ADM Milling’s UK pilot project maps carbon emissions in its wheat supply chain

• In year 1, the UK pilot has calculated the carbon footprint for approx. 25,000 tonnes of wheat – the equivalent of 40 million loaves of bread

• The three-year programme is supporting farmers to better understand their carbon footprint and reduce their emissions

ADM, global leader in nutrition, and one of the leading flour millers in the UK, has for the first time calculated the emissions from the production of wheat in its UK supply chain.

The pilot – undertaken by ADM Milling – is also one of the first led by a major food manufacturing company in the UK to calculate the emissions in the production of wheat, recognising that as climate change intensifies, it is vital for companies to understand the level of emissions produced further up their supply chain and take action to reduce their carbon footprint.

Using Map of Ag as a data collection partner, ADM partnered with around 50 farmers to collect data and calculate the carbon footprint of farms’ wheat production based on approx. 25,000 tonnes of wheat harvested last summer, equating to 20 million 1kg bags of flour milled by ADM – the equivalent of roughly 40 million loaves of bread (of 800g each).

The data from year one of the pilot shows that the emissions from the UK farmers involved in the study sits at 302kg CO2e/t*, well below the previously reported standard values for UK milling wheat, which typically fall around 420kg CO2e/t. The next stage of the pilot will involve collecting data from the same group of farmers over the next two wheat harvests to ensure ADM creates a reliable baseline for the company and its customers and to track changes year-over-year.

Nitrogen fertiliser was responsible for the biggest proportion of emissions (on average 75%). However other key sources of emissions included energy use (liquid/gaseous fuel and electricity) and crop residue (the breakdown of crop residues in field by natural processes).

The first set of data gives an early indication of the positive impact of adopting regenerative agricultural practices on reducing farming emissions.

ADM worked with farmers to reinforce the importance of regenerative agriculture methods; these included reduced tillage on the land, growing legumes in rotation to supply nutrients back to the soil, and adding organic fertilisers like manure and digestates. 

ADM has made the data available to farmers involved in the study so they can benchmark their carbon footprint against the wider group and has held a feedback session for farmers to discuss group results, explain trends and share insights on how certain regenerative agriculture methods can reduce their carbon footprint. 

ADM is also looking to expand the program by incorporating additional acres of farmland which are already growing milling wheat, and the number of growers participating in the pilot – working to support more growers in better understanding the emissions of their crops and taking steps to reduce them.

Jonathan Lane, Managing Director ADM Agriculture says, “Farmers are at the centre of what ADM does and their resilience and success is critical to a sustainable food system. This pilot marks another progressive step in ADM’s sustainability journey and long-term commitment to supporting farmers in our supply chain. We want to keep taking steps to help farmers better understand their carbon footprint and reduce their GHG emissions, whilst producing food to feed the world.”

James Daw, a farmer from Staffordshire taking part in the pilot says, “I have farmed my whole life and am deeply committed to looking after the land and environment so it can continue to provide a living for myself and for future generations. 15 years ago I embarked on using regenerative agriculture methods to reduce my footprint and improve the health of my soil – from cover crops, to crop rotation. Now, I’m really excited to work with ADM, to measure the emissions that come from producing wheat on my farm and better understand what further steps I can take to improve my carbon footprint.

* This number takes into account peat oxidation risk.

For more information about ADM 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.

Cargill expands retail feed operation with plans for new facility in Washington state to service region’s customers

The trend for ranching and farming, especially rural lifestyle farming, is not showing any signs of slowing down. According to the Department of Agriculture, the number of lifestyle farms continues to hold strong at nearly 800,000 in the U.S., making up nearly 40 percent of all farms across the country. With this trend and the need for more animal feed, Cargill is building a new facility in Granger, Washington, solely focused on producing feed for current and potential ag retail locations in the region.

“The new Granger retail feed facility expands our existing retail feed footprint, enabling us to better service our retail customers and their farm and ranch customers in the Pacific Northwestern region,” says Mariano Berdegue, Regional Managing Director for Cargill Animal Nutrition – North America. “As we seek to serve the needs of consumers where and when they shop, we are growing with retailers who are meeting those needs both in-store and online.”

The new Granger retail feed operation is a stand-alone facility that will sit on the same site as  Cargill’s bulk dairy feed mill. The facility will house pellet mills, packaging lines, a spacious warehouse, office space, breakrooms and locker rooms for employees. Initially, the facility will be capable of producing more than 125,000 tons of feed annually, which will be packaged and sold under Cargill’s Nutrena brand and many customers’ brands. Cargill broke ground on the new facility in early May 2023 with an anticipated operating date of fall 2024.

“We value our long-standing relationship with Cargill because they understand our business, our values and our priorities,” says Mark Schmitt, D&B Supply President. “The opening of the new Granger retail feed operation is a testament to Cargill’s commitment to helping us service our customers and grow our business in the Pacific Northwest.”

In addition to meeting the growing feed needs of lifestyle and backyard farmers, the new retail feed facility 

• brings 15-20 new jobs to the local community,
• offers a new opportunity for local farmers to sell their crops, and
• eliminates more than approximately 2 million truck miles and 5,000 tons of CO2 annually*.

“Demand for our Nutrena, ProElite, Record Rack, Black Gold, and Sunglo products has never been stronger. It has been our privilege to feed over 52 million animals over the last 12 months, and our sights are set even higher for the future,” adds Mr Berdegue.

For more information about Cargill 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.

Mykola Solsky had a conversation with the Minister of Agriculture of Germany

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi held an online meeting with the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture of the Federal Republic of Germany Cem Ozdemir. 

The parties discussed the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to Europe. 

The Minister of Agriculture of Germany emphasized that his country stands in solidarity with Ukraine. He emphasised that unilateral actions by the EU countries are unacceptable. 

Cem Ozdemir expressed support for the idea of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to create a joint EU-European Commission-Ukraine advisory group. 

For his part, Mykola Solsky thanked for the support. In particular, for the fact that Germany was one of the signatories of the letter from the relevant ministers of 14 EU countries to the European Commission. In it, the signatories expressed concern over the introduction of a temporary ban on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine to five EU states and called on the European Commission to explain such a decision.

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.

Cutting edge farming projects to get share of £30 million of government funding

Up to £30 million has been awarded to cutting-edge farming projects that will boost food production, move towards net zero, and create a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector, the government has announced today (Wednesday 31 May). The projects announced today include: 

Image credit: Neil Williamson on flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

• Ground-breaking genetics research projects which could reduce methane emissions in cattle by 17 percent per generation, and produce a reliable UK-grown protein source that can replace soya in human foods 
• Investigations into the use of drones and artificial intelligence to inspect and monitor animals to enable farmers to take action should animals go missing or need attention
• Efforts to develop biopesticides using fungal strains that help tackle pests in wheat crops, and to pin-point the genetics for creating slug resistant wheat 

Alongside the £30 million set to be awarded to more than 50 successful projects from today, the government has also made a further £12.5 million available to fund innovative projects helping to deliver a more productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.  The funding is all part of the Farming Innovation Programme, run in partnership with UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and delivered by Innovate UK, which is making £270 million in grants available before the end of the agricultural transition to fund research and development projects to help farmers and growers produce food more sustainably.     

Secretary of State for Agriculture Thérèse Coffey says, “Farmers are always forward-looking, and innovation is key to driving forward a resilient, productive and sustainable agriculture sector that puts food on our tables whilst protecting and restoring the environment. “Alongside our new farming schemes, these grants will help to support farmers and pave the way for a technological transformation that will help produce food sustainably for generations to come.”  

Katrina Hayter, Executive Director Healthy Living and Agriculture of Innovate UK, says, “The competitions once again demonstrate the sheer breadth and quality of innovation within the UK agri-food space. “We’re proud to be able to help deliver these funding and partnership opportunities to the sector, bringing together farmers, growers, technologists and researchers in a common aim of making the UK food system more sustainable and resilient.

“Whether improving existing production or introducing novel foods and techniques, the winners have all risen to the innovation challenge and we look forward to supporting their development further.”   

These grants, alongside the government’s new flexible and accessible farming schemes, will ensure that farmers remain at the heart of the rural economy and putting food on our tables. It follows the Farm to Fork Summit earlier this month where the government announced a package of support for the farming sector, including new measures to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of adopting new technologies and techniques. This includes substantial investment to unlock the potential of precision breeding following royal assent for the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, and a working group to bring plant breeders, food manufacturers and retailers together to agree an approach that enables these products to reach our shelves. 

£12.5 million for new ‘On-Farm Environmental Resilience’ competition
The new £12.5 million ‘On-Farm Environmental Resilience’ competition will see farmers and growers apply for up to £1 million in project costs to drive the development of new technology and innovative farming methods, with a focus on practical solutions that make a real impact on farms.   

Projects could find new ways to detect pests and prevent and manage disease; help farmers to reduce their fertiliser use; boost soil resilience; and manage threats from extreme weather and flooding. Projects researching how gene editing and methods including regenerative cropping could boost productivity and crop resilience are also encouraged to apply. Details for the new competitions feasibility strand can be found here and details for the competitions industrial research strand can be found here. UK registered businesses will be able to apply until Wednesday 19 July 2023.

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.

Liquid Feed Symposium registration now open

The American Feed Industry Association has opened registration for its Liquid Feed Symposium, being held Sept. 12-14, in Louisville, Ky.

Hosted by AFIA’s Liquid Feed Committee, the symposium focuses on current issues, growth, education and development in regard to the liquid feed industry. The largest and longest-running event of its kind, it is designed to promote all segments of the liquid feed industry, including manufacturers, nutritionists, equipment manufacturers, sales and marketing, and additional industry support companies.

“LFS is a great event to attend if you are involved in the liquid feed business because it offers an opportunity to network and learn about such a specialised part of the overall industry,” said Paul Davis, Ph.D., AFIA’s director of quality, animal food safety and education. “Repeat attendees come year-after-year to see old friends and hear updates, such as how the weather will affect their businesses.”

LFS attendees can expect to learn about a range of current issues from the effects of replacing soybean hulls with molasses during the receiving period of feedlot calves to marketing and product placement in Yellowstone.

In addition, the AFIA inducts a leader in the liquid feed industry into the Liquid Feed Hall of Fame each year at the symposium. The Liquid Feed Hall of Fame recognizes and honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the science and growth of the liquid feed industry. Nominations for the Liquid Feed Hall of Fame are open until July 28.

For more information on the Liquid Feed Symposium, including registration, the agenda and information about the location 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 advocate for animal food issues, welcomes new leadership

The American Feed Industry Association’s (AFIA) Board of Directors wrapped up its annual spring meeting in Arlington, Va., late last week, where they heard from federal officials, advocated for key policy priorities impacting the animal food industry on Capitol Hill and conducted other official business, including installing new Board leadership and directors.

At the Board briefing on Wednesday 17th, the directors heard from Tracey Forfa, J.D., director for the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, and Tim Schell, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Office of Surveillance and Compliance, on the regulatory process for approving new animal food ingredients, especially those with non-nutritive benefits (e.g., reduced food safety pathogens or emissions), agency resources and more.

“We have pushed very hard to recognize that there are a lot of novel feed ingredients coming down – that is the future,” says Ms Forfa. “We recognise that, and so we have been really working very hard to figure out how to make the process for reviewing those keep up with the times.”

Ms Forfa says regulating products in 2023 with authorities based in the 1930s is a challenge that CVM’s lawyers have been working to figure out. In addition, the CVM has been working to bring technical experts on board to help the agency keep pace or stay slightly ahead of innovations in the regulated industries.

The Board also heard from Daniel Whitley, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, on two public-private partnership programs that promote agricultural products abroad – the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program.

“The programs have not had an infusion of increased funding – ever. They are still at the same [levels] they were at decades ago,” Mr Whitley says. “The problem is our competitors see how well we’re doing with promoting our products, so now they are starting to do it. But they are starting to invest and spend more money than what we have.”

On Thursday 18th, the Board directors met with U.S. Senate and House offices, where they lobbied for a legislative amendment to regulating novel animal food additives at the FDA as feed ingredients, instead of drugs; $5 million in increased funding for the CVM; and key Farm Bill trade and conservation programs that can help the industry remain globally competitive and sustainable in the future.

During the official business meeting Thursday afternoon, the AFIA Board of Directors recognised outgoing Board chair Mike Gauss, president of Kent Nutrition Group, Inc., for his leadership over the past year and installed Carlos Gonzalez, Ph.D., worldwide director of regulatory affairs for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., as its new chair, effective through the end of AFIA’s fiscal year April 30, 2024. Mr Gauss now transitions into one year of service as chair of the Institute for Feed Education and Research’s (IFEEDER) Board of Trustees.

“I have worked with staff and members of this organisation since the early 2000s when I began my regulatory career and am blown away by the work that you do.” Mr Gonzalez says. “I am humbled that you have put your trust in me as Board chair over the next year.”

The AFIA Board also voted to accept the nomination of Leigh Ann Sayen, CEO of The Petersen Company, to become chair-elect of the organisation for the 2024-25 AFIA fiscal year.

“The future for AFIA is very bright with the phenomenal staff and incoming leadership of Carlos and Leigh Ann,” says Mr Gauss. “They both have diverse backgrounds and amazing skills that will benefit the association, industry and our members greatly.”

The Board also confirmed the appointments of the following individuals to serve three-year terms: Scott Baker, SEM Minerals, LP; Cory Berg, QLF-Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc.; Nathan Bingaman, D1 Resources, Inc.; Jonathan Cowles, WL Port-Land Systems, Inc.; Susanna Elliott, Alltech, Inc.; Marlin Hoogland, D.V.M., Smithfield Foods; Paul Kalmbach, Kalmbach Feeds, Inc.; Steve Lerner, Ph.D., Chr. Hansen Animal Health and Nutrition; Allen McDonald, Global Animal Products; Steve Mills, Perfection Pet Foods; Rebecca Mowen, ADM Animal Nutrition, Inc.; Matt Podany, EBM Manufacturing; Tim Reed, Reed Mariculture; Karl Thoene, CHS, Inc.; Ben Towns, Arm & Hammer; and Ty Vaupel, Alfagreen Supreme.

In addition, the Board approved seven nominated individuals as additions to AFIA’s Executive Committee: Holly Bellmund, GLC Minerals, LLC; Rob Brock, Westway Feeds; Julio Contreras, Sweet Manufacturing; Dan Hennessy, Land O’Lakes; Dan Meagher, Novus International; Mark Poeschl, Furst Mcness Company; Dan Rice, Western Milling; and Wesley Wilson, Ag ProVision, LLC.

The AFIA thanks the following outgoing Board members for their three years of service: Eric Arnold, Bill Barr & Company, Inc.; Mariano Berdegue, Cargill Animal Nutrition; Kristin Bonham, DSM Nutritional Products, LLC; Katie Cook, Elanco Animal Health; James Gerardot, Jr., Kincannon & Reed; Tim Jacobson, Tier 1 Nutritionals, Inc.; Mike Lennox, Kentucky Equine Research, Inc.; Elizabeth Maier, Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition; Sean McNear, Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.; Jeff Pendleton, Hallway Feeds; Paul Phillips, Maxi-Lift Inc./DuraPlas Inc.; Chad Risley, Ph.D., Berg+Schmidt America, LLC; Rob Sheffer, Zinpro Corporation; Mike Schuster, Laidig Systems, Inc.; Jason Summar, Hood Packaging Corporation; Philip Greene, Foster Farms, Inc.; and Doug Webel, United Animal Health, Inc.

The complete 48-member list of directors can be found on AFIA’s website.

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.

Eddy Ketels will step down as CEO of Orffa – Haiko Zuidhoff appointed as successor

Eddy Ketels will step down as CEO of Orffa at the end of 2023. He will be succeeded by Haiko Zuidhoff, who will start in his new role as of 1 October 2023.

Eddy Ketels has been working for 35 years at Orffa. He became CEO in 2001. Under his leadership Orffa has developed from a local player, mainly focused on ingredients in Belgium and the Netherlands, into a global innovative value-adding company having presence in the main feed producing countries, offering a balanced portfolio of feed additives.

Haiko Zuidhoff has worked in Asia for 25 years. He most recently served IMCD as President for the Asia region, overseeing IMCD’s vision, strategy and accelerated growth through both organic growth and M&A. Prior to IMCD he served in various senior leadership roles at Trouw Nutrition Nutreco and Corbion. His knowledge and expertise will contribute to Orffa’s strategy and vision to be a value-adding partner to the global animal production of today and tomorrow.  

Haiko Zuidhoff will be based at Orffa’s headquarter in Breda, the Netherlands.

For more information, please reach out to info@orffa.com.

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 UK Flour Millers President elected

Gary Sharkey was elected as the new President of UK Flour Millers at its annual meeting in Cambridge. Mr Sharkey, who is procurement director for Hovis, is a veteran of the grain business and a former President of the European Flour Millers Association. 

In accepting the nomination, he says, “I am delighted to take on the role of leading an industry that plays a crucial part in the UK’s food supply. Flour is the source of about 20 percent of the energy in our diet. It is often described as a carbohydrate food, but it also supplies 20 percent of dietary protein, a third of our fibre and around 30 percent of calcium, iron and crucial B vitamins along with smaller proportion of other essential nutrients. The industry that delivers this, and the chain of which it is part, is a critical part of our food infrastructure.”

Mr Sharkey also paid tribute to his predecessor Roger Butler, chair of Whitworth Brothers, who led the industry for three years through the triple whammy of Brexit, Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Roger did a tremendous job, making sure that our industry’s voice was heard through these tumultuous events. I look forward to carrying on this work as we face into continuing volatility on energy and commodity markets, a much higher cost base and the long-term sustainability challenge.”

For more information about UK Flour Millers 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 World Tour begins in Budapest

Central Europe’s agriculture producers will play a major role in addressing climate and food-supply challenges around the world. The region’s agri-food leaders discussed collaborative solutions and strategies for success today in Budapest, Hungary, at the first stop of the Alltech ONE World Tour (ONE), launching a series of international events that bring the ideas and inspiration of the annual Alltech ONE Conference to the world. Discussions explored collaborative solutions to the greatest challenges facing the agri-food industry as it confronts the “4 Cs” — the major forces of climate, conflict, consumer trends and rising costs.

The ONE Budapest keynote presentation from Dr Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, welcomed delegates to Budapest and challenged them to think about what comes next for the agri-food industry.  

“In times of uncertainty, it is crucial for businesses like ours to adapt and innovate,” Dr Lyons said. “The Alltech ONE Conference is no exception. While our annual symposium has had its roots in Kentucky, USA, for four decades, we felt it was important to adapt and engage with our customers on their home ground. Thus, it is only fitting that we launch the Alltech ONE World Tour in Budapest, Hungary, which is at the centre of both change and opportunity.”

ONE Budapest attendees heard from industry experts on various topics, including insights from the dairy industry, data for profitable and sustainable agriculture, and mycotoxin management, and they were also able to attend focus track sessions on dairy, pigs and poultry. Robert Walker, European growth officer at Alltech, moderated a panel discussion featuring the species focus track speakers, who discussed how to remain profitable amid uncertainty and how the learnings from the day’s sessions can be applied to individual operations.

“By sharing data and insights, we empower advisors to solve agri-food-system challenges and drive the transfer of value, from the consumer to the processor to the farmer,” said Mr Walker. 

The final session of the day featured a discussion between Tara McCarthy, global vice president for ESG at Alltech, and Lyons on the path forward toward a sustainable future. 

“As an industry, we have the responsibility to frame the role of agri-food in the context of the four Cs of climate, conflict, cost and consumer,” Ms McCarthy said. “We will need to use our insights (from data), our skills and our scale to achieve impact, but most importantly, we will need to adapt and partner across the value chain.”

“The theme of our ONE Budapest stop — ‘Thriving Through Turbulence: Rising to the Challenges of Climate, Conflict, Consumers and Costs in Agriculture’ — perfectly encapsulates the unique hurdles we encounter in this region,” Dr Lyons said. “With increasing geopolitical tensions and rising input costs, producers will need to make well-informed decisions to enhance their efficiency and adapt to the modern challenges faced by many in this area.”

The Alltech ONE World Tour will continue with stops in Dublin, Ireland, on June 19–20 and Calgary, Canada, on July 3–4, then on to the U.S., Asia, South America and the Middle East. 

For more information and to register for an Alltech ONE World Tour stop, 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.

Very soon Symaga Silos will be looking after Legumbres Pedro in its new plant

Recently Symaga have completed the assembly works of these four hopper silos SCX0460/08T45, which soon will become part of the company´s new facilities in Alcalá de los Gazules, Cadiz, Spain, equipped with state of the art technology, which Legumbres Pedro has planned to inaugurate in the coming months.

The silos of Symaga have been designed serving the main purpose of these new installations: storing and preserving the legumes quality before processing. 

The orders include accessories mainly aimed at protecting the product, such as their roof vents for fumigation, which provide a perfect grain aeration with constant air flows; and at the same time their special sealing foam for the silo roof to avoid the entry of rain or snow and to succesfully carry out fumigation treatments.

Other accessories that prevent segregation, grain breakage and dust creation is their grain stopper system, a system composed by channels and deflector plates. The silos also include sensors to detect maximum level, in this sense rotative sensors have been installed, very sensitive; as well as their membrane sensors to detect minimum level, very robust, do not require power and they incorporate a regulation column which allows adjusting the sensitivity.

For more information about Symaga 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.

Hamlet Protein strengthens US team

Hamlet Protein, a global leader of specialty ingredients for young animal nutrition, announced the hiring of two sales managers in the US. Kurt Wolff and Tim Maas are joining the technical/commercial team based out of Findlay (Ohio) as Hamlet Protein continues to invest in best-in-class nutritional support for customers looking to improve the performance of their animals through early life nutrition.

Kurt Wolf, an Ohio State University graduate, brings a strong technical/commercial experience and network having worked with leading companies like Alltech, Dostofarm and Topigs. As he also worked as a farm manager with Shadow-W Holsteins, Mr Wolf has a good understanding of the importance of well-balanced diets to drive animal performance.

Tim Maas, a US marine corps veteran, comes with extensive swine farm experience in Iowa and South-Dakota. After a career in farming Mr Maas joined the Purina Animal Nutrition sales team in New Hampton. His deep understanding of pig production will be an asset to Hamlet Protein’s team.

“We are excited that once again two excellent professionals have decided to join Hamlet Protein. Our reputation is built on our benchmark product range and the ability to support customers in optimising diet formulations in their starter and pre-starter feeds. With Tim and Kurt onboard, we can now spend even more time with our customers in the field and further drive our growth ambitions in North America,” concludes Hamlet Protein CEO Erik Visser.

Hamlet Protein produces soy-based protein ingredients for young piglet, poultry, and cattle feed at two production plants in Denmark and the US. Hamlet Protein services customers around the world through a network of own sales offices and distributors. 

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.

Bel makes milk low-methane, working across its entire Slovakian dairy chain with partner dsm-firmenich

Food has a critical role to play in the fight against climate change. By addressing both CO2 and methane emissions at farm level, Bel is a pioneer in the search for revolutionary solutions, committed to the 1.5°C trajectory which aims to limit global warming to below this threshold.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a much greater warming effect than CO2, and cows, by naturally emitting this gas during digestion, are the second-most important source of methane from human activities (after fossil fuels). But the feed additive developed by dsm-firmenich, Bovaer®, added to the dairy cows’ diet – no more than a quarter of a teaspoon per cow per day – can suppress some of the chemical reactions that produce the gas in their stomach, thus making them emit 25 percent less methane on average.

With the support of its partner farmers, Bel aims to deploy the solution to all 10,000 cows supplying milk in Slovakia. This will cut methane emissions by 1/4 for each farm and represent an overall yearly 400-ton methane reduction, or 11,000 tons of CO2 eq – the equivalent of taking over 3,300 family-sized cars off the road.

In line with its mission to champion responsible food, Bel thus aims to make its dairy products low methane. Deploying Bovaer® at scale demonstrates the Group’s and dsm-firmenich’s determination and pioneering spirit in the search for innovative, concrete, and effective solutions to combat climate change.

Simon Bonnet, Bel Group Milk Purchasing Director, says, “Deploying this revolutionary solution to our Slovakian dairy basin is proof that we are taking decisive steps towards a low-methane future for dairy. At Bel, we are incredibly proud to be able, together with our partner farmers, to bring innovative solutions and transform the agricultural model to make it more sustainable and responsible. After deploying in Central Europe, we aim to make low-methane milk a reality in other markets as well. We’ve carried out 900 carbon diagnostics at our partner farms, showing that methane emissions represent about half of the greenhouse gas emissions of a dairy farm – the potential for change is enormous.”

Mark van Nieuwland, VP Bovaer® at dsm-firmenich, adds, “At dsm-firmenich, our purpose is to bring progress to life, committed to pushing the boundaries of science and technology to make the world we live in more sustainable. Bringing new innovations to market is only possible with the support of pioneering players such as Bel Group. This large-scale deployment of our promising Bovaer® solution shows that the future of low-methane milk is here.”

This new feed additive has been the subject of scientific studies conducted by several research institutes and universities, including INRAE in France, Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and UC Davis in the United States. It is also validated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Bovaer® respects the well-being of cows, consumers, and the environment. After acting to suppress methane production in the cow’s stomach, it is naturally broken down into elements already present and processed by the animal’s metabolism, without affecting production volumes or milk quality.

Once the roll-out is complete in Slovakia, consumers will be able to choose tasty, low-methane Babybel® products made in Bel’s Slovakian plant with 100 percent Slovakian milk and destined for Central Europe (Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia) as well as the UK.

Bel is working to extend this low-methane solution to other Group markets. Pilots with Bovaer® are being carried out in France since early 2023.

For more information about the Bel Group 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.

IFEEDER board building buzz on research, education initiatives

The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) held its annual Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday to discuss broadening awareness of its resources and initiatives that support the animal food industry, as well as install new Board leadership and trustees.

“The value IFEEDER brings to the industry through its research and education efforts is getting noticed,” said IFEEDER Board Chair Mike Schuster with Laidig Systems. “The buzz is growing, we’re getting better known and our conversations with members are more fruitful. Even if they aren’t engaged in sustainability, they are getting to know IFEEDER a bit better.”

As part of the business meeting, the trustees recognised Mr Schuster for his leadership as Board chair for the 2022-23 IFEEDER fiscal year, which ended April 30, and installed for the 2023-24 fiscal year Mike Gauss of Kent Nutrition Group as the new chair and Paul Phillips of Maxi-Lift Inc./Southwest Agri-Plastics as vice chair. Steve Lerner, Ph.D., of Chr. Hansen Animal Health and Nutrition, will chair the IFEEDER Research Committee and Leah Dorman, D.V.M., of Phibro Animal Health Corp., will chair the IFEEDER Education and Engagement Committee.

With the installation of four new trustees (noted with asterisks), the IFEEDER Board of Trustees now includes: John Akridge, MFA Incorporated; Partha Bora, Wilbur-Ellis Company; Dorman; Gauss; Courtney Hall, CHS Inc.; Jamee Krug, Elanco Animal Health; Lerner; Scott Lovin, AgState; Ashley McDonald, National Pork Board; Phillips; and Juan Tricarico, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

IFEEDER would like to recognise and thank the following outgoing trustees for their service: Gisele Santos-Bin, BASF Corporation; Kevin Halpin, Ph.D., International Ingredient Corporation; Joe Lucas, CJ Bio America, Inc.; John Metzger, Elanco Animal Health; and Mike Schuster of Laidig Systems, Inc.

For more information about IFEEDER 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 funding for farmers to protect and restore thousands of hectares of English landscape

Farmers and landowners will receive funding and support for projects to create new habitats for wildlife, help protected sites and boost efforts to reach net zero, alongside sustainable food production, the government has confirmed today (Thursday 18 May). 

Image credit: Bryon Lippincott on flickr
(CC BY-ND 2.0)

Building on the success of the first round of the scheme launched last year, farmers and land managers will be able to bid for a share of £15 million initial development funding, with significantly more investment in the years to come as projects move from development to delivery. 

This will help them to collaborate and work in partnership to protect and enhance landscapes in England, delivering environmental benefits on a massive scale while supporting farmers to deliver their world-renowned produce. 

The second round of the scheme will support up to 25 projects which will be administered by Natural England and the Environment Agency – the lead delivery partners for the scheme. The projects will be selected based on their environmental and social impact, value for money and suitability for the scheme. In addition, for the first time, they have introduced a food production criterion which will be used to ensure prospective projects take food production into consideration and mitigate any negative impacts on this where possible.  

It will focus on projects of at least 500 hectares which could include landscape scale projects creating and enhancing woodland including temperate rainforest, peatland, nature reserves and protected sites such as ancient woodlands, wetlands and salt marshes. 

Secretary of State for Food and Farming Thérèse Coffey says, “Landscape Recovery is one of our three Environmental Land Management schemes which provide the funding and support for farmers in England through the biggest change in a generation. 

“The scheme is already supporting 22 inspiring landscape-scale projects across England with development funding and the second round will help more farmers and land managers take collective action through involvement in bespoke projects that will make a real difference in reaching net zero and supporting valuable habitats, while continuing to support sustainable food production.” 

Projects selected for the first round last year are demonstrating how food production and environmental delivery can go hand in hand. On the Somerset and Dorset border, the River Axe Landscape Recovery project is bringing together 23 farmers, smallholders and landowners, including dairy, beef, sheep and arable farms, to restore a 23.6km stretch of the upper river. The project will support regenerative farming and extensive grazing on the land neighbouring the river corridor to reduce diffuse pollution, phosphates and sediments entering the river, enabling cleaner water to flow.  

Funding for Landscape Recovery will be provided from the government’s £2.4 billion annual investment into the farming sector, which is guaranteed for the rest of this Parliament, with every penny of the reductions to farmers’ direct payments reinvested back into farming. 

Dr Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, says, “Agriculture has a huge role to play in Nature recovery, ensuring that a thriving natural world is at the heart of sustainable food production. Landscape Recovery encourages farmers and land managers to transform Nature at a landscape scale and Natural England will use its advice and relationships to support them every step of the way. 

“I hope that through this scheme more farmers and land managers will join forces, making significant progress towards the statutory Nature targets and providing the food and public goods that our society depends upon.” 

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, says, “I welcome the second round of the Landscape Recovery scheme, which is a key opportunity for farmers and land managers who want to focus more specifically on ambitious land-use change and habitat restoration. 

“The round one projects – only launched in September 2022 – are already showing great promise, such as the River Axe project in Devon supported by the Environment Agency to improve the habitats and water quality of the Axe.” 

“This second round of Landscape Recovery will take us further down the track toward becoming a nation that is resilient to climate change and rich in ecological diversity.”  

This new round builds on the success of the first round of the scheme last year, which was oversubscribed with high quality applications. The 22 projects selected for the first round focus on recovering and restoring England’s threatened native species and restoring England’s streams and rivers by improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity and adapting to climate change. 

Farmers and land managers, including tenants and upland farmers, are at the centre of all the projects. They will be working closely together to deliver a range of environmental benefits across farmland and rural landscapes. This includes creating and enhancing habitats from chalk streams and temperate rainforest to moorland and wetland, restoring over 600km of rivers, and protecting at least 263 species such as water vole, otter, pine marten, lapwing, great crested newt, European eel and marsh fritillary.  

The projects range from the Three Dales project in Yorkshire – where a consortium of ten farmers, landowners and conservation organisations led by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are aiming to restore a large area of the western Yorkshire Dales uplands, creating habitats for species including black grouse, curlew and ring ouzels – to the Darent Valley Farmer Cluster in Kent which is seeing farmers join forces with Kent Wildlife Trust and more local organisations to carry out chalk stream restoration in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  

The Landscape Recovery programme is one of the government’s three new Environmental Land Management schemes, alongside the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship.  

The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy disproportionately rewarded the biggest farms, with 5 percent of payments going to the largest 10 percent of recipients, which wasn’t fair or sustainable for the long term shared aims to protect the dual role of farmers as food producers and stewards of our national environment. 

Outside the EU, the new system sees payments made fairly to all farmers in return for their actions, designed in partnership with the industry, and tailored to the specific interests of British farmers.

For more information about Defra 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 welcomes staff changes

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is pleased to announce several staff changes. The AFIA welcomes Kim Atkins as its new manager of membership and engagement and Emma Bower as its summer communications intern and has made title adjustments for two of its policy staff.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kim aboard,” says Sarah Novak, AFIA’s chief operating officer. “She brings a wealth of experience in the agriculture and association world and has a strong passion for engaging membership.”

Ms Atkins will be responsible for prospecting, attaining, retaining and servicing AFIA member companies. She will work to develop and continuously improve a system of involving members in the association and retain members through recognition of the value they bring to the AFIA.

Previously, Ms Atkins served as vice president of public affairs and policy for LWP Consulting and as the vice president and COO for the U.S. Grains Council. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, with an emphasis in American politics and public law, and a minor in communications studies from the University of Montana. Ms Atkins is originally from Sunburst, Mont.

Emma Bower, a senior at The Ohio State University, joins the AFIA as its communications intern, where she’ll be supporting the communications team with drafting and editing content for distribution to members and other target audiences via AFIA’s and the Institute for Feed Education and Research’s multimedia communications channels. Ms Bower, originally from Jenera, Ohio, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture communications with a minor in farm management.

In addition, the AFIA adapted the titles of two of its policy staff to better reflect the depth and breadth of work they do for members on a global scale. Gina Tumbarello, who has been with the association since 2011, has been named senior director of global strategies, policy and trade, and Mallory Gaines, who has been with the association since 2019, has been named director of market access and multilateral affairs. Ms Tumbarello currently sits on the U.S. Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds and serves as the staff contact for the AFIA International Trade Committee.

“When viewing the global policy landscape for U.S. animal food products, it is clear to see that pursuing trade agreements or holding trading partners accountable is only one part of the equation for the industry to successfully enter or maintain markets,” says AFIA President and CEO Constance Cullman. “Much work goes into monitoring and engaging in multilateral discussions happening beyond government, and the title changes for Gina and Mallory reflect the comprehensive work they do to boost the positive image of U.S. animal feed, feed ingredients and pet food and encourage science-based decision-making.”

For more information, see AFIA’s staff directory, 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.

Mastering the value chain of plant-based beverages

French beverage producer LSDH Group’s new greenfield soy plant in Saint-Denis-de-l’Hôtel is now fully operational. The plant, located in the municipality of Loiret in central France, utilises state-of-the-art dry-processing technology from Bühler. The plant is part of Atelier INOVé, a new industrial facility owned by LSDH in partnership with Sofiprotéol, an investment company dedicated to the production of plant-based beverages and to development of local supply chains for agricultural raw materials.

LSDH Group’s new soy plant utilises innovative pulse storage and processing technology from Bühler, which delivered and commissioned the dry-processing section of the facility. The cleaning and dehulling process line has an output capacity of three tons per hour while the soybean storage capacity is 240 tons. “It was quite reassuring for us to work with a partner who knows the business well, who has a strong background in soybean dehulling and experience in processing soybeans for plant-based beverages. We knew that there were already lines and plants equipped with Bühler technology for this type of application,” explains Thibaud Bombart, Project Manager within LSDH Group. “Therefore, Bühler’s experience and know-how in this field were determining factors in our decision.”

For this greenfield industrial facility, Bühler supplied the complete cleaning section including its MTRB separator, the MTSC destoner, the SORTEX A optical sorter, the OTW fluid-bed heat-exchanger, the MHSA dehuller, the MOZJ dampener, several aspiration channels and all the process auxiliaries such as mechanical conveyors and pneumatic lines. “We were delighted to take part in this innovation journey with LSDH, combining our forces to develop sustainable value chains, as Bühler has many years of experience and solid expertise in processing pulses,” says Frederic Bobineau, Sales Manager at Bühler Group. “The installed plant is specific for soy processing, however, there is space for installing additional processing lines for other raw materials, such as oat flour and oat flakes, and we have the technology.” This future expansion is in line with LSDH’s plans.

Initially established as a dairy company, the French family business employes 2,000 people in its two business areas: the liquid and the vegetable. Salads and aromatic herbs are packaged in the two production sites of the vegetable business area. The five sites of the liquid business area are in charge of the production and packaging of various beverages and liquid foods. These products are sold mainly as store brands in the country’s major supermarket chains and generated for the company a turnover of EUR 965 million in 2021. Atelier INOVé, where the Bühler-equipped soy plant is located, is part of the company’s recently opened innovation ecosystem.

More sustainable value chains

“Atelier INOVé is not only a factory, but an experimentation centre,” says Thibaud Bombart. Behind the investment of EUR 32 million in this new facility is the company’s ambition to be a key player in the plant-based beverage ingredient market in France. According to a recent study by Persistence Market Research, the global soy beverage (milk) market is predicted to rise at 9.1 percent (compound annual growth rate, CAGR) and reach a revenue of USD 11.8 billion by 2031. Plant-based beverages, such as soy, oat, and almond drinks, have also gained traction among foodservice providers, due to increasing consumer demand for plant-based milk in restaurants and cafes, according to the study.

To address this increasing demand, LSDH has been prioritising the close cooperation with local farmers for the supply of agricultural raw materials, supporting the local communities and reducing, when possible, the overall environmental footprint, therefore, creating a positive impact throughout the value chain, from the field to the finished product. “We have been carrying out many trials with farmers in the region to have local production of soy and oats – it is more complicated for rice,” explains Bombart. “Developing the supply chain and being able to control the entire chain, from supply to the finished product, is important to LSDH, especially because we work with distributors and want to be able to offer them local soy ingredients that can be used in their products such as plant-based yoghurts, ice creams, and cheeses.”

With a surface area of 9,000 square meters, Atelier INOVé started production in January 2023 and currently has a team of 14 people. The plant has a production capacity of 100 million liters of plant-based beverages per year and will produce raw juices for the food industry and finished products (fresh juice and long-life juice) for mass distribution. Sofiprotéol, a financing company that supports the development and innovation of agro-industrial and agro-food sectors, acquired a 15 percent minority stake in the new project.

“We have now installed the line for the processing of soybean, but we do not intend to stop there. Besides soy there are many other ingredients, such as quinoa, spelt, buckwheat, barley, and sunflower, that can be used for plant-based beverages, and we want to find the best way to produce them, especially those with high levels of protein. For that, we count on Bühler’s expertise and technology going forward,” says Thibaud Bombart, with an eye to the future.

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.