24/10/13: K-State's cattle feed webinar; US government shutdown ends; CHS releases grain mobile app

On the 29 October 2013, Kansas State University (KSU), USA will host a webinar that focuses on the use of controversial feed supplement Zilmax, formerly known as zilpaterol hydrocholoride. 

Led by Chris Reinhardt, extension feedlot specialist, K-State Research and Extension, the webinar will look at the effect Zilmax has on the cattle feed industry.

Although Zilmax is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US meat packer Tyson recently suspended its purchase of the supplement following animal welfare concerns.

Read the full K-state announcement here.

Following a 16 day political battle that saw the US Agriculture Department (USDA) suspend its flow of statistical reports, Barack Obama, president, USA has signed a bill to end the federal government shutdown.

The US Agriculture Department (USDA) has stopped its flood of statistical reports on the second day of a government shutdown. - See more at: http://gfmt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/03102013-second-day-of-us-government.html#sthash.YMIIu5tI.dpuf

The US Agriculture Department (USDA) has stopped its flood of statistical reports on the second day of a government shutdown. - See more at: http://gfmt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/03102013-second-day-of-us-government.html#sthash.YMIIu5tI.dpuf

Weeks of bitter political fighting gave way to a frenzied night in Washington on 16 October as Congress passed the bill that will  prevent the country from crashing into debt. 

"Now that conferees have been named, it is time for the committee to get down to business and take action to bring certainty to our family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, rural residents and hungry neighbors," said Roger Johnson, National Farmers Union (NFU) president. 

More information.

Leading farmer-owned grain company CHS Inc. has released a new grain trading mobile application. 

As well as providing market information, the free app also offers access to CHS grain terminals, soybean processing plants and select service center bids.

"We're excited to share our CHS grain trading mobile app, making it even easier for producers to manage aspects of their marketing when and where it's convenient for them," says Rick Dusek, vice president, CHS grain marketing-North America.

Read the full release here. 

Official photographic portrait of US President Barack Obama who assumed office 20 January 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

17/09/2013: Scientists speed up wheat breeding; agriculture literature; Cargill's new chief executive officer

Scientists at the University of Queensland in St. Lucia, Australia have developed a wheat breeding strategy that grows plants under light 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The method allows them to grow up to 8 generations of wheat per year.

The strategy is being used to develop a new strain of wheat that is resistant to pre-harvest sprouting. Development time may be reduced to 2.5 years, down from 10 years. Scientists drew inspiration from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which wanted to grow plants during space missions. 

Read more...

Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA), a programme that brings key scientific literature on food, agriculture and related fields to students, researchers and scientists, has quickly  become a crucial tool for some of the world's poorest countries.

Launched back in 2003, AGORA now provides free or low-cost access to over 3,500 key journals and 3,300 books on food, nutrition, agriculture and related biological, environmental and social sciences.

Read more...

Cargill's board of directors has announced that David W. MacLennan, currently Cargill’s president and chief operating officer, has been elected the corporation’s next chief executive officer effective 1st December 2013, succeeding Gregory R. Page, 62, who will serve as executive chairman. 

MacLennan, 54, will retain the title of president and continue as a director of the company. The transition is the result of the company’s ongoing succession planning with the board.

Read more...

English: UQ Lake viewed toward the South-West at the University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

09/08/2013: FPT Industrial presents its new president for Latin America; HGCA invests in feed research; growing crops in the desert

FPT Industrial Latin America has appointed José Luís Gonçalves as its new president. Gonçalves takes on the responsibility of maintaining and accelerating the company’s growth in the region, with particular focus on Brazil.

“My aim is to consolidate FPT Industrial’s operation and further develop the recent growth of the business in Latin America,” said Gonçalves. “After Europe, Latin America is the most pivotal market for the company and we foresee great potential for development in this area.”
Read more...

HGCA is contributing £650k into research which will investigate better ways to measure the nutritional value of grain and oilseeds. The research would benefit growers and feed processors by examining the effects of feed quality on animal performance and developing quicker tests for nutritional quality.

Dr Martin Grantley-Smith, head of business development at HGCA said, "HGCA is investing in this suite of projects to help ensure grain of certain quality goes to the most suitable end use. This will cut down on waste for the benefit of the whole supply chain."
Read more...

Cable News Network (CNN), USA, recently reported on research conducted by scientists in Qatar, that suggests saltwater can be used to help grow crops. 

Conceived in Norway, the Sahara Forest Project facility was launched back in November. Boasting environmentally-friendly technologies, the project utilises Qatar's supplies - an abundance of heat and seawater - and converts them into a range of valuable resources.

Read more...

English: A Field of Oilseed Rape. The bright yellow flowers of Oilseed Rape have become a common sight in arable areas in the spring. As well as providing vegetable oil, this crop makes a good 'break crop', improving the soil for wheat or barley in the following years. Oilseed Rape cannot be grown frequently in any field due to the build up of diseases in the soil. This may change however if farmers are allowed to plant disease resistant genetically engineered crops. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

07/06/2013: Delayed payment for grain imports; Fefac elects new president; Nematodes fight against corn rootworm

Egypt, the world’s biggest importer of wheat has asked France for permission to delay paying for grain purchases for nine to twelve months after loading, according to a group representing French cereal growers. 

Egypt uses the wheat to make subsidized bread that helps feed the Arab world’s largest populace.

Read more...

The FEFAC General Assembly has elected a new president and welcomed two new full members.

Ruud Tijssens, new president of FEFAC also takes over the role of director of corporate affairs in Agrifirm Group, based in The Netherlands. Tijssens succeeds to Patrick Vanden Avenne, who has been FEFAC’s president since 2010. 

Read more...

Nematodes have shown promise as biological control agents in the fight against the western corn rootworm, whose larval stage is a costly pest of corn in the United States and Europe. 

But current spray methods used to apply the beneficial nematodes can be labor-intensive and water-consuming.

Read more...

Western corn rootworm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NGFA urges Congress stop rail strike

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) in the US is urging Congress to prevent the national freight rail strike that could be potentially 'calamitous' if it occur at the start of December 6. President Obama on October 6, established a Presidential Emergency Board and an additional cooling-off period to provide time for the nation’s Class I railroads and unions to reach agreement. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers.