Aykut Göymen is elected as the Chairman of the Turkish Pasta Manufacturers Association Board of Directors

At the Board of Directors Meeting of the Turkish Pasta Industrialists Association held in Gaziantep on May 17, 2022, the Board of Directors of the association, consisting of five people, was re-determined and Mr M.Aykut Göymen was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
 

Mrs A.Gülçin Hazar has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Management, Mr Ferhat Acar has been appointed as the Treasurer, Mr Taner Göymen and Mr Şükrü Karaboğa have been elected as the Members of the Board of Directors.

The newly appointed TMSD Board members made their first visit to Turkish Grain Board General Manager Mr Ahmet Güldal. During the visit, they exchanged views by evaluating the pre-harvest situation.

 

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.

Ocrim School to open in autumn 2022

Courses on applied milling technology are due to start in September. They will be based on a 4.0 training concept, with practical tests at the Milling Hub.

Ocrim has plenty of news: after announcing that we have launched O-parts, Ocrim e-commerce platform that is now up and running, we are ready to welcome students from all over the world to the O-School.

 

Ocrim has always offered state-of-the-art training, with constantly updated content, both for personnel of industrial companies and for people who intend to start a new professional journey in the milling sector.

But this year's big news is that students will have the opportunity to get a hands-on experience: Ocrim expert teachers will guide them through a highly experimental training programme, which will involve the use of cutting-edge technology at the Milling Hub, the milling complex set up by Bonifiche Ferraresi and Ocrim, which will serve both as a milling plant and milling school throughout the courses.

Life coach Marie Forleo once said something along the lines of, 'I can't think of any successful people who wait until they feel ready to start.' And we agree with her because if we had not been so audacious, we would not have achieved so many important milestones in such a short space of time. On the other hand, we feel that it is essential to gain confidence and grounding before embarking on such a challenging – and yet fascinating – a journey in the milling industry. That is exactly why, since 1967, Ocrim's Scuola di Tecnologia Molitoria (Milling Technology School) has been committed to ensuring that students from all over the world acquire know-how and experience so that they can become passionate and expert millers.

If you would like to receive more information about course dates, how to participate, and costs, please email stm@ocrim.com.

Visit the Ocrim website, 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.

Alapala Wins the ‘Milling Machinery Producer of the Year’ Award

One of the Turkey's leading companies and turnkey solution providers in food processing technologies, Alapala demonstrates its global success once more, awarded as the 'Milling Machinery Producer of the Year' by IAOM Eurasia committee.

A meeting venue for grain millers and trade representatives to foster the development of training and learning opportunities in milling industry, IAOM (International Association of Operative Millers) organised one of the industry's most important award ceremony where Alapala was awarded as the "Milling Machinery Producer of the Year".
 

IAOM Eurasia Conference and Expo 2022 was organised in Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Congress Center between May 19 and 22, 2022.  The "Milling Awards" ceremony took place on 20th of May 2022 during the gala dinner of the event, where IAOM Eurasia Committee presented awards under five different categories.

A world leader in grain milling industry with its high technology facilities and award-winning machinery, Alapala wins the "Milling Machinery Producer of the Year" award with its recent development "Next Generation Milling Systems".

Alapala CEO, Mr Görkem Alapala has attended to the conference, and Alapala R&D Manager, Mr Sezai Aydın also made a presentation to introduce system to the audience.

Visit the Alapala website, 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.

Cargill to build new soybean processing facility in Southeast Missouri, USA

Cargill has unveiled plans to build a new soybean processing facility located in Pemiscot County, Mo. near Hayti and Caruthersville to support growing domestic and global demand for oilseeds driven by food, feed and fuel markets.

The facility will be the first of its kind for Southeast Missouri with an annual production capacity of 62 million bushels of soybeans. Cargill anticipates breaking ground on the project early next year with plans to be operational in 2026. The new facility will add approximately 45 full-time positions to the region when complete.
 

Image credit: Alabama Extension on Flickr
(CC0 0.1)

'Cargill's new facility, with its location on the Mississippi river, will operate year-round and provide farmers opportunity to take advantage of increased domestic demand versus relying solely on seasonal exports,' says Tim Coppage, Regional Commercial Lead, Cargill Agricultural Supply Chain North America. 'Access to both river and rail will provide more flexibility and market access for farmers.'

'Missouri currently ranks sixth in the United States for soybean production,' says Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe. 'The location of the new facility will expand the $94 billion economic impact of Missouri agriculture, our state's top industry, accelerate economic development and enhance workforce opportunities in the Bootheel.'

'Missouri Soybeans is very pleased with the new build of a soybean crush facility in Pemiscot County and the direct impact it will bring to our farmers in Southeast Missouri,' says Gary Wheeler, Missouri Soybeans CEO and Executive Director. 'In an effort to increase opportunities for our growers, Missouri Soybeans has been working collaboratively with several partners for more than two years to achieve this lofty goal and create a needed market for their soybeans. Born and raised in the Bootheel, I know first-hand this is a great opportunity for our soybean farmers and local community.'

The new location expands Cargill's efforts to modernise and increase capacity across its North American oilseeds network. Last year, Cargill announced a series of projects across North America including significant improvements to its soybean crush facility in Sidney, Ohio and construction of a new canola processing facility in Regina, Sask.

Cargill has had a presence in Missouri since 1936 and currently operates across 11 locations in the state and employees nearly 1,200 people. 

Visit the Cargill website, 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.

VIV Europe opens doors: meet the entire supply chain from feed to food

 

Visit the VIV Europe 2022 website, 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.

Trade shows Solids, Recycling-Technik and Pumps & Valves Dortmund focus on synergies and joint communication

Things are moving here. In safety. Dosing, conveying, mixing, screening, separating, weighing, crushing. Whether stones, gravel, earth, wood, coffee, grain or other fine- to coarse-grained materials of the processing industry, industrial gases or liquid materials or raw materials in recycling: Around 450 companies present the entire value chain of process technology at Solids Dortmund - the leading national Trade show for granules, powder and bulk solids technologies. 

Together with Recycling-Technology and Pumps & Valves, the trio of trade shows for industrial process and recycling technology is entering the market with its usual strength in exhibitor numbers. "The strong response from exhibitors confirms the great need for live exchange and dialogue between suppliers and users. Complex technological challenges can only be planned digitally up to a certain point. After that, physical contact with machines and people are essential," says Sandrina Schempp, Head of Cluster of the trade show trio in Dortmund. 

On 22nd and 23rd June 2022, trade visitors will finally again find live solutions for processing, handling and storing, analysing, transporting and recycling their gases, solids and liquids.

Visitors, exhibitors and partners benefit from synergies
Ralf Matke, Senior Manager Industrial Drives from exhibitor ZF Industriegetriebe Witten GmbH, is also looking forward to the live presence, "The combined event of Solids, Recycling-Technik and Pumps & Valves offers two platforms to present ourselves and our products. Not only as a drive specialist for industrial materials handling technology, but also as one of the leading suppliers of drive technology for large mobile shredders." He, too, sees the benefits of the merger, where exhibitors and visitors gain through synergies. After all, the industries surrounding bulk materials, processes and recycling are closely linked. For this reason, the three trade shows in Dortmund continue to be very popular. With, among others, the Bergische Universität Wuppertal, the DSIV, Haus der Technik, Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe, IAB Weimar gGmbH, IND EX® e.V. and Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Ruhr-OWL, SOLIDS Dortmund has strong partners on board. RECYCLING-TECHNIK is supported by top-class partners such as kunststoffland NRW e.V., vero - Verband der Bau- und Rohstoffindustrie e. V., Verband Deutscher Metallhändler e.V., InDieRegionRuhr Innovationsnetzwerk and WFZruhr e.V.. PUMPS & VALVES can also look forward to partners such as Pump Consult Düsseldorf, Pumpe DE and Star Pump Alliance (SPA).

Discovering the trade shows along topical tours
Trade visitors can expect a high density of information in Dortmund. After all, the representatives of three top-class trade shows will be presenting themselves at the same time at one location. It is therefore worth exploring the exhibition on the two days of the event along one of the four planned topical tours. In this way, visitors will receive targeted suggestions on the core topics of process automation, sustainable production, fire and explosion protection, and agricultural and feed technologies. 

A real highlight! Live explosion demonstrations powered by REMBE ®
Live explosion demonstrations will take place on the open-air grounds in the courtyard between Halls 4, 5, 6 and 7 at Messe Dortmund on both days of the trade show:

• Wednesday, 22nd June: 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, 23rd June: 12:30 p.m.

Scientific lectures and user solutions on 5 lecture stages
The additional program on the Solution and InnovationCenter stages is extensive and exclusive. Among others, listeners will be welcomed here by cooperation partners such as Bergische Universität Wuppertal - Institute for Particle Technology, IAB Weimar gGmbH, IND EX ® eV, Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Ruhr-OWL, Pump Consult Düsseldorf, Pumpe DE and WFZruhr e.V. and brought up to date on current topics in the industries.

Those who do not yet have a ticket can secure free entry with code 2545 at https://www.solids-dortmund.de/en/registration/.

 

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.

Online registration is now open for FEFAC-Nevedi 2022

FEFAC and Nevedi, representing respectively the European and Dutch feed industry, will co-host the 66th FEFAC Public Annual meeting on June 2 2022 in Utrecht, during the VICTAM/VIV Europe Expo, expecting more than 200 delegates from the EU feed sector and value chain partners. The main theme of the Public Annual meeting will focus on the 'EU food & feed autonomy in times of geopolitical crisis / EU Food Resilienceplan and the Green Deal'.

EU & Dutch feed industry and farmer leaders will exchange views with Mr Wolfgang Burtscher, Director General, DG AGRI, European Commission and Mr Guido Landheer, Deputy Director General, Dutch Farm Ministry on how the feed industry can contribute to EU feed and livestock sector resilience following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which closed off essential feed grain & mineral supplies from the Black Sea region.

The second expert panel will discuss the perspective of Mr Rasmus Prehn, Danish Farm Minister and chair of the Amsterdam Declaration Group on Deforestation on the European Commission proposal on deforestation-free supply chains as well as existing practically feasible soy value chain solutions using FEFAC's 'no conversion' Soy Sourcing Guidelines 2021 as a key reference to achieve the Green Deal objectives on Biodiversity.

For more information visit the website, 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.

Bühler opens Insect Technology Centre to support customers in the feed and food industries

'The opening of the Insect Technology Center is a major milestone in our journey. Over the last years, we have gained expertise and maturity to serve different customers in the insect industry with the most adequate and reliable solutions. With our new facility, we extend our services and can even better support our customers in installing an industrial insect plant,' says Andreas Baumann, Head of Market Segment Insect Technology at Bühler.

At the heart of the Centre there are two insect growth chambers that can mimic industrial production conditions. These chambers have a sophisticated climate control system and are equipped with numerous sensors that give valuable process insights. Based on the collected data, the right parameters and practices can be determined to finally ensure an efficient insect production at industrial scale. At the ITC, it is possible to work with the two most relevant insect species for industrial production, namely black soldier flies and mealworms.

'A company that wants to build an industrial insect plant needs to cover several operational aspects. It includes finding the correct feedstock to rear the larvae, making sure that there is a strong and suitable insect strain to grow, defining suitable climate settings in relation to the larvae growth cycle, or getting emission data required for the permitting process,' says Andreas Baumann. All these topics are essential for a successful insect plant project and can be addressed in Bühler's new Insect Technology Center. In addition to the services offered to customers, Bühler's team will run its own tests, thereby constantly improving the technology and services for the insect market.

Accelerating insect plant projects
The ITC aims to accelerate large-scale insect plant initiatives. By using the new test facility, customers might not need to invest into expensive pilot plants to demonstrate technological feasibility. Seeing the industrial insect technology in action makes it tangible, which allows customers to directly envision commercially attractive plant sizes. Since the insect growth chambers are mobile, they can be sent to any location, thus making the infrastructure accessible to customers worldwide. 'In combination with the operational know-how exchange, we see enormous potential to reduce the overall time from the project idea to a successfully performing plant,' says Mr Baumann.

Contributing to a circular economy

Bühler is committed to ambitious targets that will help mitigate climate change and build a more sustainable food system. Insects are a healthy and sustainable source of protein for food and feed. In addition, their frass can be used as a fertiliser, contributing to a circular economy model of production. The insect feed protein market is expected to reach half a million metric tons in 2030. By then, the pet food sector is projected to take 30 percent and aquaculture 40 percent of the total insect protein volumes. 'We are devoted to supporting the industry in reaching its full potential. Over the last years we have gained maturity and built the skills for helping the industry to further develop. With proven technologies in our portfolio, we are ready to enable our customers in bringing insect-based products to the market,' explains Mr Baumann. 

For more information about Bühler visit the website, 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.

Brabender presents product solutions and research project

From May 31 to June 2, 2022, Brabender will exhibit at the world's largest exhibition for animal feed processing, VICTAM International in Utrecht (Netherlands). At booth 302 in Hall 2, Brabender will present a selection of its equipment for analysing the physical properties of raw materials used in the animal feed industry and for the extrusion of animal feed pellets. 

Testing moisture and viscosity of a wide range of raw materials
For determining material moisture, the MT-CA offers particular time and automation advantages over the conventional oven drying method. For example, the desiccator usually used for cooling the sample is no longer required. The rotating sample carousel allows up to ten samples to be loaded at different times without disturbing or distorting the ongoing measurement of the other samples.

The ViscoQuick can be used to measure the viscosity behavior of various starch-based raw materials after gelatinisation at low temperatures (e.g. 30 °C or room temperature) via rapid heating and cooling ramps. Compared to previous laboratory viscometers, additional quality differences between different raw materials can be visualised by cooling below 50°C. Different paddle geometries extend the application range of the ViscoQuick to the determination of the absolute viscosity of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. 

The Convimeter II is used for continuous inline measurement of the viscosity of liquids or pastes (e.g. feed mixtures) during the production process. The advantage is direct access to current viscosity data for production monitoring and quality assurance. The Convimeter II can be used both within a control station system and in stand-alone operation.

Testing the extrusion of animal feed pellets on a laboratory scale
Brabender offers various solutions for developing feed formulations using laboratory-scale single- and twin-screw extruders. For example, different raw material blends can be tested for their processing properties at different process parameters. For example, fish feed with different sinking properties (depending on the degree of expansion) or fat content and thus for fish with different nutritional habits can be produced. 

Brabender extruders can also be used to optimise processes in animal feed production. In this context, Brabender is presenting the results of a research project with Evonik Operations GmbH and Fulda University of Applied Sciences. The project partners have developed a process for increasing the fat content in extruded fish feed pellets without an additional vacuum coating step by adding silica and will present it at the Aquafeed Extrusion Conference taking place at the same time as VICTAM International on June 1, 2022.

For more information about Brabender visit the website, 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.

ANDRITZ to introduce three innovations at VICTAM International 2022

ANDRITZ is proudly sponsoring VICTAM International 2022 and excited to be launching three brand new innovations for the aqua and animal feed markets at the fair: the Micro Feed System, 3-Rolls Assembly Upgrade for the Paladin 2000 and Metris Vibe.

• The Micro Feed System is a dedicated extruder upgrade system designed for aqua feed that is less than 2mm in size. The system can increase capacity by up to 40 percent when compared to running microfeed at reduced speeds on standard extrusion lines, and represents a major breakthrough in the industry. 
• For animal feed producers, ANDRITZ will introduce its 3-Rolls Assembly Upgrade for the Paladin 2000, an automatic roller adjustment system that provides adjustable spacing between the die and the rolls to enable producers to set the perfect distance for different recipes in one pellet mill. Average distance measurements for multiple recipes will be a thing of the past, while pellet quality, capacity and power utilisation will all improve.
• Metris Vibe, an integrated solution for condition monitoring, will be presented to the feed industry at the show. Metris Vibe is a wireless vibration and temperature sensor that can monitor the health status of mechanical equipment regardless of manufacturer. Durable and wireless, the sensors work in all rough environments and deliver lower operational costs through reduced maintenance due to its predictive capabilities, increased uptime, higher production reliability and improved safety.

"ANDRITZ innovates on all of its activities, from design of equipment, engineering of solutions up to its wide range of services," comments Stefan de Roo, Global MarCom Manager for Feed & Biofuel.

"We are a global partner for complete plant solutions for feed, pet food and biomass industries, based on customers' exact specifications at the lowest possible total cost of ownership. Our experts are looking forward to welcoming people to the booth in person, to share ideas and experiences, and to demonstrate that, with the industry's most trusted services, we are always there for our customers."

For more information about ANDRITZ visit the website, 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.

The Alltech ONE Conference returns, featuring a variety of agri-food experts and inspiring keynote speakers

The Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) opened to a live audience in Lexington, Kentucky, yesterday after being held as a virtual-only event for two years. Alltech's flagship event continues to be an invaluable industry resource, providing innovative ideas, inspiration and motivation through world-class speakers and unmatched content. ONE welcomed nearly 2,000 international delegates to downtown Lexington, with an additional 5,000 participating virtually.

The ONE Mainstage session began with Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, who welcomed the in-person delegates to Lexington and virtual attendees tuning in from around the world, challenging them to think about what comes next as we look toward the future.

'It's been almost 1,100 days since we were last together and certainly, we know a tremendous amount has changed — from social turmoil to a global pandemic and beyond,' Mr Lyons says. 'What is this all telling us? What can we step back and think about in terms of how we progress forward?'

Mr Lyons was joined on the ONE mainstage by Heather White, author, founder and CEO of 'OneGreenThing,' who brought two decades of environmental advocacy work and national nonprofit leadership to life with her book, "One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Help Save the Planet." Ms White offered three steps to make climate action a joyful daily practice. First, think beyond your age and listen. Secondly, find your unique role, and third, apply the daily practice of sustainability.

Following Ms White's presentation, Mr Lyons spoke to agriculture's role in saving the planet.

'Reducing is not enough; we must do something different,' says Mr Lyons. 'Our belief is that agriculture has the greatest potential to positively influence the future of our planet, to provide nutrition for all and to help rural communities thrive and replenish our planet's resources.'

The keynote lineup also included Nikki Putnam Badding, registered dietitian nutritionist and managing director of Acutia. Putnam Badding spoke about the crucial importance of making nutrition accessible to all.

'The impact of malnutrition is far-reaching,' says Ms Putnam Badding. 'So, is it enough to just feed the world? Do we instead need to focus on providing nutrition for all, thereby changing the dialogue from food security to nutrition security?'

Dr. Vaughn Holder, Alltech ruminant research group director, then shared his insights on how animal agriculture can be part of the solution to improving sustainability.

'We sit at the interface between the main carbon capturing industry in the world and the main food production industry in the world,' says Dr Holder. 'Those things are tied closely together and unavoidable. We sit in a unique position to be doing something about the carbon argument. It really is important that we do not talk about compromising one for the other — because we have to do both.

During the opening session, Mr Lyons presented the Alltech Medal of Excellence Award to Dr. Karl Dawson for his advancement of animal science over a career spanning more than five decades. The award further recognises Mr Dawson's contributions as an educator, innovator, mentor, scientist and technologist. Mr Dawson became the 31st recipient of the Alltech Medal of Excellence Award and, having previously received the honor in 1992, also became the first two-time recipient.

In addition to hearing from the inspiring keynote speakers, ONE attendees participated in live workshops and focus tracks, uncovering the challenges and opportunities in agriculture, business, health and wellness, and professional development.

For more information about the event visit the website, 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.

FOLIUM Science achieves major commercial milestone

Bristol based biotech business FOLIUM Science has completed an important milestone in its commercialisation phase as it continues to develop its ground-breaking technology platform that selectively removes unwanted bacteria from an animal's gut.

Image credit: Loozrboy on Flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

This patented technology, called Guided Biotics®, will remove the need to use antibiotics in farmed animals. In a world where antimicrobial resistance is a global problem, where antibiotics are increasingly ineffective, unacceptable to consumers and restricted in use, FOLIUM Science's revolutionary biotechnology helps to solve these problems by supporting positive animal nutrition and sustainable animal farming.

In collaboration with a leading multinational animal nutrition partner, FOLIUM Science can now build on promising in-vivo trial work and begin the process of bringing the first product to market.

Using the Guided Biotics® technology, trials in poultry flocks have shown incredibly promising results in reducing Salmonella. Food poisoning continues to be a problem across the world, with salmonellosis cases now increasing in many countries. Non-typhoidal salmonellosis is reported to cause over one million infections, 19,000 hospitalisations and over 400 deaths annually in the US, with some Salmonella strains showing antibiotic resistance.

Salmonella in the gut of a chicken is difficult to control, however unlike the action of antibiotics that will kill the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bad, Guided Biotics® selectively remove only the undesirable bacteria, leaving the beneficial bacteria intact. This supports a positive gut microbiome by allowing these beneficial bacteria to thrive.

Guided Biotics® technology represents a new category in animal feed additives and functional nutrition, that can directly benefit animal well-being by supporting a healthy microbiome.

The development of modelling techniques to quickly assess the effectiveness of new products is an innovative tool that allows the FOLIUM Science team to screen alternatives and identify the versions that are most likely to be successful. This creates an efficient product delivery process that can be taken forward into live trials.

Creating strong and focused teams in each development area has also proved fruitful where technical specialists and support staff work closely together to share ideas and improve expertise across the business.

The new partnership and investment will enable FOLIUM Science to move to the next stage of commercialisation and not only develop the application of Guided Biotics® technology in poultry but continue the development of future programmes that include applications in cattle, swine and aquaculture. Development platforms in the pipeline also include products to modulate an animal's microbiome to give the friendly bacteria beneficial advantages over pathogens in the gut.

FOLIUM Science CEO Ed Fuchs says, 'I am delighted to have achieved this breakthrough which was part of the strategic roadmap created four years ago when the business was founded.  Our goals and focus on the Guided Biotic Platform are fully aligned to the multinational partner's animal nutrition business unit. This validates the market opportunity and unlocks well established capability to deliver Guided Biotic products in market. 

"It is a credit to the FOLIUM Science team how they have evolved the Guided Biotic platform to application in the most challenging real-world environment.  We can also celebrate our own expansion of capacity in the move to new laboratory facilities at Science Creates in Bristol.  These facilities enable us to achieve our vision and expand into modulating gut microbiomes to reduce waste and improve productivity.

"The founders are also excited to be working on similar technology for food processing, plant health and human dietary requirements. These applications are a mere walk in the park!'   

The joint development agreement involves an undisclosed sum for a multi-year investment and commercialisation rights to BiomElix One®, a feed additive for poultry and other species that targets all Salmonella serotypes.

The benefits of working with a major multinational with a very strong research ethic are clear. The collaboration between both teams of scientists on product development alongside shared contacts and expertise will bring advantages to all stakeholders. The manufacturing facilities and regulatory know-how offered by the partnership will also have a significant impact on the speed with which products can be brought to market and facilitate the advancement of new platforms.

The FOLIUM Science team of scientists will continue to operate from the dedicated research base in Bristol UK enabling the business to further expand the capabilities of Guided Biotics® across wide range of pathogenic, wastage and spoilage bacteria.

For more information visit the FOLIUM Science website, 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.

Western Oklahoma faces devastating wheat crop

On the western side of Oklahoma, early cotton acre establishment is in question, and winter wheat outcome looks devastating, according to Gary Strickland, Jackson County director and southwest regional agronomist for Oklahoma State University Extension.

Image credit: Andrew Gustar on Flickr
(CC BY-ND 2.0)

With winter wheat crops being harvested as of last week, OSU Extension experts predict a nearly 50 percent decline in wheat yields on the western side of the state.

Mr Strickland says about half of the wheat fields in his local area have been abandoned by producers.

'They have either turned cattle out on them or have abandoned them because they can't get any use out of them,' Mr Strickland says. 'We're in pretty bad shape. It's not that we're becoming dry; it's that we're dry deep into the soil profile right now.'

Mr Strickland says when setting up 4-H land judging pits in the southwest region, there was no moisture three feet deep in the soil.

'When you look at the total rainfall, it looks like Jackson County had adequate rainfall, but the problem is it took 26 rainfalls for us to get approximately five inches,' Mr Strickland says, adding that their largest rainfalls in 2022 have been from one-half to three-quarters of an inch. 'In these drought conditions, these are not effective crop production rainfalls."

According to USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service reports, abandonment for Winter Wheat in the U.S. is the highest since 2002 with the highest levels in Texas and Oklahoma. The USDA Crop Production Report for May estimated 60 million bushels for the 2022 Oklahoma winter wheat harvest – a 48 percent decline from the 2021 harvest. According to the Oklahoma Mesonet, despite recent rains, 65 percent of the state remains in the moderate drought to exceptional drought category, and heat conditions have also been rated poor to very poor for 47 percent of the state. Future weather predictions show no end in sight for the extreme drought conditions of the western region, with one-week to three-month outlooks showing little hope for above average amounts of rainfall. High temperatures are also anticipated over the next two months.

The drought in the panhandle region is the worst it has been seen since 2011, according to Sumit Sharma, OSU assistant Extension specialist for irrigation management.

'We had a mild summer with near normal rainfall during the active growing season from May to August last year,' Mr Sharma says. 'It was in late August that we started getting temperatures 100 plus degrees and high winds. From there, things went downhill, and the winter was very mild with little snowfall.'

In a county that already averages only about 16 inches of rainfall per year, the first week of August 2021 marked the last measurable rainfall of over .5 inches in Cimarron County. Rainfall since then has only been light showers of .3 inches or less. As of April 30, the county had received .5 inches of rain in the past 180 days.

Cimarron County dryland wheat producer J.B. Stewart says his wheat yields this year are zero.

'We had an insurance appraiser out here at the beginning of April, and he basically just zeroed everything out,' Mr Stewart says. 'I've been farming since I got out of college, and this is the first time I have not had a single acre to cut. It's all gone. Thousands of acres.'

Mr Stewart said it is highly likely that he won't plant a spring sorghum crop this year due to no moisture in the soil. 'When you get .3 inches on soil this dry, it just evaporates,' he says, adding that when he entered the fall season already in drought, he had a feeling his crops were headed for tough times.

Mr Stewart notes when researching Oklahoma rain statistics, November was the number one driest November for his region in 127 years, and December was the fifth driest.

'That paints a picture of the wheat crop out here,' he says. 'It's a drought that will get your attention at this point.'

Mr Stewart says normally, after harvesting his wheat crops, he will let fields rest for a few months to build soil moisture, but a complete lack of moisture causes soil erosion. 'It's predicted that there's a chance this could linger into fall, and if that's the case, we're going to be in a lot of trouble out here."

Added to the lack of moisture in the panhandle are high-speed winds, dust storms and wildfires.

'I have lived here for five years, and I feel like I have seen more dust storms and wildfires this year than in previous years,' Mr Sharma says.

About one third of Oklahoma panhandle crops are still dryland crops, and dryland winter wheat is likely to suffer large losses this harvest.

'It's not only that yield will drop, but some crops may not be harvested at all,' Mr Sharma says. 'If yield drops too much, farmers won't harvest because it won't be worth the cost to take their machinery out there.'

To top off all the other drought concerns, wheat streak mosaic virus, which was historically more prominent in the panhandle, has now been reported in multiple counties across the state because of drought favoring cereal aphids and curl mites. Counties reporting WSM have included Payne, Blaine, Cimarron, Harper, Grady and Garfield.

'I would say almost 90 percent of samples we received in April this year in the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory have tested positive for wheat streak mosaic virus,' says Meriem Aoun, OSU wheat pathologist.

Wheat samples received from Harper and Blaine counties tested positive for high plains virus in addition to wheat streak mosaic virus, and barley yellow dwarf virus has been confirmed in wheat samples from Payne, Cleveland and Grady counties. Some wheat fields in Oklahoma also tested positive for root/crown rot, which is also exacerbated by drought conditions.

According to Brett Carver, Regents professor and wheat genetics chair at OSU, the rest of the state's wheat crop looks better than expected. Spike size may be winter wheat's saving grace, he says.

'Where the minimal requirement of rain was met, crop yields may benefit from longer spikes, even though the number of spikes may be reduced. Unlike 2021 and many other recent years, we didn't have a freeze this spring that was so severe that it stunted the growth of the wheat spike,' Mr Carver says.

Harvest predictions are more positive moving east in Oklahoma with some locations anticipating average to above average yields, including Lahoma and Okmulgee. Yields at the South Central Research Station in Chickasha appear to be slightly below average.

'We still need that rain to complete the kernel-filling stages to bring seeds to full size,' Mr Carver continues. 'We're not at the finish line, but we have a better chance of getting to the finish line in those areas that recently received rain.'

One thing for producers to understand, says Mr Carver, is that this year's winter wheat crops are not 2021 crops

'You have to throw any results from 2021 crops out the window because this is a completely different environment,' Mr Carver says, adding that even the newer wheat variety Uncharted, which was bred for drought resistance, is struggling in this year's level of drought – a level that has not been seen in the state as a whole since 2014.

The minimal requirement of moisture either in the soil profile or by rainfall for wheat to produce the first bushel of grain is about four inches, and every additional inch means more added yield, Mr Carver says.

'There's just a certain threshold you have to meet with rain to even have a yield, and in certain places, we just didn't meet that threshold. And it's not because of bad farming; it's because of bad luck,' Mr Carver says. 'In other places, we may make it, but we may not make it very well depending on the additional inches of rain we receive.' 

For more information visit the OSU website, 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.

Lallemand Korea celebrates first anniversary

Lallemand Animal Nutrition, one of the global leaders in microbial fermentation using yeast and bacteria in animal agriculture, celebrates the first anniversary of Lallemand Korea Ltd. this month. An exciting day of celebrations was held in Lotte Hotel World of Seoul where partners and customers looked back at the major milestones accomplished during the past 12 months. 

'I am delighted to see the milestones we reached, especially in such a competitive marketplace, and am really happy to be able to celebrate with our valued partners, customers, and friends. Modern agriculture has many complex challenges, especially under the current global context - increased prices of raw material, very high oil prices - so it is more important than ever to support livestock production in powerful, efficient, and innovative ways,' says Paul-Antoine Croizé, Business Area Director. 'Thanks to our selected specific microbial strains that are applied with specific processes, and our group of experts that support their applications in the field, I am confident that we are able to maximise the expected effect of Lallemand Animal Nutrition's natural microbial solutions'

'We still have a lot of work ahead of us, and  the Lallemand Korea team is well on its way and so the race is on,' says Mrs Choi Si Yeong, Country Manager for Lallemand Korea, 'Lallemand Korea will make the difference in this changing and demanding market in which we operate, and we are committed to adapt international insights to efficiently and effectively support our local partners and customers.'

For more information about Lallemand visit the website, 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.

AFIA's Board of Directors advocates for industry, and welcomes new leadership

The American Feed Industry Association's (AFIA) Board of Directors met in Arlington, Va., last week for their annual spring meeting, where they advocated for key industry priorities on Capitol Hill and conducted other official business, including approving new Board leadership and members.  

Forty-four Board members met with U.S. Senate and House offices about improving the Food and Drug Administration's animal food ingredient review program, resolving ongoing supply chain and export issues that are hindering the industry's ability to satisfy customers' orders in a timely and cost-effective way, and the work the industry is doing to provide solutions on national climate change priorities. 

'Food security is top of mind for many lawmakers right now as they look to keep Americans fed amid labor and logistical challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, rolling ingredient shortages, increased food prices and more,' says AFIA President and CEO Constance Cullman. 'Our Board leadership impressed upon policymakers how removing key regulatory and trade barriers now will secure our industry's ability to continue delivering feed, ingredients and pet food to the marketplace into the future.' 

During the official business meeting on Thursday, the AFIA Board of Directors recognised outgoing Board chair Mike Schuster, of Laidig Systems, Inc., for his leadership over the past year and installed Mike Gauss, of Kent Nutrition Group, Inc., as its new chair effective through the end of AFIA's fiscal year April 30, 2023. Schuster now transitions into a one-year role as chair of the Institute for Feed Education and Research's (IFEEDER) Board of Trustees. The AFIA Board also voted to accept the nomination of Carlos Gonzalez, of Hill's Pet Nutrition, to become the chair-elect of the organisation. 

'The AFIA membership will be in good hands under the leadership of incoming chair Mike Gauss of Kent Feeds,' Mr Schuster says. 'He has an extensive knowledge of the issues currently facing our industry and experience through his involvement with the AFIA's Production Compliance Committee. His positive, calming approach to opportunities and challenges will be of value to the association and our membership.'

The Board also elected the following individuals to serve three-year terms: Jonathan Griffin of Balchem Corporation; Scott Herbert of Daybrook Fisheries; A. Whit Huguley, IV of ED&F Man Liquid Products, LLC; Mark Poeschl of Furst-McNess Company; Holly Bellmund of GLC Minerals, LLC; Nicole Boettger of Hamlet Protein, Inc.; Dan Hennessy of Land O' Lakes, Inc.; Robert King of Merrick Pet Care, Inc.; Tony Colanino of NewStar Sourcing and Service; Dan Meagher of Novus International, Inc.; Mark Lamb of SouthFresh Feeds; Julio Contreras of Sweet Manufacturing Company; Daniel Rice of Western Milling; Rob Brock of Westway Feed Products, LLC; Matthew Zeigler of Zeigler Bros, Inc.; and Ryan Millett of Zoetis. 

In addition, the Board approved seven nominated individuals as additions to AFIA's Executive Committee: Scott Anderson of California Pet Mill; Frank Goode of ILC Resources; Kevin Schluender of Nutra Blend, LLC; Leigh Ann Sayen of The Peterson Company; Kristin Bonham of DSM Nutritional Products; Lisa Norton of Biozyme; and Rob Sheffer of Zinpro Corporation.

For more information about AFIA visit the website, 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.