GrainCorp and AWU settle NSW pay dispute

November 20, 2024 - Australian Workers Union (AWU) staff employed as grain handlers at GrainCorp's New South Wales (NSW) site have voted to accept a proposal brokered by AWU and GrainCorp representatives.

The proposal relates to a pay rise of six percent in both the current and 2025-26 financial years, and two percent for 2026-27, and its acceptance puts an end to rolling stoppages at GrainCorp sites in NSW, where the winter-crop harvest is in full swing, AWU workers overwhelmingly voted in favour of the proposal over a 24-hour period.

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AWU members working at GrainCorp sites in NSW received annual wage increases from FY21 to FY23 of two percent per year, against annual rates of inflations of 2.9%, 6.6% and 3.4% respectively.

AWU said this equated to a decline in real wages of 7.5% over the three years, and prompted a move to protected industrial action, as authorised by the Fair Work Commission, after negotiations broke down with GrainCorp last month.

"Grain handlers backed each other, stood shoulder to shoulder and now they've had a great result, they're stoked," said AWU NSW Assistant Branch Secretary Ron Cowdrey.

"This is a huge win and it just shows if you work as a team and have each other's backs you can achieve great things.

"Our members can now focus fully on getting in the winter harvest."

Affected GrainCorp sites included Boggabri, Caragabal, Moree, Narrabri and Parkes.

The three year-deal which AWU has voted in favour of includes a $1250 sign-on bonus and back pay.

The first pay rise will be backdated to July 1, 2024, the second will kick in on July 1, 2025 and the final increase will be implemented on July 1, 2026.

GrainCorp has responded positively to the AWU members vote in favour of accepting the proposal.

"We are pleased that NSW employees have voted in favour of their Enterprise Agreement," A GrainCorp spokesperson said in a statement.

"This outcome reflects our commitment to providing a fair, competitive and supportive workplace for our valued team members."

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.

16 experts receive Swiss Institute of Feed Technology Diploma

November 20, 2024 - After 10 months of training, 16 experts have received a Diploma from the Swiss Institute of Feed Technology (SFT). The best performance was achieved by Mark Werthmann from Switzerland.

The graduates of the 39th diploma course in Feed Milling Technology together with their lecturers and relatives

Participants from six continents and 14 different countries took part in the 39th edition of the diploma course, underlining the global importance and high reputation of this further training. The 2024 diploma course in compound feed technology had been carried out from December 2023 to October 2024 and took place for the last time at the historic training centre on Badstrasse in Uzwil. On Friday, October 4, 2024, all 16 participants proudly received their certificates. The achievements and commitment were recognised in a festive ceremony at Hagenwil Castle. Through intensive self-study and hands-on classroom training, they deepened their knowledge of the complex processes involved in compound feed production. 

The future leaders

In his speech, Reto Mösch encouraged the graduates to make active use of their knowledge: "You have now everything in your hands to make precise and efficient progress in your company with the right technology.

Today's challenges such as the availability of raw materials, variations in their quality, changing eating and purchasing habits of consumers, the use of by-products from the food industry and the demand for sustainable and efficient technologies require the development and dissemination of technological and innovative know-how. At the same time, increasing regulatory requirements for feed safety, animal health and animal welfare pose additional challenges to feed manufacturers. "Training in feed milling at the Swiss Institute of Feed Technology provides graduates with the necessary knowledge to successfully meet these demands," says Lothar Driller, Managing Director of the SFT.

The diploma course covers a wide range of fundamentals from process engineering, animal nutrition, automation and feed mill management to the latest sensor technologies. These skills will enable graduates to take on management roles and successfully develop the industry.

Mark Werthmann top of the class

A special highlight of the graduation ceremony was the honouring of Mark Werthmann, who graduated top of class with an overall grade of 96%. Mark Werthmann works as a process engineer for Bühler AG in Switzerland and impressed from the start with excellent results. In addition, he was also a lecturer for the subjects of Liquid and Steam Addition as well as Sensor Technology, which was double burden and unique in SFT history. At the graduation ceremony, he was awarded the traditional Swiss tin plate for his outstanding achievements.

From left to right: Lothar Driller, Managing Director SFT · Mark Werthmann · Reto Mösch Vice President SFT

Working twice as hard

The training to become a Feed Production Engineer takes place on a part-time basis. The attendance period is eight weeks, divided into two blocks. Between the two blocks, participants undertake independent studies in 21 subjects. During the two intensive courses, participants complete a total of 13 written examinations. The two oral examinations on the core thematic areas, in front of a panel of experts, from the highlight and final phase of each learning block. This requires commitment and sacrifice from the students.

Lothar Driller thanks the employers who have supported the graduates in various ways, eg by paying the course fees or giving the participants time off during the two intensive courses.

Hands-on focus

The SFT association was founded in 1979 on the initiative of Dr Rene Bühler and is accredited by the Association of Swiss Feed Manufacturers (VSF) as a centre of excellence for feed technology. The SFT provides professionals from the feed milling industry and related sectors with practical expertise in the production of animal feed. Upon successful completion of the diploma course, graduates will be able to understand and apply all modern process technologies and machines in a compound feed manufacturing plant. The Swiss multinational plant equipment manufacturer Buhler AG is a partner of the SFT. To date, 624 professionals from 75 countries have successfully completed the diploma as a Feed Production Engineer.

The next diploma course in feed technology will start in January 2025 and will be held in German in the. new premises with an updated training concept. The close proximity to the newly opened Bühler Grain Innovation Center will enable even more practice-oriented training.

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.

Elanco acquires Speke contract manufacturing facility

November 20, 2024 - Elanco Animal health Incorporated acquired a contract manufacturing facility and related assets in Speke, UK. The facility, previously owned by TriRx Speke, was under trading administration, a formal insolvency process in the United Kingdom.

As previously shared on the Company's third quarter 2024 earnings call, the Speke facility plays a vital role for Elanco in producing a number of farm animal product lines, representing approximately $160 million to $180 million in annual farm animal revenue, primarily outside the US. Elanco previously held a long-term supply agreement with TriRx Speke. This acquisition secures a critical component of Elanco's global supply chain for key farm animal products. The company provided certain interim funding during the administration and paid $25 million in cash at closing to acquire the facility and related assets.

Elanco will assume site ownership, effective immediately, working closely with the site leadership to support site operations. Aligned with the third quarter 2024 earnings release, they expect an adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) headwind related to this situation between $25 million and $35 million in 2025, primarily impacting gross profit. 

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.

Qualimeter: twenty years of innovation in mycotoxin risk prediction for food safety

November 20, 2024 - Since 2004, Syngenta has been developing “Qualimeter”, a pre-harvest mycotoxin risk prediction tool for grain collectors and the cereal industry, and continues to develop it.

Continuous adaptation for 20 years

Launched 20 years ago, Qualimétrie has constantly adapted to the needs of operators. Since this year, interested users have benefited from maps which “allow them to better visualize and target the wheat plot risk”, specifies Alain Froment, sector manager at Syngenta. Over the course of the campaigns, new criteria have been integrated such as the specific weight for wheat and “others are being studied”. The development of the plant is now monitored and modeled until harvest. The list of mycotoxins has also expanded, in particular with the inclusion of monitoring of the risk of the presence of aflatoxins on corn.

In addition, the reliability of forecasts for soft wheat, durum wheat and corn continues to strengthen from year to year with the increase in data and the extension of the areas observed.

Qualimeter, a French innovation to conquer the world

Crop monitoring by Qualimeter currently represents just under a million hectares of wheat and corn with around forty partner cooperatives and businesses in France. It is the number 1 tool used for mycotoxin forecasts before harvest. Since 2020, use has expanded to Europe and is being tested in North America. The use of Qualimeter in the world's major agricultural regions coupled with progress in Data Mining and Syngenta's digital expertise not only contributes to the continuous improvement of the tool but above all responds to a major food safety issue.

An estimate of mycotoxin risk based on pedoclimatic and agronomic data

Based on precise agronomic and meteorological data, Qualimeter provides targeted estimates of mycotoxin risk for each plot. A forecast report is established for grain collectors at the beginning of September for corn and two weeks after flowering for wheat. New alerts, updated and refined, are sent back before harvest if necessary. The purpose of this tool is “to alert of a risk of the presence of mycotoxins as early as possible, explains Alain Froment, so that stored organisms can best anticipate storage and allocation.” If the pressure for the year turns out to be high, “they will strengthen their monitoring plans for the batches of cereals most likely to cause problems. Operators will also be able to adjust their cereal marketing strategy according to the demands of their customers.

“This year, the wheat reports were eagerly awaited given the rainfall during the flowering period. The first forecasts, from the beginning of June, were rather reassuring depending on the regions linked in particular to the cool temperatures which must also be taken into account. The partner organizations were therefore able to focus very early on the issues specific to the 2024 harvest.”

The work of segmenting the batches of cooperatives and traders, according to their technological qualities but also, in this case, health, is essential for cereal processors for whom the use of their suppliers to Qualimeter is an additional means of security.

As food safety regulations become stricter and the climate evolves, Qualimeter continues to adapt.

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.

DLG - Impulse Pitches winner 2024 announced

November 19, 2024 - Alganize GmbH from Berlin, Germany, won the DLG Impulse Pitches 2024. Last week on November 14, the start-up was able to prevail against four other pioneers in the final round of live pitches. The short presentations took place at the 'Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show' as part of the world's leading EuroTier and EnergyDecentral 2024 trade fairs for livestock and renewable energy in Hanover, Germany. Alganize convinced the expert jury with the Alganize microbiome, which is designed to significantly improve soil health on a microalgae basis. In addition to the depth of innovation and practical relevance, the aspects of economic efficiency and improvement of the environmental and energy situation were also decisive for the win.

This year, international applications for the 'DLG Impulse Pitches' came from the fields of alternative protein sources, algae, insects, vertical farming, aquaponics and aquaculture. A jury of experts used strict selection criteria to determine five nominees, who had the chance to convince the jury of their innovations in a 10 minute presentation in Hanover. Alganize won with a new technology that uses microalgae to produce valuable metabolites that can help the agricultural industry to significantly reduce its use of conventional fertilisers and pesticides. The fertility of soils should be maintained or restored on degraded soils. As different as the nominated products, concepts and technologies were in their approach, they all shared the potential for new and further development of the production and value chain of indoor farming as well as alternative feed and food production. Another crucial factor for the nomination of the pioneers was that their concepts were ready for and relevant to practical application.

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The jury of experts

The international jury consisted of seven renowned experts from research, education, industry and practice chaired by Christopher Nigischer, consider it GmbH (Germany). The deputy chairperson is Professor Katharina Riehn, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany). Other jury members are: Jasmin Dold, represented by Aleix Bruns Pérez, BayWa Venture GmbH, New Protein Solutions at BayWa AG (Germany), Adrian Feiler, German Aquaculture Association (Germany); Professor Tilo Hühn, Zhaw Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland) as well as Dr Stefan Pecoroni, GEA Westfalia Separator Group GmbH (Germany) and Tom Zöllner, FarmTech Society (Belgium).

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.

Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show 2024 concludes

November 19, 2024 - The showcase for self-contained agricultural and food systems of the future was the 'Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show' from November 12-15, 2024 that took place last week in Hanover, Germany. The international B2B meeting place organised by the DLG (German Agricultural Society) took place in parallel with EuroTier and EnergyDecentral in Hanover, Germany, which benefitted from new ideas in indoor farming and controlled environmental agriculture. Closely linked to agricultural practice, the Inhouse Farming event offered visionaries and experts from all over the world specialist information, perspectives, innovations and business - from feed to food. In total, EuroTier, EnergyDecentral and the Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show attracted around 120,000 visitors.

Alternative production systems for the supply of sustainably produced food are currently a key focus area along the entire value chain. International visitors showed great interest in the exhibits of the almost 40 exhibitors who presented their innovations relating to Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and new food systems.

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The technological solutions on show for the innovative indoor production of feed & food made it clear that developments are progressing rapidly, influencing the entire food supply chain. Optimising the production of alternative proteins for the feed and food industry, increasingly the technologies offer the diversity that will play an ever more important role in the food systems of the future in view of a constantly growing world population.

Significant developments in the field of CEA are primarily developments that further reduce energy requirements and minimise energy losses. However, the intelligent networking of various agricultural production systems in closed energy and material cycles is also increasingly coming into focus - a development that was also addressed in the extensive specialist program of the Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show with its themed days. In total, around 60 speakers discussed the future issues of the agriculture and food industry in more than 40 events. The 'Novel Food' tasting event was also very popular with visitors.

DLG Spotlight Inhouse Farming: Insects in focus

With numerous exhibits, the Inhouse Farming DLG Spotlight offered a comprehensive insights into the automated production of insects as high-quality protein feed directly on the farm. The dedicated presentation area proved popular and invited interested parties to engage in in-depth dialogue in technical and expert discussions.

The insect theme day made it clear that, in addition to being used as animal feed, farmed insects can also be used in the production of meat substitutes and other foods as well as in the manufacture of cosmetics. To date, the production of insect protein has often been difficult from an economic point of view, as the production and processing methods are not yet able to compete with conventional animal feed. However, the utilisation of agricultural by-products and by-products from the food industry as feed for insect farming could play a role in significantly reducing production costs in the near future.

As part of the Aquaculture, Aquaponics & Algae theme day, plant manufacturers and their producers shared their experiences on the farms, and international experts reported on how fish and vegetables can thrive together in aquaponics systems. Algae in particular harbour considerable potential for a climate-neutral circular economy, as they bind around 10 times more carbon dioxide than land plants. If they are cultivated in photobioreactors, this value can be increased even further. Spirulina and other microalage are already being cultivated very successfully in closed systems made of transparent plastic or glass tubes.

DLG Impulse Pitches: Inhouse Farming Winner 2024

Alganize GmbH from Berlin won the DLG Impulse Pitches 2024, ahead of four other pioneers in the final round of live pitches at the Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show. Alganize impressed the expert jury with its Alganize microbiome, which is designed to significantly improve soil health based on microalgae. In addition to the depth of innovation and practical relevance, the aspects of economic efficiency and improvement of the environmental and energy situation were also decisive for the win.

The 'From Animal Housing to Vertical Farm' simulation games showed how animal housing can be successfully converted into vertical farms and what innovative opportunities this opens up for sustainable and future-oriented agriculture. The interest was high. "We need farmers who want to discover and utilise in-house farming technologies for themselves. In terms of forward-looking management, it is now necessary to consider various options for your own future. The Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show is the ideal platform for this. It is also ideal that we think in interdisciplinary terms across the entire chain. This creates synergies that are extremely important for overarching innovations and that we increasingly need in the food system of the future," says Marcus Vagt, DLG Head of Energy, Inhouse Farming and New Foods.

Perfect combination with EuroTier and EnergyDecentral

EuroTier and EnergyDecentral 2024, which took place in parallel with the Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show at the exhibition grounds in Hanover, Germany, made a strong impression and provided the relevant business drivers for the global livestock farming and renewable energy sectors. The event showcased the innovative power of livestock farming and decentralised energy sectors at the highest level. A total of 2193 exhibitors from 51 countries presented their latest solutions and technologies for the livestock sector and the renewable energy sector. Around 120,000 investment-ready visitors from 149 countries took advantage of the international industry gathering, which underlined its leading role in the sector with a focus on animal welfare, sustainability, digitalisation and AI as well as over 500 trade events, conferences and industry events. 

The next EuroTier, EnergyDecentral and Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show will take place in Hanover from November 10-13, 2026. Around 700 companies have already registered as exhibitors for the next event.

Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food

In future, the event will alternate annually with the 'Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Convention', a specialist conference with a foyer exhibition. It offers experts from the agriculture and food industry as well as research and science a platform for innovation, intensive professional dialogue, discussions and networking. The international business conference will premiere on April 29-10, 2025, in Hamburg.

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.

Donau Soja and Austrian Development Agency continue partnership

November 19, 2024 - The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) - the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation - and the organisation Donau Soja are continuing their long-standing strategic partnership until 2029. Over the next five years, the two organisations will invest a total of €11 million in the private sector in Eastern and Southeastern Europe in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Ukraine. The partnership aims to increase the cultivation of sustainable, traceable, European and GMO-free protein crops such as soya. At the same time, agriculture in the four countries is to be made more friendly to the environment and protect the climate.

Sustainable agriculture connects Eastern and Western Europe

In contrast to the 2017-2024 period of the first strategic partnership between the two organisations, the focus is Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Ukraine is no longer exclusively on the cultivation, marketing and sale of soya and soya products. ADA and Donau Soja now want to extend their initiative to maize, wheat, beans and other crops. The focus is on increasing economic efficiency, preserving the environment, developing digital agriculture and fighting poverty, as well as improving market opportunities for agricultural products from the four project countries in Western Europe. "Farmers in the project countries and food production and in the EU will also benefit from the new partnership, thanks to the systemic approach of building sustainable value chains. Our strategic partnership thus makes a valuable contribution both to poverty reduction in the project countries and to climate and environmental protection", says Susanne Fromwald, Secretary General of Donau Soja.

ADA: Second round for a successful partnership

"Looking back on five successful years with impressive results, we are now extending our solid cooperation with Donau Soja with a second strategic partnership. By 2029, we aim to provide even more support to farmers in Southeastern and Eastern Europe and thus contribute to reducing poverty in our neighbourhood. In Ukraine, we are particularly concerned with maintaining both the infrastructure and the jobs that we have created over the past five years. Together, we want to build on our accomplishments of the past and achieve more encouraging results", says ADA Managing Director Friedrich Stift. European soya helps farmers in Austria and the EU to reduce their dependence on soya grown in South America and imported to Europe. Moreover, soybeans certified with the Donau Soja or Europe Soya label avoid more than 90% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to Brazilian soybeans with a deforestation background.

Massive increase in soya cultivation areas in project countries

The first strategic partnership between ADA and Donau Soja improved GMO-free, sustainable and deforestation-free soya cultivation in the four project countries. The overall objective was to increase the area under cultivation, sustainably increase yields and develop soya and soya products for the Western European market from field to fork. The first partnership resulted in 2.3 million tonnes of sustainably produced soybeans on more than one million hectares of arable land. More than 14,000 farmers and 160 processing companies have benefited. European food chains have supported the production and processing of soya through numerous Protein Partnerships. Since 2017, the area under soya cultivation has increased by 18% in Serbia, 40% in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 34% in Ukraine. Donau Soja and ADA have invested a total of €9 million in the programme. "Donau Soja helped us farmers to introduce higher standards and the same growing conditions as in the EU. Today, 20% of Ukrainian soya production meets the strict EU standards", says Sergiy Galashevskyy, General Manager of the Ukrainian certification body Organic Standard.

Regional soya farming in Europe protects the environment and climate

Donau Soja's work has supported the expansion of soya cultivation in crop rotation and improved knowledge for better yields. This has led to reduced use of pesticides and fertilisers and promoted more environmentally and climate-friendly farming techniques. In addition to expanding sustainable agriculture in the soya sector, other objectives included promoting organic soya, strengthening the competitiveness of structurally weak regions in the four target countries and opening up international markets in Western Europe.

Knowledge transfer, networking and local activities

Since 2017, Donau Soja and the Austrian Development Agency have been working with numerous partners to promote and expand sustainable soya farming in the EU's neighbourhood. They have worked intensively with ministries, universities, research institutes, inspection bodies, seed companies, farmers' associations and food safety agencies. Numerous training sessions, seminars and field days have been organised in all countries. In addition to the office in Vienna, Donau Soja has its own offices in Novi Sad/Serbia, Kiev/Ukraine and Chișinǎu/Moldova.

Embedding EU environmental legislation

The five years of the second partnership, from 2024-2029, will focus on climate, environmental, soil and water protection, biodiversity and poverty reduction in the project countries. In particular, the partnership will support knowledge transfer in the use of digital agriculture, access to finance and the implementation of new EU legislation, from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to the new reporting requirements of the Green Deal.

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.