, Père et Fils, only changing some years later to the present title.

During the next five years members of the firm travelled extensively, visiting numerous mills in France and other countries.

They returned home convinced that a great future lay before wheat cleaning machinery. They were all struck by the irreparable injury that flours ground from high class wheats received from the contamination with earth and other foreign bodies which were originally mingled with the raw grain and were triturated past all hope of elimination in the grinding process.

They acquired the French patent of the “Childs’” aspirator and at once made it their business to push this celebrated wheat cleaner with all their energy.

The Tarare Americain (American Winnower), as this machine was called, met with great success and its makers were soon in a position to quit the modest workshop which they then occupied at Maromme near Rouen.

They then started on a more ambitious scale in the ancient town of Poissy, just 20 miles outside Paris and on the railway connecting Rouen and Paris.

This illustration shows the Poissy workshops which had expanded since its foundation in 1865, so that by 1885 it was second to no other factory of the same kind in France. Production within the factory covered every description of machinery used in flour mills, breweries and distilleries.

At the same time the wants of the workforce were well cared for. The works covered 7000 square meters, of which 4500 were occupied by workshops employing 200 workmen.

The motive power of the factory was supplied by a fine engine of 50 horse power, supplied by Messrs. T Powell & Co of Rouen.


Read the full article HERE.
 

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


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

February 26, 2017

27/02/2017: AFIA welcomes new executive assistant

The American Feed Industry Association welcomes Jenny McFarland as its new executive assistant to the President and CEO Joel G. Newman

In addition to supporting the association's president, she handles administrative duties for AFIA's foundation, the Institute for Feed Education & Research.

 
Jenny McFarland
McFarland joins AFIA from the Associated General Contractors of America, where she served as executive assistant to the chief operating officer and CEO.

She has a broad range of experience supporting C-level executives in the association, corporate and legal sectors. "I am thrilled to have Jenny join our team," said Mr Newman.

"With her administrative experience across multiple sectors, she will be a valuable asset in realising the goals of both AFIA and IFEEDER. I'm confident Jenny will make strong contributions to both organisations."

McFarland holds a bachelor's degree in English with minors in psychology and graphic design from Ohio University.


Read more HERE.
 

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


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

February 23, 2017

Zhengchang company profile




Zhengchang, established in 1918, has made constant innovations in feed machinery industry and accumulated a wealth of experience in tackling the various challenges facing feed companies and, more importantly, is able to offer a range of comprehensive solutions.

Zhengchang has now evolved into China’s largest manufacture of feed machinery and has 16 branches in China with over 1300 staff and more than thirty offices all over the world. 

Zhengchang to date has successfully constructed more than 2000 turnkey projects world around the world, covering fields of poultry and livestock feed, aquatic feed, pet feed, premix feed, sawdust pellet, fertiliser, silo storage, pasture, electrical control and garbage treatment, etc.

Zhengchang projects are designed to deliver to the client higher feed quality, higher overall capacity and more profits. 
Zhengchang have conquered challenges one after another for the customers and accumulated rich experience over the past 90 years.

They are now making great endeavors to apply their latest achievements to feed, pasture, environment protection, fertilizer, sawdust shaping industries.


Zhengchang is more than a professional partner who can provide advanced machinery, technology and management ideas.

It is also a true problem solver who knows you well during your development. Zhengchang is with you every step of the way.


Visit the website 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

24/02/20017: JTIC 2016, French milling industry celebrates in Paris

by Andrew Wilkinson, Milling and Grain

Much has happened in France over the past year or so that has brought international sympathy and support to the country


It almost goes without saying that some of these events, and the depth of the ensuing media coverage, may have tinged one’s perception of the country, with many visitors now approaching France with slight apprehension. But then you arrive in Paris.
 


Paris is a city of history, of beauty – for every one bad memory there are a million good ones and it was against this back drop that this year’s edition of Journées Techniques des Industries Cérèalières (JTIC) took place.

Set within Porte de la Villette, a bustling rich industrial tapestry woven from roadways and railway lines, the Paris Event Centre’s appearance was what could best be described as functional, but not ugly by any means.

However, the building and its location served to further demarcate between the work and pleasure aspect of Milling and Grain’s media partnership, all with a great exhibition stand.

Bustling first day
JTIC was held from November 9-10, 2016. The first day of the show was bustling, but not overly busy. This simmering of interaction allowed for exhibitors and visitors to converse at a not too brisk pace or volume.

Inside the main hall, some 2500m2 of space was reserved for all 130 exhibitors. The show ‘furniture’ was by no means imposing and the various avenues and thoroughfares afforded were adequate to allow typical continental European-style, close-quarters mingling.

As for the people, well the exhibitors were all very well informed, friendly and helpful. I am able to say first hand that compared to some others I have visited, those in attendance at JTIC 2016 were more than happy to answer all of my questions – with my more seasoned colleagues also feeling adequately enriched by those that they had the pleasure of encountering.

Milling and Grain’s recent Business Development Manager in France, Antoine Tanguy, was present for both days of JTIC, along with two translated versions of Milling and Grain.

This JTIC was different with a new version for Milling and Grain; its sixth language edition, launching Milling and Grain for the French, North African and other French-speaking regions of the world. The reaction and feedback was fantastic for both Antoine and the French versions of the magazines.

Meeting with millers, suppliers, academics, students, consultants, industry organisations and others allowed all copies of the French edition to be distributed. Its popularity was impressive. Antoine was able to network with the industry and bolster an international aspect to Milling and Grain.

Milling and Grain magazine in French is proudly here to stay and it was established with the industry endorsing it from the French capital city itself.

Read the French edition of Milling and Grain magazine HERE.


Read the full article HERE.
 

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


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

24/02/2017: Drought is pushing food prices up sharply in East Africa

Soaring cost of basic staples is an extra challenge for pastoralists as livestock prices fall

Drought throughout East Africa has sharply curbed harvests and pushed the prices of cereals and other staple foods to unusually high levels, posing a heavy burden to households and special risks for pastoralists in the region.

Local prices of maize, sorghum and other cereals are near or at record levels in swathes of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, according to the latest Food Price Monitoring andAnalysis Bulletin (FPMA).

  
Image: Leonora (Ellie) Enking
Inadequate rainfall in most areas of the sub-region has put enormous strain on livestock and their keepers.

Poor livestock body conditions due to pasture and water shortages and forcible culls mean animals command lower prices, leaving pastoralists with even less income to purchase basic foodstuffs.

"Sharply increasing prices are severely constraining food access for large numbers of households with alarming consequences in terms of food insecurity," said Mario Zappacosta, FAO senior economist and coordinator of the Global Information and Early Warning System.

The trends in East Africa, where prices of staple cereals have doubled in some town markets, stand in marked contrast to the stable trend of FAO's Food Price Index, which measures the monthly change in international prices of a basket of traded food commodities.

The difference is due to the drought that is hammering the sub-region, where food stocks were already depleted by the strong El Niño weather event that ended only last year. Poor and erratic rainfall in recent months, crucial for local growing seasons, are denting farm output.

Somalia's maize and sorghum harvests are estimated to be 75 percent down from their usual level, and some 6.2 million people, more than half of the country's total population, now face acute food insecurity, with the majority of those most affected living in rural areas.

Soaring prices

The FPMA Bulletin tracks food price trends on a granular level and in local terms, with an eye to flagging instances where the prices of essential food commodities increase sharply or are abnormally high.

In Mogadishu, prices of maize increased by 23 percent in January, and. the increase was even sharper in the main maize producing region of Lower Shabelle.

Overall, in key market towns of central and southern Somalia, coarse grain prices in January have doubled from a year earlier.

With an earlier than usual depletion of household stocks during the coming lean season and preliminary weather forecasts raising concerns for the performance of the next rainy season, prices are likely to further escalate in the coming months. 

Maize prices in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, have almost doubled since early 2016, while they are 25 percent higher than 12 months earlier in the country's largest city, Dar Es Salaam. 


In South Sudan, food prices are now two to four times above their levels of a year earlier, exacerbated by ongoing insecurity and the significant depreciation of the local currency.

In Kenya, where eastern and coastal lowlands as well as some western areas of the Rift Valley all suffered below-average rainfall, maize prices are up by around 30 percent, with the increase somewhat contained somewhat thanks to sustained imports from Uganda. Cereal prices aren't the only ones rising.

Beans now cost 40 percent more in Kenya than a year earlier, while in Uganda - where maize prices are now up to 75 percent higher than a year earlier - and increasing around the key border trading hub of Busia, the prices of beans and cassava flour are both about 25 percent higher than a year ago in the capital city, Kampala.

Double jeopardy for pastoralists

Drought-affected pastoral areas in the region face even harsher conditions. In Somalia, goat prices are up to 60 percent lower than a year ago, while in pastoralist areas of Kenya the prices of goats declined by up to 30 percent over the last twelve months.

Shortages of pasture and water caused livestock deaths and reduced body mass, prompting herders to sell animals while they can, as is also occurring in drought-wracked southern Ethiopia. This also pushes up the prices of milk, which is, for instance, up 40 percent on the year in Somalia's Gedo region.

Lower income from livestock collides with higher prices for cereals and other staple foods in a wrenching shock to terms of trade for pastoralist households. A medium-sized goat in Somalia's Buale market was worth 114 kilograms of maize in January 2016, but at today's prices can be traded for only 30 kilograms of the grain.

FAO uses its proprietary FPMA Tool, accessible to the public online, to monitor local markets and gather data for more than 1350 domestic price series in 91 countries around the globe in order to produce its Indicator of Food Price Anomalies

Read more HERE.
 

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


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

24/02/2017: New appointee to head up blender trials facility

A new Blender Trials facility at powder processing specialist British Rema will be headed up by Dr Jose Carmelo Santana Perdomo

He joins the company from The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, part of the University of Greenwich and recognised internationally for its expertise in fields associated with bulk particulate handling.

 
Image: David Pacey
The dedicated facility will allow British Rema to develop test protocols to predict and optimise the process of blending powders and testing in relation to blend development.

In particular, it will develop a better understanding of the variables involved in the powder mixing process and help to examine the effects of different types of blenders, as well as process and design parameters.

It will also allow the comparison of potential new blend constituents with existing ones and the re-formulation of the original blended powder to obtain a homogeneous product when required. This will greatly assist British Rema’s customers in their choice of the right blending solution for their application.

Dr Perdomo’s experience and expertise in the field of blending includes a PhD based on the development of a test protocol for industry to predict and optimise flow behaviour of blended powders utilising particle to bulk scale models.

He has also worked as a product development engineer in the field of mixing and blending with a manufacturer of polymer granule and master batch mixing equipment, and as a research engineer for powder management at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry.

Here he worked on projects related to Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing), a key growing application for British Rema’s tumble blenders. In addition to heading up the blender trials facility, Dr Perdomo will also be involved in various aspects of project engineering on milling and classification projects within both British Rema’s equipment and contract processing divisions.

British Rema specialises in the blending, milling, micronising and classification of powders and is a leading supplier of powder processing equipment and contract processing services for the Chemical, Food, Metal Powders, Mineral, Pharmaceutical and Plastics industries.

Read more HERE.
 

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


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

February 22, 2017

Alapala company profile



Establishing plants at any desired capacity, Alapala Machine is a company that exports 95 percent of its current production today and has hundreds of references in over 75 countries in 4 continents including developed industrial countries such as Belgium, France, Italy, Canada and USA. Alapala continually develops and expands thanks to its superior technology infrastructure, perfectionist staff and management, and its quality and customer-oriented approach.

It renders the best before-sales and after-sales services with its staff specialized in their industry, overseas representatives, strong service networks and spare-part stocks.

Alapala can manufacture quality and high performance machinery where the best efficiency ad products can be obtained in the production facilities that have the most developed and state-of-the art technology.
Alapala’s lines of business:

•    Wheat flour mills,
•    Semolina mills,
•    Corn flour mills,
•    Rice processing plants,
•    Feed mills,
•    Cereal storage systems,
•    Weighing, conveying, packing equipment
•    Harbour facilities under the licence of Tramco Inc-USA

 

Read more 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

23/02/2017: Hansen-Mueller announces New Fremont, Nebraska facility

Hansen-Mueller Co., a grain industry leader based in Omaha, Neb., announced today that they will locate a state-of-the-art bagging facility in Fremont, Neb. for animal and pet food products

“We are happy to bring an expansion of our current operations to Fremont and become a part of this business community. We located an existing building that met our needs and were able to acquire that facility.” said Jack Hansen, founder and president of Hansen-Mueller Co.

   
Image: Ian Sane
Mayor Scott Getzschman of Fremont echoed Mr Hansen’s sentiments, “This project is a great win for Fremont. The operations fit into our animal food manufacturing target industry, which speaks to why our community is a great fit for Hansen-Mueller Co.”

“It was a pleasure working with the Hansen-Mueller Co. team and supporting them as they explored Fremont,” said Cecilia Harry, executive director of the Greater Fremont Development Council.

“They will be a great addition to our animal food manufacturing footprint and our greater business community.”

The first phase of the project will initially create five – 10 jobs with a multi-million dollar investment.

The firm purchased a 60,000 square foot facility on South Union St. in Fremont.

The operations will include state-of-the-art conventional and organic bagging lines for animal and pet foods packaged under a number of well-known brand names, several private label companies and Hansen-Mueller’s own branded products.

The lines are designed to ensure that the integrity of the organic lines remains intact, which will deliver premium organic products to customers.

Hansen-Mueller Co. believes there is tremendous potential for the project to grow in the future.

They also appreciate that Fremont has made it possible for their contractors to stay in the community during the construction phase to maximise the positive impact the project will have on the community.

 Hansen-Mueller Co. is also happy to announce that long time Fremont resident, Kathy Butler, has been named as Facility Manager for the new operation.


Read more HERE.
 

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


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

23/02/2017: EuroTier 2016, record breaking

A record-breaking 2,629 exhibitors and 163,000 visitors descended upon Germany’s famous Fairgrounds conference centre in Hanover from November 15-18, 2016 for what has been referred to as the world’s leading trade fair for animal production, EuroTier

Covering 240,000m2 in floor space, the four-day trade show attracted an impressive 36,000 visitors from over 100 countries outside of Germany and certainly lived up to its past success.
 

Highlighting the social, political and economic influences upon the marketplace, EuroTier’s attendees included several members of German parliament from both federal and state government, as well as high-ranking delegations from all over the world.

In fact, more visitors than ever before came from North and South America, as well as from the Middle and Far East. The EnergyDecentral exhibition ran alongside EuroTier, which has established itself as the international meeting place for the innovative energy supply industry.

Driving innovation and excellence, with this year’s theme of ‘animal health and welfare’ in mind, exhibitors presented product developments for a vast array of agricultural practices worldwide including breeding animals, feed storage and climate control and environmental technology.

Organised by the DLG (German Agricultural Society), the trade show spanned almost 30 halls, with each offering great food, great company and most importantly of all, concrete evidence of sustainable and efficient innovation.

Indeed, the interactive nature of the show once again proved to be its greatest asset with companies able to demonstrate live versions of their products in the flesh. All the stops were pulled and the companies’ efforts really couldn’t have looked any better.

To give an idea of the sheer size and scale of the show and what was being shown, the majority of halls offered their own niche within the agricultural industry, ranging from breeding/hatching technology in hall 2, to compound feed, feed components and additives in halls 18, 20, 22 and 23.

In hall 4 ‘poultry slaughtering and processing, egg grading and processing, special indoor emission control and poultry forum’, there was even an abundance of livestock present.


Read the full article HERE.
 

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


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

23/02/2017: World’s future food security “in jeopardy” due to multiple challenges, report warns

Without additional efforts, the target of ending hunger by 2030 will not be met 22 February 2017, Rome - Mankind's future ability to feed itself is in jeopardy due to intensifying pressures on natural resources, mounting inequality, and the fallout from a changing climate, warns a new FAO report out today

Though very real and significant progress in reducing global hunger has been achieved over the past 30 years, "expanding food production and economic growth have often come at a heavy cost to the natural environment," says The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges.

"Almost one half of the forests that once covered the Earth are now gone. Groundwater sources are being depleted rapidly. Biodiversity has been deeply eroded," it notes.

 
Image: Feed My Starving Children
As a result, "planetary boundaries may well be surpassed, if current trends continue," cautions FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva in his introduction to the report.

By 2050 humanity's ranks will likely have grown to nearly 10 billion people.

In a scenario with moderate economic growth, this population increase will push up global demand for agricultural products by 50 percent over present levels projects The Future of Food and Agriculture, intensifying pressures on already-strained natural resources.

At the same time, greater numbers of people will be eating fewer cereals and larger amounts of meat, fruits, vegetables and processed food — a result of an ongoing global dietary transition that will further add to those pressures, driving more deforestation, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Alongside these trends, the planet's changing climate will throw up additional hurdles. "Climate change will affect every aspect of food production," the report says. These include greater variability of precipitation and increases in the frequency of droughts and floods.

To reach zero hunger, we need to step up our efforts
The core question raised by today's FAO publication is whether, looking ahead, the world's agriculture and food systems are capable of sustainably meeting the needs of a burgeoning global population.

The short answer? Yes, the planet's food systems are capable of producing enough food to do so, and in a sustainable way, but unlocking that potential — and ensuring that all of humanity benefits — will require "major transformations."

Without a push to invest in and retool food systems, far too many people will still be hungry in 2030 — the year by which the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda has targeted the eradication of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition, the report warns.

"Without additional efforts to promote pro-poor development, reduce inequalities and protect vulnerable people, more than 600 million people would still be undernourished in 2030," it says. In fact, the current rate of progress would not even be enough to eradicate hunger by 2050.

Where will our food come from?

Given the limited scope for expanding agriculture's use of more land and water resources, the production increases needed to meet rising food demand will have to come mainly from improvements in productivity and resource-use efficiency.

However there are worrying signs that yield growth is levelling off for major crops. Since the 1990s, average increases in the yields of maize, rice, and wheat at the global level generally run just over 1 percent per annum, the report notes.

To tackle these and the other challenges outlined in the report, "business-as-usual" is not an option, The Future of Food and Agriculture argues. "Major transformations in agricultural systems, rural economies and natural resource management will be needed if we are to meet the multiple challenges before us and realise the full potential of food and agriculture to ensure a secure and healthy future for all people and the entire planet," it says.

"High-input, resource-intensive farming systems, which have caused massive deforestation, water scarcities, soil depletion and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, cannot deliver sustainable food and agricultural production," adds the report.

More with less
The core challenge is to produce more with less, while preserving and enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale and family farmers, and ensuring access to food by the most vulnerable.

For this, a twin-track approach is needed which combines investment in social protection, to immediately tackle undernourishment, and pro-poor investments in productive activities — especially agriculture and in rural economies — to sustainably increase income-earning opportunities of the poor.

The world will need to shift to more sustainable food systems which make more efficient use of land, water and other inputs and sharply reduce their use of fossil fuels, leading to a drastic cut of agricultural green-house gas emissions, greater conservation of biodiversity, and a reduction of waste.

This will necessitate more investment in agriculture and agrifood systems, as well as greater spending on research and development, the report says, to promote innovation, support sustainable production increases, and find better ways to cope with issues like water scarcity and climate change.

Along with boosting production and resilience, equally critical will be creating food supply chains that better connect farmers in low- and middle-income countries to urban markets — along with measures which ensure access for consumers to nutritious and safe food at affordable prices, such as such as pricing policies and social protection programs, it says.


Read more HERE.
 

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


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

February 21, 2017

Balaguer Rolls company profile



Founded in 1916, Balaguer Rolls is a family business specialising in the casting and machining of centrifugal rolls for milling and a range of other industries, including compound feed, soybeans, coffee, chocolate, paint, salt, biscuits, chemicals and more. 

Throughout the company's history, Balaguer has earned the trust of many of the largest food machinery manufacturers worldwide:  Balaguer rolls have been incorporated into roller mills around the globe. 
Balaguer also supplies rolls to end-users - flourmills, edible oil factories and such like - in no fewer than 120 countries.

Visit the website
 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

22/02/2017: Open-mouth bags verses valve bags

by Thomas Ziolko, Product Manager - Grain Milling, Bühler AG, Switzerland

The decision of whether to use open-mouth bags or valve bags when bagging product in the grain processing or feed industries is influenced by diverse factors

 
www.buhlergroup.com
The trend is toward open-mouth bags. In Europe, North America and Australia, grain milling products are mostly filled into tank trucks in bulk. In Latin America, Africa and Asia, in contrast, bagging into open-mouth or valve bags is predominant.

However, in the recent past, there is a clear trend away from valve bags towards open ones. This is driven above all by the international availability of less expensive open-mouth bags, an easier filling process and the option of dust-tight closures which parallel the trend to greater food safety.

Not all bags are alike
Compared to the open-mouth bags, the upper part of the valve bags is almost completely closed. The valve bags have just one small opening; the ‘valve’ in which to fill the bag. As soon as the bag is full, the interior pressure of the bag closes the valve to stop product from spilling over.

Open-mouth bags are closed along the lengthwise side and on the bag bottom. They can be made of paper or plastic. They are easily filled and can be sealed by welding, sewing or gluing so nothing trickles out.

A big variety of bag types can be used. The side fold bags fill out in the shape of a block thanks to the inserted side fold that makes them very easy to stack. The cross bottom bags are particularly easy to stand alone or stack after filling because of their bottoms.

They are also effective for advertising because the bottom and sides of the bag can be printed. Laminated bags of woven polypropylene can also be printed in good quality and are available as a pinch bag.


Read the full article HERE.
 

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


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

22/02/2017: New Cimbria office in Morocco

In line with the CIMBRIA sales strategy of having a local representation in all primary markets, CIMBRIA has set up a new office in Casablanca, Morocco starting from February, the 1st 2017

CIMBRIA has already several references in Morocco in both the private and public sector.

With the new office, they aim at increasing the sales activities and ensure an even better service and after-sales service to their clients.

 
Mr Hicham Fassihi
The daily management of the office in Morocco is carried out by Mr Hicham FASSIHI, electro mechanical expert with almost 20 years of experience in Italy in the agro-industrial field, including four years as SEA optical sorters technical support.

CIMBRIA is one of the world’s leading companies within industrial processing, handling and storage of grain and seed, as well as animal feed and foodstuffs and other bulk products.

They offer project design, engineering and process control – as well as the development, manufacturing and service of individual machines, customised systems and turnkey installations.

In all solutions, they focus on increasing quality and profitability while reducing energy consumption.

In this way, they achieve maximum profitability of the machine with minimal environmental impacts.


Read more HERE.
 

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


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