The Global Miller: September 2016

September 29, 2016

30/09/2016: Campden BRI tour, part 2

by Andrew Wilkinson and Malachi Stone, Milling and Grain

Excellence through knowledge and investigation

Just on the outskirts of the Cotswold town of Chipping Campden, set amongst the Cotswold stone buildings, you will find the head offices of Campden BRI.

Campden BRI is a dynamic, cutting-edge research organisation, which counts some of the biggest global players in the food and drink industry as its members. It has been supporting the food and drink industry for over 90 years.

Boasting a total of 3,000 square metres of labs and 3,500 square metres of pilot plant, the team of 350 staff at Campden BRI provides the food and drink industry with practical scientific, technical and advisory services needed to ensure product safety and quality, as well studying the efficiency of both processes and production.

www.campdenbri.co.uk

They also train thousands of food and drink specialists each year. The work carried out by Campden BRI covers four main areas: analysis and testing, knowledge management, research and innovation and operational support.

Analysis and testing Relevant, reliable and timely analytical results are essential for the food and drink industry.

The analysis of food – from the raw materials and ingredients and through processing to the final end product – is an important part of managing food safety, quality and authenticity. Results are the basis for many big decisions.

Campden BRI offer a wide range of analyses, including assessing ingredients’ suitability for purpose, and microbiological and contaminant testing, to determining the composition and authenticity of food, foreign body analysis, packaging and sensory analysis.

During our tour we were shown Campden BRI’s state of the art sensory facilities. Many retailers and manufacturers call on Campden BRI’s help when developing new products to carry out discrimination tests - such as triangle tests - to investigate potential taint problems or the effects on the product of changes in ingredients or process.

Read the full article HERE.

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which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

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Allstate Tower company profile

AST is a full service tower contracting firm.

AST manufactures solid rod, self-supporting, guyed towers and monopoles for the broadcast, cable, utility and telecommunications industries.

AST’s most recent addition includes elevator support towers, catwalks/conveyor supports and all accessories for agricultural and bulk material handling applications.

AST’s designers and AutoCAD staff utilize EIA/TIA, IBC, AWS and AISC standards in conjunction with Weisman and RISA programs for tower design and finite element analysis to ensure structural integrity.

AST’s drafting department is state of the art utilising AutoCAD 2012 and 3D modeling software.

AST provides maintenance and repair services across the United States that include: painting, plumb & tension, re-guying, inspection, re-lamping, structural analysis, structural modification, foundation repair and antenna work.

Visit the website HERE.

30/09/2016: Phytogenic Feed Additive Market to Double Every 7 Years, says BIOMIN

Healthy demand for phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) in livestock production should cause annual global sales to grow four-fold by 2030, according to calculations by BIOMIN.

The botanicals market has grown rapidly in recent years, having already topped US$500 million in global sales in 2015.

Worldwide sales will cross the US$1 billion threshold by 2023 and could reach US$2 billion annually by 2030.

“Looking at numerous scenarios based on feed production trends, evolving consumer demands, changes in livestock production including antibiotic-free and antibiotic reduction strategies, and the growing demand for animal protein products, by 2030 we can expect the PFA market to total between US$1.7 billion and US$2 billion,” explained Michael Noonan, Global Product Manager Phytogenics at BIOMIN.

Efficiency gains
“Improving feed efficiency is a perennial concern for the livestock industry,” said Mr Noonan.

Feed costs represent anywhere from 50% to 80% of production costs, depending on the livestock species and country.

“Particularly in the context of competitive global animal-protein markets, efficiency matters. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) improvement that Digestarom® delivers makes it an indispensable tool for animal performance and profitability,” he added.

www.biomin.net

Market drivers
Though roughly 3% of the 1.2 billion tons of feed used worldwide today include these plant-based products, PFA inclusion in livestock feed should grow considerably by 2030.

This represents growth in global market demand of 8% to 10% per year on average. “Some of the largest and most sophisticated livestock operations have been early-adopters of phytogenic feed additives, and have continued to use them in light of the benefits that they have achieved,” said Mr Noonan.

Consumer preferences have shifted considerably in recent years, as efforts to phase out antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and coccidiostats have accelerated in countries worldwide, including Brazil, China and the United States.

Antibiotic reduction and the uptake of novel growth promoters (NGPs) to optimize feed costs, improve efficiency and reduce emissions should boost demand worldwide for PFAs in the future.

Read more HERE.

30/09/2016: Cargill enters partnership with Japfa for poultry products in Indonesia

Joint venture brings together two leading industry players to produce tasty, high-quality, and safe chicken products Joint venture is Cargill’s first entry in the poultry business in Indonesia, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to invest in the country Singapore.

Cargill and So Good Food, a wholly-owned Indonesian subsidiary of leading agri-food company Japfa, have entered into a 60-40 joint venture to produce and supply fully-cooked poultry products in Indonesia.

The strategic partnership will leverage Cargill’s broad industry expertise to boost So Good Food’s capabilities in consumer food processing technologies, product innovation and quality assurance.

Cargill and Japfa will also work together to produce a new range of value-added consumer food products.

Besides toll manufacturing for So Good Food, the joint venture company, Cahaya Gunung Foods (Shining Mountain Foods), will supply high quality products to well-established and reputable quick service restaurants (“QSR”); hotels, restaurants, and the food service sector (“HORECA”); as well as convenience stores and petrol kiosks (“CVS”) in Indonesia.

Cahaya Gunung Foods will also have the capability to export products to the region.

Cementing Partnership, Strengthening Capabilities
Derek Schoonbaert of Cargill was appointed Managing Director of Cahaya Gunung Foods and he stated: “Indonesia is an important growth market for Cargill. This is our first venture in the poultry business in Indonesia and we are excited to be partnering with Japfa.

We will implement our world-class systems and processes to ensure high quality chicken products through our broad industry expertise and quality standards. Cargill enters partnership with Japfa for poultry products in Indonesia.

Caption: From left: Hans Kabat - President,
Cargill Protein Southeast Asia; Dirk Djatmiko
– Senior Vice President, PT So Good Food;
Derek Schoonbaert - Managing Director of PT
Cahaya Gunung Foods

On Japfa’s latest partnership, Mr Tan Yong Nang, Chief Executive Officer of Japfa, explained, “We are pleased to further cement our relationship with Cargill, whom we have had a long standing business relationship with. To be selected as Cargill’s JV partner is testament of Japfa’s high quality, food safety and welfare standards. We look forward to strengthening our capabilities and know-how with Cargill’s broad industry expertise, and deliver even better quality chicken products.”

Cahaya Gunung Foods will initially opera
te out of So Good Food’s existing value-added meat plant at Boyolali, Indonesia and take over the employment of the employees at the processing facility.

Both companies will look to invest and expand the operations together, focusing on new premium products.

Meanwhile, So Good Food will continue to operate its four meat processing plants in Indonesia, focused on producing downstream branded ready-to-eat consumer food products such as chicken nuggets, meat balls and shelf-stable sausages.

Growing Appetite in Indonesia
According to Euromonitor, Indonesia is the largest foodservice market in ASEAN. The value sales for Indonesia’s foodservice market grew at a compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of 8.7% from 2010 to 2014, reaching US$36.8 billion in 2014, which was about US$14 billion higher than the next largest ASEAN market, Thailand.

Full-service restaurants, fast food and street stalls/kiosks are the top three growth drivers for Indonesia’s foodservice market. The sales value of the foodservice market is estimated to increase at a CAGR of 9.0% from 2015 to 2019 to hit US$56.3 million by end 2018.

“As the world’s fourth most populous nation, Indonesia’s foodservice market offers immense opportunities. Today, our So Good, So Good Sozzis and So Nice brands are already award-winning household brands in Indonesia for processed meats such as chicken nuggets, meat balls and shelf-stable sausages. Our JV with Cargill will take us a step further into new growth segments such as HORECA and CVS with a wider range of consumer food products,” concluded Mr Tan.

Lambton Conveyor company profile

Family owned since 1965, Lambton Conveyor Limited is a multinational manufacturer of grain, storage, material handling, drying and feed equipment. They provide an ever-expanding line of innovative and practical products.

Products include: bucket elevators, chain conveyors, tube conveyors, screw conveyors, flow system accessories, grain bins, bin unloads, bin dryers, gravity screen cleaners, pellet mills, hammer mills, mixers, coolers, crumblers and custom fabrications.

Almost all of the equipment produced by Lambton Conveyor is fabricated using galvanised steel. The galvanised coating ensures a long service life and a low maintenance finish.

Most products are also available in stainless steel and painted mild steel upon request or depending on the application.

Lambton equipment can be seen around the world in varying environments and applications.

The modular design of our equipment provides our customers with flexibility and assembly efficiencies.

From the local farmer to the commercial processor they have a reputation for providing high quality and cost effective equipment.

Visit the website HERE.

29/09/2016: Analysers, farm to factory

by Phillip Clancy, Next Instruments, Australia

The challenge has been to design instrumentation that is powerful yet simple to operate and maintain.

NIR analysers are now available for use in all aspects of food production; right from ‘farm to factory.’ Australian company Next Instruments specialises in designing and manufacturing NIR analysers for use by farmers, grain traders, grain processors and food manufacturers.

Firstly, farmers do often have science and engineering degrees, but their primary job is to grow and reap their crops. Therefore, the tools that they use to assist them in this process need to be easy to use, rugged and reliable.

Secondly, grain buyers and grain processing companies typically have a laboratory, or at least an office to operate instruments.

However the instruments still have to perform the tasks quickly and simply; with the information generated easily accessible in this digital age.

And finally, food manufacturers want to use information to improve their product quality and their operational productivity. NIR analysers can play a useful role in the process of taking grains and oil seeds from the farm to the supermarket shelves.

Description
Next Instruments’ broad range of NIR analysers is based on a simple diode array spectrometer that has a relatively small footprint, has no moving parts, is fairly low cost to manufacture; whilst still being both rugged and reliable.

Figure 1: Schematic of Diode Array Spectrometer

Figure 1 shows a schematic of this diode array spectrometer.

Light from a tungsten halogen lamp shines through a sample of grains, powder, slurry or liquid. The light energy is absorbed by the protein, moisture, oil and sugars present in the sample.

The transmitted light is focused into the spectrometer where the light gets separated into its component wavelengths. The separated light, called the NIR spectrum (see figure 2), is projected onto a silicon photodiode array detector that is also used in photocopiers and flatbed scanners.

The detectors in the array measure the intensity of the light that hits each receptor, with protein absorbing at a specific wavelength - 1020nm, whilst water absorbs at 970nm, oil at 905nm and sugars at 820nm.

By measuring the amount of light that hits each detector element, then the amount of light absorbed at each wavelength can be calculated.

Figure 2: NIT Spectra of Grains and Oilseeds

This allows the instrument to measure the concentration of each component. The more light that is absorbed, the higher the concentration. Typically this simple diode array spectrometer typically weighs approximately 7kg and is the size of a lunch box.

The spectrometer can be fitted to an instrument chassis with the appropriate sampling mechanism to make a NIR analyser for many different applications.

On Farm NIR Analysers
The CropScan range of On Farm NIR Analyser includes the CropScan 1000 and 3000 configurations.

The CropScan 1000G (see figure 3) is a portable whole grain analyser designed to provide farmers with the ability to measure their grains before the truck leaves the farm gate.

The 1000G can be run from a car adapter and suits operation in a utility vehicle, a tractor or a combine. Grain can be analysed in less than 60 seconds for protein, moisture and oil.

The farmer can use the information to segregate the crop by protein and oil in order to capture ‘higher-grade’ premiums. The superior accuracy of the NIR for measuring moisture provides farmers with the ability to know when to strip and when to dry their grains.

The CropScan 3000H On Combine Analyser is the only proven whole grain analyser to operate on virtually any combine harvester.

Read the full article HERE.

29/09/2016: Statement from US DDGS organisations on China preliminary determination in countervailing duties investigation

A statement from the US Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA):

“We are disappointed that the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) has issued a preliminary determination claiming US dried distiller’s grains with or without solubles (DDGS) are being unfairly subsidised by US government entities and have caused injury to the China’s DDGS industry.

Image: futureatlas.com

“US DDGS have not caused any injury to China’s DDGS producers. This announcement is not a surprise given MOFCOM’s treatment of the US DDGS industry last week.

"US DDGS play an important role in protecting Chinese feed producers and households against unpredictable swings in global commodity prices.

"We will continue cooperating fully with these investigations, and we remain hopeful that MOFCOM will find in its final determination that continued access for US DDGS is in China’s interest."

Read more HERE.

September 27, 2016

28/09/2016: The Sweet CalorMatic

The company has invented, designed, perfected and manufactured in-house a very clever multi-purpose heat processor called the ‘CalorMatic’.

It offers a new concept for the economical, efficient, uniformed and clean thermal treatment for a large variety of products, by-products and materials.

It basically roasts, toasts and dries grains; for example, it takes moisture out of the soybeans making the soy a better protein for the feed industry, giving better enzyme activity and conversion for bette§r feed energy.

It’s a hybrid product, it’s more like a dryer.

These units are available in different sizes.

Sweet indicated that they have sold multiple units to a customer in the US that processes specialty products for the dairy and animal industries.

I was taken outside to see first-hand this awesome machine, this working model is kept onsite to run tests for potential customers to see if it will extract the right amount of moisture from the different products received.

This CalorMatic has a powerful fan that pulls air from the outside and forces it through a flame burner which fills a chamber with heated air under the conveyor.

Read the full article HERE.

Max Porter (Mysilo) company profile

Installing a grain storage facility is a very complicated operation. Many parameters need to be considered, such as climate conditions, features of the stored grain and specific loading and unloading requirements.

This is where the Mysilo team comes in, both as a consulting service and also for installing your turn-key facility.

Supplied by the world’s finest steel mills, the high-strength galvanized steel used in Mysilo’s construction work is shaped in their own entirely computerised workshops.

Visit the Mysilo website HERE

28/09/2016: Binmaster 3DLevelScanner makes a mountain out of a molehill harvest 2016

When you put your grain into storage, manage it with an inventory management system that is accurate within one percent to three percent of capacity.

Only the non-contact 3D scanner measures and maps multiple points on the material surface. Radar and laser only measure one point.

Binmaster 3DLevelScanner

More measurement points mean more volumetric accuracy to truly maximise storage capacity. And only the 3D system gives you a 3D visual of how grain is piled in your bin.

See cone up, cone down, buildup, and manage your filling for maximum capacity.

The bigger the bin, the more measurement points you'll need for greater accuracy. 3D offers a multiple sensor configuration for the biggest bins.

By combining the measurement points from all sensors, you get volume accuracy you won't get from any other sensor.

A 3D inventory system has all this:

•             RS-485 or 4-20 mA output compatible with your HMI
•             MultiVision software for monitoring all bins on your secure LAN
•             Wireless radios to get your data from the bins to a PC or network switch
•             Self-cleaning acoustic technology with minimal maintenance and no air purge
•             The only sensor with optional 3D visualisation of bin topography

Read more HERE

28/09/2016: Brabender Quadrumat Junior, a facelift for the laboratory mill that simulates practical conditions

Brabender’s universal use laboratory flour mill is an easy to operate classic when it comes to preparing samples of wheat, spelt, rye, barley and rice for quality analyses.

It works on a roller basis in a multi-stage milling process, which creates standardised laboratory flours in just a single pass – with reproducible test results in a realistic simulation of the production process.

The Brabender Quadrumat Junior is a precision laboratory mill
for producing test flours that simulate practical conditions.

The Quadrumat Junior quickly delivers precise products in lab scale, which, in terms of dough, yield and baking properties, almost match commercially produced milled grain products.

The ground material is separated and collects in a powder/bran drawer, where it can be subjected to standard inspections, such as with a Farinograph, Extensograph, Amylograph or Alveograph, or for sample size calculation.

Brabender also supplies three accessory components that enable you to expand the Quadrumat Junior for use in special applications:

- The Brabender Bran Duster gently separates adherent flour particles from the bran, and therefore increases the flour yield by 10 percent.

- A special 150-micrometer sieve enables Alveograph-specific standard flour to be produced.

- The device is optimised for analysis according to the AACC 26-50 method.

- A special version of the Quadrumat Junior is available for use with durum wheat.

New version with user-friendly features
The closed grinding process enables maximum separation of the endosperm from the exosperm – while at the same time gently reducing the size of the flour and bran particles.

The flour’s yield can be tuned according to type specifications, making quality assessments close to practical conditions possible in the lab.

Easy to clean design: Round sifter easier to remove

The recently introduced new version of the Quadrumat Junior offers a whole range of improvements that make it even more user friendly:

- The cleaning procedure has been simplified for this latest version: The housing can now be opened, and direct access to the now removable round sifter enables cleaning in no time at all.

- Larger flour and bran drawers improve manageability when in continuous use.

- The unavoidable noise levels resulting from the realistic milling process combined with the performance level have been significantly reduced.

- The equipment meets current safety standards.

- And last but not least, the housing is now more robust, as a result of comprehensive materi-al tests based on everyday use.

- Also available to order is an optional lamp that provides light in the separator area, making it easy to monitor the separation process at all times.

Brabender has therefore brought its Quadrumat Junior high quality laboratory mill – for use in the milling, cultivation and research sectors, as well as by baked goods and pasta product manufacturers – up to the very latest technical standards.

September 26, 2016

27/09/2016: On-Store, an alternative option for temporary storage of grain

On-farm grain storage can be a key component of any farmer’s grain marketing plan, but what if you don’t have enough?

In an article recently published on Ohio Country Journal by Ty Higgins, an alternative method of grain storage was introduced, it might just be what some farms need to leverage what they harvest this fall.

On-Store is a new, fully aerated temporary grain storage system that is offered as a 20,000 or 50,000 bushel system.

“The most important aspect of On-Store systems, with the widening basis and new for immediate storage, is that these can be up and operational in just one day,” said Scott Gladish, On-Store’s national sales director.

Image: Alternative heat

“So, you’ve got all that additional storage in a small amount of time and added flexibility with harvest time logistics when there is no need to choose between sitting at the elevator or sitting in a combine.”

The On-Store systems consist of a galvanised steel grain ring, grain vac unloading system ports and an aeration system that is equipped with a five or 10-horsepower fan. “Farmers are utilising these units to hedge against the markets, which have not been friendly as of late,” Mr Gladdish said.

“The markets don’t care if farmers have issues or if their cost of production is higher than what corn pays, but if you are able to increase storage it can allow for better hedging against these lower markets.”

Read more HERE.

Mysilo company profile

Installing a grain storage facility is a very complicated operation. Many parameters need to be considered, such as climate conditions, features of the stored grain and specific loading and unloading requirements.

This is where the Mysilo team comes in, both as a consulting service and also for installing your turn-key facility.

Supplied by the world’s finest steel mills, the high-strength galvanised steel used in Mysilo’s construction work is shaped in their own entirely computerised workshops.

Visit the website HERE.

27/09/2016: New charitable incorporated organisation “Milling4Life”

by Clifford Spencer

Welcome to Milling4Life a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation dedicated to the prevention and alleviation of poverty, financial hardship and malnutrition and enhancing food security through promoting sustainable milling.

The first project is to introduce the benefits of modern milling technology and practice to a wider audience on the African continent through targeted knowledge transfer.

For example, the charity plans to invite two African candidates from each selected African country to visit a major milling event (be it a conference or exhibition) for an intensive week of knowledge acquisition.

Clifford Spencer

These candidates will benefit from sponsored travel and accommodation with the visit purpose being to intensively acquire knowledge of the milling industry.

The candidates will then return home armed with this knowledge and with continuing contact with the parties they have met in that formative week.

The organisation has the great advantage of the advice and experience of the African Union’s agency ‘New Partnership for Africa’s Development’ (NEPAD) in this task.

In particular the agency will assist in the initial selection of candidates and for this we are exceptionally grateful to this esteemed organisation which sits at the heart of African continental policy.

The first and formative meetings of the Milling4Life charities trustees and interested organising parties will take place at the IAOM Conference and Exhibition at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on October 24-27, 2016.

NEPAD will participate in an opening Panel Discussion on Tuesday October 25 the subject, ‘Feeding the Fastest Growing Economies of East Africa.’

This panel discussion will be moderated by Buhler African Milling School’s Martin Schlauri (you will find elsewhere in this issue the importance the Buhler Group is now placing on the milling industry’s to respond and meet the food demands of a world of nine billion by 2050) and already includes Abubaker Bakhresa, Nick Hutchinson and the Ethiopian Millers Association as confirmed panelists.

Milling4Life will also arrange a reception on the afternoon of Thursday October 27 as a closed invitation where we will outline in more detail the role of Milling4Life working with NEPAD.

The agency will also give a more detailed explanation of its work and role in Africa.

In our modern high-tech world it is difficult to contemplate the reality that many people still cannot afford to pay for milled grain products – or for animal protein products produced through feed milling. Milling for Life wants to play its part in bringing about change in a range of milling sectors.

Read the full article HERE.

27/09/2016: EuroTier 2016, impulse generator for the animal production industry

by Dr Reinhard Grandke, Director General of the DLG (German Agriculture Society), Frankfurt, am Main.

The world’s leading trade fair for animal production, EuroTier, will present future solutions for agriculture from 15 to 18 November at the Exhibition Centre Hanover.

This will give rise to 251 innovations which have been registered with the event organiser DLG (German Agriculture Society) by the exhibitors. Innovations will be shown that sustainably increase and secure business success.

Dr Reinhard Grandke

On the other hand, the solutions contribute to the further improvement of animal welfare and environmentally-friendly production conditions, as well as the working conditions. Additionally, international expertise from industry, farming, science and consultation is present at EuroTier.

With its unique information offer, EuroTier provides orientation for managing the current and future tasks in agricultural livestock husbandry. It is the international future forum for modern animal production and the most important impulse generator for the individual farmer as much as for the entire industry.

2,523 exhibitors from 57 countries will provide a complete offer for all areas of modern animal production. With this, EuroTier reports a new record number of registrations. The registration numbers have increased by approximately 4 percent when compared with the previous record result of four years ago.

The exhibition area has also reached a new record size with more than 280,000 m2. Therefore, the professional animal keepers from all over the world are offered even more information than ever before.

Outstanding contribution from abroad
Companies from abroad are solely responsible for the increase in exhibitor numbers. With 1,453 companies (58 percent), foreign firms are represented more strongly than never before. The majority of the exhibitors from abroad come from the Netherlands (231 companies).

Large contributions are also made by China (179), France (148), Italy (133), Denmark (86), Spain (78), Great Britain (69), Turkey (62), Belgium (55), Austria (54) and Poland (47).

DLG sees this high foreign contribution as a clear sign of the continuing global alignment of the enterprises and the agricultural economics with their international interrelations. The firms want to make targeted use of the EuroTier platform to open up new markets.

High information requirement of animal producers
The amount of information required by animal producers is still high. Farm and herd managers require the most modern and professional concepts to make their farms fit for the future.

This applies to all questions in the areas breeding, feeding, husbandry, management, logistics and especially in the areas animal health and animal welfare. Solutions required for a yield increase along the entire value added chain, from production to the end product. At EuroTier, the latest findings and approaches are discussed in many professional lectures and discussion rounds on all the exhibition days.

As the Bundesverband Praktizierender Tierärzte (bpt, Federal Association of Practising Veterinary Surgeons) will be holding its annual congress again at the same time as the EuroTier on the trade fair area in Hanover, there will be an intensive exchange of opinions between veterinarians and farmers from all over the world on questions of animal health.

Challenge nutrition
The challenge to feed ten billion people in the future - with food in sufficient amounts and quality - has not changed, neither has the increasing demand for agricultural products for energy and material supplies.

That the global demands for agricultural products, for food, fuel, and fibre will double in the coming decades is well-known and remains the challenge for the agricultural industry. This challenge can only be answered by a modern agriculture.

This will need to apply technological innovations and methods and with them efficiently utilise the scarcest factors of all, the fertile arable land and grassland areas, while at the same time minimising the load on the environment.

Spirits in European farming still dampened
German farmers still view the current economic situation cautiously. This is shown by the preliminary results of the current DLG trend monitor from autumn 2016.

Even though the prices for slaughter pigs have clearly increased, pig keepers are emerging from a one-year-long phase of low prices. Dairy farmers are still in a difficult price situation, where securing liquidity is in the foreground.

Cash crop producers must be prepared for a phase of low prices, as the globally large grain harvest, especially in the Black Sea region, is leading to price pressure. Against this background, German, French and Polish farmers still view the current economic situation cautiously.

However, British farmers are happier with the economic situation than they were even in spring 2016.

British farmers more confident again
As the DLG trend monitor further points out, the German and Polish farmers continue to have cautious expectations for the business development in the next twelve months.

The business prospects of farmers in France have also deteriorated considerably. The by far below average harvest there, is causing incomes to drop, especially those from grain exports. Furthermore, the situation of the dairy and pig farmers continues to be tense.

In Great Britain, the farmers are clearly more confident about future business development. The Brexit decision is coupled to hopes for farming with fewer stipulations, even if it is unclear, how well a renationalised agricultural policy will be financed.

Regressive willingness to invest in Germany, France, and Poland
Farmers in Germany, France, and Poland are planning to invest less in the coming twelve months. A different picture in Great Britain: The willingness to invest increased by 8 percent to the current 32 percent.

In Germany, compared with the spring survey, the pig farmers reduced investments (minus seven per cent) as did cash crop farmers (minus seven per cent) and the dairy farmers (minus three per cent). While dairy farmers in Britain are willing to invest more (plus ten per cent), the dairy farmers in France are further reducing their investments (minus seven per cent).

The willingness to invest of the Polish dairy farmers is about stable when compared to the spring survey. All in all, the willingness of dairy farmers to invest remains below average in comparison with the last few years, as the current market situation does not allow much space for investment.

Even though it seems that milk payouts have bottomed out, dairy farmers still have to be prepared for further months with low price levels until cost neutral prices are reached.

The willingness to invest also differs among the pig farmers: While the willingness to invest has risen by plus 19 per cent to now 40 per cent in Great Britain, the pig farmers have reduced their investment plans now by two per cent to now 37 per cent.

German pig farmers reduced investments by minus three per cent to 38 per cent and only 15 per cent of the French pig farmers (minus ten per cent) are willing to invest. Following the low in prices in 2015/2016, the pig prices have now risen considerably.

However, at the moment, securing liquidity and building up liquidity reserves is the focus of the farm managers.

Furthermore, there is huge insecurity regarding the current controversial discussion about further development of the standards for animal welfare and the still not concluded discussion about the fertiliser ordinance.

Farmers in Britain are hoping for better conditions on the national markets through Brexit.

Cash crop producers reduce their investments
In all the countries, the cash crop producers reduced their investments. As demonstrated by the DLG trend monitor, the willingness to invest drops in Germany by seven per cent to 30 per cent, in Great Britain by three per cent to 28 per cent, in France by six per cent to eight per cent and in Poland by three per cent to 36 per cent.

Following the comfortable price levels for grains and oil seeds in the last years, the prices for wheat have dropped for the first time since 2011, to constantly below the price mark of 180 €/t.

Although the price level is low in general, the cash crop producers hope to receive price premiums for quality cereals, as quality cereals overall are scarce. In the present price situation, the cash crop producers are also preparing themselves to secure the farm liquidity.

Furthermore, the cash crop producers have in parts made extensive investments and renewed the machine park, so that the requirement for investments is currently assessed as being low.

The social environment plays an increasingly important role
Besides the market framework conditions, which orient themselves on supply and demand, the social environment of animal production is beginning to play an increasingly important role in the development and implementation of operational strategies of the animal producers.

According to current figures from the DLG trend monitor Europe autumn 2016, the farm managers particularly in Germany are concentrating on improving the level of animal welfare of the animal holding systems.

Furthermore, innovations in technology for requirement-oriented slurry application and procedures for determining the nutrient contents of slurry are of particular importance for them.

The aim is to apply nutrients from farm-own fertilisers more efficiently and with fewer losses and at the same time improve the economic efficiency of the use of farm’s own fertilisers as well as the environmental effects.

Energy Decentral 2016
Approximately 330 specialist exhibitors will take part in the EnergyDecentral 2016, the international specialist trade fair for innovative energy supply.

This is a slight drop compared with 2014. The number of agricultural biogas plants is only growing very slightly under the current political framework conditions.

However, in Germany alone, there is an enormous number of producing plants, which will contribute its constant share to regenerative energy production in the years to come.

Optimisation, repowering and operation of the plants are clearly in the foreground. Besides this, internationally the interest in biogas is unbroken.

World-wide, there is also a high potential for this area in the waste management area and many innovative developments advanced in the use of alternative substrates. Examples of this are straw, bagasse or residues from the food industry.

Many visitors expected
EuroTier is the world’s leading trade fair for animal production. With its excellent and compact unique information offer, it will provide orientation for animal producers from all over the globe. The DLG expects a similar visitor volume to that of 2014, where around 156,000 experts visited EuroTier.

Read more HERE.

September 25, 2016

26/09/2016: Farming has a lesson for us all in making us adaptable, innovative and patient

by Chris Jackson, Export Manager UK TAG

Once again I have had the privilege to visit other countries and see first-hand other farming systems

Chris Jackson

This time I have returned again from Indonesia where along with my colleagues at Perendale Publishers Ltd we were represented at the Indo Livestock event in Jakarta along with other UK companies.

This event, which showcases some of the best technologies available worldwide to an audience of managers and decision makers, clearly demonstrated the need for innovative and forward thinking companies to continually promote their products on a world stage.

A few years ago, the western world was largely the exhibiting innovators now we seem many other countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand; to name but a few.

These nations are clearly aiming to penetrate developing markets, of which Indonesia is a prime example.

With a Government determined to increase both agricultural and aqua cultural outputs and still with a huge rurally based population, there are so many ways that elevating production can be achieved at primary production level to the benefit of rural communities.

In order to achieve this, training and motivating and incentivising the workforce must be a priority. Achieving these targets is vital to efficient production and demonstrates how simple technical improvements can have an impact when increasing outputs, which is a crucial part of increasing living standards and the well being of rural populations.

Improving techniques and increasing profits Often during my visits, whilst I often see well-qualified and highly motivated managers, it seems to me that their messages do not reach the staff working with them.

One of my goals is to set up basic training in rural areas given by practical teachers who understand both the local culture and challenges, providing trainees with first hand experience of the industries needs.

Once improved techniques have been demonstrated leading to increase profits, then other issues can begin to be addressed.

The first of such issues is the need for investment in seed stock, buildings and equipment, without which continued improvements and profitability will not be able to be sustained.

Read the full article HERE.

CSI company profile

The 20,000 m2 factory and the office of the ÇSİ, is equipped with the highest quality engineering and producing technology.

Their goal is to sell our products using the ÇSİ brand in the domestic and abroad markets; presenting the highest quality and service, combined with our experiences they have gained over the years.

All of the equipment they use in the production of our silos have ISO 9001:2000 certificate and supplies all the requirements of the Quality Management System.

ÇSİ has become an expert in the production of the silos and equipment, in their highest technology equipped institutions.

Having adequate technology, manpower and substructure, ÇSİ has an impressive place in the market.

Their main attribute is the capability of doing the montage of the silos, which have different diameter and tonnages, their carrying equipment and the concrete bottoms at the shortest duration as possible.

This attribute is the root of their success.

ÇSİ has proved its difference with its experienced quality control unit and Ar-Ge unit.

ÇSİ uses modern machines and equipment in all the steps of the production and its engineering team which has the highest technology and quality, analyses the necessities of the customers continuously.

The experienced engineering team in the Ar-Ge department, uses the latest computer programmes and techniques while preparing the project designs, developments, patterns, drawings and the production systems.

ÇSİ is always continuing its search of quality

The basic components of their quality of production is the necessities of our customers combining with the highest technology.

The main aim of ÇSİ is to improve its success day by day and give the customers the continuous and the best quality of product and service.
Visit the website HERE.

26/09/2016: Syria’s wheat crop drops to 27 year low

A combination of conflict and dry weather leads to poor wheat harvest in Syria.

According a recent article written on voanews.com, Syria's wheat harvest nearly halved to 1.3 million tons this year, the lowest in 27 years, as fighting and poor rainfall further degraded the farming sector and the nation's ability to feed itself.

The government of President Bashar al-Assad was forced to tender this summer for an unprecedented 1.35 million tons of imported wheat from political ally Russia to ensure supply of the flat loaves that are a staple for the Syrian people.

Before the five-year-old civil war, Syria was a wheat exporter producing four million tons in a good year and able to export 1.5 million tons.

Image: Eusebius@commons

Now wheat and bread have become an integral part of the war, with wheat farms, seed distribution, milling and bakeries all affected.

The Damascus government subsidises bread for the areas it controls and aid agencies offer supported prices in some areas, but Syrians in other parts of the country suffer bread shortages and high prices.

"You know why most people carry weapons? Because of bread," said Mahmoud al Sheikh, a health worker from a besieged part of Damascus.

"Hunger makes people sell themselves to the armed groups so they can eat and bring food to their families." Al Sheikh, speaking to Reuters by telephone from the capital's Eastern Ghouta suburb, said earlier in the year his besieged area scarcely saw bread.

"Sometimes there's no bread at all. People start to make bread from barley ... It goes on like this for months. People eat cabbage instead - it's enough to test your faith. Really, people's situations become miserable," he said.

Read more HERE.

26/09/2016: New scholarships worth EUR 345,000 awarded by Bayer Foundation to promote international talents

Support for study projects in the fields of science, agriculture, medicine and teacher training in scientific subjects / Sponsorship for projects abroad in vocational careers as well as a special budget for projects with a focus on Africa / Since 2007, scholarships worth more than EUR 2 million have been awarded to 442 young people

Bayer Science & Education Foundation is making available approximately EUR 345,000 for 64 talented young people who wish to realise international study and vocational training projects.

The new scholarship recipients are students of the natural sciences, agriculture and medicine, as well those training to become science teachers or young people from skilled non-academic professions.

“We need dedicated and creative young scientists if we are to successfully shape the future. That's why with the Bayer Fellowship Program we are helping talented young people to participate in special study and continuing education projects abroad,” says Kemal Malik, Bayer Management Board member responsible for Innovation.

The scholarship program follows the tradition of the Bayer scholarships initiated back in 1923 by Dr. Carl Duisberg, at that time Managing Director of the Bayer Group.

Duisberg is regarded as a pioneer in the intensive cooperation between industry and universities, as well as in corporate social responsibility.

Explains Dr. Carl-Heinz Duisberg, member of the Scientific Committee of the Bayer Fellowship Program and youngest grandchild of the program’s founder: “My grandfather wanted to provide good training opportunities for young people because he saw this as a means of ensuring long-term benefits for society.

He is also quoted as saying ‘We must spend every spare penny on science – it is the best investment we can make.’”

All scholarships underline the mission of the Bayer foundation to work with young people and the next generation of scientists and opinion-leaders and to strengthen interest in the major challenges facing our society, such as health and agriculture.

Alongside the Otto Bayer, Jozef Schell and Carl Duisberg scholarships, the Bayer Fellowship Program also includes the Kurt Hansen and Hermann Strenger scholarships. For the second time, the Bayer Science & Education Foundation offers an additional special budget for “Talents for Africa”.

Students working: US Department of Agriculture

The scholarships are targeted at students and vocational trainees in natural science and medical disciplines who would like to realise a particular foreign study project and require financial support for this. In addition to Germany-based applicants who would like to study abroad, the foundation supports scholarship recipients from outside of Germany who wish to realize a comparable project in Germany.

Academic disciplines receiving support this year include the life sciences, chemistry, agriculture as well as human and veterinary medicine, with a total of 44 scholarships being awarded. Two Kurt Hansen scholarship recipients are also receiving assistance for teacher training in the natural sciences.

The scholarships in the academic sector are being supplemented by Hermann Strenger scholarships to support young people looking to gain initial work experience abroad as part of a non-academic training program. This year, 12 young people from Germany are being supported who are planning a period abroad as part of their commercial, technical or health profession training.

Thanks to the Bayer scholarships, 41 new fellows from Germany will start their projects in Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Iran, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Another 23 new scholarship winners will be able to implement their individual projects in Germany, coming from: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Denmark, Greece, India, Kenya, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Croatia, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Spain, Uruguay and the United States.

The Bayer Science & Education Foundation thus is launching the tenths round of its funding program, which offers targeted support for scientific exchange and international work experience for young people. It targets creative, highly motivated and socially committed young people with above-average grades.

The next round of applications starts in June 2017.

Read more HERE.

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