AGI Saskatoon celebrates a 10-year safety milestone in no lost time incidents

October 17, 2024 - Ag Growth International (AGI) celebrated an outstanding safety milestone at its Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, manufacturing facility with a 10-year no lost time incidence record. AGI marked the achievement with a special event and awards ceremony honouring the facility's employees.

The AGI Saskatoon employee team earned the AGI Safety Standout Award for achieving 10 years without a lost time incident. (Photo provided by AGI)

"I commend the AGI Saskatoon team for achieving an incredible safety milestone of 10 years with no lost time incidents. Their achievement demonstrates that safety, as a guiding principle, is deeply ingrained in our work culture," says Paul Householder, AGI President & CEO. "They embody AGI's highest global priority that every employee - regardless of where they work or the type of environment they work in - returns home at the end of each day in the exact same working condition in which they arrived."

You may also be interested in: 

• AGI supplies equipment to new malting plant in Brazil
• AGI highlights 2023 ESG performance in Sustainability Report

A lost time incident (LTI) refers to a non-fatal injury that results in disability or an employee missing work due to an injury. An LTI measurement is a baseline representation of a company's safety performance and the effects of those injuries on workforce productivity.

Kris Wingert, AGI Saskatoon Operations Manager, says it was a very special moment earlier this May when the team surpassed 2 million hours incident free. "This achievement entirely belongs to the team's absolute dedication to safety leadership at all levels. Their 'winning ticket' includes vigilance, prevention and education. They are continuously on the lookout to identify, report and fix potentially unsafe conditions and processes. That allows them to avoid hazards and near misses before someone gets hurt," says Wingert.

The plant, which was commissioned by Westeel in 1989, produces engineered-to-order smooth wall grain and fertiliser bins for both farm and commercial agricultural use. The ISO 9001:2015 certified facility also specialises in custom welding services provided to other AGI facilities.

"The skillset required is not robotic, but hands on. This means that multiple machines moving, lifting and transporting can create opportunities for things to go wrong. That is why having tight processes in place and maintaining a culture of ongoing education, welding certifications and employees looking out for each other are crucial to safety," says Wingert.

According to Harsha Bhojraj, AGI Vice President of Manufacturing, the Saskatoon facility is the "perfect example" of AGI's safety vision in action.

"The AGI Saskatoon team has shown that it is possible to adjust and be safe every single day for 10 years straight regardless of changing conditions - through upturns and downturns, across day and night shifts, from summer to winter and with new and experienced associates. Their record raises the bar for what safety excellence at AGI means," says Bhorjraj.

The Saskatoon facility is the second AGI facility to achieve 10-year no lost time status. In 2023, AGI Olds, Alberta was the first to secure the decade distinction. 

For more information, visit 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.

Safeguarding poultry health: insights from USPoultry's 2025 Live Production, Welfare and Biosecurity Seminar

October 17, 2024 - At the forefront of poultry production, USPoultry's 2024 Live Production, Welfare and Biosecurity Seminar tackled critical challenges posed by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and emphasised the importance of sustainability in poultry practices. Industry experts shared innovative strategies for enhancing flock health and biosecurity while addressing the delicate balance between environmental stewardship and production efficiency. With HPAI's persistent threat, expert insights underscored the urgent need for proactive measures and collaborative efforts to ensure a resilient poultry industry capable of overcoming emerging viral diseases and maintaining animal welfare.

Dr. Travis Schaal, senior key account manager at Boehringer Ingelheim, discusses bacterial diseases in layers and the importance of biosecurity at the 2024 USPOULTRY Live Production, Welfare and Biosecurity Seminar in Nashville, Tenn.

Dr Ken Opengart, owner of 3 Birds Consulting, discussed prioritising sustainability in poultry production and balancing environmental, economic and ethical considerations. He focused on key issues such as land stewardship, sustainable packaging and animal welfare. Strategic pillars include sustaining the planet, contributing to communities and creating shared values.

You may also be interested in:

• USPoultry’s Environmental Management Seminar provided key insights on regulatory updates and sustainability innovations
• USPoultry holds successful 2024 Women’s Leadership Conference

Drs Kalen Cookson, Sean Chen and Travis Schaal provided updates on various diseases that plague the poultry industry. Dr Cookson, Director of Clinical Research at Zoetis, provided a status update on infectious laryngotracheitis virus (LT, ILTV or ILT) as well as reovirus. Cookson advised always to look and listen for signs of LT and try to limit foot traffic once the virus has been detected on a farm.

Dr Chen, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Georgia, discussed the clinical signs of blackhead disease in turkeys and broiler breeders and ways to mitigate the spread. Chen said it's crucial to implement several strategies, including actively culling sick birds, separating the sick from the healthy and replacing litter while ensuring thorough cleanout of housing facilities to minimise disease transmission. For broiler breeders, incorporating dewormers and gut health treatments, along with improved feed management and distribution, can help reduce morbidity and mortality in pullets by minimising body weight variation.

Dr Schaal, Senior Key Account Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim, discussed bacterial diseases in layers. Schaal remarked that there are three elements impacting poultry immune health and performance - the bird, the environment and the pathogens - also known as the disease triad. Schaal emphasised the importance of biosecurity and its role as the most important aspect of the disease prevention strategy.

Dr Molly Parker, Poultry Veterinarian at Aviagen, provided an update on avian metapneumovirus (aMPV). Clinical signs - decrease in egg production, conjunctivitis, neurologic birds - in different species has some similarities but also differences. Parker stated that by the time the birds begin showing clinical signs, the virus has already done its damage and is gone. The best ways to help prevent and mitigate aMPV are to ensure proper management and biosecurity, provide a warm environment and proper ventilation, help reduce the side effects of secondary stressors like moving the birds and vaccinations and stay vigilant.

For more information, visit 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.

Ocrim stocking silo conceived through ambitious ideas and cutting-edge engineering

October 17, 2024 - The new demands of the Italian milling market have led Progeo group - one of Italy's most important agricultural cooperatives - to invest in a state-of-the-art silo structure, consisting of four cells of 30 tonnes each and eight eight-tonne cells, once again drawing on Ocrim's expertise for this turnkey project.

It is a fast bulk load system for loading finished products onto trucks, products from the 320 T/24h soft wheat mill, built by Ocrim some forty years ago and modernised over time. This is a strategic choice, because the most innovative industries in the sector supply large-scale distribution with large quantities of raw materials in bulk and on time, cutting down on vehicle downtime.

Ocrim built an innovative multi-product bulk system with a high-speed fluidised unloading device on all 12 cells. The tanks are placed on weigher bridges so that the weight of the product loaded in the delivery vehicle's tanks can be accurately measured. A system of multiple loading points was devised so that the tanker remains stationary on the weigher bridge, resulting in a considerable optimisation of operations, as more tanks can be filled in less time. The product is transferred from the existing flour silo to the new section via a pressurised pneumatic system. Furthermore, to avoid contamination between the various qualities/types of flour and for their proper handling, the cells are equipped with an individual suction system and control probes.

The new silo structure is independent of the existing plant and is equipped with the corresponding electrical and automation system via PLC and PC, which then interfaces with the existing installation.

Progeo top management emphasised that Ocrim has provided an ecological and sustainable system for the delivery of the final product to customers. The system includes cells of different sizes, both large and small, allowing the group to supply small, medium and large industries, thus strengthening versatility and competitiveness on the market. With this project, Progeo has completed a cutting-edge industrial development plan, benefitting from the seriousness and skills of a partner who, since the 1980s, has contributed to the achievement of the most ambitious goals.

For more information, visit 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.

EuroTier 2024: trends in poultry farming and feeding technology

Dr. Christiane Keppler, Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen (LLH - Hesse State Framing Authority)

October 17, 2024 - As in previous years, poultry farmers are currently facing a number of challenges. These include, in particular, a further improvement in animal welfare and animal health, as demanded by politicians and society. In terms of animal health, they must continue to focus on the highly contagious bird flu (avian influenza). Reducing antibiotic use and emissions from poultry farming is also on the to-do list of many companies. And last but not least, poultry farmers have to cope with higher feed and energy prices.

The trends shown are also reflected in the innovations in the poultry sector at EuroTier 2024. In addition to innovative developments for improving animal health, exhibitors will also be presenting innovations for rearing and for laying hen facilities.

You may also be interested in:

• Women in Ag Award 2024: winners announced
• EuroTier presents 34 hot startups from 15 countries

Laying hens are kept for significantly longer

In laying hen farming, considerable efforts have been made to raise the birds with an intact beak and at the same time to improve animal welfare. In order to compensate for the high rearing costs, laying hens are and will continue to be kept for significantly longer. This can be achieved by breeding for longer persistence of laying and by improving animal health and management.

Innovations for improving animal health

This year, a number of innovations were introduced to improve animal health, and these were honoured with a total of five medals. 

Significant further development in poultry vaccination

Optimising vaccination success while also improving animal handling is an important prerequisite for a long lifespan and for avoiding vaccination damage. Two innovations were honoured in this context: For example, Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT) has developed Vaccybot, the first fully automated breast vaccination process for poultry. It is a new development that revolutionises poultry vaccination in terms of accuracy and vaccination success. The system enables the simultaneous injection of up to six different vaccines with unprecedented precision and speed, without the need to hold the animals in place by hand. The innovation was therefore awarded gold. The MultiVacc vaccination machine from Big Dutchman International is the first semi-automatic vaccination machine that can simultaneously administer four chest and one wing vaccination and in an animal-friendly way, by manually catching the birds and holding them in a certain position against the device. It was therefore awarded silver. Both vaccination methods represent a significant advancement in the field of poultry vaccination and offer major improvements with regard to function and procedure.

Fighting red bird mites without chemicals

The red mite is found worldwide in poultry barns, especially in laying hen operations. If the number of mites increases dramatically, animal health and profitability are severely affected. The new technology of the EX Cold Plasma Mite Trap from MIK International uses a mite trap to combat mites by exposing the parasites to a cold atmospheric pressure plasma. This could reduce the use of acaricides, silicates or antiparasitics in the future and significantly improve animal health and economic efficiency. A gold medal was awarded here as well.

Higher disinfection performance for hatching eggs

Hygiene during the hatching process is also an important factor for the animal health and poultry. The eggytizer from Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT) uses electron beam sterilisation technology (eBeam) to disinfect hatching eggs. The process enables a higher level of disinfection than conventional methods and, in initial trials, showed a better hatching rate. The use of this technology is expected to improve chick health and provide an economic advantage while eliminating the need for chemical disinfectants. The eggytizer was therefore awarded silver.

Enhanced washing robot for aviaries

Cleaning and disinfecting laying hen coops is a challenge due to the complex and irregularly shaped facilities on different levels. When cleaning manually, some areas are difficult to reach, which means a lot of work and cleaning results that are not always satisfactory. The Sharky 430 from Big Dutchman International is an advanced washing robot for cleaning rearing and laying hen coops with aviary systems. The well-known washing robot has been extended by a very flexible washing arm that makes it possible to reach all areas in an aviary. This advancement was awarded silver.

Improved animal welfare for laying hens

Raising laying hens with intact beaks and optimally preparing them for the conditions in the laying aviary is a challenge. The Venvomatic Group has improved its well-known Bollegg Starter Breeding Aviary for this purpose. Big Dutchman International went one step further by combining the well-known Natura Nova Laying Aviary with a rearing aviary in which hatching is even possible in the coop. The hens can remain here from hatching until the end of the laying phase, do not have to be transported and do not have to become accustomed to a new system and a new coop. This system could significantly reduce the stress on the animals and contribute to greater animal welfare.

Ergonomic perch

Perches are an important element in laying hen farming systems, as the birds use them for roosting at night and for resting during the day. They must also provide a good grip to ensure safe landing. The company BARKU Barnsdorfer Kunststofftechnik has developed a new ergonomic plastic perch for laying hens that is flattened at the top and has ridges to prevent hens from slipping off when they fly up to it. In addition, the perch is made from recycled, high-quality plastic.

Larval snacks for chicks

In the first few weeks of life, chickens naturally eat mainly insects and worms. In oder to keep the animals occupied and at the same time provide them with high-quality protein, the company WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp has developed 'ProBar - The Larvae Snack Bar' for poultry. Here, a few live larvae are gently dispensed at specific time intervals.

Summary

Five medals will be awarded for innovative developments at EuroTier 2024 that aim to improve the health of poultry. These innovations, along with other developments that have the potential to improve animal welfare, are continuing the trend of recent years towards improving poultry farming while also facilitating labour management and increasing occupational safety.

For more information, visit 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.

Vitalii Koval met with FAO Director-General Qiu Dunyu

October 16, 2024 - Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Vitalii Koval met with Director -General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Qiu Duanyu. The meeting was held as part of the World Food Day in Italy.

"We are grateful to FAO for the programmes to support the agricultural sector that are already in place in Ukraine. In particular, the grain storage sleeves in the frontline areas. This is very important for our farmers," Vitalii Koval said.

The Minister stressed how important it is to buy products from Ukrainian farmers to help other countries, such as Sudan, Palestine, Lebanon and others. In this way, he said, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations helps many countries at once.

Vitalii Koval noted that one of the main tasks for Ukraine's agricultural sector is to deeply process and export value-added products. This will help create additional jobs in the country and increase revenue from exports of agricultural products.

During the meeting, Vitalii Koval and Qiu Dunyu also discussed the importance of FAO's support for programmes to help Ukrainian women and veterans learn new agricultural professions. This will help their rehabilitation and socialisation.

Qiu Dunyu stressed that Ukraine would receive more support. The parties agreed to analyse new areas of cooperation between the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine and FAO.

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.

Advanced Milling & Nutrition Conference extends Expression of Interest

October 16, 2024 - The inaugural Advancing Milling & Nutrition Conference, in conjunction with Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition and Australasian Equine Science Society, is being held at Crown Melbourne, May 13-14, 2025, and is a major initiative of ATMA, FIAAA and SFMCA. The two-day biennial conference will be a technically focused forum for feed, flour, ingredients and nutritionists to advance knowledge in all aspects of milling and the associated supply chains. The unity of multiple events under the one roof provides delegates the opportunity to move between sessions depending on their interests, whilst sponsors are exposed to delegates of all streams meaning increased exposure at no extra cost.

Submissions: feed, flour and ingredients - milling stream

You are invited to submit technical submissions for consideration in the program for flour, feed and ingredients (Milling Program).

For the Milling Program, the submission process is a two-step process.

Step 1 - The first step is an expression of interest which is a summary of your topic detailing why it is of interest to the conference theme, with enough information to assist the program committee in assessing the paper's value to the conference. The expression of interest should be approximately 300 words. Inclusion of graphs and images in your submission is encouraged. Please note that all expressions of interest are to be submitted online via the website link only.

Step 2 - If accepted by the program committee for presentation you will be expected to submit a short technical paper of up to 600 words according to the guidelines on the website and due by February 1, 2025. The option exists for your paper to be published in a scientific journal after the conference should you wish.

All presentations at the conference must be editorial and not advertorial. Speakers will be introduced by name and company however the presentation will be on the conference template which excludes company logos and branding.

Desired abstract themes include, but are not limited to:

• Process & Nutritional Outcomes
• Ingredient Management & Quality
• Innovation & Technology
• Operational Management & Decision Making

Subject areas that fit the session themes could include, but are not limited to:

• Heavy Metal occurrence in feedstuff/ingredients
• Innovations in nutrient profiling for improving feeding efficiency or traceability
• Shipping challenges with data on trends impacting supply chains
• Food safety breaches in the last 10 years
• New ingredients/feed stuffs for people/ animals
• Improvements in processing of ingredients to improve animal performance
• Innovations in use of biomarkers for measuring nutritional stress and immune competency
• Innovations in silo management and feeding systems to improve feed efficiency and/or micro-ingredient delivery.
• Advances in the feeding of non-traditional species eg crocs, pets, aqua etc
• Process innovation and optimisation in flour mills
• Innovative end products of flour or Transitioning from flour to end products.

The closing date for expressions of interests will be November 6, 2024.

If successful you will be advised by November 14, 2024.

If invited to submit a full page paper, the closing date will be February 1, 2025.

Upon receipt of your expression of interest, Conference Manager KAM Events will issue an email confirmation to the submitting author. If you do not receive a confirmation email from the abstract system within 48 hours please contact amn@kamevents.com.au. All abstracts will be reviewed by the program committee, and you will be notified of your submission outcome via email no later than November 14, 2024. Instructions will be provided on the notification email. It is a requirement that all presenters MUST register and pay for a full or day registration.

Questions about milling submissions may be directed to ftaylor@sfmca.com.au.

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.

A strategic alliance to boost synergy between Informa and Ipack Ima

October 15, 2024 - Informa Markets (World leader in the trade fair industry) and Ipack Ima Srl (international benchmark for process and packaging exhibitions, a joint venture between Ucima and Fiero Milano) publicly disclosed the agreement signed a few months ago meant to establish a brand-new strategic alliance. The deal aims to develop joint international promotion and step up cross-selling activities for their trade fair portfolios, including the Propak and Fispal platforms operated by Informa Markets and the trade fairs organised by Ipack Ima.

Valerio Soli & Fraser Hawkes

The agreement aims to guarantee a global presence for trade fairs focused on processing and packaging technologies, packaging materials, targeting the key sectors of the Food industry - with a particular focus on grain-based food and liquid food beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

As for communication, the teams involved have launched a shared path to strengthen the visibility and value of the partnership. In this context, Ipack Ima will also organise seminars and conferences on industry-related topics, particularly those related to packaging, processing and materials, which are of strategic interest to Informa.

From a commercial standpoint, Informa Markets and Ipack Ima agreed on the creation of an integrated, interconnected platform that is meant to foster visibility in international markets, offer in-depth opportunities for expansion and growth on a global scale.

This agreement will allow Ipack Ima to further consolidate its global position as a reference point for the technologies it deals with, thus strengthening key markets. With Informa's support, the presence of exhibitors from strategic markets like India and the United States will be enhanced, in addition to further consolidating its penetration in important European countries like France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium, supporting Ipack-Ima's already established sales network.

At the same time, Informa will benefit from Ipack Ima's direct presence in the Italian and Turkish markets, facilitating the acquisition of new exhibitors for its exhibition network.

"Since signing this agreement, we have already stated to uncover the synergies and opportunities that arise from aligning these two globally recognised brands. With their extensive expertise and networks in the key sectors served by our ProPak are uniquely positioned to enhance our offerings, foster innovation and deliver greater value to our customers worldwide." - Fraser Hawkes, Managing Director, International Sales Office of Informa Markets.

Valerio Soli, Ipack Ima President, comments: "This agreement is absolutely in line with our business plan, which envisions forging alliances with strategic partners in order to drive the growth and internationalisation of our fair by expanding partnerships and presence in other markets. Ipack Ima ranks among the global trade fair organisers, accentuating the mission of promoting outstanding companies from Italy (and beyond) within the target industries around the world. This alliance also helps us build further credibility with all of our international stakeholders".

The collaboration between Informa and Ipack Ima will therefore guarantee processing and packaging businesses increased visibility on the markets in all continents, supported by vertical skills tied to these industries.

For more information, visit 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.