Large scale pilot proves methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer® is ready for roll-out in the Netherlands

Dutch dairy company Royal FrieslandCampina, DSM, and feed supplier Agrifirm have successfully incorporated Bovaer® into the regular farming activities of 158 dairy farms in the Netherlands in the world's first large-scale on-farm use of the methane-reducing feed additive for cattle. The six month program, which started in 2022, confirmed that Bovaer® can easily be introduced at scale without affecting animal health, milk production or milk composition. This work supports the quicker adoption of Bovaer® by the dairy sector, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping the Netherlands to reach its climate targets.

In 2022, history was made by launching an extensive project to gain practical experience with Bovaer®, involving more than 20,000 cows and 158 farms. The successful collaboration between the member dairy farmers of FrieslandCampina, DSM and Agrifirm led to a decrease of 10,000 tons of CO2e in methane emissions (an average of 28 percent less enteric methane emissions). The project's success also opens the door for Bovaer® to be more easily implemented across the entire Dutch dairy herd. This move towards sustainability in the Dutch dairy industry stands to benefit consumers and farmers alike. Starting this year, farmers that are using Bovaer® in their feed can be recognised for its use through the KringloopWijzer (Annual Nutrient Cycling Assessment), the carbon footprint tool of the Dutch Dairy Sector (ZuivelNL).

Lars van den Nieuwenhof owns a farm with 125 dairy cows with his parents in Someren, North Brabant. He participated in FrieslandCampina's pilot to reduce greenhouse gases on his farm with Bovaer®. Mr Nieuwenhof says, "As an industry, we are at a tipping point. We have to move along and try to reduce methane emissions. We were therefore eager to participate in this pilot. Moreover, participation is low-threshold and it requires little effort. The Bovaer® is mixed into the minerals we feed to the cows. Every day we mix the minimum dose of 150 grams of those minerals through the ration. We also participated in workshops to exchange experiences with other participants. I am definitely satisfied with the results. The cows are producing well, are healthy, vital and fertile. We will continue to use the feed additive. I am happy that we can make an additional contribution to reducing our impact on the climate."

Together with André Kleistra, Jelle Heida has a dairy farm with 400 cows in Hoornsterzwaag, Friesland. Like other farmers, they have invested in mono-manure fermentation and a nitrogen stripper and farm in a way that suits them: efficient and environmentally friendly. Jelle says, "I participated in the Bovaer pilot because I was curious whether the feed additive would affect the fermentation process. I did not notice any effect as we added Bovaer to the ration. We also did not observe any changes in the health of our cows or in their milk production and composition. It was an interesting experience in which I learned a lot about how Bovaer works. I'm very positive that through our participation, we experienced a simple and safe way to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."

The successful collaboration between Bovaer® and the member dairy farmers of FrieslandCampina has opened the door for Bovaer® to be implemented across the entire Dutch dairy herd. This move towards sustainability in the Dutch dairy industry will benefit farmers and consumers alike.

Together with its member dairy farmers, FrieslandCampina aims to achieve a 33 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on its member dairy farms by 2030 (vs. 2015). It is therefore working on various solutions to achieve this, such as using guaranteed deforestation-free soy in cattle feed, digestion of manure, generating sustainable energy on farms and reducing cow methane emissions using Bovaer®.

Sanne Griffioen, Director farm sustainability FrieslandCampina, 'Together with our member dairy farmers, we are working towards producing net climate-neutral dairy by 2050 at the latest. It requires continuous improvement and innovation to reach our targets. We are proud to be the first dairy company in Europe to gain valuable practical experience with Bovaer® on a large scale. I am very happy with the results of the pilot and the feedback from our member dairy farmers. We are looking forward to continue our journey with our partners, clients and members."

Mark van Nieuwland, VP Bovaer® DSM, 'We are delighted with the positive feedback from the dairy farmers involved in this large-scale pilot project in the Netherlands, which has confirmed the potential of our innovative Bovaer® feed additive. We look forward to continuing our partnership with FrieslandCampina and Agrifirm to ensure Bovaer® reaches more cows and makes an even greater contribution to tackling agricultural methane emissions. With these developments we also play a key role in supporting the near-term climate goals of the Global Methane Pledge, signed by more than 150 countries including the Netherlands.'

Matthijs Spithoven, Productmanager Rundvee Agrifirm, 'Agrifirm stands for integrated business advice. We support the farmer with advice on management, feed applications and mineral cycles, on everything from feed materials to the mouth of the cow. Bovaer® is an additive that fits well within Agrifirm's approach. Irrespective of the type of livestock farmer, major steps can be taken in a simple way to reducte methane emissions.'

For more information about DSM 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.

Official Announcement of new strategic partner of 'ILDEX Vietnam 2024'

VNU Asia Pacific is delighted to announce the new strategic partnership with the 'International Technology Exhibition and Events Joint Stock Company' (ITEC) on ILDEX Vietnam from the 2024 edition onwards.

ITEC is a professional international exhibitor organiser with over 10 years of experience in organising specialised exhibitions in various industries and also has been acting as the exclusive representative of Messe München GmbH, Germany in Vietnam since 2009. For the upcoming ILDEX Vietnam 2024, ITEC will be taking the role of the exclusive co-organizer in Vietnam and solely responsible for sales and operations of the show in Vietnam. VNU is excited and confident with the growth of ILDEX Vietnam in the coming years under this new partnership.

ILDEX Vietnam 2024 is scheduled 29-31 May 2024 at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. The exhibition will provide a comprehensive overview of the swine industry in Vietnam, which has seen tremendous growth over the years. With over 100+ exhibiting companies from more than 30+ countries, ILDEX Vietnam is the perfect platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest products and services and for visitors to learn about the industry's latest trends and innovations.

VNU Asia Pacific and ITEC believe that with your close cooperation, ILDEX Vietnam 2024 will be a great success.

For more information about ILDEX Vietnam 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.

Farmers' Fintech Agreena raises €46m to scale the regenerative revolution

Climate and fintech company Agreena, whose soil carbon platform is one of the largest globally, has announced its Series B raise of €46M. Led by Germany's leading multi-stage investor HV Capital, the round has an exciting composition of new investors including impact fund AENU and fintech-focused Anthemis. The equity raise is also supported by a doubling-down from existing shareholders, including evergreen food investor Gullspång Re:food, well-established tech investor Kinnevik and Denmark's Export and Investment fund.

The sizable raise comes just one year after the company's €20M Series A. Since then, Agreena has scaled its activities 10X, expanded its geographic footprint to cover farmland in 16 European countries, and partnered with farms to help them transition more than 600,000 hectares towards climate-positive, regenerative farming.

'In order for the world's farmers to transition to regenerative agriculture and create a scalable climate impact, the financial rails to support and pay them for it need to be built,' says Simon Haldrup, Co-founder and CEO of Agreena. 'Agreena is building out technological and financial services infrastructure throughout the agriculture value chain as the industry increasingly becomes a focal point for decarbonisation efforts.'

Momentum around regenerative farming is sweeping the globe, with corporates, governments and supply chains turning their focus to our agricultural soils for carbon removals in order to meet global net-zero targets. Through the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, farmers will play an increasingly essential role in tackling climate change, food insecurity, and other critical environmental issues. Agreena has developed a way to turn this impact into a new and additional revenue stream for farmers to help finance the transition by leveraging the carbon market.

Via the company's digital platform, farmers plan, track and validate improvements for their regenerative journey, in the process transitioning from emitting CO2 to drawing CO2 down and storing it within their soils. The improved soil health and biodiversity reduce the need for inputs while enhancing farmers' resilience to increasingly adverse climate conditions (such as drought or flooding), enhancing the overall operational performance of farms. On the other side of the equation, Agreena's certificates and downstream services support climate-focused companies already working to decarbonise, as well as companies in the food supply chain increasingly requiring field-level traceability of their agricultural commodities to comply with Scope 3 reporting requirements.

Scaling with Technology
The recent acquisition of remote sensing company Hummingbird Technologies has enabled Agreena to expand its offering beyond farmers to encompass agridata services for supply chain players, governments and other institutions. Prioritising a science-based and technology-first agenda, Agreena's platform now incorporates a world-leading, AI-based monitoring and verification solution that utilises satellite imagery, coupled with ground-truth data and machine learning to identify and report on-farm regenerative agriculture practices. Offering global monitoring, the company is on a mission to take the lead in supporting the road to net zero for the full value chain.

'Real climate impact is only created at scale and Agreena is perfectly positioned to distribute their carbon farming capabilities across the globe to bring high-quality, verifiable and nature-based carbon credits to the market. Only with carbon removals, can net zero targets be met,' says Alexander Joel-Carbonell, partner at HV Capital.

From Farmer to Fintech
Deeply rooted within the agricultural community, Agreena was originally founded with seed investment from Danish farmers and agricultural families. The company's next phase introduces a vertically integrated platform and marketplace. Working first with farmers in the field to monitor the carbon impact, the resulting certificates are constructed into scalable portfolios for corporates, tailored to their unique ESG strategy.

The company is taking a lead in providing the technological rails for the growing market with innovative financial solutions. Examples include using sustainable blockchain technology for enhanced traceability and transparency of carbon credits, and e-money and smart contracts to facilitate payment exchanges between climate-conscious corporates and farmers with immediate reconciliation at scale.

'We are on a journey to remove the economic barriers to adoption of regenerative agriculture for farmers and their entire ecosystem - carbon is just the beginning,' concludes Mr Haldrup.

For more information about Agreena 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.

Goudsmit develops 10,000 gauss rotary magnet separator

The recently developed 10,000 gauss rotating cleanflow magnet from Waalre-based Goudsmit Magnetics filters magnetic and paramagnetic particles out of poorly flowing, greasy powders in the food, pharma and chemical industries. The magnet rotor is composed of seven strong magnet bars, equipped with Neodymium-iron-boron magnets, each with a diameter of 32 mm. 

This is 40 percent thicker than regular magnetic bars and also used by the magnet manufacturer -the only one in the market- in the static version of the cleanflow. The magnetic separator was developed in response to many customer requests. It is suitable for free-fall lines and captures both iron and AISI 304 and AISI 316 particles as small as 30 µm from cocoa or milk powder, for example. An additional advantage is the higher capacity powder that the new cleanflow magnet type can process compared to the 8- or 12-rod magnet separator. The magnetic extractor is designed to be interchangeable one-to-one with existing rotary cleanflow systems. See how it works, HERE.

Capacities
The powerful magnetic bars in the cleanflow separator filter metal particles and paramagnetic particles from fatty powders and granular products. The separator is available in three sizes of which the largest model is suitable for product flows of up to 45m3/hour. The magnetic flux density of 10,000 gauss was measured on the contact surface of the bars. The maximum working and product temperature is 140°C, the minimum and maximum ambient temperature: -20°C to 40°C. The disadvantage of greasy (milk) powder is that this product does not flow well; the reason why the magnetic bars rotate in the product flow. This counteracts bridge formation and material accumulation and ensures optimal magnetic contact to capture metal contamination. The result is a high degree of separation and a clean product.

Cleaning
During the manual cleaning cycle, the operator removes the rotor from the housing and pulls the magnetic bars out of the extractor, after which the metal particles are loosened and can be disposed of. The company has also developed a special cleaner system, which allows easy and hygienic cleaning of the extractor.

For more information about Goudsmit 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.

New Cereals location attracts exhibitors longstanding and new

Cereals will host nearly 400 exhibitors and sponsors, ranging from companies that have attended the event for years to those exhibiting for the first time or returning after a few years' break.

The wide range of exhibitors means that, whether visitors are looking for the latest min-till drills, sprayers, harvesting or baling kit, the stands and demos will have plenty of high-tech machinery to choose from.

Centre stage at the John Deere stand will be its HarvestLab 3000, now available on S-Series and T-Series combines. It has expanded the use of near-infrared sensors to allow arable farmers to measure important quality parameters in wheat, barley and oilseed rape continuously, and in real time. The technology also gives farmers a granular view of field performance, laying the foundations for decisions on inputs for the following season.

'This up-to-the-second analysis delivers numerous benefits,' says Chris Wiltshire, John Deere's tactical marketing manager. 'These include being able to know for certain whether wheat has met milling quality specifications, the grain quality at an individual point of a field, and gaining an overall picture of which soils have converted nutrients into yield and protein.

'This greater level of detail and analysis is all part of the progression to site-specific farming; targeting inputs where they are needed, reducing unnecessary expenditure, and paving the way for a more productive and profitable future.'

Cereals' core focus on combinable crops is what attracted Warren Rivers-Scott, UK and ROI managing director at Bednar, to the event for the first time. 'As a premium supplier of modern, wide, fast and shallow cultivation equipment with a full portfolio for controlled traffic farming (CTF), the importance of attending was obvious,' he says. 'Along with our UK marketing partner, we will be working closely with Case IH, with a selection of high horsepower machines on display.

'During the event, we will also host an exciting 'arrive and ride' demonstration, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with 550hp+ tractors and 12m cultivators, reaching speeds of over 20kph. This will help farmers and their operators to understand the future of cultivations – efficiency while minimising labour inputs.'

On display at the Bednar stand will be an Efecta CE12000, a SwifterDisc XE12400 Profi and a Swifter SE12000. For root and vegetable growers, there will also be the Terraland TN_Profi.

Eyre Trailers is back at Cereals after a four-year break and plans to exhibit a new trailer for draper headers. Managing director, Bob Eyre, manufactures trailers for New Holland, Case IH, John Deere, Agco, Deutz and MacDon headers. 'We are not manufacturing on licence for them but act as an independent supplier,' he explains.

'The marketplace has changed significantly from a rigid header to bigger combines using draper headers. Many trailers are made abroad but we are geared up to make them here in the UK, and interest is growing. We have come to Cereals to re-establish ourselves in this market. We are also developing a patented harvesting technique but that is for future shows.'

Chafer is a loyal supporter of Cereals and takes part in the Syngenta Sprays & Sprayers demos. 'It offers farmers who are thinking of changing machines the first opportunity to see them in action,' says Joe Allen, sales and marketing manager at Chafer. 'We expect to be showing the Interceptor self-propelled model, and the trailed Guardian and Sentry models.

'We are also involved in a three-year Innovate UK project with BASF, Rothamsted Research and Bosch Rexroth, looking at targeted application of chemicals to blackgrass. Bosch Rexroth has a camera system that could be used to identify weeds in the growing crop, allowing herbicides to be targeted specifically at them. We will have a machine with cameras mounted on it at Cereals and will be talking about the project with visitors.'

Weaving is returning to Cereals after a four-year break, and director Simon Weaving is hopeful that the new location of the event, near Newark in Nottinghamshire, will be a boon for visitors. 'It is nearly bang in the middle of the country and means people in Scotland and the North can come straight down, and people from the South can come up, easily, too.'

A highlight at Weaving's stand will be a new mounted GD 4m drill. 'We've put on a plastic hopper which will make it easier to use,' says director Simon Weaving. 'It is aimed at medium-sized farms.'

B&B Tractors, which supplies the host farm, Thoresby Farming, is delighted to be exhibiting at the event for the first time, says group marketing manager Sara Paoloni. 'While we are new to Cereals, we have over 30 years of experience within the farming industry, and we are proud to have four depots across the East Midlands which sell both new and used machinery.'

Ireland-based McHale is exhibiting its new Fusion 4 range of integrated baler wrappers, comprising the McHale Fusion 4, McHale Fusion 4 Pro and McHale Fusion 4 Plus with film binding technology.

The company has created its highest output pick-up for the Fusion 4 range, explains McHale UK sales manager, Kieran Hughes. 'The new Profi-Flo pick-up has been designed to increase crop intake through more efficient crop flow, and has been engineered to ensure end users are operating with a high-performance pick-up that is designed to suit various working conditions. We have also focused on operator comfort.'

For more information about Cereals 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.

BDC Systems Ltd designs and delivers upgraded grain handling plant following fire

In 2021, WF Wells & Sons' grain drier caught fire and had to be replaced. A five-brother partnership, and the third generation to farm near Bath, WF Wells & Sons' farming enterprise grows OSR, winter wheat and barley, spring barley and beans, plus maize and has a dairy and beef herd.

'The drier caught fire as a result of an accumulation of dust. The dry weather meant that the crop was particularly dusty and dirty and the location of the drier, which had been installed in a tight space, meant that it was dragging in dust laden air which was settling on the burner tubes,' explains Andrew Wells.

'After the fire I called Andrew Head, Sales Director, BDC Systems Ltd, with whom I have a long standing and trusted relationship. He quickly confirmed the cause of the fire, which coincidentally aligned exactly with the view of my insurer,' continues Mr Wells.

Despite a new drier having to fit within the same tight space as that of the destroyed drier, and the top of the drier having to protrude through the roof of the grain shed, Head worked closely with Wells to re-design the plant so that the risk of fire was greatly reduced.

On Mr Head's recommendation, and following discussions with the insurers around BDC Systems' ability to provide the best value for money, Mr Wells decided to install a Svegma 37tph continuous flow drier with a 4m footprint so fitting it into the existing space was potentially a challenge.

The careful design of the new plant allowed the Svegma to fit safely into the tight space by rotating it 180 degrees enabling dust-free fresh air to be drawn into the drier's furnaces.

Working closely with BDC Systems, Mr Wells now has a future-proofed plant which takes advantage of the most up to date grain handling equipment.

From the field grain is now tipped into a large gravity discharge intake bunker from where it is elevated via an existing belt and bucket elevator, and dropped through an Aagaard heavy duty aspiration pre-cleaner to remove any light dust and chaff, helping to reduce the fire risk.

The grain is then transported via a Skandia SEI35/14, 60tph belt and bucket elevator which feeds a Skandia KTIFFR20/33, 60tph flow and return conveyor, to the Svegma drier. Once full, the overflow/surplus grain from the drier flows by gravity back to the intake bunker.

The Svegma is fitted with vertical turboclean dust extraction fans and dust extracted is pneumatically conveyed to the dust box by a Kongskilde TLR blower, rather than remaining airborne around the furnaces.

The drier is discharged through a Skandia KTIFb20/33, 60tph chain and flight conveyor with grain being transported through an existing reciprocating cleaner or direct to store using the existing handling system.

Mr Wells also chose to deploy BDC's Moisture Monitoring System (MMS) to monitor the moisture content (mc) of the crop going into and out of the drier. Should the mc fall below or rise above the predefined levels an email or text message alert is sent, allowing any necessary adjustments to be made remotely.

The drier was supplied with BDC Systems' PLC touch screen control panel incorporating the drier, grain handling equipment and MMS controls enabling Mr Wells to remotely view and adjust the drier settings as well as logging all drier data including: drier operating temperatures, discharge speeds, incoming and outgoing moisture content.

BDC Systems worked with Mr Wells to configure the control panel so that a chemical to prevent grain beetle infestation could be applied, using an existing applicator, to the grain once dried and on its way to the grain store via the Skandia conveyor.

'The upgraded plant is a dream to use,' says Mr Wells. 'I dared not leave the old drier in case there was an issue. Now I am no longer tied to the grain shed during harvest. The remote access to the control panel means that I can log-in and check what's happening and make any modifications, including shutting the plant down, regardless of where I am.'

Mr Wells cannot overestimate the value of working with grain handling experts, such as BDC Systems, who have a wealth of knowledge and are able to look at a project, no matter how big or small, and have the vision to design a bespoke solution that meets a farmer's individual needs.

'Andrew Head even provided the answer to the challenge we first struggled with. How to extract the grain from the fire damaged drier – he took one look and told us to get a demolition team in!' Mr Wells adds. 'We did and they were brilliant, dismantling the drier without damaging the shed itself, leaving the way clear for the installation of the new plant!'

For more information about BDC 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.

£9.13 million awarded to develop cutting-edge farming technology

Three cutting-edge projects will receive a share of £9.13 million in government funding to carry out research and development on proposals to boost agricultural productivity, sustainability and climate resilience, it has been announced.

Image credit: Peter Lavender on flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

The funding will support projects developing robotic crop harvesting for horticulture, an autonomous system to change cows' bedding to improve their health, welfare and productivity, and a more environmentally-friendly approach to potato cultivation.

The three projects are being supported through the Large R&D Partnership competition, which is part of the government's £270 million Farming Innovation Programme, and a second round of the competition is currently open for applications.

This is all part of the government's commitment to spend around £600 million on grants to provide support for farmers to invest in productivity, animal health and welfare, innovation, research and development over three years. It will be funded from the £2.4 billion annual farming budget, which is being maintained at its current level for the rest of this current Parliament.

Alongside the ongoing roll-out of the Environmental Land Management schemes, the grants will help to deliver long-term sustainable food production and support farmers to halt and reverse the decline of nature as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer says, 'It's important that we fund projects like these – and those still to come in future rounds – as we support farmers to deliver sustainable food production and protect the environment.

'Innovation, research and development will help keep the sector at the cutting edge of technology as we look into the future.'

Katrina Hayter, Interim Executive Director Healthy Living & Agriculture, Innovate UK, says, 'These projects have all demonstrated not only an innovative solution to a real-life, on-farm problem, but also the value of partnerships and collaboration between different sector experts. For novel technology to truly succeed, it needs the input of the farmers themselves for the day-to-day realities of its use.

'We're really pleased that these partnerships have this idea at their core, and we now look forward to working with them as they develop their solutions further and bring the benefits to life.'

Successful projects
The Agri-Opencore project, led by APS Produce, has been awarded over £3.8m to accelerate the delivery of robotic crop systems for horticulture. With labour shortages affecting the horticulture sector around the world, there are huge opportunities to reduce costs and labour requirements. The funding will help the project create the world's first open development platform (software and hardware) for agri-robotic crop harvesting. The open development platform will enable multiple organisations to contribute, allowing cross-sector collaboration and demonstration of technologies on English farms. It is hoped that the project will help to accelerate the adoption of robotic picking by two years.

Phil Pearson, from APS Produce, says, 'The AGRI-OPENCORE robotics project is an exciting, and vital project for the fresh produce industry. It promises to deliver the significant progress required to automate fresh produce harvesting in the UK. As this work brings leading technology providers, Dogtooth, Xihelm and Wootzano, with the academic excellence of the University of Lincoln team, we can expect significant progress towards autonomous harvesting"

The AG ARC project, led by Garnett Farm Engineering, has been awarded over £2.5m towards the development of an autonomous cow cubicle bedding unit. Cow comfort is a key factor in reducing the chances of cows suffering from mastitis, a fatal inflammation of their mammary gland, with dry and clean bedding and careful management of cubicles being vital. Currently, this must be done manually by farmers, but this project will develop an intelligent robotic cubicle bedder to monitor and respond to key sensor data to optimise dispensing of bedding. This will help to boost cow health and welfare, improve farm productivity and reduce costs through efficient use of bedding.

Andrew Garnett, of AG Products, says, 'We look forward to collaborating with the University of Liverpool on this exciting project to further enhance our cattle bedding solutions to farmers, improving cow welfare and productivity. Our passion for innovation has seen the recent launch of the AG Duo; the AG ARC will further revolutionise the industry's approach to cattle bedding.'

The Potato-LITE project has been awarded £2,830,000 to explore optimised systems for potato cultivation. Current systems require the soil to be cultivated to create a deep and uniform seedbed, free from stones and clods, to provide a favourable environment for potato growth. Whilst reduced tillage technologies have enabled regenerative agriculture in cereal systems, this technology has not been developed for the production of potatoes and other root crops. Potato-LITE will transform potato tillage through developing new cultivation equipment and systems, delivered through a leading partnership between food manufacturers (PepsiCo and McCain), a machinery manufacturer (Grimme), growers (Strawson Ltd, JRO Griffiths, H Sutton & Son and JM Bubb & Son) and research organisations (Cranfield University, Harper Adams University and CHAP). The project focuses on reducing the depth, intensity and number of operations required, which will improve soil health and reduce the environmental impact of potato production whilst also reducing costs, making the £824 million potato sector more resilient and sustainable.

Shaunagh Slack, Project Lead for Potato-LITE, Regen Ag Scientist, Agricultural Science, PepsiCo, says, 'At PepsiCo, agriculture is core to our business and we believe that sustainable agricultural practices are pivotal in protecting and enhancing our natural resources. Through Potato-LITE, we have a unique opportunity to form a leading industry and academic partnership to transform potato tillage and quantify the benefits on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions. This four year research project will enable the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices among UK farming communities as we work towards a net zero future.' 

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.

Axor launches new logo, taking the next step for the brand

AXOR Srl, an Italian company one of the leading in pasta manufacturing technologies, has announced the launch of its new logo, representing the next step for the brand. The new logo has been created to adapt the brand while rooted in its heritage, featuring a modern, elegant font and lines that reflect the company's next level of evolution. 

In 2021, ALAPALA, one of the leaders in grain processing technologies became a majority shareholder of AXOR Srl. This acquisition has enabled AXOR to expand its capabilities, to have the opportunity to grow in global markets, as well as to provide integrated innovative solutions for the needs of its customers in the food processing industry. "We are thrilled to introduce our new logo, which represents the next level of our brand," says Görkem Alapala, CEO of ALAPALA Group. "With this new brand identity, we aim to showcase our evolution, modernity, and ambitious plans for the future. This is the next step in our journey and we're excited to share it with our customers and stakeholders."

The new logo is a modern and elegant representation of AXOR's transition towards a future-oriented approach. The minimalist design embodies the company's new ambition and its commitment to continue growing in the market. Featuring the Italian flag with an aesthetic appearance emphasises that AXOR is an Italian company with the highest level of production quality, technology, know-how, and engineering. "At AXOR, we believe that it's important to stay ahead of the curve and embrace change," says Marco Mistroni, CEO of AXOR: "The new logo represents our propensity to change and our willingness to take bold steps to achieve our goals. We're ambitious for the future and this new brand identity reflects that."

For more information about Axor 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.

AMANDUS KAHL increases energy efficiency with the new Distamat technology

For AMANDUS KAHL, this year's LIGNA is all about energy efficiency. At the world's leading trade fair for the woodworking and wood processing industry in Hanover from May 15 to 19, the company will showcase its wood processing equipment. Thanks to the specially developed electronic automatic pellet mill control system EAPR, the machines of the Reinbek-based company ensure optimum operation combined with low manpower requirements and long service lives. An intelligent automatic gap control called Distamat enables a predefined roller gap to be precisely maintained for optimum production results. 

Since the middle of the 1920s, AMANDUS KAHL has been developing pellet mills for a wide range of applications. Their reliable mechanical system as well as the individual configuration according to the customer's needs guarantee high throughput rates of up to 12 tonnes per hour. That is why they are particularly suitable for wood processing. At LIGNA, the machine manufacturer will be exhibiting its pellet mill 60-1500 and will be focusing on energy saving and energy efficiency.

For upstream and downstream processes, AMANDUS KAHL offers various systems for the preparation of wood products. For grinding wood chips, sawdust and wood shavings, the hammer mill and above all the pan grinder mill are used. Due to its crushing and grinding effect, the pan grinder mill is ideally suited for grinding relatively moist biomass. Its throughputs range from a few hundred kilograms to over 40 tonnes per hour. Special belt driers and coolers are used for drying and cooling, which optimally cool and dehumidify the final product before it is conveyed to a fully automatic packaging unit.

Technological edge through EAPR and Distamat
With the EAPR automatic pellet mill control, AMANDUS KAHL tackles the big topic of Industry 4.0. The EAPR enables optimum automatic operation of all flat die pellet mills of the company KAHL. It consists of a local control cabinet with touch panel (TP) and an intuitive software user interface. For more energy efficiency, AMANDUS KAHL thus takes into account the entire plant and equips all pellet mills with corresponding switching and control systems. If desired, the customised software enables the user to control and monitor the pellet mill, the dosing screw, the mixer, the auxiliary units - the cooler if required - and the respective upstream and downstream elements at any time. Once the process parameters have been specified, the EAPR controls the fully automatic operation, including error and alarm messages as well as system diagnostics. In the event of trouble, the system can be accessed via remote maintenance.

As a further option for automatic pellet mill control, AMANDUS KAHL has developed the Distamat, an automatic gap control system for a continuously adjustable and constant roller gap during operation. The constant gap between the pan grinder roller and the die is essential for pellet quality and stable operation. The system not only increases the pellet quality, but also offers a high degree of automation, which results in less maintenance work during operation, such as adjusting and checking the roller gap. 

Further information about the functions and possibilities of the KAHL machines can be obtained directly at booth F57 in hall 26. 

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.

Zinpro® Releases 2022 Sustainability Report Sharing Plans to Help Build a More Sustainable World for All

Zinpro Corporation, the world's leading innovator and manufacturer of high-performance organic trace minerals and animal nutrition solutions, released its 2022 Sustainability Report, Advancing Performance Together® for a More Sustainable World for All.

'It's important to recognise that while animal agriculture has in fact been advancing sustainability for thousands of years, the animal protein industry is faced with new challenges, increasing consumer demands, evolving nutritional needs and climate expectations,' said Dr. Terry Ward, Zinpro global director of sustainability. 'This report demonstrates the positive impact we are making on animals, the planet and people by partnering closely with our employees, customers and key industry stakeholders.'

In the report, Zinpro shares examples of how proven animal nutrition improved the health, wellbeing and production efficiency of not only animals, but producers' businesses – strengthening the case for nutrition as a critical component in driving more sustainable outcomes.

The research showed that by partnering with Zinpro to build nutrition plans with sustainability in mind, the company's customers experienced favorable results including: 
-Improved beef cattle reproductive efficiencies, which led to decreased methane emissions, fewer medical treatments and a decrease in greenhouse gases;

-A decrease in poultry broiler copper excretion into the environment;

-Improvements in swine feed efficiency and profitability;

-Increased shrimp survival rates, biomass and feed conversion ratios.

In addition to research findings, the report details the ways in which Zinpro continues to support the global animal agriculture industry. Safety remains fundamental to the company's approach and is the foundation for its four sustainability pillars: environmental, economic, technical and social. 

Innovations to Grow the Sustainability of Customers' Businesses

According to the report, Zinpro launched several innovative products and tools in the last year to better serve customers' animals and businesses, including:
-Zinpro® IsoFerm®, a one-of-a-kind product for dairy cows that provides game-changing advancements in dairy farm efficiency and profitability, driving operational and environmental sustainability
-Zinpro® Beef Calculator, a tool that helps ranchers calculate the potential profitability, improved health, enhanced immunity and increased weaning weights by feeding Zinpro products
-Zinpro® Global Poultry Mineral Guide, the first-of-its kind guide that allows poultry nutritionists to formulate customized diets to achieve specific sustainability goals and meet the modern mineral needs of poultry production

Prioritizing Sustainability Begins with Measurement  

'At Zinpro, we recognize the need for continuous evaluation and measurement as part of our work,' said Dr. Ward. 'To help us prioritize and effectively chart a course for our future sustainability progress, we developed a materiality matrix.'

Zinpro worked with a third-party firm on its materiality matrix, which will help identify the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues of critical importance to stakeholders and to the business. The top three areas of focus include:

1. Product quality, safety and compliance
2. Animal health and welfare
3. Supply chain management and labor conditions 

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.

Mountaire Farms awarded AFIA’s Integrator Feed Facility of the Year

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), in partnership with Feedstuffs and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), named Mountaire Farms' Scotland County feed mill in Maxton, N.C., as its 2022 Integrator Feed Facility of the Year (FFY). Gary Huddleston, AFIA's director of feed manufacturing and regulatory affairs, presented the award Tuesday to plant manager Hector Pacheco, during the USPOULTRY Feed Mill Management Seminar. 

'We selected Mountaire Farms as this year's winner because of their commitment to employee safety, community involvement and animal food safety,' said Huddleston. 'I was impressed by the company's 'Mountaire Cares' community program and its unique 'Goal Zero' employee safety program.'

In 2021, the Maxton, N.C., plant produced 1,056,550 tons of feed with their plant and has designed plans to expand the facility to increase its capacity to more than 1.5 million tons per year. Additionally, all six of Mountaire Farms' facilities are Safe Feed/Safe Food certified through AFIA's certification program.

The company's dedication to its community and employees is demonstrated through Mountaire Farms' two programs: Goal Zero, which aims for zero workplace accidents; and Mountaire Cares, which dedicates volunteer work within the company's communities through charitable giving to local nonprofits and charities, community leadership programs and scholarships.

The AFIA has been recognising excellent feed manufacturing facilities through the Feed Facility of the Year program since 1985, with 2021 marking the first year that the association began issuing top industry awards to facilities in four categories: commercial dry, liquid feed, premix and ingredient, and integrator.

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.

Council Signs Ethanol MOU In Panama; USDA Undersecretary Taylor Witnesses

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) hosted a regional seminar in Panama City, Panama, held on Mar. 21-22, that brought together critical stakeholders and high-level government officials from Central American (CTA) countries and the Dominican Republic to learn about and discuss the technical aspects, benefits and challenges of ethanol and gasoline blending in the region. 

*Today in Panama City, Panama, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the Industrial Association of Sugar Cane of Panama (AZUCALPA) signed an ethanol memorandum of understanding (MOU). Pictured, USGC Regional Director for Latin America Marri Tejada and Rodrigo Cardenal, CEO of Grupo Calesa and President of AZUCALPA, sign the MOU while (from left to right) Carlos Salcedo, Minister Counselor for agricultural affairs of Panama; Jorge Rivera, national energy secretary of Panama; and USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor witness the event.

While there, the Council and the Industrial Association of Sugar Cane of Panama (AZUCALPA) signed – and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor witnessed – an ethanol memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU recognizes the importance of assessing the role and benefits of biofuels and ethanol in the promotion of economic growth, diversification of the energy matrix and decarbonization of transportation in the global energy transition to address global greenhouse gas emissions.

'This MOU bolsters economic and energy security through both domestic production and strengthening trade ties between our two nations,' said Taylor. 'Ethanol blending helps countries meet their climate change goals by boosting the use of renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. I hope these benefits encourage other nations throughout the region to explore ethanol blending policies of their own.'

Participants included ministers and vice ministers from the mines and energy, environment and agriculture sectors, along with representatives from national refineries, agro-industrial industries, oil and gas, finance, logistics and transportation. 

'Cultivando Energia is an incredibly impressive event that brings together like-minded individuals from across the region who can share their concerns and explore areas of collaboration in developing coherent and robust biofuels programs in their countries,' said USGC Regional Director for Latin America Marri Tejada, who signed the MOU on behalf of the Council. 

'We are encouraged by the high-level of distinguished representatives at the conference, further demonstrating the interest and willingness to continue the development of ethanol use in their countries.'

The seminar - Cultivando Energía - also included extensive discussions around ethanol's role in the global energy transition; dispelling ethanol myths; ethanol's contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction; the ethanol production chain; ethanol pathways in Latin America; and regional challenges to ethanol policy. 

'We want to thank the U.S. Grains Council for organizing this seminar and for their support and accompaniment with technical, strategic and best practices contributions which have been of great value and which we are sure will continue to be of great importance for the biofuels sector in Panama,' said Rodrigo Cardenal, CEO of Grupo Calesa and President of AZUCALPA. 

'As a national agricultural industry with a tradition of more than 100 years operating in Panama, we are very optimistic about implementing a national biofuel and renewable energy program. We know the direct, positive impact and benefits the program will provide in terms of creating direct and indirect employment, ensuring investments in agriculture and the impact on several communities.' 

Global ethanol consumption has grown from 16 billion gallons in 2010 to more than 27 billion in 2022. CTA, with an area of 523,000 square kilometers (Km2) and a population of around 51 million, consumes on average 244 gallons of oil and oil products per person per year. Fuel consumption for transportation has increased 9.1% over the last few years, driven by an increase in population, a growing middle class and an increased vehicle ownership. 

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.

Anpario’s Orego-Stim helps egg producers achieve more for less

Independent international manufacturer and distributor of natural animal feed additives, Anpario plc, recently conducted a meta-analysis study on their leading oregano essential oil (OEO) additive Orego-Stim. Collating results from layer trials conducted across the globe over a 7-year period, the results show than Orego-Stim consistently supports layer performance with more saleable eggs, as well as an improved feed efficiency and liveability.

Image credit: Karen Jackson on flickr
(CC BY-ND 2.0)

Highlights from the analysis include an average of eight extra eggs per hen and a two percent average improvement in layer liveability. As a result of the economic gain, associated with greater production and improved bird health, producers benefitted from a profitable average return on investment (ROI), with a potential ROI of 6:1.

Hens fed Orego-Stim showed consistent evidence of greater egg production, including improved persistency of lay and higher peak production, irrespective of geography, management systems or breed. In addition, hens demonstrated a clear improvement in feed efficiency when supplemented with Orego-Stim, with 11 percent less feed required on average for each egg produced. For 100,000 hens with an average feed consumption of 110g/head/day for 62 weeks, this could equate to feed savings of 525MT. 

Laura Corbett, Anpario's Poultry Product Manager, comments, 'These impressive feed efficiency results could result in truckloads of savings for layer producers. Supplementation of natural phytogenics, such as those developed from oregano essential oil (OEO), are a sustainable tool for success, and 100% natural OEO provides a multitude of well-documented properties and benefits. These include antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antioxidant functions, all of which have a role in supporting optimal gut health, layer performance and quality egg production.'

'It's exciting to see the results from all these trials come together, as it demonstrates the consistency of Orego-Stim across different countries, systems and breeds. Consistent results come from consistent ingredients and Orego-Stim is a prime example of this. Developed from a unique oregano species, with frequent quality control checks from crop harvest to finished product production, high quality is guaranteed batch after batch, which is vital for producers to ensure superior product performance every time,' concludes Ms Corbett.

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.