Interview: Piet and Reinhart De Lille

Adifo’s founder and former CEO Piet De Lille (PDL), and current R&D manager Reinhart De Lille (RDL) (father and son), give their personal views on 40 years of developing this leading Belgium based, software company that serves the milling industry. They highlight milestones the feed and food industry has already passed and, above all, what does the future hold? A unique double interview.
Adifo’s founder and former CEO Piet De Lille, and current R&D manager Reinhart De Lille (father and son)

You’re a software company that has remained in the international market for 40 years. How had Adifo achieved this?

Piet: It all comes down to making the right strategic choices and maintaining a particular vision. Adifo has always been a highly customer-focused company. I’m no computer expert, but I could strongly identify with the strategy of a company, and because of this I was able to design programmes with added value for the organisations. I founded Adifo with my parents in 1974, after obtaining my degree in electromechanics. In the early days we mainly supplied solutions for bookkeeping, invoicing and salary administration. Even at that time, we were already very conscious of the functional aspect of the services we provided. We examined customers’ needs and responded accordingly. We did a great deal of customised work, mainly for trade unions and medical laboratories. Later on, we also did this for construction firms and trading companies and approximately 10 years later chose to specialise in the feed industry.

Reinhart: Indeed, our customer focus and specialisation have always been strong assets. The significant amount of customised work has since been configured in standard packages that serve a broad range of applications. Moreover, our technological choices have been decisive for our continuity. Adifo has always striven to choose the right platform for developing software in order to be able to guarantee continuity to our customers. A large portion of our resources are used for product development.

Why did you actually decide to specialise in the feed and food sector?

Piet: I was always interested in the sector. As a child I preferred to spend my time on neighbours and friends’ farms.

How in the post-war years, food shortages were relieved with imports from the US and South America. The storage of huge quantities of raw materials around European seaports. The development of the futures market, the spot market and the by-products market. How the feed market suddenly became a booming business. It was all extremely interesting.

In 1973, I paid my very first visit to a feed factory. That was at Vanden Avenne in Ooigem, which was already making optimisations in Canada using a telex line. Very revolutionary at the time. However, things really started for us when we took over BESTMIX® from SCIA in 1988. SCIA possessed knowledge of linear programming, and Adifo was experienced in goods flows and the entire logistics process, as well as financial administration. From then on, we chose resolutely to work for this market segment, and we still do today.

And were solutions for the food sector a logical progression?

Piet: The feed industry is unjustly known as being a rather traditional sector, but in fact it is far more modern than people would imagine. It strives for optimal production, taking into account volatile raw materials prices and the availability of raw materials, quality requirements, etc. and could teach the food sector a lot.  

Reinhart: It became apparent that our knowledge of the feed sector was perfectly relevant to the food sector. Only the prior conditions for optimisation seemed to differ. Now our software can be used to optimise all kinds of aspects: logistical, price, quality, nutritional (allergenic, kosher and halal etc.).
What are the greatest challenges facing the feed and food industry?

Piet: We must add the energy sector to this question. Today in the US, 40% of the corn is used in the energy sector. The biggest challenge for each company is finding its right place in the market segment. Volatile raw materials prices, fluctuations in quality, dealing with market speculation, determining the right strategy (what to purchase, what to stock, what to use oneself and what to sell). These represent on-going challenges for the sector. In addition, scale and internationalisation should not be underestimated.

Reinhart: The greatest challenge for the future lies in feeding the growing world population. By 2050, nine billion people will inhabit the earth. They will all have to be fed, but in a sustainable manner in which waste flows and the carbon footprint are kept as low as possible. Sustainability has become a genuine buzzword. Social habits are also changing. In the 1980s, many women suddenly joined the labour market, which meant that convenience foods became extremely popular.

With current questions about healthy eating fresh from nature, ready-made meals are viewed in a different light. Animal welfare and GMOs are also highly sensitive issues.

The question is whether major changes in food patterns can be identified. These appear to be less spectacular than one would expect. But who plays the most decisive role? The consumer or the producer? This market dynamic is absolutely fascinating and presents the food industry with major challenges.

What does the future hold for Adifo?

Reinhart: Adifo will stick with its specialisation and continue to develop it using industry-standard technology. We will continue to be a fan of open technology and give user-friendliness and the user experience a central position in our services. The market will become increasingly open and new cloud applications will be developed.

If you talk about openness you must also be open as a company. Therefore, for example the FaaS and MILAS-AX platform will be opened up so that partners and major parties will be able to integrate and expand it with their applications.

Adifo will also increase its international operations. In specific terms this means that we will intensify our activities in China and the US. In any case, we operate in a fascinating world and are looking forward to the future with great enthusiasm.

31/10/13: Lesaffre Feed Additives strengthens team; Ireland's agri-food trade mission; Canada's grain elevators are full

Lesaffre Feed Additives (LFA), a division of Lesaffre Nutrition & Health, a leading company in probiotic and yeast-based product applications for animal feed, recently announced a new addition to its team.

Dr Frédérique Clusel, will take over as the new managing director of LFA. She will be based at the Lesaffre headquarters in Marcq-en-Baroeul, France.

Clusel graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1993 and holds a Master in Business Administrration (MBA) from HEC Executive Education. With over 20 years’ experience in the animal health sector, Clusel has expertise in management functions worldwide, particularly in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific regions.

Prior to joining LFA, Clusel was group manager at the Swine Business Unit, Europe Middle East and Africa division (EMEA), Zoetis, USA. 

Visit Lesaffre's website.

The Gulf States of Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabis are to receive a major boost from Ireland’s agri-food and equine sector.

Earlier this week, Simon Coveney, minister of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland arrived in the region at the helm of a 60-strong trade mission.

According to estimates from the Irish food board, Bord Bia, Irish food exports to the Gulf amounted to almost €200 million in 2012. Bord Bia estimates there is potential to double that figure by 2020.

Read full article here.

Western Canada's transport systems are under strain as a result of record grain harvests in the Canada's prairie regions. 

According to reports from the Western Grain Elevators Association, shipping terminals in Vancouver and Prince Rupert are running at capacity, prairie grain elevators are full and elevator operators require double number of current rail cars provided in order to to get the waves of grain off farms.
 

"The situation this year is unprecedented," said Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevators Association.

More information here.

Dr Frédérique Clusel is the new managing director of Lesaffre Feed Additives

31/10/13: New! GFMT article: Weighbridges the workhorses of industrial weighing

In this article, Mark Spick, Parkerfarm Weighing Systems, UK discusses the use of weighbridges in the grain, feed and milling sector.

Weighbridges play a vital role in today’s grain, feed and milling industries, providing valuable weight data for incoming and outgoing vehicles at farms, mills, food processing plants, storage facilities and terminals, as well as for bulk loading activities.

Today, a blend of versatile instrumentation, user-friendly software and communication technology is rapidly increasing the scope of weighbridges, thereby expanding their operational and data collection capabilities.

Read the full article here. 

Parkerfarm’s Mark Spick outlines what users should look for in a weighbridge and how new technology is increasing operational efficiency

31/10/13: AB Vista hosts conference presentation: Phytase can add serious value to European poultry production

In a recent presentation that took place during this year’s Union of Poultry Breeders of Ukraine annual conference, held from the 23 - 26 September 2013 in Sudak, Ukraine, Dr Rob ten Doeschate, technical director, AB Vista, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), reviewed the importance of phytase to European poultry producers.

“Phytase feed enzymes are used by most poultry producers worldwide,” he stated. “Since their introduction to improve dietary phosphorus availability in the early 1990s, commercial phytase products have changed substantially, and are now capable of both delivering higher levels of phosphorus release per unit of activity and destroying a higher percentage of the phytase in the diet, giving better matrix values.

“Superdosing is the addition of extra phytase capable of destroying phytate quickly and fully, which is perhaps the most exciting development in recent years. As phytate is an anti-nutrient, this will lead to performance improvements in the target animal greater than those expected from the simple release of nutrients due to added phytase,” Dr ten Doeschate added.

“Typical responses to superdosing include improved live weight gain and feed intake leading to a significant improvement in feed conversion efficiency, with these results confirmed in independent university and commercial trials around the world.”

The Union of Poultry Breeders of Ukraine conference is the largest annual feed industry event held in the Ukraine, with over 300 companies exhibiting in 2013. An audience of more than 60 people, representing all sectors of the Ukrainian poultry industry, attended Dr ten Doeschate’s presentation, which was organised by Brenntag Ukraine, the local distributor for AB Vista feed ingredients.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for those involved in the Ukrainian poultry industry to hear first-hand from an expert on the potential benefits of phytase use in poultry diets, and to gain a better understanding of the negative impact phytate can have on performance,” said Anatoliy Klochko, Brenntag Ukraine’s division manager for animal nutrition.

“There are still significant gains to be made from feed enzyme use here in the Ukraine, and the use of phytase to reduce costs and improve performance through superdosing is set to spread rapidly as the benefits become more widely recognised.”

AB Vista recently held a conference with a focus on Phytase and its value in European poultry production

For more information, contact:

AB Vista

+34 918 591 787

info@abvista.com

Olmix

Olmix group offers natural solutions made with trace elements, clay and red, green and brown algae and proposes a new vision of the additive based on a revolutionary technology with strong prospects for economic development that respects the environment. Click on image to visit Olmix's website.

30/10/13: Storage on farms need to be up-to-the-mark

Controlling insects and pests in grain storage required air-tight silos and other containers if farmers want to protect their crops, according to an industry storage expert from PCB Consulting, Peter Botta. He has been talking to farmers promoting a project that is part of a Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Mr Botta has presented 38 times to growers over the past half year in the run up to harvest in an attempt to improve on-farm storage to protect quality and hygiene. Growing resistance to some insecticides and the removal of dichlorvos from the US market have heightened industry concerns about farm storage.
Read the original story ….

English: Old grain storage barn (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

30/10/13: Decoupling US farm incomes safety net from actual plantings urged

Hot-off-the-press from the National Grain & Feed Trade Association in the USA

As farm bill conferees convene today to begin the process of resolving differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) sent a letter to the conferees making recommendations regarding the commodity section and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Concerning commodity programs, the NGFA urged congressional conferees to decouple farm income safety net programs from actual plantings.  The NGFA noted that historically, when government commodity programs encourage planting that is inconsistent with market demand, it negatively affects markets, international trade relationships and the agriculture industry as a whole.

The NGFA in particular warned that "linking any type of farm program income supports to actual plantings...could risk exposing the United States to potential trade challenges under the World Trade Organization." 

The NGFA also urged conferees to reduce further the CRP acreage cap, while retaining language in the House-passed bill that would allow certain non-environmentally sensitive land to exit the CRP before contract expiration without penalty.

Currently, the House-passed farm bill would reduce the existing 32-million-acre cap to 24 million acres, while the Senate version would lower it to 25 million acres - both through a gradual, stair-step approach over a period of years.

The NGFA noted that the most recent CRP general sign-up results reflect the continued trend toward increased planting of crops on land suitable for production in response to market demand.  If sign-ups remain steady over the next five years, the NGFA wrote, the resulting acres enrolled in the CRP would decline to less than 22 million acres.

Meanwhile, the penalty-free early out provision in the House-passed farm bill would allow CRP contract holders to terminate their contracts in fiscal year 2014, provided the land meets specified criteria and has been enrolled in CRP for at least the previous five years.

NGFA said its farm bill recommendations were designed to establish "a sound farm policy framework for agricultural producers, agribusinesses and the millions of Americans whose jobs depend on a vibrant and flourishing U.S. agriculture."

Established in 1896, the NGFA is a U.S.-based nonprofit trade association that consists of more than 1,050 companies from all sectors of the grain elevator, animal feed and feed ingredient, integrated livestock and poultry, grain processing, biofuels and exporting business.  

NGFA-member companies operate more than 7,000 facilities nationwide that handle more than 70 percent of U.S. grains and oilseeds. Affiliated with the NGFA are 26 state and regional grain, feed and agribusiness trade associations. The NGFA also has strategic alliances with the North American Export Grain Association and Pet Food Institute.

30/10/13: Winter wheat variety brings better than expected yields in the US Pacific Northwest

Harvest results in the US Pacific Northwest indicate that AgriPro brand winter wheat variety, SY Ovation, which Syngenta released commercially to growers just last year, produced top yields throughout the region — as high as 16 bushels per acre better than average.

"The results really speak for themselves," said Ed Driskill, cereals key account manager, Syngenta, Moscow, Idaho on the Ag Professionals website recently. 

"SY Ovation is an extremely well-rounded white wheat variety, proven to be high yielding with good threshability and very good end-use quality. Needless to say, growers who planted it last year are very pleased."

SY Ovation is the first commercially-released certified seed variety in the Pacific Northwest developed using doubled-haploid technology. Along with good stripe rust tolerance, it offers heavy test weights and excellent yield potential. In 2013, this translated to Idaho, Oregon and Washington dryland fields with yields ranging from more than 80 bushels per acre to almost 120 bushels per acre, and irrigated fields with yields close to 165 bushels per acre. Test weights averaged around 60 pounds per bushel. 
Read the full story here ...

 

Winter Wheat. The winter wheat is just beginning to get going, under a threatening sky (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

30/10/13: Event: Turkish International Grain Congress and Exhibition takes place from March 13-16, 2014

Turkish Flour Industrialists’ Federation (TFIF), has the potential to provide large benefits to all its members and a single authority for the entire industry for more comprehensive perspective of the development and surrounding the future strategy and vision of the sector.

In line with industry needs, TFIF conducts studies, looking for solutions to the problems and consistently contributes to the development of the sector. TFIF, both the structure of the board of executive directors and its members, considering all relevant aspects of the industry, spread to all parts of Associations of Turkey. Turkey is a flour exporting country.

Moreover, Turkey is actually leading at world wheat flour trade, both in technology and flour quality.

Between 2005 - 2013, Turkey managed to export around 2,000,000 M/T wheat flour and located at first and second position in world flour trade.

In addition to the Annual General Board Meetings and the International Congress of TFIF, both domestically and internationally, the relevant sectoral meetings in every month, are not only important place for gathering company representatives and industrialists but also for experts and managers of public institutions.

Now, we are pleased to inform you that the Turkish Flour Industrialists’ Federation in cooperation with our partners declare about holding of International Grain Congress and Exhibition namely, “Turkish Flour Industrialists’ Federation, Celebration of 10th Foundation Anniversary and International Congress and Exhibition, March 13-16, 2014, Titanic Deluxe Belek, Antalya, Turkey.

Executive Board of TFIF visited Anıtkabir, monumental mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, in Ankara, Turkey, on January 23, 2004 and gathered the first meeting on April 1, 2004, therefore, the congress and exhibition of the year 2014 will bring the celebration of 10th year anniversary and have a special importance.

This will be largest gathering for flour millers, wheat traders and suppliers, bread and bakery producers in the region with more than 600 national and international delegates and around 50 exhibitors expected. All detailed information will be available at www.tusaf.org. Given the current concerns, this congress seek new opportunities for both existing and new markets, strengthen trade relationships and build new ties, and meeting and connecting with major industry buyers, sellers, and producers.

Among speakers, Ministers for both Turkey and Black Sea Region countries, president of International Association of Operative, International Grain Council and European Flour Millers and public and private sector representatives from important countries and civil society organizations.

The main subject of the Conference is wheat market. The additional subjects, considered during the event are flour and wheat trading, the role of government and regulations and its outcomes.

The target audience of the Conference: Turkish flour producing and trading enterprises, flour importers, grain exporters, wheat purchasers from the countries of the Europe, United States, Black Sea, Middle East and Africa regions.

Traditionally, within the congress frames there will be the exhibition, where the key companies-suppliers of flour producing equipment, engineering companies, public sectors, banks, brokers, traders and others will be presented.

"I would like to inform you that languages of congress will in English/Russian/Turkish.

"On behalf of TFIF, we are well aware of your esteemed position in this industry and it will be our honour to have your support and participation," Erhan Özmen, Chairman of the Executive Board.




 

30/10/13: Feed safety assurance for milling by-products is licensed for delivery

In the coming decades the world population will grow to about 9 billion people, at the same time the welfare level is rising throughout the world. This results in higher demand for safe cereal products for human consumption. At the same time the safety requirements for milling by-products used for animal feeding are also becoming more stringent. 

Meat, dairy and egg products must comply with high food safety standards so demonstrable control of feed and food safety is becoming more and more important for domestic and export markets.

Read the full article written for GFMT by GMP+ and the FRA here …

29/10/13: Meriden unveils new corporate website

Following months in the making, Meriden Animal Health is pleased to announce its new corporate website, www.meriden-ah.com

The new site underwent a complete overhaul with the aim of making it more user-friendly and easier to navigate. The content has been reviewed and re-written to incorporate updated information and provide customers with the information they are looking for.

Features and interactive elements have been added to make the site easier to navigate, so you can find the information you need in fewer clicks. The interactive timeline provides an insight into the history of Meriden, whilst the interactive map makes it quicker and easier to find your regional office.

'This website is the result of feedback from our valued customers.  The marketing team has put time and effort into ensuring that all the information on our new website is up-to-date and easily accessible.  We hope our customers enjoy exploring the new website and find the information they need,' said Lisa Falconer, brand manager, Meriden.

The new corporate website forms the heart of Meriden's online presence.  This is the final website in their range of online platforms to be updated.  Our other websites include www.orego-stim.com, the website for Meriden's flagship product Orego-Stim and www.meriden-fusion.com, the website for the Fusion Feed Safety Range of mycotoxin binders.

Meriden's new corporate website forms the heart of its online presence

29/10/13: Alltech's Career Development Program; supporting the link from food to feed; Bunge acquires Mexican mills

The second annual Career Development Program organised by animal health and nutrition company Alltech has been launched.

Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, announced a further ten vacancies for the program, which takes place in February 2014.

Graduates will have the opportunity to work with some of the world’s top specialists in the fields of science, aquaculture, marketing, veterinary science, I.T., business and biotechnology.

Deadline for applications is 2 December 2013.

Full announcement available here.

Earlier this year, an industry association was set up to promote the use of recovered food waste in animal feed. The European Former Foodstuff Processors Association (EFFPA) focuses on the interests of businesses which specialise in the processing of former foods for use in animal feed in all EU member states.

Using former foodstuffs in animal feed has been practised since ancient times, the sector however, has never been formerly represented. Until now.

EFFPA held its 1st General Assembly in Brussels this month, aiming for an official launch of the association on 1 January 2014. It is a part of EFFPA’s mission to include as many operators as possible in the association, all for the benefit of a more professionalised former foodstuff processors sector.

EFFPA estimates that former foodstuff processors in member countries now process appoximately 3 million tonnes of former foodstuffs into animal feed.

For more information, visit the EFFPA website.

Bunge North America, an branch of food operating corporation, Bunge Limited, has agreed to buy the wheat milling business of agribusiness group Grupo Altex. 

As a leading Mexican wheat miller, Grupo Altex operates six mills with an annual processing capacity of approximately 800 thousand metric tons. Its product portfolio includes bread flour, prepared flours for baked goods, tortillas and pizza and semolina for pasta.

"This investment further strengthens our core food and ingredients segment by building on the consistent success of our North American milling business," said Gordon Hardie, managing director, Food & Ingredients, Bunge Limited.

Visit the Bunge website for the full release.

The EFFPA food waste hierachy promotes animal feed as the most sustainable option for foodstuffs no longer suitable for human consumption.

29/10/13: New! GFMT article: Traceability in the food and feed supply chain

In this article, Chris Knight, head of agriculture, Campden BRI, UK discusses traceability in the food and feed supply chain. 

Traceability identifies the path from where a product originated to where it has been supplied, and consists as a series of interlinking chain of records either between process steps in an individual food (or feed) business operation and/or between different stages in a food supply chain.

Read the full article here. 

The requirements for traceability apply  to any business that trades in food at all stages of the food chain.

O&J Højtryk

O&J Højtryk's core areas of business include mechanical engineering, the re-working of dies and rollers for the manufacture of feedstuffs and bio-pellets, as well as the sale and delivery of wearing parts in connection with roller re-working. Click on image to visit O&J Højtryk's website.

28/10/13: Event: Breakfast Cereals Americas - Practical Short Course 2013

Breakfast Cereals are created in a wide range. Given that technologies for making breakfast cereals vary and evolve continuously, a better understanding of raw material properties and how to integrate these in products is a key element for business development. 

Organised by Smart Short Courses, a joint operation of ID&A Ignace Debruyne & Associates and Filtration and Membrane World (represented by Ignace Debruyne, PhD and Sefa Koseoglu, PhD) the 'Processing and Production Technologies for Breakfast Cereals' course will offer a full review of existing technologies and ways in which to apply tin order to produce great quality products for the Latin American market.

Who should attend Breakfast Cereals Americas?

Decision makers such as product technicians, R & D engineers, engineering supervisors, Q&A technicians, project engineers, process improvement engineers, business development managers, sales and marketing specialists, equipment manufacturers, product formulators, plant engineers, processors, chemists, and technicians.

Breakfast Cereals Americas will take place at the Le Meridien Panama Hotel, Panama City from the 2 - 3 December 2013.

To take advantage of the early bird discount, register on or before 3 November 2013!

Early bird registration: US$795

Standard registration: US$945

Academic registration: US$495

Full Registration includes access to all presentations, short course manuals, lunches and coffee breaks

For a full program list and registration details, visit the Smart Short Course website.

For more information, contact:

Sefa Koseoglu,

Tel: +1 979 216 1210

Email: sefa.koseoglu@membraneworld.com

Processing and Production Technologies for Breakfast Cereals short course

28/10/13: Kemin's CLOSTAT use in turkeys; Hopkins analysis on animal production report; GM rice passes China safety tests

Back in July, at a Standing Committee for Animal Nutrition (SCFCAH) meeting, the European Commission voted to authorise the use of Kemin Industries microbial CLOSTAT. The probiotic is used in turkeys for fattening, an extension of its existing approval for use in chickens, minor poultry species and piglets. 

CLOSTAT supports intestinal health by maintaining a natural microflora balance. Supporting the responsible use of antibiotics, testimonials from various veteraniarians and producers reveal that  CLOSTAT is effective in maintaining a balanced gastrointestinal tract, reducing intestinal disorders.

Visit Kemin's website. 

Five years ago the independent Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP) released a report highlighting the health, environmental and animal welfare issues. The report, which was released in April 2008, detailed problems caused by industrial food and animal production.

In a follow-up anaylsis released this month, the John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF), Maryland, USA has suggested that since the initial report US Congress have acted regressively in policymaking on these issues.

“There has been an appalling lack of progress. The failure to act by the USDA and FDA, the lack of action or concern by the Congress, and continued intransigence of the animal agriculture industry have made all of our problems worse, ” said Robert S. Lawrence, MD, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

View the original report Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America here.

Following tests on genetically modified (GM) rice, researchers at China’s Agricultural University (CAU) have concluded that the crop presents no abnormalities.

The results came after 90 days’ of tests to determine whether GM food presents any health risks.

The research drew widespread attention following news that the test were being carried out on animals. Huang Kunlun, head of research and professor at CAU said that guinea pigs and monkeys were used in the testing as their digestive and nutrition processing systems possess strong similarities to that of humans. 
Read the full story here.

John Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

28/10/13: VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific roll out national livestock exhibitions in Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia

VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. recently revealed the success of its ILDEX exhibitions that took place in Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia this year. 

The 2013 events welcomed more than 200 exhibitors and 10,000 qualified visitors from over 30 countries around the world including Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Netherlands, India, South Korea and Japan.

Participants were able to exchange knowledge, update new trends and take part in business discussions.  As a result, ILDEX is rolling out a host of new exhibitions in 2014.

Following the success of its 2013 trade exhibition, VNU is set to kick start 2014 with the 5th installment of ILDEX Vietnam, scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Min City from 19 – 21 March 2014. As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the exhibition will focus  on the Vietnamese livestock and agriculture market, incorporating a variety of conferences and technical seminars. 

ILDEX Vietnam will be held in  the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

As well as its Vietnam exhibition, VNU has also initiated a new and unique platform - Ildex Thailand on the Move - that aims to consolidate visitors and exhibitors in Thailand's main provinces; Nakorn Sri Thammarat, Chiangmai, Nakorn Pathom and Nakorn Ratchasima.

With a population of over 66 million, Thailand is one of the world's leading producers of agriculture, livestock and food industry products.

The Royal Thai Government (RTG) together with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), the Board of Investment (BOI), and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAA) are committed in leading the country to become the "Kitchen of the World".
 

With the support of the Thai government and related associations, ILDEX Thailand on the Move will  welcome the newest livestock, dairy and aquaculture technology in order to enhance and support the production and supply chain.

ILDEX Thailand on the Move will bring together exhibitors and visitors in a roadshow that spans the country's  four main provinces

For more information, contact:
Ms. Nathaporn
Tel: +66 2 670 0900 ext. 109
Email: nathaporn.vas@vnuexhibitionsap.com

28/10/13: New! GFMT article: Increasing Pet food throughput

In this article, the production process and packaging of pet food is discussed. 

Ingrained within Suffolk history, Skinners Pet Foods has been producing dog food for over 40 years in their mill, which has been in operation since 1688. 

Read the full article here. 

Increasing Pet food throughput

Muyang

Muyang specialise in feed manufacturing, grain milling, environment protection, food processing, bulk solids handling and storage, steel structure building as well as industrial automation. Click on image to visit Muyang's website.

25/10/13: Constraints threaten EU feed and livestock producers

The EU market requirements for feed materials, estimated at approximately 200 million tonnes/year and representing 15% of the global feed market, have started to deviate substantially from other continents because of societal and political dynamics, resulting in ever increasing constraints and specifications for our feed supply, says Ruud Tijssens, new president of The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) and director of corporate affairs in Agrifirm Group, based in The Netherlands. He succeeded Patrick Vanden Avenne, who has been FEFAC’s President since 2010, in June 2013.

"These developments have a direct effect on feed security for the long-term which could undermine the EU livestock industry’s competitiveness. The EU holds very different views and standards compared to other world regions when it comes to food safety, genetic modification of crops and sustainability. At the same time, the EU remains highly dependent on imports for the supply of several critical commodities, such as protein-rich feed materials and essential minerals, e.g. phosphates. 

In his Federation's e-Newsletter published today, Mr Tijssens says, "The EU feed industry is faced with an increasingly complex supply of feed materials when doing business with its trading partners, as our companies operate on the same global market with powerful upcoming markets such as China and India, who don’t demand the same specifications. The EU already lost preferential buyer status for many key exporters as a result. 

"Feed business operators have to comply with very strict rules as regards EU food safety. 

"This led to the situation where the EU feed industry had to deal with an aflatoxin crisis this year because a large consignment of maize from South-Eastern Europe was deemed unsuitable for feed use, though this very same batch was eventually exported and processed as cattle feed in the United States because of more lenient standards. 

"In addition, increasing political and market demands for sustainable feed material supply are creating new pressures for our sector seeking to meet the societal demands. Our sector already successfully demonstrated that innovative improvements in resource efficiency go hand in hand with environmental gains. 

"However, all the above-mentioned deviations create an unlevel playing field on the global market and may pose a serious threat to the competitiveness of the EU livestock industry in the long term." 
He is calling on national governments and European institutions to work together with the whole EU feed and livestock chain in the current round of negotiations on Free Trade Agreements in order to secure access to the global market of feed materials. 

FEFAC does recognise and support the objective laid down in the new CAP to reducing our dependency on imports by supporting Research and Development, Innovation and Investment in the local production of vegetable protein and the safe feed use of processed animal protein, including insects, and former foodstuffs. 

However, the EU needs to establish a policy framework on food and feed security which identifies access to feed materials as a key strategic goal. After all, we want to maintain a sustainable livestock industry meeting societal demands, while creating added value and jobs in rural communities by taking advantage of the growing global demand for animal products, he adds. 

Ruud Tijssens, Director, Corporate Affairs in Agrifirm Group, The Netherlands and FEFAC's President