Symaga

Symaga was created in 1985 as a company devoted to the manufacture of silos and livestock equipment. The company possesses modern, totally automated machinery, which enables us to manufacture high quality products at a reasonable price.

Click on the image to find out more.

New! GFMT Article: Probiotics

The latest issue of Grain and Feed Milling Technology magazine looks at probiotics to aid digestion. Click on the image to read the article.

 
You can also read the whole magazine online for free.

31/10/12: Nabim milling challenge winner announced; Nutriad tackles mould; USA grain price predictions

Hello, 

• The winner of the Nabin/HGCA Milling Wheat Challenge 2012 has been announced.  Andrew Robinson of Heathcote Farms Ltd, Toddington, Bedfordshire took the top prize thanks to his forward-thinking approach and careful management techniques. Read more...

• Fungi and bacteria are persistent problems in stored grain and there are a myriad of solutions on the market.  Nutriad has launched a new product aimed to tackle infestation in grain and animal feeds which uses phyto-active substances rather than traditional acids. The manufacturer claims MOLD-NIL® PRO is less corrosive than similar products. More information...

• The Idaho Barley Commission Administrator, Kelly Olson has predicted a rise in barley, wheat and corn prices this winter. However, Olson said she doesn't foresee prices staying high for long. "I think you're going to see a lot of volatility in the market. I think you need to be flexible in your marketing plans," Olson said. Read more...

English: Two-row and six-row barley ears. The six-row is bere from Orkney. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Event: No hard sell needed for Soft Commodities Summit in 2013

Grain and Feed Milling Technology magazine is pleased to announce its partnership with the 3rd Annual Soft Commodities Trading Operations & Logistics Summit for 2013. As an active media-partner for the event IMD will be present throughout as well as offering valuable help in preparing for February 2013.

The Soft Commodities Trading Operations & Logistics 2013 Summit is a senior level forum that takes place in Geneva between February 26-27, 2013. Designed to help the industry embrace effective approaches to challenges, the summit will cover areas such as sustainability, integration in developing countries and also human resource asset management.

Expert speakers already booked for the summit include Hans Stoldt (Director for Eastern Europe and Black Sea with Ameropa), Anna Cheryaeva (Head of Logistics and Customer Service, Cotton Division with Olam International Ltd.) and Christophe Bourges (Managing Director – with HSBC).

More information...

International Milling Directory shipped

Great news from IMD HQ: we have now sent the first batch of International Milling Directories for 2012/13 to subscribers which will hopefully be reaching them soon if they haven’t already. With new subscription requests coming in everyday stock will soon be limited so visit www.internationalmilling.com to reserve your copy from the next batch.

Silos Cordoba

Silos Córdoba was founded in 1975 by Juan López Lietor with the aim of fulfilling the needs of the stockbreeding market through grazing and storage solutions. Today Silos Córdoba deals with the engineering, development and assembly of facilities and plants for industrial and agricultural purposes. It offers full services, from defining the needs and settling the possible solutions to the conception and implementation of the project. It has as well a department focused in the development of biodiesel applications.

Click on the image to visit the website.

30/10/12: Rice production in Myanmar; Schenck Process UK expands; AFIA at IPPE

Hello, 

• The American Feed Industry Association will host the International Feed Education Forum on the second day of the International Production & Processing Expo on January 30, 2012. The forum will address issues unique to feed manufacturers in three knowledgeable sessions. The half-day conference will feature three sessions discussing topics impacting today’s feed manufacturer. More information...

• Schenck Process UK, which specialises in all areas of mechanical and pneumatic conveying and weighing technology for industry, has just signed a 10-year lease on its new premises at Thorne and is hoping to have the building operational within the next few weeks. The new location provides the company with an additional 48,000 square feet of warehousing alongside 7,000 square feet of office space. The additional space is needed partly for the growing workforce but also for manufacturing and assembly for a number of new contracts, with the company predicting an increase in turnover from £26 million in 2011 to a remarkable £42 million this year. “In spite of the difficult economic circumstances, we have seen increasing demand for our products and services,” said Managing Director Nick Jones. Read more... 

• Rice production in Myanmar is forecast to improve by 25 percent to 750,000 tons this year.  The improved yields and infrastructure mean the country is on target to join the world's top rice producers by 2017 with overseas sales of 3 million metric tons predicted. The country was once the world's largest rice producer until five decades of military dictatorship made it Southeast Asia's poorest nation. Read more...

  

  Rice Diversity. Part of the image collection of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  
  

Event: Poultry Market Intelligence Forum will preview industry economic conditions at IPPE

Eggs (Photo credit: pietroizzo)

Back by popular demand, the Poultry Market Intelligence Forum is returning to the 2013 International Production & Processing Expo. Sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association (NFPDA), the programme will identify the challenges facing the industry and provide insight into how domestic and international poultry industries are positioned to move forward in 2013. The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum is free to all Expo and NPFDA meeting attendees.

“The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum has been one of the most popular programs on the Expo schedule since its inception, and we are pleased to add it back for 2013,” said USPOULTRY president John Starkey. “Feed costs, global competition, and consumer demand present constant challenges for the poultry and egg industry, so it is important to stay informed about current conditions and projections for the future. This program helps keep industry leaders current on the various factors that could impact their financial performance,” said Starkey.

The programme will feature two noted industry economists and a major food service provider. Mike Donohue, Agri Stats, will review Performance Trends for the Poultry and Egg Industry. Dr. Paul Aho, Poultry Perspective, will discuss Domestic and Global Drivers for 2013. Barry Barnett, Vice President of Global Supply and Purchasing for Church’s Chicken, will provide insight into The Customer’s View of the Poultry and Egg Industry.

The 2013 IPPE, one of the world's largest poultry, feed, and meat industry events, will be held from January 29-31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The Poultry Market Intelligence Forum is scheduled from 9 – 11:30 a.m. on January 30, 2013. The conference agenda can be viewed online here.
 

29/10/12: probiotics for piglets; wheat outlook; new pig research facility opens

Hello, 

• Norel introduces Proporc, a new probiotic for piglet based in Bacillus licheniformis. Early weaning (three weeks of age) is a common practice for the swine industry, especially in intensive production systems. This early weaning results in several changes for the piglet such as separation from the mother, new housing, grouping with other animals and new feeds, normally solid, making the weaning period a stressing one for the piglet. Proporc, the biological additive developed by NOREL S.A., is based on spores of Bacillus licheniformis and has demonstrated its benefits by improving performance parameters in this stressful period. More information...

• Schothorst Feed Research (SFR) and Topigs join forces in new research facilities for pigs and sows. The new facilities will enable this independent research organisation to expand their feed research on the effect of technical performances. The new facility marks the last stage of a €9 million investment will house 350 sows and 3000 growing/finishing pigs and enables both TOPIGS and SFR to perform experiments on a practical scale. Furthermore, 40 Insentec feeder stations are installed that enable measuring individual performance and feed intake of 480 animals. More information visit SFR annd Topigs.

• This round up of the grain markets by Farming UK suggests that the USA will lead the way once Russia's wheat is 'exhausted'.  Read more...

Piglet 2 USDA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Satake

Satake specialises in rice milling with a range of products including colour sorters, elevators and cooking lines.  Click on the image to find out more.

Video: Animal feed safety from the FDA

The Friday video this week comes from the US FDA.  This informative video highlights the importance of feed safety including the benefits on cost, efficiency and animal and consumer health. 

Event: Export Exchange International Grains Buyers Conference

Grains, the largest food group in many nutrition guides, includes oats, barley and bread. Cookies, however, are categorized as sugars. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fresh from the record-attendance Export Exchange conference in Minneapolis, teams of international grain buyers fanned out across America, from Ohio to Washington State, and Minnesota to Louisiana. Their goal: to gain information, assess the current U.S. corn crop, explore the availability of other grains such as sorghum and barley, and build relationships leading to future sales.

More than 200 international buyers and end-users had flocked to Minneapolis from October 22-24, 2012 to meet with U.S. suppliers and to hear from industry and government leaders about the near- and long-term prospects for U.S. export capacity. CHS President and CEO Carl Casale’s keynote address set the theme: managing risk in the face of soaring demand for feed grains, a short U.S. crop in 2012, and major uncertainties on the geopolitical horizon. USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber, farmer and industry leaders, and observations from major foreign buyers and end-users of U.S. feed grains rounded out the picture.

“Everyone present - more than 200 foreign guests and about 300 U.S. producer and agribusiness representatives - recognized that this will be a challenging year,” said U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Tom Sleight. “That’s why our international partners are so eager to talk with U.S. producers about their intentions and prospects for next year.”

Teams from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Mexico and Taiwan got a head start, visiting U.S. farms, agribusinesses, and export terminals before heading to Minneapolis. Following Export Exchange, even more teams hit the road: a Japanese team to Iowa and Minnesota; a European team to Nebraska; a Chinese team to Ohio and Louisiana, among others.

“It’s one thing to sit in a conference room and hear industry and government leaders talk about how U.S. producers always bounce back strong,” Sleight continued. “Export Exchange provided that, and more. But there is still no substitute for the ground truth you get from getting out into the field, and talking directly to farmers and exporters. That’s what our Export Exchange guests are doing now.”

Many participants expressed a continuing preference for buying U.S. grains due to the consistency and quality of the grain and the transparency and reliability of the U.S. marketing and delivery systems. While price and availability will clearly be major impediments to U.S. exports this year, due to the drought, the buyer sentiment was clear: they are looking forward to a better crop next year, and a U.S. export sector that comes back strong.

26/10/12: Nigeria agriculture; Russian weather; feed additives for ruminants

Hello, 

• The Netherlands is investing over €26 million in Nigeria’s agriculture, the Dutch ambassador to Nigeria, Bert Ronhaar has announced.  The money will be put towards supporting small holder cassava growers, cocoa growers in this country, the cocoa processing industry and the value-added chain in the cocoa industry. Read more...

• Dry weather is causing concern for the state of winter grain crops in some parts of Russia's south, the country's main exporting region.  But hope is on the horizon: rains forecast for next week may improve the situation. Read more...

• A technical article for you: Umesh Sontakke explains the benefits of Saccaromyces cerevisiae as a feed additive in ruminants. The use of feed additives containing live microorganisms and (or) their metabolites to alter rumen fermentation and improve animal performance has increased in response to demands for using more “natural” growth-promoting substances. Microbial products used in this manner were originally called "probiotics", or products “for life”. Read more...

Cocoa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New! GFMT Article: Pellet production

The GFMT article in the spotlight today is on pellet production to save energy, improve feed efficiency and safety.  Murray Hyden of Kiotechagil gives an informative and detailed overview of ways to increase efficiency without cutting corners.  Click on the image to read the text.

Click on the image to read the text.

You can also read more article on pelleting from the GFMT archives. Here are some of the highlights:

• The nutritional impact of pellet binders
• Cost saving methods of pellet production
• Pelleting: the link between practice and engineering

Rembe

Rembe makes products to protect industrial plant against explosions, overpressure and vacuum conditions. Click on the image to visit the Rembe website.

25/10/12: FFI; US wheat prices; avoiding mycotoxins

Hello,

• The Flour Fortification Initiative (FFI) is celebrating a decade of flour fortification progress. In the past decade, the number of countries requiring wheat flour fortification with at least iron or folic acid has more than doubled from 33 to 75, and the proportion of industrially milled flour being fortified has risen from 18 to 30 percent. Advocates say this progress is due to leaders in the public, private, and civic sectors working together to improve health through fortified flour.  Read more...

• US wheat futures have received a boost after Ukraine announced a halt to wheat exports. Chicago Board of Trade December wheat futures settled up 1.8 percent at $8.84 a bushel. KCBT December wheat rose 1.5 percent to $9.21 a bushel. MGEX December wheat rose 1.1 percent to $9.55 a bushel. Read more...

• With the threat of mycotoxins looming, this article by Alltech provides some useful hints on how to avoid this pesky problem. Read more...

Unsifted wheat flour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

24/10/12: Brown rice in the Philippines, windmill photos

Hello, 

• Brown rice ensure high milling recovery for farmers in the Philippines.  The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has suggested that if Filipinos ate only brown rice then the country would produce more than enough rice to meet demand. However, the country does not have any commercially viable milling equipment to produce the rice.  PhilRice is currently investigating different milling options.  Read more...

• Here's a mid-week treat: check out these photos of Wicklewood Mill, Norfolk, UK through the ages.  the earliest photo dates from 1912! View photos...

Brown rice. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

EU Approves MIR 162, Opens Doors to US DDGS, CGF

The U.S. Grains Council is pleased to learn of the official approval of the Syngenta corn variety MIR 162 Agrisure Vipterra in the European Union, opening the way for exports of U.S. corn co-products, including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and corn gluten feed (CGF). The long-delayed decision came after years of industry leadership and efforts, especially those partners of the Council in the EU, including COCERAL, a grain trade association, FEFAC, a feed millers association, and the Irish Feed Millers Association.

“This approval is a great success as it opens the window of opportunity for U.S. products, including DDGS and CGF, to enter the EU market. This is especially attractive in big markets like Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. Their ability to import these high-protein feed ingredients is critical at a time of crop shortage in Europe and high prices. Everyone is looking for alternatives,” said Cary Sifferath, USGC senior regional director based in Tunis.

Sifferath noted, however, the opportunity may only exist for a limited amount of time as new crop biotech events coming down the pipeline are not yet approved in Europe. Such products may be planted by U.S. farmers in the spring, meaning they may enter the market in the fall of 2013. This could again stall sales of U.S. co-products into the EU provided the approval process remains sluggish within the trade bloc.
"Corn co-products are a tremendous feed ingredient recognized as a good value by buyers within Europe and around the world," Sifferath said. "Approvals such as this help livestock and poultry producers manage costs and expand options, and we are hopeful the availability of these options continue well into the future."

Dry Distiller's Grain (Photo credit: agrilifetoday)

New! GFMT article: A packaging evolution

The first feature from the September/October 2012 edition of GFMT magazine is about packaging.  Bpi.visqueen tells us all about different packaging options of food and feed millers. Read the full article here or click on the image below.

Click on the image to read the feature

23/10/12: US drought set to continue; man dies at Cargill facility; El Nino boosts grain crops

Hello, 

• Weather forecasters in the USA are uncertain that the drought will ease as the country heads into winter. The National Weather Service predicts that Iowa and the Midwest are likely to be warmer and drier than normal in early winter. The dry weather has already lead to a drop in corn yields, threatened drinking water supplies and affected wetlands. Read more...

• A man has died while servicing a grain elevator shaft at the Cargill plant in Bridge City, Louisiana, USA. Jeffery Feucht, 44, was working on a grain elevator when a cable on the service lift snapped and it fell several feet. Feucht was pronounced dead on the scene, while a colleague remains in hospital. Read more...

• Early El Nino rains are set to benefit Argentine grain output but not crop quality, reports Reuters.  Storms in September and October allowed farms to plant crops in areas usually too dry for farming.  Read more...

NASA Sees Tropical Storm Isaac and Tropical Depression 10 Racing in Atlantic (Photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video)

Obial

Obial specialises in turnkey grain storage system solutions with reasonable prices through the use of materials of highest quality, superior design and production standards, and an effective customer relations management.
 Click on the image for more information.

New issue of GFMT online now

The September/October issue of GFMT is at the printer. As usual, there's an exciting mix of features spanning the food and feed milling industries. Two perennial problems, packaging and pest control, are given a through interrogation in two cracking features. Packaging manufacturer bpi.visqueen tells us about bagging options for eco-conscious and price savvy millers.  While Hikmet Boyacioglu tells us about pesky pest problems.

Plus there are all the regular news, events and features.

If you can't wait to get your hands on a print copy, you can read the whole magazine online here for free on click on the image below.

 

Open publication - Free publishing - More feed

Rice agriculture accelerates global warming, research finds

More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, coupled with rising temperatures, is making rice agriculture a larger source of the potent greenhouse gas methane, according to a study published today in Nature Climate Change by a research team that includes a University of California, Davis, plant scientist.

But the authors note that relatively simple changes in rice cultivation could help reduce methane emissions.

“Together, higher carbon dioxide concentrations and warmer temperatures predicted for the end of this century will about double the amount of methane emitted per kilo of rice produced,” said Chris van Kessel, professor of plant sciences at UC Davis and co-author of the study, published in this week’s edition of Nature Climate Change. “Because global demand for rice will increase further with a growing world population, our results suggest that without additional measures, the total methane emissions from rice agriculture will strongly increase.”

Rice paddies are one of the largest man-made sources of methane, and rice is the world’s second-most produced staple crop.

Van Kessel and his colleagues gathered findings from 63 different experiments on rice paddies, mostly in Asia and North America. They used a technique called meta-analysis, a statistical tool for finding general patterns in a large body of experimental published data.

The experiments measured how rising temperatures and extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect both rice yields and the amount of methane released by rice paddies.

“Our results show that rice agriculture becomes less climate-friendly as our atmosphere continues to change,” said Kees Jan van Groenigen, research fellow at Trinity College Dublin, and lead author of the study.

As more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, rice plants grow faster, the experimental data showed. This growth, in turn, pumps up the metabolism of methane-producing microscopic organisms that live in the soil beneath rice paddies. The end result: More methane.

Overall, the rice paddy experiments revealed that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere boosted rice yields by 24.5 percent and methane emissions by 42.2 percent, increasing the amount of methane emitted per kilo of rice.

Unlike carbon dioxide levels, rising temperatures were found to have only small effects on methane emissions. However, because warming decreases rice yield, it effectively increases methane emissions per kilo of rice.

The authors point out several options available to reduce methane emissions from rice agriculture. For instance, management practices such as mid-season drainage and using alternative fertilisers have been shown to reduce methane emissions from rice paddies. By switching to more heat-tolerant rice cultivars and by adjusting sowing dates, yield declines due to temperature increases can largely be prevented, reducing the effect of warming on methane emissions per yield.

The researchers, who also include Northern Arizona University Professor Bruce Hungate, said the findings underscore the importance of mitigation efforts to ensure a secure global food supply while keeping greenhouse gas emissions in check.

The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Institute for Climatic Change Research, the National Science Foundation, the Irish Research Council, and Marie Curie Actions.
More information...

Working in the rice paddies in May in Sawara, Chiba, Japan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Australia takes on US pop culture

They say that in every cloud there is a silver lining, a sentiment that will surely have been put to the test by farmers and millers across the world this year thanks to drought or in some cases extreme rain.

But a global shortage of popping corn is creating opportunities for some Australian growers of grains according to ABC Rural. The world’s biggest producer of popping corn, USA, has been swept by the same circumstances of drought as its other grain exports. This has left many international markets now short in supply.

To take advantage of the situation, farmers in central western NSW, Australia, will plant the biggest popcorn crop in the region’s history. Commodity trader Tony Cogswell says it’s hoped the niche crop will be exported to a number of international buyers.

“This has got a permanent place in our program now. We have some domestic clients that are taking popcorn on a regular basis,” he said.

“It will also be going into Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Egypt and potentially into France.

“We have had enquires from all of those places and they are all in our targets.”

List of U.S. state foods (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

22/10/12: Ukraine wheat ban; UK wheat crop falls; Evonik invests in biotech

Hello, 

• Ukraine is to ban wheat exports from mid-November due to rising commodity prices.  The country is the first leading producer to restrict its exports following the summer drought.  Read more...

• The UK wheat crop has fallen 13 percent to 13.3m tonnes, according to DEFRA.  The forecast, the lowest since 1988, puts the UK a net importer of wheat for the year.  Read more...

• Specialty chemical manufacturer, Evonik Industries, plans to expand its biotechnology interests with a €350 million investment in its Biolys® business.  An amino acid used in animal feeds, Biolys® is a source of L-lysine produced via fermentation. Investments include construction of new L-lysine plants in Brazil and Russia capable of producing nearly 200,000 metric tons each year as well as a recently finished production expansion to 280,000 metric tons per year at its Blair site in North America.  Read more...

English: Wheat (Triticum aestivum) near Auvers-sur-Oise, France, June 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

nabim

nabim is an organisation for the UK flour millers.  It represents all 100% of the industry, which uses around 5.1 million tonnes of wheat a year to produce 4.1 million tonnes of flour.

 Click on the image to find out more.

FAMI-QS and Sindiracoes share experience with a feed safety course

FAMI-QS and Sindirações shared their experience in third party certification with the Coordination of Animal Feed Inspection in Brazil.

FAMI-QS in close co-operation with Sindirações (the Brazilian Feed Industry Association) organised a five day training course for the Feed Regulators responsible for Animal Feed Inspection in Brazil. The training focused on the auditing of Feed Safety Management System based on the requirements of the FAMI-QS code: The Quality and Safety for Specialty Feed Ingredients (Feed Additives, Functional Feed Ingredients, Premixtures, Specialty Complementary Feed, Specialty Complementary Dietetic Feed). FAMI-QS certification is based on the approved European Commission Community Guide to Good Practice (OJ 2007/C64/04).

English: Brazil Português: Brasil Русский: Бразилия (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The training was undertaken as part of the agreement for close co-operation signed in March 2010 between Sindirações and FAMI-QS. As such, the training was aligned closer to of the aims of the agreement – ‘incorporate the knowledge obtained by FAMI-QS at world level at local level and boost the quality and safety management in the Brazilian feed industry’.

The purpose of the training was to present to the Brazilian Feed Regulators the usefulness of third party certification for official controls. As the FAMI-QS Code complies with the hygienic requirements of the EU Feed Hygiene Regulation (EC 183/2005), certified companies meet state-of-the-art hygiene practices, invaluable tool for ensuring compliance with legislative requirements, be it in Europe where the system started; but also elsewhere in the world where feed safety is considered of utmost importance.

"The global population reached 7 billion last year and it is estimated to reach over 9 billion people in 2050, probably in response to increasing longevity and improved standard of living, mainly due to the excellence in food safety measures and health care. This demographic jump is expected to be concentrated in developing countries thanks to the growth of household income that certainly will determine quantitative and qualitative increase in the consumption of animal protein. Brazil as an emergent country is already considered one of the 21st century leading global suppliers of food and in 2020 it might produce 11.4 million tons of beef, 3.7 million tons of pork and 16.5 million tons of poultry, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/OECD", stated Dr. Ariovaldo Zani, CEO of the Brazilian Feed Industry Association/Sindirações, who considers this FAMI-QS partnership a must for safe feed and food safety.

“Feed safety is a shared responsibility with the public and private stakeholders participating equally. One can see in several parts of the world a progressive shift from the traditional command-and-control approach to a new paradigm where official control and high-standard voluntary certification systems seek complementarity and synergy. We were not only honoured to bring FAMI-QS know-how to the Brazilian Feed Regulators, but also believe that this experience places Brazil amongst those forward-looking countries with progressive positioning with regards to official controls.”, says Didier Jans, FAMI-QS Secretary General.

The Coordination of Animal Feed Inspection in Brazil, especially with pivotal focus on the future, is exploring the best practices around the world in order to optimise and improve their already demanding tasks. FAMI-QS (Mr. Emmanuel Geneiatakis – FAMI-QS Quality Manager) and Sindirações (Mrs Angela Pellegrino Missaglia - Quality Consultant of Sindirações) thus shared their experience of the implementation of the FAMI-QS quality and safety management systems in the feed sector. During the five days, the inspectors were guided through the EU Feed legislation, the requirements of FAMI-QS code as well as ISO 19011:2011 Guidelines for auditing management systems. Taking a practical teaching approach and to embed the key take-homes, an on-site activity took place at M. CASSAB premix plant located in the countryside of São Paulo Estate.

More information...

Video: Wheat disease outlook

Drought and a mild winter could influence disease in winter wheat. Stephen Wegulo, UNL Extension plant pathologist, shows growers what diseases could appear and how they can minimize potential damage.

19/10/12: Mycotoxin webinar; EU food agency criticised over GM; impact of drought throughout the supply chain

Hello,

• The European Food Safety Authority has defended its independence from the biotech industry after environmentalists claimed the agency ignores evidence of the potential health risks of GM products.  The study which has sparked these claims was undertaken at the University of Caen, France. As we reported earlier in the month, the study claimed that rats fed with Monsanto's genetically modified NK603 corn, developed more tumours than a test group over a two-year period.  When the EU Food Safety Agency reviewed the research the agency said the study was insufficient and asked for additional evidence.  Read more...

• The 2012 corn crop has been under significant stress; as a result the overall quality is a concern to livestock and poultry producers.  Biomin and Romer Labs will discuss quality findings and possible effects to livestock and poultry in a webinar on October 23, 2012, 9 – 10 a.m. CDT.  Participants at 'Mycotoxin Strategies for the 2012 Corn Harvest' will learn: Mycotoxin survey for 2012 corn harvest; animal implications with the 2012 corn harvest; strategies to deal with mycotoxins.  More information...

• We have looked at the impact of drought on crops on numerous occasions but this article examines the broader impact of dry weather. The Impact of Crisis on Water Stewardship in the UK Food and Grocery Industry by researcher IGD, simulated how a water shortage affect the whole supply chain.  Read the results here...

Maize plants in maize field (Photo credit: IITA Image Library)

18/10/12: BOCM PAULS fined; Vietnamese feed industry; Indian wheat exports

Hello, 

• BOCM PAULS fined £20,000 after worker loses arm in conveyor.  Christopher Brennan, 35, from Norwich, was attempting to clear a blockage on a conveyor at the Burston Mill site of BOCM Pauls Ltd, when his right arm became entangled and was severed just below the elbow.  Norwich Magistrates' Court heard on October 11, 2012, that BOCM Pauls Ltd had failed to provide a safe system of work for production staff to clear blockages on conveyors and there were no guards to prevent access to the unblocking hatch.  The company received a £20,000 fine and £9,716 costs after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.   Read more...

• India is negotiating with Iran for exporting 200,000 tonnes of wheat in December and one million tonne annually for the next three years, Food Corporation of India (FCI) said on Tuesday. "Negotiations are being held with Iran government for export of 200,000 tonnes of wheat in December 2012 and in the long run one million tonne each for the next three years," Press Trust of India quoted FCI Chairman and Managing Director Amar Singh as saying.  Read more...

• The Vietnamese consumer goods manufacturer, Masan Group, has bought a 40 percent stake in animal feed producer Proconco.  Press in the country have reported that the move may change the way the Vietnamese feed market operates.  At present the majority of the industry is controlled by foreign companies so the purchase marks a new development in the animal feed sector.  Read more...

For Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) purposes between 1955 and 1976 please use the File:Flag_of_North_Vietnam.svg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Muyang

Headquartered in China, the Muyang Group covers the design, development, fabrication and installation of the machinery and engineering for many industries including feed manufacturing, grain milling and bulk solids handling and storage.  Click on the image to learn more.

17/10/12: aflatoxins in milk; eco-friendly feed ingredients; amino acids and pig mortality

Hello, 

• At the Global Miller we usually talk about aflatoxins in relation to the grain industry. This article on Engormix takes a different slant, focusing on discusses the mycotoxin further the down the food chain in milk.  Read more...

• The International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) and the EU Association of Specialty Feed Ingredients and their Mixtures (FEFANA) have launched the Specialty Feed Ingredients Sustainability (SFIS) project designed to measure and establish the role of specialty feed ingredients on the environmental impact of livestock production. The project brings together for the first time a consortium of international companies and associations dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of livestock through innovative specialty feed ingredients.  Read more...

• Adding bioactive amino acids to the feed of pregnant sows may save the lives of many newborn piglets. A new research project looks at the feasibility.  Researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark have started a new project that can save the lives of many piglets. The researchers will study whether a small change to the feed for pregnant sows can have a positive effect on piglet mortality.  The bioactive amino acid is a non-essential amino acid, which means that it is not vital. Via certain processes it can, however, boost the growth in utero  and likely increase the production of colostrum and milk, resulting in larger and more robust piglets at birth and a higher perinatal nutrition with better daily postnatal weight gain.  Read more...

Sow with piglet 1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Event: Conference on the future of the US egg industry scheduled for 2013 IPPE

Following this past year’s success, The Future of the U.S Egg Industry Conference is returning to the education schedule at the 2013 IPPE. The program is co-sponsored by USPOULTRY and the United Egg Producers and will analyze the economic, environmental, and global impact and challenges of the U.S. egg industry as presented by experts in the field. The conference is $100 for all Expo attendees.

Professor Hans-Wilheim Windhorst, economist at International Egg Commission, will discuss the Global Impact of Animal Health Welfare Legislation. Chad Gregory, senior vice-president of United Egg Producers, will provide an Update on Egg Bill – Federal Legislation. 

Tom Early, vice president for Agralytica Consulting, will give a presentation on the Economic Impact of Egg Legislation, and Tom Hebert, Managing Director of Bayard Ridge Group, will present on Environmental Issues and Regulations Facing the Egg Industry. 

Additional topics will include Producers Perspective: Enriched Colony Cage Eggperiences; Traceability: On-farm, Transportation and Processing; and Footprint of the Egg – Dramatic Progress Past 50 Years.

The 2013 IPPE, one of the world's largest poultry, feed, and meat industry events, will be held from January 29-31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The Future of the U.S. Egg Industry Conference is scheduled for Thursday, January 31, from 8:30 a.m. – Noon. The conference agenda can be viewed online.

16/10/12: Thai rice; biofuels from crops; CFIA

Hello, 

• Thailand is one of the world's largest producers of rice so it's no surprise that the grain plays an important role in politics in the country.  This comment piece from the Bangkok Post sheds some light on the Thai government's new rice policy.  Read more...

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is to be audited by the US Department of Agriculture for the first time in three years.  Inspectors will visit the Alberta-based XL Foods meat plant at the centre of an international beef recall because of E. coli contamination.  Read more...

• The European Commission is under pressure from industry groups to weaken a planned cap on the use of biofuels made from food crops such as rapeseed and wheat, reports Reuters.  Read more...

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Photo credit: Wikipedia)