26/02/14: Canada eyes animal feed as pig-killing virus spreads, Elanco acquires Lohmann Animal Health

PEDv is a virus that effects live stock from the porcine family, often causing extreme dehydration due to the prevalence of vomiting and diarrhea. This virus which originated in Canada on the 22nd of January 2013 has killed one-to-four million pigs in the United States alone. Currently the (CFIA) Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working towards determining whether or not the virus outbreak originated from contaminated animal feed. It was reported that traces of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus were found within a plasma from a US based manufacturer; which supplied the Grand Valley Fortifiers feed company operating within Ontario.

Read more here.


German company Eli Lilly has accepted Lohmann Animal Health into its animal health division. This will help Elanco's long term mission of providing its consumers with a safe and cost efficient product. The acquiring of Lohmann SE will solidifies Elanco's presence in the food industry - providing a solid base in which to develop new products and improve its long term capabilities. Improving commercial capabilities and opening up more possibilities.

Read more here.

Dengue virus (Photo credit: Sanofi Pasteur)

02/10/13: Bike-powered mill; investment in US freight rail infastructure; invest in Indian grain storage - Rabobank

A bicycle-powered grain mill is helping to combat poverty in South Sudan.

Invented by Canadian PhD student, Chris Hergesheimer, the bike mill can produce 1 kg of flour in 7-9 minutes. This is a remarkable contrast to the1.5-3 hours it takes to grind a family's daily sorghum needs by hand.

Hergesheimer came up with the idea to give his arm muscles a break when milling small batches of flour for a farmers market in his native British Columbia.

The design is relatively simple, using a chain and sprocket to connect the mill to a bike frame equipped with a seat, pedals and handle bars.

The idea to export to invention to South Sudan came from one of Hergesheimer's friends who moved to Canada following the civil war in Sudan in the 1990s.

Now Hergesheimer his raising money to fund a trip to the country to build the mills with local people.
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US freight railroad company, BNSF, plans to invest USD$90 million in rail upgrades in New Mexcio, USA.

The company will make signal improvements to five main line tracks through the Belen Terminal and add a locomotive servicing pit to the yard at Belen. It will also continue its robust track improvement program in New Mexico, which will include 2,100 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, the replacement of about 160 miles of rail and more than 170,000 railroad ties, as well as significant signal upgrades for federally mandated positive train control (PTC).

“BNSF's capital investments in New Mexico will help ensure our network is prepared for growing demand for freight rail,” said Matthew K Rose, chairman and chief executive officer.

“We are focused on investing to meet our customers' expectations and on expanding capacity where growth is occurring. Given the importance of a low cost supply chain to the U.S. economy, our privately funded rail infrastructure is well positioned to help New Mexico compete in global markets.”

The US rail network plays a vital role in the transportation of grains in and out and across the country so the improvements are sure to be welcomed by the industry.
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The time is right to invest in Indian grain storage, according to a report by Rabobank.

Demand for grain storage is expected to grow in the next five years with the drive coming from an envisaged grain-storage deficit, inadequate storage and the new Indian Food Security Bill.

Rabobank predicts that in the long run, strategic players who prefer a relatively lower degree of government control will be investing; however, in the short-term, silos will attract investment on the back of government schemes and captive usage by private millers and processors.
Read more...

English: A BNSF heads west past the Rochelle Train Park. www.rochelletrainpark.com (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

25/09/13: Bulk handlers benefit from Australian deregulation; safety in silos message; minimising land loss

Bulk grain handlers with port facilities dominate the Australian export market, reports ABC Rural.

Grain industry consultant, Simon McNair calculates that grain handlers who own terminals have increased their market share from just over 40 percent, to more than 60 percent of the export market since deregulation in 2009.

Pre-deregulation there were concerns that bulk handlers would get a regional monopoly similar to that of the Australian Wheat Board (AWB), Judging by McNair's figures, it seems that these fears have come to fruition.

However, the government is trying to tackle this issue. Following the recent election, the new Abbott government will progress with its yet-to-be completed mandatory code of conduct for port access. This would allow greater access arrangements to terminals for third parties, regardless of who owns the port terminal.

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Did you know you can die in a grain bin in 60 seconds?

With the harvest season in full swing across much of the north hemisphere, it is worth refreshing your memory on the unique dangers of grain storage.

In the past 50 years, more than 900 cases of grain engulfment have been reported with a fatality rate of 62 percent, according to  Purdue University, Indiana, USA. more recently, in 2010, at least 26 US workers were killed in grain engulfments − the highest number on record.

This blog post from the U.S. Department of Labor looks at what safety measures should be considered when working in grain silos. The article includes information on the six major hazards: engulfment, falls, auger entanglement, 'struck by', combustible dust explosions and electrocution hazards.

Read more...

Here's another scary statistic for you:

"Every year we lose an area of land with the potential to produce 20 million tons of grain," Michael Mack, CEO, Syngenta.

This is obviously worrying news for everyone, not just the grain industry. However, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and Syngenta, is doing something about it. 

The organisation has launched the Soil Leadership Academy which aims to fill the gap in capacity building opportunities for policy makers to address land management issues, through distilling and sharing the latest science, knowledge and expertise in soil conservation and sustainable practice.

Key objectives will be to:

• Develop an efficient, community, business and land user friendly decision making environment to prevent and reverse land degradation and desertification, to support soil conservation and facilitate greening of arid, semi-arid and dry-sub-humid regions of the world.
• Establish a network of business and business representative bodies/organizations for regular engagement with the UNCCD providing business solutions and inputs on sustainable land management to the convention and its parties in order to contribute towards building a land-degradation neutral world.

“The Academy will serve as a source of state-of-the-art information related to soil conservation and land-management. It should help bridge the gap between science and policy and to build the capacity of those who manage the land to access knowledge,” said Luc Gnacadja, executive secretary, UNCCD.

Read more...

English: parties to the convention (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

12/09/13: Grain barge found adrift; new Cargill CEO; Taiwan to buy $4 billion in US ag products

A loaded grain barge has been apparently intentionally adrift in the Columbia river, Oregon, USA on Friday.

The crew of a passing tug boat spotted the 252-foot-long barge, which was floating unlit and unmanned near a staging area between Portland and Vancouver.

Tidewater Barge Lines staff members had reported the barge missing at about 10 p.m. on Friday.

The barge was towed back to the staging area where it had been moored.
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Cargill has named David MacLennan as its new CEO.

MacLennan, 54, has been with the company since 1991 and is currently Cargill's operating chief and president.

MacLennan will take up the role when current CEO, Gregory R. Page, retires on December 1, 2013.
Read more...

The Taiwan Feed Industry Association on behalf of the Taiwanese Agricultural Goodwill Mission has signed a letter of intent with the U.S. Grains Council committing to purchase 5 million metric tons (197 million bushels) of U.S. corn in 2014 and 2015. In addition, 0.5 million tons of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) will be included in the memorandum.

The total value of intended purchases is estimated to be nearly $4 billion, making Taiwan's letter of intent evidence of a U.S. commitment to strengethen trade ties and maintain a well-established partnership with the nation.

“Over the last 40 years, Taiwan has been one of the most import export markets for U.S. coarse grains and products,” said Julius Schaaf, USGC chairman. “With Taiwan producing less than one percent of its needed grains, the United States is able to be a major supplier to the nation. In 2011-2012, Taiwan was the sixth-largest U.S. corn market, the third-largest U.S. barley market and the seventh-largest U.S. sorghum market. The Council is proud of the partnership we have had with Taiwan for many years and are excited for the possibilities that continue to grow from this partnership.”

The Council has played an integral role in building and sustaining close ties between the United States and Taiwan. Even though U.S. agriculture exports to Taiwan are facing increasing competition from other suppliers, the Council continues to offer customer service, through providing timely and objective market information and assuring the Taiwanese of the quality and reliability of U.S. coarse grains and products. Through this relationship, Taiwan has remained one of the most stable markets for U.S. agriculture.

English: Barge traffic on the Cumberland River at Smithland in Livingston County, Kentucky , USA. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains the river for tug-and-barge navigation. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

U.S Wheat Associates installs new officers

The U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) board of directors installed new officers at its annual meeting July 1, 2013, in Rapid City. 

Dan Hughes (Venango, NE) was installed as chairman, while last year’s chairman Darrell Davis (Ipswich, SD) transitioned to past chairman and chairman of the USW Budget Committee. Other officers installed included Roy Motter (Brawley, CA) as vice chairman and Brian O’Toole (Crystal, ND) as Secretary-Treasurer. USW officers were elected to these one-year positions at the January 2013 Winter Wheat Conference.

Committees met on Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30, including the Joint Biotech and Joint International Trade Policy committees that operate in conjunction with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). Official business was called to order on Sunday, June 30, and continued through Monday, July 1.

Reports from the meeting included a welcome from South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Lucas Lentsch, an update export market development activities in South Korea from USW Country Director Dr. Won Bang Koh, a report from NAWG President Bing Von Bergen, a market update from USW Market Analyst Casey Chumrau and reports from wheat producers who participated in an intensive industry tour to Asia. This year’s meeting also featured industry speakers, including:

§        Greg Guthrie, director of ag products, BNSF Railway
§        Norm Dreger, head of North America cereals, Syngenta
§        Dr Kevin Kephart, vice president of research, South Dakota State University 

For more information...

Wheat (Photo credit: Big Grey Mare)

01/07/2013: Firefighters to train for silo rescue; Innovad launches new website; population drives crop demand

Often compared to sinking in quicksand, a farmer can find all sorts of danger in a container filled with corn or soybeans. Within 22 seconds of stepping into a grain ­silo, a person can become immersed.

In light of this, Bloomington city, USA firefighters have received a set of metal panels that encircle a victim of an entrapment. The person is harnessed to the rescue equipment while res­cuers dig at the material surrounding them.

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Innovad has launched an updated and revamped website. The new website supports Innovad's strong growth and global expansion, reflecting its commitment to bringing innovative technology, technically validated solutions and dedicated field of expertise.

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According to talks at the 2013 Australian Summer Grains conference at the RACV Royal Pines Resort, rising demand for grains and oilseeds, particularly from the Asian region, has set the scene for a bright future for Australian summer grain crops.

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English: Farmland. Grain crops in the near field, while the far fields are mostly pasture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New! GFMT article: Feed Focus: Poultry

Anyone who's attended IPPE in the USA will know that poultry farming is big. In fact more than 50  billion chickens are raised each year worldwide and the UK consumes 29 million eggs a day.  

Given these statistics, we decided to look at poultry, with an emphasis on chickens, in more detail. In this poultry focus we examine two elements of the poultry feed industry. First, Hossan MD Salim PhD, DLS, Bangladesh and University Manitoba, Canada explains the potential for DDGS in poultry feeds in Bangladesh. Second, Murray Hyden, Anpario, United Kingdom looks at amino acids in terms of efficiency and the environment.

Read the full article here.

GFMT's Feed Focus on poultry

CHS and Aurora to build high-speed shuttle loading facility in Nebraska

 CHS Inc., an energy grains and foods company and the United States' leading farmer-owned cooperative, and the Aurora Cooperative, a leading grain marketer and agricultural supplier throughout Nebraska and the U.S., announced formation of a limited liability company (LLC) to build and operate a high-speed shuttle loading facility near Superior, Nebraska.

The new entity, Superior East, LLC expects to begin construction immediately and be completed in about 12 months. With a storage capacity of 1,250,000 bushels, the new grain facility will include a 120-car capacity circle track on the BNSF line moving corn, soybeans and hard red winter wheat to markets west and south, including Mexico. Additionally, the location will provide a grain ground piling system, as well as 10,000-ton liquid fertiliser storage. The site has ample room to expand both grain and fertilizer capacity.

Superior East, LLC was formed under the recently introduced CHS Partnered Equity Program. This first-of-its-kind program allows CHS owners to unlock a portion of their equity in CHS to provide capital for an expansion project. Cooperatives participating in the program use a portion of their CHS equity as a contribution to a venture with CHS focused on helping their cooperative grow. Eligible projects include shuttle loaders, fertilizer hub plants, energy assets and other growth opportunities.

"By using a portion of our CHS equity along with additional CHS capital to build a next-generation ag multiplex, we will be able to provide the Aurora Cooperative farmer owners in southern Nebraska and northern Kansas additional access to world grain and fertilizer markets via the BNSF rail system," said George Hohwieler, Aurora Cooperative President and CEO.  "This significant expansion fully aligns with our vision to be a financially strong, innovative, and locally-owned agri-business," said Hohwieler.

"We are excited about the opportunity to come together with such a strong partner with the CHS Partnered Equity Program," said Lynden Johnson, Business Solutions executive vice president, CHS. "The goal of the program is to help our owners grow by providing strong cooperatives like Aurora the opportunity to unlock a portion of their equity in CHS for projects that directly serve their farmer owners. We look forward to exploring other projects that would benefit our owners in Nebraska and other states in CHS trade area," said Johnson.

Superior East, LLC is a 50/50 joint venture with a governing board comprised of representatives from both CHS and the Aurora Cooperative. The multiplex will be operated by the Aurora Cooperative.
Formed in 1908, the Aurora Cooperative is a premier, multi-purpose agricultural cooperative providing service and expertise in grain, agronomy, animal nutrition and energy. Headquartered in Aurora, the cooperative serves customers and patrons across Nebraska and in surrounding states.

CHS Inc. is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Diversified in energy, grains and foods, CHS is committed to helping its customers, farmer-owners and other stakeholders grow their businesses through its domestic and global operations. CHS, a Fortune 100 company, supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain marketing services, livestock feed, food and food ingredients, along with business solutions including insurance, financial and risk management services. The company operates petroleum refineries/pipelines and manufactures, markets and distributes Cenex^® brand refined fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products.

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligations to publicly revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances. For a discussion of additional factors that may materially affect management's estimates and predictions, please view the CHS Inc. annual report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended Aug. 31, 2012, which can be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission website or on the CHS website.

Grain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

09/05/13: Dust explosions; Vietnamese rice exports; Biomin receive good mycotoxin feedback

Dust may have been the cause of an explosion at the Bartlett Milling Co, facility in North Carolina, USA in April this year. Although the exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, investigators suspect that combustible dust, which is nine times more explosive than coal dust, is at fault. The explosion caused the collapse of several exterior brick walls and seriously injured one person.

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Vietnamese rice exports topped 2.1 million tonnes in the first four months of 2013, according to data released by the Vietnam Food Association. The figure is a 23.4 percent increase on the same perdiod in 2012. 

However, it is not all good news as rice prices have fallen by US$30 a tonnes compared to the first four months of 2012. This has led to 280,000 tonnes of rice being cancelled.

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Biomin has become the first company to receive positive European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) feedback on mycotoxin biotransformation.  

In their scientific opinion, the EFSA concluded that Biomin^® BBSH 797 (part of the well-established Mycofix^® product line) is not only safe for animals, humans and the environment, but also demonstrably efficacious in target species. 

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Long grain rice from the United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

08/05/13: Folic acid may decrease autism risk; grain handler dispute; USA corn planting down; research into aflatoxin-resistant corn

A study, published in the journal JAMA, has concluded that folic acid can help reduce the risk of autism in unborn children by up to 40 percent. 

The study looked at expectant mothers who took folic acid supplements during pregnancy in Norway where grains and cereals are not required to be fortified. 

Women who took the pills were less likely to have children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders than mothers who didn’t take folate supplements. 

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A Northwest grain handler in the USA has locked workers out of the longshoreman's union following a labour dispute. 

Columbia Grain in Portland, locked out longshoremen on May 4, 2013 in reaction to work slowdowns. Managers and temporary workers have resumed operations and the company doesn't expect the issue to affect grain exports. 

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Although the farmers in the USA intend to grow a record amount of corn this year, wet spring weather means that only 12 percent of the crop has been planted, according to the USDA.

It gets worse on the nation's biggest corn producing sate, Iowa where just 8 percent of the corn crop is in the ground, down from 62 percent the same time last year. The USDA says it's the slowest planting pace since 1995 in Iowa, which was socked by a snowstorm last week.

 

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Plant scientists at the University of Arkansas, USA  are working on a transgenic corn strain that would not be affected by Aflatoxin.

The fungus that grows on corn plants stressed by hot, dry weather or sustained drought, can seriously impact the health of various farm animals and also affect humans who ingest it.

 

Although Aflatoxin poisoning is rarely a problem countries where grains are screened use in animal feed, in other countries. In other areas of the world where grain marketing is unregulated, animals and humans have died after ingesting Aflatoxin from tainted corn.

 

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grain products: bread, rice, cornmeal, and pasta (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wenger

With a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, brothers Joe and Louis Wenger founded Wenger Mixing Company in a small Kansas (USA) town in 1935. They went on to design a machine that blended molasses with dry feedstuffs and produced pellets in 1948. Theirs was the first extrusion cooking system and the basic technology for all commercial extruders used today.
The Wenger brothers' novel idea created a worldwide industry. And, seventy-five years later, Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. is still a family-owned business committed to groundbreaking innovation in the extrusion market.
Today, Wenger offers a range of premium single-screw extruders, twin-screw extruders, dryers/coolers, flavor coating and enrobing systems, and control systems. A new generation of proud employees works toward customer satisfaction daily in our multiple plants, in our world-class research and development centre, and in sales and service offices around the globe.
Click on the image to visit the Wenger website.

22/03/2013: Two major contracts won for port handling equipment; South Korea: A price driven market ready to rebound

Schenck Process have just secured two major contracts for Redler mechanical conveying equipment for use in ports in Liverpool and Jordan.

The contract in Liverpool is for Peel Ports, an extension to the Animal Feed Storage facility valued at several million pounds. 

Schenck Process are acting as the M&E contractor for the bulk materials handling equipment and this will be interfacing with the existing system and supplying new high capacity 800t/ph chain conveyors, a long high level belt conveyor plus a MaxiStore and reversing shuttle conveyor complete with the site wiring, controls, installation and commissioning.

The project in Jordan is for the new grain terminal at the Port of Aqaba in Jordan. The contract valued at £4 million is a significant award with this being the third Grain Silo project secured in the past 12 months within the Middle East region. The order is for five packages including the chain conveyors, belt conveyors, belt and bucket elevators, magnetic separators and bulk weigh scales with other business opportunities available within the project for Schenck Process.

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Money, money, money, must be funny - talks this week with major South Korean importers suggest Korea has a strong preference for U.S. corn as long as it is competitively priced. 

U.S. Grains Council officers are in Asia this week meeting with longtime customers, addressing concerns about the U.S. short crop in 2012, and discussing the outlook for next year. Korea was their first stop. Korea imports 60 percent of its feed grain needs and has traditionally sourced the lion's share from the United States. Korean imports from other sources have soared in 2013. As of March 14, corn imports from the United States had sagged to 352,000 metric tons, vs. more than 2.4 million tons at this time a year ago. The reason is all down to price. 

"Last year because of price, we had to import corn from [other sources]. I hope that this year the United States will produce enough corn to feed this country," said Jong Tae Han, chairman of the Korea Corn Processing Industry Association. 

"We are willing to pay a premium for U.S. corn because of the high U.S. corn quality. We also appreciate the United States as a trading partner. We consider the United States a reliable supplier and friendly nation. Unfortunately, the price gap in 2012 was much too large," he added. 

Korean buyers are united in their appreciation of U.S. corn quality and the reliability of the United States as a supplier. They made it clear that they were as anxious as U.S. farmers for U.S. yields to return to normal in the coming year.

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talks this week with major South Korean importers send one message loud and clear: Korea has a strong preference for U.S. corn provided that it is competitively priced.

20/03/13: USDA deputy secretary resigns; Mexico and Canada join TPP; UK wheat update

Agriculture deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced her departure from the USDA. In a statement, Merrigan said, "It has been an ambitious first term. From implementing the 2008 farm bill, improving school meals, expanding opportunities for American farmers, spending countless hours in the White House situation room, to shepherding USDA budgets through challenging times, it has been an honor to play a small part in history."I hope that during my tenure, I was able to help open USDA's doors a little wider, inviting new and discouraged constituencies to participate in USDA programmes."
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has invited Mexico and Canada to join its trade negotiations.
Currently TPP includes nine countries: Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, United States, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Peru, Chile, and Vietnam. 
The TPP negotiations encourage economic growth through trade among Pacific economies. The agreement will lead to employment growth as well as enhanced economic opportunity. It is estimated that every $1 billion in agricultural exports supports 9,000 jobs.
Cargill, which has existing investments in eight of the TPP countries, has welcomed the news.
“Cargill has supported the inclusion of Mexico and Canada in the TPP from the start.  We also support Japan’s entry into the negotiations,” said Greg Page, Cargill Chairman and CEO.  “We have believed all along that in order for the agreement to be commercially meaningful, TPP must include other significant trading partners, and we are pleased with the decision on Mexico and Canada’s entry.”
More information…
What is the TPP?

UK production of wheat is forecast to fall to its lowest level in more than a decade, forcing imports of bread-quality grain, reports Reuters. England saw its wettest year on record on 2012, with high disease levels in arable crops and low wheat yields.
Read more…

Wheat. Español: Trigo. Français : Blé. Magyar: Búza. Tiếng Việt: Lúa mì. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

08/03/13: Friday news round up

Korea increased its imports of DDGS from the USA in 2012, according to US Grains Council data.  On a customs cleared basis, Korea imported more than 505,000 metric tons of DDGS in 2012, of which 469,000 metric tons were from the United States.

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CHS and the Mid-Kansas Cooperative (MKC) have joined forces to build and operate a high-speed grain shuttle load facility in Canton, Kansas

Construction on the facility will begin in the spring and due due for completion withing 12 months. The grain shuttle will load 1110-car trains bound for export facilities in the Pacific Northwest, the Gulf Coast and Mexico. Once in operation, on-site storage will exceed of 3 million bushels.

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The opposition Congress in India staged a walk out in the state assembly this week over an accident at a rice mill in Rewa. A wall at the mill collapsed in February 2013, killing ten people and injuring 11 others. The mill is allegedly owned by a relative of state minister for energy, Rajendra Shukla. The opposition accuse the police of failing to investigate the accident following pressure from the ruling party.

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Old Grain Elevator, W Marion St, Lehigh, Kansas, USA. Looking south-east. Photo by Steve Meirowsky on August 7, 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

07/03/13: Indian wheat exports; China and GM soybean; job cuts at Australian mill

Last week reported on India growing grain mountain. The country is set to hit 100 mt of stored wheat and rice this year but has space to store less than 50 mt. Officials are attempting to tackle the problem with a big export drive which could total as much as 9.5 million tonnes. However, there are fears that the new exports will place strain on exisiting grain shipments using  rail and ports.

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China will continue to import GM soybeans in response to domestic demand, the government has announced. Last year the country imported 58.38 million tons of GM soybeans, predominantly from the United States, Brazil and Argentina. China produces about 14 million tons of soybeans but demand exceeds 70 million tons.

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More than 40 jobs are to be cut at a grain mill in Tamworth, Australia after going into receivership three months ago. Allied Mills, one of has Australia's largest manufacturers and distributors of bakery premixes and flour products, has bought the ailing Grain Products Australia facility but will reduce staff numbers to 20.

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Soybean seeds (Photo credit: IITA Image Library)

01/03/13: NIR social media site; snow causes wheat price fall; 4B introduces new bucket elevator line

Foss has launched a new NIR social media website. NIRperformance.com is an online resource centre for professionals in the feed industry who work with near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technology. 

Much of the information on NIRperformance.com is divided into four main areas: Calibration, Production control, Technology and Application. Each of these categories features informative content that address specific issues and advances within NIR analysis in the feed industry.

Visit the website...

Global wheat prices have taken a tumble due to adverse snowfall in the the USA. Prices have dropped to their lowest level since June 2012 following heavy snow in the country.

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4B Components Ltd. has designed a new large sized ultra-heavy duty elevator bucket line intended for the most severe agro-industrial uses, such as port and river terminals, ethanol and fertilizer plants, or frac sand and aggregate operations.
The new super strong JUMBO CC-S® offers greater carrying capacity, along with ultra-durability and wear resistance. It has the thickest front lip, front corners and walls available for longer life. The JUMBO CC-S® is a High-EfficiencyTM elevator bucket, and comes in six sizes ranging from 14x8 to 24x8 with additional sizes pending.
As an extension of the proven and successful heavy duty CC-S® elevator bucket, the JUMBO CC-S® also incorporates the long lasting Iceberg® Edge front wear lip and the unique tapered bottom. Designed for the closest possible vertical spacing (projection +1/2”), the tapered bottom ensures efficient bucket fill and discharge, especially in low-profile configurations. This design allows the buckets to nest inside one another, delivering transport cost savings and storage efficiencies. “The JUMBO CC-S® offers a substantial upgrade opportunity for anyone requiring thicker walled elevator buckets”, says Carl Swisher, sales manager for material handling at 4B Components.

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wheat_01 (Photo credit: NDSU Ag Comm)

Event: GEAPS

Two of the Perendale Publishers teams are in Lousiville, USA for the GEAPS Exchange. If you're at the show, visit us on stand L6.
Here's a video from the opening ceremony

22/02/13: NIR workshop; Egypt's wheat challenge and OSHA agreement

Members of the Aunir team will be sharing their expertise in the field of near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy at a pioneering workshop in Gembloux, Belgium, on March 27, 2013. Application specialists Rocio Garcia and Simon Flanagan will discuss the challenges and opportunities that come from working with large volumes of NIR data.

Organised as part of the EU’s Quality and Safety of Feeds and Food for Europe (QSAFFE) project, the NIR platform workshop will focus on the use of online technology and the detection of contaminants in NIR spectroscopy, as well as recent developments in NIR instrumentation. Along with Aunir, representatives from scientific research centres, universities and private companies will talk through the advantages of using NIR in their daily work.
 
Rocio Garcia said: “Aunir is delighted to be involved in the NIR platform workshop, which will help participants find out more about state-of-the-art NIR instruments, their possibilities, and application. The workshop will be of interest to anyone working in analytical research or industrial science, and promises to stimulate both lively debate and future collaboration.”

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Egypt's wheat buyer, Nomani Nomani has been replaced, raising concerns over the stability of the country's bread programme. Nomani has been responsible for running the US$2.5 billion bread subsidiary programme since 1979. The challenge now is to keep the country's wheat prices high while the currency is at an all time low.

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The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Montana Department of Labor and Industry today signed an alliance with the Montana Grain Elevators Association. The alliance will focus on identifying, reducing and preventing workers' exposure to hazards in the grain handling industries throughout Montana. 

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English: An Egyptian wheat plant. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

21/02/13: Thursday news round up

Drought, weather and fluctuating commodity prices caused US farmland to shrink by 3 million acres in 2012 according to a report by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Texas suffered the bulk of the drop, losing 2 million acres due to a two years of drought.

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A man has been successfully removed from grain bin in Kansas, USA.

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Thai mills buy Canadian wheat as global prices ease, reports Reuters.

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A bag of wheat, often used as an adjunct (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

19/02/13:India's rice revolution; maize is a good value feed; Monsanto patent investigation

India's rice revolution. In a village in India's poorest state, Bihar, farmers are growing world record amounts of rice – with no GM, and no herbicide. Is this one solution to world food shortages? asks the Guardian.

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Maize is still the best value forage for dairy producers according to an analysis of Maize Growers Association data carried out by Grainseed Ltd in the UK. Despite poor weather last year, maize delivered a tonne of drymatter for nearly 20 percent less than grass silage.

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A report by the Center for Food Safety and the Save Our Seeds campaigning groups has concluded that Monsanto sued small farmers in the US to protect its patent rights on GM seeds. Monsanto

has been accused of trying to prevent farmers from replanting crops they have produced from Monsanto seeds.

The report, called Seed Giants vs US Farmers, traced Monsanto law suits and found 142 patent infringement suits against 410 farmers and 56 small businesses in more than 27 states. The firm has won more than $23 million to date.

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To increase the genetic diversity of U.S. corn, the Germplasm Enhancement for Maize (GEM) project seeks to combine exotic germplasm, such as this unusually colored and shaped maize from Latin America, with domestic corn lines. U Deutsch: Maiskolben (Photo credit: Wikipedia)