The Global Miller: May 2020

May 28, 2020

Hamlet Protein renews Asian partnership

Multinational producer of specialty ingredients for young animal nutrition Hamlet Protein announced the renewal of its partnership with Jebsen & Jessen in Asia. The agreement covers Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. The Denmark headquartered company aspires to further grow its presence in Asia, building on the local network and market knowledge of Jebsen & Jessen.

Hamlet Protein continues to focus on bringing its solutions for young animal nutrition and health to Asian customers. With a mix of distribution relationship and local staff operating from China, Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand, support by global technical management, Hamlet Protein is able to understand local market dynamics and translate that into practical solutions for feed mills, premixers, integrators and farmers.

'Hamlet Protein has been investing in Asia in recent months. We have added local technical and commercial resources to be closer to our customers. We are also working in selected markets on introducing our concepts into the poultry segment, building on years of experience and research in piglet and calf nutrition and health,' commented Hamlet Protein CEO Erik Visser.

While COVID-19 is affecting the animal protein supply chain across the region, ASF continues to be the major reason for concern of hog producers that experience outbreaks in their commercial herds. Where large hog farming companies in China are cautiously restocking, in the Philippines ASF continues to spread within backyard farms on the islands of Luzon and Mindanao. In Vietnam 44 of 63 provinces declared themselves ASF free in Q1.

'These are challenging times for our industry. However we have a long term commitment to producers in Asia and are investing today to strengthen relationships like our partnership with Jebsen & Jessen and build new ones with customers across the region,' commented Erik Visser.

'We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Hamlet Protein and look to the future with confidence,' concluded Siew Tin Lim, COO at Jebsen & Jessen.

Hamlet Protein produces soy-based protein ingredients for young piglet, poultry and cattle feed at two production plants in Denmark and the US. Hamlet Protein services customers around the world through a network of own sales offices and distributors.

Visit the Hamlet Protein website, HERE.

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

For additional daily news from milling around the world: global-milling.com

More biostimulants receive organic accreditation

Organic producers now have a full armoury of biostimulant and nutrient combinations to boost plant health and productivity, following their verification by the Soil Association.

The range of scientifically tested and proven products offer improved root development and early growth, better flowering and resistance to abiotic stress, ultimately resulting in higher yields and crop quality.

Image credit: Olmix

'Biostimulants can be of tremendous help in both conventional and organic systems, particularly when crops have faced the weather challenges that this year has thrown at them,' says Chris Gamble at Olmix MPH. 'However, until now, organic growers have only had limited options available to them.'

Olmix designs and makes its large range of natural plant, animal and human care products at its state-of-the-art laboratory and bio refinery in France – but organic certification in the UK is more stringent than across the Channel, so the firm has been working hard to meet UK legislation.

'We're delighted to have finally secured Soil Association verification for six highly technical and refined products, which organic growers can now use to protect and enhance their arable crops,' says Mr Gamble.

The first is Algomel Push – ideal for early growth stages in a wide number of crops, it contains refined seaweed extract which enhances root hair development, increasing nutrient and water uptake capacity. It also contains manganese, which is required for energy conversion and vegetative growth. There are two other variations of Algomel, containing manganese and copper for cereals, and with zinc and magnesium to promote rapid growth and better rooting in maize.

Designed for application pre-flowering, Algomel Proact helps the plant to cope with the energy switch from vegetative growth to reproduction. It assists in hormonal and nutrient allocation shifts, resulting in homogenous, strong flowering while reducing the negative impact of stress. It can be used in a wide range of crops to improve stress resistance through drought.

Next in the armoury is Algomel Shield, which contains a copper formulation for cell strength and lignification, helping to protect the plant. The formulation, with a natural organic plant complex, minimises the amount of copper ions required while also achieving a greener leaf for longer. It is ideal for use on fruit, potatoes, onions and cereals from times of rapid stem extension through to fruit, grain and tuber setting.

Completing the toolbox is Seamel Pure. Designed for fruit and vegetable production, it is one of the purest refined seaweeds on the market and works to strengthen root development and speed up the uptake of macro- and micro-nutrients.

'Stress occurs in many ways throughout the crop growth cycle,' explains Mr Gamble. 'This year we have had conditions that are too wet, too cold, and now too dry – plus there will usually be pest and disease attacks. Applying Seamel Pure before or at anticipated times of stress will boost the plant's tolerance and help it to absorb nutrients, improving crop quality and yield.'

The new certifications brings Olmix MPH's total organic offering to eight – last year Organic Farmers & Growers approved C-Weed 50 and C-Weed AAA. Both products contain a highly concentrated extract of the algae Ascophyllum nodosum, which has unique marine-based compounds that alleviate stress and stimulate growth in land plants. C-Weed AAA also has additional plant-based amino acids which are essential for cell growth.

'All of these products can be used in a tank mix with micronutrients or other organic treatments, and can be used throughout the season to support the plant at different growth stages, from establishment and rooting to flowering,' says Mr Gamble. 'With all growers looking to maximise productivity with minimal financial outlay, now is the time to add biostimulants to the mix, to make most efficient use of nutrient resources.'

For more information visit the Micromix website, HERE.

EU feed industry on the right track for responsible and deforestation-free soy

Soybean meal used in animal feed production is increasingly sourced in a responsible way including certified 'deforestation-free soy products. The IDH Soy Monitor 2018, published on 28 May 2020, points to 38 percent of soybean meal equivalent of total European soy consumption to be sourced according to the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines and 19 percent certified deforestation free soy.

The IDH report also refers to FEFAC's initial risk assessment which estimates that 77 percent of EU soy imports were sourced from low-deforestation regions, based on EU trade statistics and industry expert assessments.

FEFAC wishes to highlight the significant progress made to transform the market in Europe for responsible soy to mainstream since 2015, the year of the ITC facilitated FEFAC's benchmark system launch for responsible soy sourcing programmes. In fact, FEFAC's internal estimates show that 49 percent of all industrial compound feed use of soybean meal sourced in 2018 is compliant with the criteria of the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines. This is higher than the 38 percent mentioned in the IDH Monitor Report 2018, as that covers total soybean consumption in Europe (including food use and on-farm mixing).

FEFAC welcomes the fact that the IDH Soy Monitor 2018 acknowledges the importance of assessing the deforestation risk exposure of all soy used in Europe. FEFAC's internal estimates indicate that 79 percent of all soy used in the EU (i.e. including soy sourced from within the EU) in 2018 came from origins that could be considered as carrying a low deforestation risk (e.g. EU, United States, Canada, Ukraine, Serbia, India, China). FEFAC considers soy supplies from these origins as 'deforestation-free', although it is not certified as such. This also means that when the IDH Soy Monitor displays a country percentage for certified deforestation-free soy that is lower than 100 percent, it should not be concluded that the 'non-certified soy' use is driving deforestation.

FEFAC would also like to highlight that internal estimates show further increased uptakes of responsible soy and certified deforestation-free soy have been recorded for 2019, with a total industrial usage of more than 10 million tonnes. This increased feed demand was boosted by the commitment made by the top 11 compound feed producers to the Responsible Sourcing Declaration which has now been endorsed by over 250 organisations.

FEFAC's planned upgrade of its own soy sourcing guidelines, which will include a specific desired criterion on deforestation and conversion free soy, will recommend the use of a robust verification system for soy originating from high-deforestation risk regions. The launch of a renewed benchmarking of schemes against the revised FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines is expected before the end of 2020.

FEFAC President Nick Major, 'I am proud of the progress on responsible soy sourcing achieved so far by our industry and supply chain partners. The fact that 77 percent of EU soy imports were sourced from low-deforestation regions is significant, but there is more work to do. I am confident that we can achieve the common goal of deforestation free supply chains in a reasonable timeframe with all of our partners in the supply chain working together with retail, IDH and those NGO's willing to cooperate to identify practical supply chain solutions'.

Visit the FEFAC website, HERE.

Supplies of flour must get through to consumers during an epidemic

by COFCO, China

During the prevention and control of COVID-19, the regular supply of emergency goods and materials must be ensured. In the Chinese economic development zone of HaiNing, for example, the COFCO flour industry has a large daily vehicle flow supported by a large number of workers. So, it is very important for the company to do a good job in the service control of each person and each vehicle, in order to win the epidemic war.

At 2pm on February 10th, 2020 in COFCO Flour Industry (HaiNing) Co Ltd, nearly 10 large trucks with out-of-town licenses lined up at the plant. Warehouse workers are busy loading trucks, while the truck drivers are being registered with their real names and workers having their temperatures taken in the company’s duty room one-by-one before their trucks are allowed to enter the plant.

COFCO Flour Industry (HaiNing) Co Ltd is the largest flour processing enterprise in Zhejiang Province and processes 2000 tonnes of wheat-per-day, mainly supplying the food processing enterprises in Eastern China.

To ensure normal supply, the company has been back at work since February 4th, 2020 with just 242 employees on-boarding, accounting for half of the total. The company sterilises each vehicle at both the entrance and exit to the compound, along with the dining-room, workshop and other major places twice a day. At the same time, separate meals are served in the dining-room, besides, each employee has to take a temperature test arriving at work and again when leaving work.

It is not only very important to do a great job of internal epidemic prevention, but also to cut off external virus infection, explains Lijun Zhang, the General Manager of COFCO Flour Industry (HaiNing) Co Ltd.

After the company returned to work, an average of about 20 customer pickup trucks enter the plant each day, which is also the company's top priority in the prevention and control of the epidemic.

Read more HERE.

Yemtar company profile

Yemtar has been involved in many projects since it was established in Bandırma in 1980. Everything from project design to production, from manufacturing to assembly was realised with the difference created by Yemtar.

It is a well-known company in the sector, having proven itself first at home and then abroad with its dynamic structure, unending energy, following the latest technological developments and accumulation of knowledge.

It is a growing brand with its exports to the Middle East, Balkans, Asian countries and North Africa. Therefore, hundreds of machines and equipment, from feed plants to fish plants, from pelleting units to coolant and feeders, are produced by Yemtar in Turkey and around the world.

Today, Yemtar continues to make a difference with its technologies that fully meet expectations, increase business capacity, and reduce costs.

Mission
Projecting facilities of corporations and companies engaged in feed industry, animal husbandry, agriculture, food, chemical, energy and mining sector from A to Z with 40 years of knowledge and experience and equipping and assembling with a strong technology infrastructure and international standards and to providing uninterrupted after-sales service.

Vision
To further improve the feed industry and livestock sector by developing and producing sustainable technologies and projects
• Invests its gains in the most advanced technologies
• Produces at international quality standards
• Offers a safe and healthy business environment
• Environmentally sensitive
• Employs qualified and experienced workforce
• Informs customers about sectoral developments
• Offers innovations beyond expectations with R&D works
• Expands the world market share with new penetrations
• Develops and supports social responsibility projects especially in the areas of education and environment

Quality Policy
Yemtar is engaged in design, production, installation and services for agriculture, feed, livestock, food, chemical, energy and mining corporations and companies for machinery process equipment and turnkey projecting with its customer-oriented operations.

Yemtar adopts the principle that the most important resource is human and the investment made in human and education is also the most accurate investment. The goal in training is to create value for the company, customers and employees themselves.

Yemtar undertakes to provide quality products and services with its expert and experienced staff, strong infrastructure, continuous development and improvement understanding and to ensure continuity of these services in accordance with legal conditions and customer requests.

Read more HERE.

Bühler pays tribute to Herbert Max Fraenkel, company stalwart and pioneer of the world’s first SORTEX sorter

Former colleagues remember 'father of optical sorting' and 'larger than life' inventor and engineer Herbert Max Fraenkel who sadly passed away aged 95, at home in London.

Bühler, the global leader in food processing and optical sorting solutions, has paid tribute to inventor and highly-respected engineer Herbert Max Fraenkel, who helped to design the world's first Sortex Sorter known as the SORTEX G1, launched in 1947.

Herbert Max Fraenkel
Image credit: Bühler Group

Having started as an apprentice, who remained at Bühler until retirement, Fraenkel quickly established himself as an instrumental part of the business and many of the early patents, if not all, were thanks to his tenacity and expertise.

Following news of his death, friend and colleague Ben Deefholts, senior research engineer, Bühler Sortex, said during the early days, Fraenkel was ultimately responsible for specifying every machine that went into manufacturing, and could often be found tinkering with the machines for special applications almost as they were being packed.

He took on some big projects during his career, including the development and launch of the 2024 frozen food sorter, which Birds Eye and many other large multinationals installed.

Thanks to his continuous dedication, The Bühler Group paid tribute to Fraenkel in its 60th anniversary Sortex sorting book in 2007, explaining how he started as an assistant to Hungarian scientist, Dr. Okolicsanyl and together they worked to research and find a technological breakthrough to speed up the practice of manually handpicking seeds.

He and the research team at Bühler Sortex gave the world's first demonstration of sorting, on the SORTEX G1, using a combination of optical inspection and electrostatic deflection. This forerunner to all modern day optical sorters, was extremely versatile and could sort, peas, beans, corn, small grains such as rice, coffee, beans, nuts and other similar sized foods.

World's first SORTEX G1 sorter, 1947
Image credit: Bühler Group

Hamid Kefayati, head of single machine business, Bühler, said, 'When I joined Bühler Sortex back in 1997, Herbert had been working for the company for 50 years or so. I was told by colleagues that he was the father of optical sorting as we know it today.

'Knowing Herbert, his achievements and lifelong commitment to the company, I understand why. He was a true gentleman with a great deal of technical knowhow which is part of the 70 year sorting history of the company.'

Bruno Kilshaw, managing director, Bühler Sortex (1993 to 2011) added, 'Herbert personified Sortex and he'd been prominent from its beginning until he retired. He was devoted to the company. Physically, and in his demeanour, he resembled a benevolent uncle and a science professor, with a wide face, bearing glasses and topped with white, curly hair.

He continued, 'When I joined the company in 1993, he had already filled most of the technical posts in the company, from technical director to service manager and patent officer. He worked well beyond pensionable age and Sortex was his life. Everyone knew, respected and relied on his knowledge.

'He taught me everything I knew about 'sorting technology' and I will remember him fondly as a mentor, colleague and friend.'

Other colleagues who paid tribute to Fraenkel include; Kathy Day, his former secretary and personal assistant to the MD at Bühler Sortex from 1995 to 2019, who remembers him 'as a larger than life character', who kept in touch with him over the years and sent him a 90th birthday card signed by former employees and Philip Doolan, manufacturing engineer, Bühler Sortex, who said, 'He was a wealth of knowledge and had many stories, he was held in respect by everyone.'

Michael Picalek, head of sales & marketing, Bühler Sortex, added, 'I was honored to have met and worked with Herbert when I joined Sortex in 1995. He inspired the passion that I developed for optical sorting - which has lasted for 25 years - and my commitment to contribute to the development of the Sortex brand.'

Lawrence Pettey, engineering records officer, Bühler Sortex, said, 'He visited customers all over the world to publicise and sell our machines. He was an instrumental part of the business and without him there would be no Sortex.'

Fraenkel, who was of Jewish/German descent, born in 1924 in Berlin, came to Britain with his parents in the 1930s. Sadly he died just before his 96th birthday after neighbours alerted police when he had not been seen around Christmas time at his home in Enfield, London. He had no next of kin and was given a traditional Jewish burial organised by Enfield Council and laid to rest at the United Synagogue's Waltham Abbey Jewish Cemetery.

Visit the Bühler website, HERE.

May 27, 2020

UK millers working 24/7 to meet flour shortages due to COVID-19

by Vaughn Entwistle, Managing Editor, Milling and Grain

Now that we are all in lockdown, the effects of COVID-19 have reached nearly every aspect of daily life. A common experience has been panic-buying and hoarding, leading to empty supermarket shelves. This has even impacted the availability of plain white flour on supermarket shelves in the UK and many other countries.

Unlike many other food stuffs, the UK is self-sufficient in flour, producing about 90,000 tonnes every week. Yet, many people are experiencing shortages in supermarkets and shops. In the UK, challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic are being answered by the selfless dedication of many disciplines—including the millers who produce the flour to keep us fed. Every day, the UK bakes up roughly 12 million loaves of bread, two million pizzas, and ten million cakes and biscuits. Approximately one third of all food and drink products sold in a typical UK supermarket contain flour. When all are combined, this requires a daily production of 14,000 tonnes of flour. This, in turn relies upon an infrastructure of millers, engineers and drivers, not to mention adequate supplies of fuel and electricity.

Panic buying upsets the supermarket trolley
Since the first ominous premonitions of the advent of the coronavirus, many UK consumers responded with a wave of panic buying that emptied supermarket aisles of toilet paper. Panic buying then migrated to aisles stocking pasta and pasta sauce. Nearly everyone it seemed was anticipating a lockdown and responded by hoarding. Unfortunately, this then became a self-fulfilling prophecy, precipitating shortages where there should have been none.

Flour supplies were likewise hit as demand soared, which soon stripped supermarket shelves bare. However, a shortage of flour was not the problem, as foodservice businesses including McDonalds and Greggs were forced to shut, which greatly reduced demand. However, the shortage of flour on supermarket shelves was a result of shortages in the food chain distribution, which has radically altered. In normal times, with most consumers preferring the convenience of bakery-produced bread, only four percent of the total flour milled in the UK is sold to home bakers through shops and supermarkets. This typically equates to shoppers taking home around two million 1.5kg bags a week.

By contrast, since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for flour skyrocketed, with UK retail sales of flour up by 145 percent compared to the same time last year. The situation quickly turned surreal when one shameless entrepreneur posted a 1.5kg bag of Waitrose plain white flour on eBay for an asking price of UK £70 ($86.32) and attracted a dozen bidders.

Read more HERE.

Evonik becomes exclusive distributor of ProPhorce™ SR 130 in Southern Africa

Evonik has agreed with Swedish manufacturer, Perstorp, that it will be the exclusive distributor of ProPhorce™ SR 130 in Southern Africa.

ProPhorce™ SR 130 is a butyric acid product that is a safe, easy to handle and cost-efficient solution for in-feed application in livestock management. Butyric acid is a key ingredient for optimal digestion as it favours gut wall integrity which is important for performance.

Image credit: Otwarte Klatki on Flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

The product complements the mode of action of Evonik's probiotics and shows beneficial effects that can bring added value to customers when the products are used together.

'The partnership between Evonik and Perstorp started with the announcement of our R&D collaboration last year. This additional distribution agreement is part of our ongoing endeavours to offer our customers holistic solutions for gut health issues in animal nutrition,' said Cuthbert Mamabolo, Regional Business Director for Evonik Animal Nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa.

'We are seeing a growing demand in the southern African markets for alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters which increase human resistance to antibiotic medication. Evonik, especially with this new collaboration, offers a great range of solutions that promote healthy animal growth without the use of antibiotics,' Mr Mamabolo added.

The activities of butyric acid are well researched and go beyond simple manipulation of gut pH. Butyric acid has been shown to improve pathogen control, provide energy for cells lining the gut wall, enhance secretion of enzymes and improve intestinal cell proliferation, differentiation, and maturation.

All of these attributes mean that ProPhorce™ SR 130 has great potential to assist animal producers in reducing the impact of enteric challenges; in maximising utilisation of the nutrients provided in feeds; and both improving animal welfare and reducing environmental impact.

As part of the holistic approach, the two companies are hosting a webinar on 2nd June (2 pm CET) called 'Driving your gut health performance to the limit' which will help users maximise livestock production.

The speakers will be Martin Smith, Technical Service Director Evonik and Sadir Burak Sarpel Ruperez, Technical Sales Manager Perstorp.

To register email: michele.traumueller@evonik.com

Visit the Evonik website, HERE.

Balaguer Rolls company profile

Founded in 1916, Balaguer Rolls is a family business specialising in the casting and machining of centrifugal rolls for milling and a range of other industries, including compound feed, soybeans, coffee, chocolate, paint, salt, biscuits, chemicals and more.

Throughout the company's history, Balaguer has earned the trust of many of the largest food machinery manufacturers worldwide: Balaguer rolls have been incorporated into roller mills around the globe. Balaguer also supplies rolls to end-users - flourmills, edible oil factories and such like - in no fewer than 120 countries.

Visit the website HERE.

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine GFMT
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.

For additional daily news from milling around the world: global-milling.com

Hakan Agro CEO Hakan Bahçeci passes away

Hakan Bahçeci, the founder and CEO of Hakan Agro, who served as the President of the World Legumes Confederation for a while, left us at a young age as a result of a heart attack in Dubai on May 26th, 2020.

Hakan Bahçeci

Condolence visits will be accepted at the deceased's house between the hours of 12:00 and 17:00 on Wednesday, 27th May and Thursday, 28th May, and an appointment is requested by calling beforehand.

Born in 1969, Hakan Bahçeci was married and had four children. He will be buried after the funeral ceremony in Bolu on June 1.

We extend our condolences to all our loved ones, especially his family, for mercy from God.

May 26, 2020

Cargill’s North American Protein business partners with non-profits to ensure Canada’s resilience amidst COVID-19

Cargill is working with non-profit and NGO partners around the globe to help address food security, health and safety needs and agriculture and industry challenges to ease the impact of COVID-19.

The company has committed $35 million to date for COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts through partnerships, aid funds, product donations and employee giving. In addition to monetary contributions, Cargill has donated more than three million pounds of food to food shelves and hunger relief efforts. The response is guided by a commitment towards nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.

Image credit: Bernard Spragg NZ
(CC0 1.0)

'We are humbled to work alongside the people whose tireless efforts every day keep food on our tables,' said Jon Nash, president of Cargill Protein – North America. 'Cargill is focused on supporting employees and local communities – especially those most impacted by food insecurity during this pandemic. We are working with producers to keep the agriculture economy moving and to feed Canadian communities. Our employees as well as our producer partners have our deep gratitude.'

Partnering to put people first
Cargill has partnered with the Canadian Cattleman's Foundation at the founder's level to support Canadian producers. Additionally, the company has made contributions to organisations providing emergency support to Canadians including to Food Banks Canada, Second Harvest Canada and Breakfast Clubs Canada.

Local Cargill Protein teams have also helped to provide more than two million meals for Canadians through our food bank partners across the country. In Quebec, Cargill donated 20,000 kg of ground beef to Tables de Chefs' 'Les Cuisines Solidaires' project. The project aims to mobilise the food industry and chefs of Quebec to produce more than 800,000 meals for people in need during and after the COVID-19 crisis. The meals are being prepped in commercial kitchens across the province and delivered to food banks and agencies that are part of Food Banks Quebec.

Prioritising employee safety
Cargill is committed to putting people first, and continues to keep its facilities operating anywhere it is safe to do so according to health and workplace authorities. This ensures a reliable market for producers and delivers the essential service of putting food on family tables.

To support employee health and safety, Cargill has adopted additional measures at all protein facilities, including temperature testing, distributing face masks to employees daily, taking extra cleaning and sanitising measures and supporting social distancing with efforts ranging from staggered breaks and shift flexibility to the installation of barriers between work stations. Throughout this process Cargill has worked alongside regional government officials and health authorities to ensure decisions made coordinate with the government's greater COVID-19 response.

Cargill is also recognising the tireless contributions of our front-line employees with incentive pay and bonuses during the pandemic.

Visit the Cargill website, HERE.

COVID-19: Around the world

by Chris Jackson, UK TAG

I am writing this article as the world grips with the worst disease outbreak ever known. The world that we have grown up in has changed and will never be the same. For farming and, particularly, the livestock sector we all know that this is an industry that runs 365 days of the year and relies on a sustainable climate, regardless of viral diseases that affect the human population. The farming calendar is relentless worldwide, supplying the food that we all need. Everything else, except for water, we can actually live without.

For the livestock industry that relies on an efficient milling industry, feed supply is not as bad as might be there being a shortfall in feed take up due to the devastation caused to the global pig industry by African Swine Fever (ASF) killing some 50 percent of pigs in China alone, which equates to 24 percent of the world population

The livestock industry has learned that tracing infected animal movements, isolation and quarantine are all necessary tools to maintain control whilst vaccines are unavailable.

Around the world we are seeing differing scenarios for the livestock industry playing out with feed suppliers doing their best to continue to support the intensive livestock industries with products that fulfil the nutrient requirements in the diets that they supply. For instance, I hear from friends in Thailand that some essential vitamins and amino acids have been subject to very high price rises, which I assume is due to a shortfall in supply from one of their major suppliers in China.

In India, as I suspect in other countries, feed and agricultural inputs have been marked as essential services and remain running outside of country lockdowns. However, there have been some reports of hampering in the smooth movement of essential food related items especially between the states. This has been an issue with animal feeds particularly. Dairy cattle owners are now giving low-quality feed to their cows and buffaloes (fodder is there, in some cases state governments ensuring sufficient fodder reaches dairy farmers, but lack of good quality feed is the issue, which in its turn affects milk output).

Read more HERE.

Grain Industry makes moves to improve health and safety of grain sampling

The grain industry has for some time been working to improve the safety of 'on farm' grain sampling and how samples are taken.

Mark Worrell, Chairman of the AIC Crop Marketing Sector explains, 'In advance of this year's harvest AIC are keen to help the industry improve the Health and Safety of 'on farm' sampling and ensure farmers are well prepared and supported to adopt improved ways of working.'

Mark Worrell
Image credit: AIC

'Industry developed guidance from the AHDB on grain sampling, by the grower at store filling, will become increasingly important. Several AIC members have long ceased sending samplers to farm due to safety concerns, and this trend is expected to increase rapidly as we lead up to harvest 2020.'

Currently merchants send members of their team, or summer students, to farm to take samples which are then tested at a laboratory. Not only does this method present numerous Health & Safety risks, it is not the most efficient or accurate way to obtain a representative and accurate sample.

The opportunity to send samples direct to merchants is increasing and this will also certainly help minimise any new risks which Coronavirus (COVID-19) has introduced. AIC members will have different approaches around drawing and collecting samples subject to their own internal Health and Safety policies and risk assessments.

In advance of harvest it is especially timely for AIC to help the farming industry be ready to adopt their own sampling. Grain merchants are keen to support growers and welcome discussion on managing this. In addition, the AIC will be working hard to gain support from all sectors including the NFU.

Visit the AIC website, HERE.

Innovation and tech in action at Cereals LIVE

There is nothing quite like seeing tech in action to understand how it works and how it can be beneficial on farm, which is why Cereals LIVE will be putting demos right at growers' fingertips.

From state-of-the-art robotics, to autonomous tractors and electronic weeding, Cereals LIVE will have it all available in video demonstrations in the brand new Innovation and Tech Demo ring, says event director, Alli McEntyre. 'It's a brave new world for farming, with innovation driving sustainability and efficiency. Being able to see the most cutting-edge technology in action will give farmers an insight into where their businesses could be headed very soon.'

Image credit: Cereals

So what will growers be able to see online?
The Small Robot Company will be demonstrating its robot weed mapping service, launched in November 2019. Hailed as a technical milestone, it is the world's first service for individual plant mapping at broadacre scale and provides farmers with a per-plant view of their fields.

Delivered using its robust commercial robot Tom, it can cover 20ha per day autonomously and can distinguish plant details at sub-millimetre resolution, with less than one millimetre per pixel resolution on the ground.

Also demonstrating how far robotics in farming has advanced, FarmDroid will show just what an autonomous field robot can do to help reduce costs for sowing and weeding crops, while additionally staying carbon neutral and organic.

Harper Adams University will be exhibiting its new drone sprayer, while Syngenta will be offering visitors a close-up view of different sprayer nozzles in action, alongside the new closed handling system which makes filling traditional sprayers easier and safer.

For those wanting to improve spray efficiencies, MagGrow could be worth a look – using magnetic technology it claims to increase coverage by 20 percent and reduce drift by up to 70 percent.

Two new innovations from Joskin promise to grab growers' attention: With John Deere, its NIR sensor can be fitted to slurry tankers in order to test the nutritional content of slurry as it's being delivered. And for the machinery buff, its new E-Drive will be of great interest. This distributes tractor power throughout the tractor-trailer combination, allowing for increased traction alongside reduced ground compaction, tyre wear and fuel consumption.

Another first of its kind, New Holland's methane tractor will be on display. Offering the same performance as its diesel equivalent, with up to 30 percent lower running costs, this machine presents a look at the future of zero carbon farming.

When it comes to crop monitoring, there is plenty of choice, from DroneAG's Skippy Scout app – which makes crop walking a doddle by linking a drone to field records – to Kisanhub's new app - which links crop monitoring and traceability throughout the supply chain.

Weed control will also be under the spotlight, with various alternatives to chemical sprays. Lyckegard will demonstrate its CombCut mechanical and selective weeding tool which has been designed for low power tractors. This works by cutting weeds either within crops or above branched crops, making it a suitable alternative for organic growers.

Mechanical weeding options will also be explored, while those looking for something completely new might be tempted by Rootwave - electric weeding technology. A sustainable and no-till option, it uses electricity to zap roots, ensuring weeds are systematically killed.

Advancing technology opens many news doors and opportunities for farmers, adds Ms McEntyre. 'Cereals LIVE will have a full shop floor for growers to explore, with plenty of ideas for them to take home and use to develop their farm for the future.'

Visit the Cereals LIVE website, HERE.

Tapco company profile

Tapco was conceived in the early 1970s by Paul D Taylor, President and Ted W Beaty, Retired, to fill a void in the elevator bucket industry. At that time, there was only one manufacturer of non-metallic buckets in the USA all the other buckets were made from fabricated steel. With the inherent problems of steel buckets and the limited range of the existing polyethylene brand, the time was right for Tapco.

The company has been in its own 92,500 square foot facility for over 25 years. This has allowed them to utilise injection moulding ‘in house’ for better control and cost effectiveness. Tapco has nine injection moulding machines ranging from a small 150 tonne to a very large 1000 tonne press. Allowing them to make an entire range of buckets in the most expedient and quality controlled manner.

According to their website, “Tapco stocks the largest inventory of elevator buckets and bolts in the world, some 900,000 buckets and 14 million bolts. We also have the largest inventory of abrasion resistant sheeting, drag flights and hanger bearings in North America”.

“We have the products that you need, when you need them, and at a competitive price! Our shipping department is geared to handle the most urgent of emergencies. We welcome your rush orders. We at Tapco feel the future is unlimited. We have plans for new and different products relating to bulk material handling”.

Tapco’s exporting is growing every day. Having now exported to more than fifty different countries around the world. Stocking distributors are located strategically in North America, Central America, South America, Australia, Western Europe and the Pacific Rim. This segment of the market is keyed for further growth.

“Tapco is continuously researching new technologies to better serve our customers”.
Product research has been a priority for many years. Innovations in the company’s state-of-the-art processing enables Tapco to meet the customized needs of its diverse customers. Tapco uses the highest quality material for their buckets; 100 percent prime virgin high-density linear polyethylene, impact modified nylon and thermoplastic urethane.

“Our mission at Tapco is to provide the highest value products and service at the best price”.

The company's focus is on building and maintaining "Solid and Reputable" relationships with its customers. With high quality staff, they are able to serve your needs promptly.

“We appreciate and are proud of you, our customer. We look forward to serving you for many more years, and welcome any suggestions on how we can work more closely in the future”.

Visit the website HERE.

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