USA and Canada

Drought takes bite out of Man. soybean yields

Manitoba soybean growers will likely see lower yields this year, but a price of $15 per bushel should compensate for below average yields.

Like all crops, the province’s soybeans suffered in June and July during weeks of 30 to 35 C heat and almost no rainfall.

Rain in the second week of August and a dump of rain around Aug. 20 should improve yields for many soybean growers, but the crop really needed rain in late July for producers to achieve yields of 40 bushels per acre or higher.

“Anything that caught rainfall, those showers in late July or early August, those stands are looking pretty good,” said Dennis Lange, pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.

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Drought Conditions To Reduce Canada’s Crop Production By 26%

Canada, the world’s biggest canola grower and a major wheat producer, forecasts a 26% drop in supplies of its main crops as drought conditions negatively impact output and existing inventories dwindle.

Grain and oilseed exports are expected to fall in the marketing year that started August 1 for most crops, and inventories will drop due to low supplies, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in its latest monthly report. By the end of July, nearly three quarters (75%) of Canada’s agricultural area was abnormally dry or in a drought.

Erratic weather globally is helping push prices of staple crops including wheat to multiyear highs. The outlook for the sharp drop in Canadian supplies also comes with a forecast for the country’s grain prices to remain high at a time that food inflation is already being felt in consumers’ wallets.

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Some producers ‘pleasantly surprised’ by small grain yields

As some producers finish up their small grains harvest, many are pleasantly surprised with the yield that their acres put out this season, despite the drought.

However, according to Clair Keene, a North Dakota State University Extension agronomist and assistant professor, a “pleasant surprise” has a very different meaning depending on if a producer lives in eastern or western North Dakota.

For the western part of the state, the drought started rearing its ugly horns almost an entire year before it made its presence known in eastern North Dakota, so the two regions have stark differences in terms of “good” yields.

“In the east, they had the benefit of having more soil moisture than the west going into the winter. In some areas in the west, our drought started last summer,” Keene said. “It really started in June of 2020, whereas in the eastern part of the state their drought didn’t start until May or June of 2021.”

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US corn price under pressure

In the wake of the August United States Department of Agriculture Report, wheat futures peaked in Australia on August 17, with a closing high of 775 US cents a bushel on the December contract, or in $A terms, a high of $A388.02 a tonne.

By the end of last week, December futures had shed 45.75 USc/bu (down 5.9 per cent), or $A12.62/t (down 3.25pc).

A major driver of the price declines has been a “risk off” attitude across most commodity markets in response to concerns about the latest global wave of COVID-19 cases. In the mix is a decline in crude oil, which has flowed through to biofuel feedstocks like soybeans (soyoil actually), canola and corn.

With last week’s surge in wheat prices, wheat’s premium over corn reached historic highs. As a result market commentators are expecting the corn market to hold more influence over wheat prices as we move forward.

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Drought, hoppers put Montana wheat farmers on the ropes

Extreme drought and grasshoppers have taken a toll on Montana grains with harvest down by as much as half from a year ago.

The state, which normally ranks third in the nation for wheat production, has suffered steep declines in yield as nearly 99% of Montana is in severe to exceptional drought in the final weeks of harvest.

“Yield-wise, it will be our worse year since 1988,” said Cassidy Marn, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee executive vice president, referencing a year that’s been repeatedly uttered by Montana producers.

History remembers the 1988 drought as the year fire burned through 793,880 acres of Yellowstone National Park, but it was also a brutal year for Montana’s dryland farmers.

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New Zealand

Avocados being planted by the thousands in Taranaki

Dairy-dominated Taranaki may soon become recognised for its avocados, with thousands of trees being planted around the region.

Around 6000 avocado trees will go into the ground this year, with another 10,000 in 2022, economic development agency Venture Taranaki said.

Avocados are a significant export industry for New Zealand, fourth behind kiwifruit, apples, and grapes for wine, and Venture Taranaki hopes the fruit could help the region’s economy to diversify.

Earlier this year, Venture Taranaki invited avocado industry representatives to New Plymouth to discuss opportunities with local landowners.

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Demand for NZ beef set to remain strong amid global disruption

Prices for New Zealand beef remain strong in exports markets despite the turbulence in the global beef trade, with producers in a good position ahead of spring, a new report says.

Restrictions on beef exports from Argentina and ongoing disruption from Covid-19 were creating turbulent conditions in the global beef trade but farm gate prices for New Zealand beef had remained elevated over the last three months, RaboResearch analyst Genevieve Steven​ said.

Rabobank’s quarterly report on the global beef trade showed this was due to demand from China, as well as lower export volumes from Australia.

“Pricing across both islands is tracking well ahead of last year and currently sits 10 per cent above the five-year average,” Steven​ said.

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Farm Assurance Programme’s importance to future of farming

The NZ Farm Assurance Programme had its origins as an integral function of the Red Meat Profit Partnership which was established in 2014 under a joint funding model between the government under the Primary Growth Partnership and nine industry partners, including B+LNZ, six meat processors and two banks. The meat companies decided to abandon their own assurance schemes and pursue a standardised approach, although Alliance was initially reluctant.

Seven years down the track, RMPP ended its activities in March, as was always the intention, after developing its programmes to the point where they have reached maturity and, in the case of NZFAP, ownership has been transferred to an incorporated society representing the original stakeholders.

Read more here…

Future proofing farming in climate changing world

The Red Meat Sector Conference, held in Rotorua at the end of July, was a combination of celebrations, opportunities and challenges. It was the first such conference since pre-Covid days and, although some of the themes of 2019 received more emphasis like the importance of China and telling a compelling story to engage with today’s consumers, others had emerged from further back in the queue. The Conference theme was Looking to the Future.

Issues that have risen to the top of the pile since then are regulation, becoming carbon neutral or positive, food sustainability, the opportunity to capture the regenerative space, and the importance of developing performance measures to substantiate claims in all these areas. Another area of note was more about operations than aspirations: celebration of the way the meat industry adjusted to the challenges of production, processing and global marketing and distribution during lockdown; but after that success has come the persistent difficulty of meeting delivery programmes because of disruption to shipping schedules and access to containers.

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Different season, different experience: this L4 lockdown reprise will be different on the farm says Guy Trafford. And there are updated minimum and trigger prices for the next round of NZ Units to be auctioned in September

The current nation-wide lockdown has yet again cast a pall over the country. From a livestock farming perspective however the lockdown should not have the same impact as the last level 4 one had.

From a straight farming perspective, this time we are going into spring. This means increasing grass and warmer temperatures. Quite the reverse of the March-May lockdown we all experienced last year and so while sale yards are likely to remain closed for the duration most farms should be in a far better position to ride it out.

There also is a lot less uncertainty around markets.

Read More here…

Australia

Wheat price run continues in spite of corn dropping

AUSTRALIAN wheat prices held onto most of last week’s hefty gains in spite of global news that knocked the gloss off values in other grain sectors.

Slightly improving conditions in parts of the US Midwest, combined with unease over a reported short-term change in the US government’s biofuel mandate conspired to lower corn prices, while oilseed values have been dragged down by better conditions for soybeans.

However wheat, with unease about the Russian crop a key factor, was not subject to the same falls and Australian forward contracts remain at around $330-350/t delivered port.

High protein wheat producers are also sitting pretty, with good premiums on traditional high protein wheat exchanges such as Kansas City and Minneapolis in place.

Read more here…

Grain farmers ready for big winter crop harvest

Queensland grain farmers are making final preparations for a looming massive winter crop grain harvest.

Larger plantings and above average winter rainfall have southern Queensland growers eyeing off a record large wheat harvest.

Farmers say they are anticipating record high yields on the back of the idyllic crop conditions.

Pre-harvest expectations are that wheat yields of 3 to 4 tonnes will be the norm across the western Darling Downs and south western Queensland.

Some are already saying the upcoming Queensland wheat harvest will top the record large harvest of 2 million tonnes set back in 2008-09.

Other states including NSW and WA are also preparing for huge harvests.

Read more here…

Irrigators lobby for ag energy concerns to be addressed

THE NATIONAL Irrigators’ Council continues to lobby hard to ensure energy market is not distorted against big agricultural energy users.

The NIC welcomed this week’s release of the Energy Security Board’s final advice to relevant energy ministers on how a post-2025 market design for the National Energy Market could look.

NIC chief executive Isaac Jeffrey said it was critical agriculture was heard in the energy debate and that large agricultural users were recognised as large commercial and industrial users which would keep energy prices for the sector

more competitive.

“As the energy market undergoes transition, agriculture food and fibre producers need to be assured that rural industries will not be unfairly disadvantaged with high energy costs that make their businesses unsustainable,” Mr Jeffrey said.

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New Queensland phosphate mine to boost local fert options

A NEW phosphate rock mine in north-west Queensland will provide a valuable new source of phosphorus-based fertilisers for Australian farmers.

Centrex Metals’ Ardmore mine is south of Mt Isa and will be capable of producing 800,000 tonnes of phosphate rock each year, which will translate into around 600,000 tonnes of phosphate-based fertiliser.

The phosphate being extracted has a high percentage of P and is low in cadmium, which is an issue with some imported products.

At this stage, Centrex has said the mine will have a minimum 10-year life span.

Wes Lefroy, Rabobank agricultural analyst said Australian farmers use just short of 2 million tonnes of P-based fertilisers per annum, mostly in the form of MAP, DAP and single super.

Read more here …

Farming Simulator 22 gets machine models before real world releases

IN a true showing of the “gamification” of agriculture, the digital version of a major machinery brand’s latest gear will be available to play in a video game before it arrives in a real life paddock.

In the lead-up to the release of Farming Simulator 22, game developer Giants Software has received requests from big-name brands to get their machines in before customers even step into their actual cabs.

One example is the Claas Trion (and its three models) combine harvester which will be showcased and available in-game when the game launches later this year.

The Claas Trion 750 Terra Trac is the brand new top model in the company’s compact combine harvester class.

Read more here…

South America

Uruguayan meat exports surpass Argentina’s thanks to restrictions

Restrictions on meat exports imposed on producers by the Argentine administration of President Alberto Fernández, in a failed attempt to curb domestic prices, have led the country to lose ground to Uruguayan and Paraguayan competitors, Infobae reported Wednesday.

In fact, Uruguay has once again surpassed Argentina, as it happened in April 2018, while according to commercial reports, Paraguay is also gaining ground in the market.

Fernández’s measures became opportunities for other countries that increased their sales abroad, such as Paraguay and especially Uruguay.

Read More here…

Record-Breaking 2021/22 Season Expected for Chilean Cherries

Owing to strong market demand from China, Chile’s cherry crop has been setting new historical records with each passing season and the upcoming marketing year 2021/22 (from November to October) appears likely to be no exception.

According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, the planted area for cherries in Chile is forecast to increase by 11.5% in MY 2021/22, reaching a total of 44,000 hectares. However, an increase in the planted area does not always translate to proportional growth in the production volume. In this regard, Chile is expected to produce approximately 395,000 metric tons of cherries in MY 2021/22, corresponding to a year-on-year increase of 2.9%. Adverse weather conditions such as a continuing drought and the risk of frost damage have motivated cherry producers to employ new crop management practices in terms of pruning trees and thinning flowers to afford superior fruit size and quality, albeit at the expense of lower yields per hectare.

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Lower tax, higher tech help corn displace soy as Argentina’s top crop

Argentine farmers are expected to sow more corn than ever this season while soybean planting falls to a 15-year low as the country’s export tax policy and lack of a regulatory framework for genetically modified beans spurs the shift.

Argentina surpassed drought-hit Brazil this season to become the world’s second-biggest corn exporter.

With the help of the huge soy-crushing plants that dot the banks of Argentina’s Parana River, the country is the top supplier of soymeal livestock feed used to fatten hogs and poultry from Europe to Southeast Asia.

Read more here

Food Updates

On the scent of the most beef-like plant-based burger

How do you recreate the smell of hamburgers? Scientists have taken an analytical approach to find out how plant-based alternatives can mimic the scent of a freshly grilled patty.

For many meat eaters, summer barbecues wouldn’t be the same without the aroma of burgers cooking on the grill. But many people are now open to trying plant-based alternatives, as long as they closely resemble the taste, odour, appearance and texture of real beef. Now, researchers report that the aromas of a couple of plant-based burgers come close to the real deal when they are cooking, though other products still have a long way to go, with the results to be presented at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

“During the last several years, increasing awareness of the impact of meat production on climate change, as well as meat shortages during the pandemic, have made people more accepting of plant-based alternatives,” says LiLi Zyzak, PhD, the project’s principal investigator.

 Read more here…

A botanical-based approach to keeping meat safe and fresh

While many traditional means of preserving meat are no longer acceptable to today’s consumers, rosemary can provide an effective natural solution.

For the meat and poultry industry, maintaining product quality throughout the shelf life is vital. Meat is susceptible to both microbial contamination, which can cause illness and negatively impact taste and oxidative degradation, consequently influencing flavour, smell and colour. While manufacturers might have previously relied on stringent processing conditions or the use of artificial preservatives to protect their products, these approaches have significant drawbacks.

Processing techniques such as heat inactivation result in reduced freshness and quality, impaired taste and texture, and loss of natural nutrients. Antimicrobials such as sodium lactate, sodium acetate and nitrites, meanwhile, are incompatible with the back-to-basics and clean-label trends.

Read more here…

Plant-based drives interest from omnivores, flexitarians, vegetarians alike

KANSAS CITY — The target consumer for plant-based products has evolved over the last few years, leading to an explosion of plant-based and blended products in all corners of the supermarket perimeter.

“One of the key distinctions of today’s alternative protein market is the target consumer has changed,” said Emma Ignaszewski, corporate engagement project manager for Washington DC-based The Good Food Institute (GFI). “Vegans and vegetarians make up a very small percentage of the population here in the US — about 5% — and instead of targeting only those consumers companies are targeting a larger group of omnivore consumers.”

Read more here…

Meeting consumer expectations with sustainable seafood

KANSAS CITY — Consumer interest in seafood sustainability was on the rise before COVID. The pandemic only accelerated that growth, and with retail seafood sales soaring in the past year-plus, highlighting producers’ sustainability bona fides can yield great results on the bottom line.

With a 27% increase in fresh seafood sales in 2020, retailers have a real opportunity for maintaining growth in the category by sharing the stories behind the seafood that they sell, said Jason Heckathorn, CEO of Gainesville, Va.-based Forever Oceans.

For Forever Oceans, those stories begin with a focus on ease of preparation and the delicious flavors those preparations can provide for families, Heckathorn said. The story of the functional benefits of eating more seafood is another story. For instance, the company’s Kahala (a deep ocean-raised amberjack) has higher Omega 3 content than wild-caught salmon or tuna.

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A2 Milk Demand Broadens Markets for Dairy Producers

A growing number of consumers are seeking the potential benefits of A2 milk to increase their dairy-product tolerance. Touted for its digestive advantages by people who would otherwise avoid consuming dairy, A2 milk continues to capture broad interest around the world.

In “A2A2: What’s in it for you?”, a recent episode of PDPW’s The Dairy Signal™, two dairy producers shared their experiences producing milk and cheese for the A2 market. The 60-minute segment also featured Dr. John Lucey, PhD, professor of food science at University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of Center for Dairy Research.

Dr. Lucey explained, “When we talk about A1 and A2 milk protein, we are talking about a difference in one of the amino acids in casein called beta-casein.” Noting that most dairy cattle breeds produce a mixture of A1 and A2 beta-casein, he said, “Most U.S.

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USA and Canada

Highest Corn Yield Average Predicted for Indiana Ever?

Brian Grete was making his way through Illinois this morning on the eastern leg of the 2021 Pro Farmer Crop Tour, but his mind was on Indiana.

“It’s the best Indiana corn crop I’ve ever seen,” Grete told Davis Michaelsen on AgriTalk. “You don’t see quite the consistency there like in Illinois and Iowa, but boy, it looks really consistent this year. There is some pocketed dryness in the west-central parts of the state, but they’re sitting on a terrific crop if they can get it to the finish line,” adds Grete, Pro Farmer editor and leader of the eastern leg of the tour.

Pro Farmer scouts pegged the Indiana average yield estimate at 193.48 bu. per acre on Tuesday, compared to the 2020 estimate of 179.84 bu. per acre – a 7.6% increase.

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FARMERS ARE ASKING ABOUT 2022 PREPAY AND DELIVERY FOR CROP INPUTS

An agricultural inputs supplier says more farmers are trying to prevent a 2022 repeat of high crop input costs. Tony Grapsas with Jay-Mar in Plover, Wisconsin says, “We are getting people who are certainly asking about prepaying for fertilizer for next year.”

Grapsas tells Brownfield that the 2021 spring fertilizer and chemical prices continued to go up in price, including nitrogen, which typically gets cheaper as the summer rolls on.  Grapsas expects prices to either stay steady or continue to go up until well after planting time next spring, including potash which is in short supply. “(There is) political tension over in Russia and Belarus where a lot of import tons come from.

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App Aims to Add To Conversations Around Fertility Recommendations

For almost 10 years, Nutrien has provided the eKonomics tools to help retailers and growers have conversations around optimizing their agronomic decisions, and now the desktop tools are expanded to be available on a mobile app.

The four calculator tools are:

• Nutrient Removal Calculator
• Nutrient ROI Calculator
• Growing Degree Days Calculator
• Rainfall Tracker

“This is about having a conversation to dial in agronomics and factor in the economics,” says Robert Mullen, Nutrien Director of Agronomy. “The tool shows the economic result of a decision, and it really fosters a better conversation between the farmer and their retailer.”

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Harvest estimates paint a gloomy picture

Harvest has begun in Western Canada and along with it speculation about the size of this year’s crop, particularly in Western Canada.

Last week, Farmers Business Network Inc. (FBN), offered an inkling of farmer insight on what this year’s crop might look like in Western Canada with a survey. They asked growers in Canada’s three Prairie provinces to rate the yield potential of this year’s spring wheat crop.

More than 500 growers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were asked to rate this year’s crop on a scale from one to 10, with one representing the worst crop a grower had ever produced, five representing average, and 10 indicating the their best wheat crop ever.

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U.S. Weekly Crop Conditions Take a Hit, Catching Traders by Surprise

The 2021 Pro Farmer Crop Tour is underway this week, with scouts finding large crops in the Eastern Corn Belt, while the West is showing signs of dryness and more sporadic conditions on fields.

The week-long tour comes as USDA’s weekly gauge on crop conditions showed a decline in both soybeans and corn.

The latest USDA Crop Progress report put the corn crop this week at 62% good to excellent, marking a two-point drop from last week. Soybean conditions dropped 3% across the country, now sitting at 57% rated good to excellent.

Multiple states saw conditions ratings decline, including Nebraska and Iowa. The Eastern Corn Belt largely saw conditions continue to improve.

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New Zealand

Vege box deliveries in high demand during latest Covid-19 lockdown

Cantabrians are ensuring they get their five plus a day in lockdown with the number of local vegetable box deliveries skyrocketing.

Untamed Earth Organic Farm director Oliver Platt said they had already seen an increase in online orders and most of their farmers market clients had switched to delivery.

The business had been operating for a year, growing vegetables on their Halswell and Leeston sites.

The business was swamped with online orders during last year’s Covid-19 lockdown and Platt believed that would happen again during the current lockdown.

Read More here…

Guy Trafford reports on the latest dairy auction, and reviews some recent market research showing more of household budgets are being spent on delivered food and trying meat alternatives

While we were distracted over the renewing of the lock-down, yet another GDT dairy auction took place. Just shows the world keeps ticking over regardless of the incidents that occur down here.

The results can be considered mixed yet again. Overall, the weighted results were up, however, within that the all-important WMP price has dropped yet again, this time by -1.5%, which makes the GDT price for WMP in $US falling by approximately -$800 per tonne since the recent peak back on 21st March of US$4,364, back now to US$3,552.

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Guy Trafford laments the ongoing decline of the NZ sheep industry, pressured by climate change and related regulations, alternative livestock systems, and forestry, all despite Article 2 of the Paris Agreement

The news that the national sheep flock had fallen in numbers has come as no surprise. It is still disappointing to see an industry and animal that has done so much for New Zealand being whittled away.

Last year the drought in Hawkes Bay was given as the reason that region lead the reduction in numbers. This year the reasons given are more complex and perhaps longer lasting.

As with last year, hogget numbers took the greatest hit with the largest reductions being seen in Northland, the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty (-6.7%) and Southland (-7%). However, unlike last year ewe numbers had a drop this year as well.

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Keith Woodford reminds farmers the price of carbon is determined by Government. There lies the risk for carbon farming

Two recent articles of mine have explored the economics of carbon farming on land that is currently farmed for sheep and beef.  Those articles showed that, if financial returns are what matters, then at current carbon prices the development of permanent forests for carbon credits provides significantly higher returns than sheep and beef.

My focus there was on the close to three million hectares of North Island farmed hill country, but a similar situation exists in considerable parts of the South Island. One big exception is the Canterbury Plains, where history shows that shallow soils plus norwest wind storms wreak periodic havoc to forestry operations.

Those findings on the apparent economics of forestry lead to a series of other questions. First, how reliable is this carbon market? Second, what are all the other important things apart from simple economics that need to be considered?

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Covid-19: No let up on lambing during lockdown

With newborn calves and lambs populating the paddocks, farmers are continuing to work through one of the busiest times of year.

In North Canterbury lockdown has changed little for Brent Donald, as he reaches the middle of lambing season.

About1500 sheep will be giving birth on his 1000-acre mixed farming property at Balcairn.

Donald said while the lockdown would not change anything on farm, supply and shipping costs for importing and exporting had increased since the beginning of the pandemic, and he was concerned that they would keep rising.

Read More here…

Australia

Cutting down on grain losses at harvest

WITH grain prices at record highs the last thing growers want to do is leave a valuable asset in the paddock after harvest.

Grains Research and Development Corporation data has found that as much as $75 a hectare can be lost in canola crops and $52/ha in chickpeas due to the grain not making it into the box at harvest time.

Given the record prices on offer this year with the same amount of losses as usual that figure will rise even higher.

To ensure harvest grain losses are kept to a minimum the GRDC has set up a series of grain harvester setup workshops through Queensland and NSW.

Read more here…

Big numbers for Aussie crop

CROP forecasters are ramping up their projections for the upcoming Australian harvest.

Ikon Commodities last week came out with an estimated Australian winter crop of in excess of 50 million tonnes, the second year in a row the crop will crack the magical 50m tonnes figure.

The Ikon team pointed to strong growing season rainfall through Australia’s major two grain growing states, WA and NSW as the major catalysts for the bullish outlook.

And the 50m tonne mark is not necessarily the top possible yield.

Read more here…

WA harvest likely to be more than 20 million tonnes

IN a year of unprecedented events, first-ever occurrences and history-breaking feats, the WA grain harvest has been tipped to set its own record, with the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia (GIWA) last week predicting just over 20 million tonnes for the 2021 season.

According to the GIWA August Crop Report, based on current crop growth, timing of crop development, sub-soil moisture and the area planted, there is significant upside potential.

However, crop tonnage estimates rarely increase from this time of the year as unfavourable climatic events and other risks can substantially reduce the final outcome.

Read more here…

Prices rise sharply as global production falls

New crop ASX east coast wheat futures jumped $17 to $345 a tonne as global markets surged higher on the larger than expected cuts to global wheat output.

Respected grain analysts were expecting the USDA to lower world wheat production estimates in its monthly world supply and demand estimates, but the extent of the reductions came as a surprise.

The single largest reduction was in Russia where 2021-22 wheat production was cut by a whopping 12.5 million tonnes, or 15 per cent, to 72.5mt. Lower winter wheat yields and a series of thawing and refreezing events earlier in the year, referred to as ce crusting, which reduced the harvested area, triggered the large revision in Russia’s wheat crop, USDA said.

Australian wheat production was lifted by 1.5mt to 30mt with the favourable weather.

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Slowing the sugar rush to yield better grapes

IRRIGATION management is one of the tools being explored to help control the accelerated rate at which grapes ripen due to a changing climate.

In a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers from the University of Adelaide found it is possible to increase the flavour potential of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes by slowing down the ripening process with strategies including crop load manipulation and irrigation management.

Faster ripening of grapes in warmer climates can can result in poor colour and aroma development.

Lead author Pietro Previtali from the University of Adelaide‘s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, said advanced maturation due to warmer temperatures is a key issue for grape growers in most wine regions worldwide and especially in warm and dry areas such as Australia and California.

Read more here…

South America

Corn replacing soybeans as the main crop for Argentine farmers

Argentine farmers are expected to sow more corn than ever this season, while soybeans will fall to an all time 15-year minimum because of the export policy of the current administration and the lack of the regulatory framework for genetically modified, GM, seeds.

This last season Argentine corn production surpassed Brazil, victim of a severe drought, and became the world’s second exporter of corn, behind the United States. However regarding soybeans of which Argentina remains the main global supplier of soy flour, the planted area has been falling because of the slow promulgation process of the Seeds Law which implements the payment of royalties for the use of soy genetics, crucial for productivity and addressing ever more common droughts.

Read More here…

Hong Kong emerges as destination of meat exports from Paraguay, Uruguay

While Uruguay’s National Meat Institute (INAC) eyes China, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong as the clients to target, the latter has already recorded an increase of 13% in both volume and revenues in purchases from Paraguay, according to a Central Bank (BCP) report released this week.

An INAC report showed Uruguay was a marginal supplier of beef and poultry meat to the world and recommended sales be aimed at those three potential buyers to increase performances.

According to data from July this year, Hong Kong has become the seventh largest destination for Paraguayan meat.

The INAC document also calls for improvements in the access to international markets to bolster the development of the domestic poultry meat chain.

Read More here

Argentina’s 2020/21 soy sales reach 27.3 million tons, government says

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Argentina’s farmers have sold 27.3 million tons of the recently harvested 2020/21 soy crop, the country’s Agriculture Ministry said Tuesday in a report with data updated through August 11. The pace of sales is still below what was recorded in the same period last year, when 29.4 million tons were sold, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Argentina’s 2020/21 soy harvest in June closed with an output of 43.5 million tons, according to the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange. The figure represents a drop from the 2019/20 season

Read more here

Food Updates

Ingredient upcycling

Jaclyn Bowen explains how some food manufacturers are saving money and the environment through ingredient upcycling.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) assessment of global food losses and waste estimated that each year, one-third of all food produced in the world for human consumption never reached the consumer’s table. This not only means a missed opportunity for the economy and food security, but also a waste of all the natural resources used for growing, processing, packaging, transporting and marketing the food. In fact, the World Resources Institute estimates that if food waste was a country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas-emitting country in the world.

However, a new food trend is poised to change the status quo, affording food manufacturers an avenue with which to save money on ingredient sourcing and food marketers a means to communicate their food waste diversion efforts to consumers, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Read more here…

US alcohol sales increased by 20 percent during early stages of pandemic

Alcohol sales in the US increased during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, with researchers concerned that the increases may be linked to an increase in domestic violence incidents.During the COVID-19 pandemic months of March 2020 to September 2020, US alcohol retail store sales increased compared to usual trends while food services and drinking places sales decreased markedly during the same period, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The results indicate an increase of home drinking in the US during the first stages of the pandemic.

The researchers used alcohol retail store sales data of beer, wine, and liquor store (BWLS) purchases from January 1992 to September 2020 from the Monthly Retail Trade Survey, which provides sales estimates at retail and food services.

Read more here…

Bia Analytical adds white pepper testing capability to combat food fraud

Bia Analytical will now test for adulteration within white pepper, after several high profile cases of food fraud including sage and oregano.Belfast-based Bia Analytical has added White Pepper to their portfolio of authenticity testing, alongside the nine other herbs and spices it currently analyses.

White Pepper, much like Black Pepper is made from the berries of the pepper plant, originating in India and cultivated in many other tropical regions. Although derived from the same plant, White Pepper comes from berries that are picked at full ripeness then soaked in water leading to fermentation. The outer layer is then removed.

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Sugary children’s yoghurts “misleading”, according to Action on Sugar

Action on Sugar is calling for food manufacturers to “act more responsibly” in the way they market yoghurts high in sugar, which are often aimed at children.

More than half of yoghurts marketed towards children contain more than the recommended daily intake for added sugar, with some containing more than five teaspoons of sugar, according to researchers from Action on Sugar based at Queen Mary University of London.

New data analysis (which surveyed 100 children’s yogurts) has revealed one in 20 (five percent) of products which featured cartoon animations, characters and designs deliberately to target children were rated low (green) in sugar. 63 percent of all yogurts provide a third or more of a four to six-year old’s maximum daily intake for added sugars (19g) per serving.

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Ontario researchers find positives to corn silks

University of Guelph researcher Manish Raizada recently published a piece about the positives of corn silk.Through his research, Raizada learned that corn silks naturally contain diverse microbes.

“Natural selection may have put in a biome and beneficial bacteria in the silk,” Raizada said.

The discovery of this microbiome in corn silk may help improve breeding and farming practices.

Raizada said another impact of this discovery has to do with harmful fungal infections. Specifically, the fungus fusarium.

Read more here…

USA and Canada

Crop Tour Preview: 70% of Nebraska Corn in Good to Excellent Condition

Heat and humidity have dominated weather headlines for Nebraska in recent weeks, though conditions in most of the state are not nearly as severe as they are for two of its neighbors, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Enough rain has fallen on Nebraska corn and soybeans this season that both crops are still in relatively good shape overall, for now.

That’s what scouts are likely to find as they evaluate both crops across the state on Aug. 16-17, as part of the annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour.

As of Aug. 8, 70% of the Nebraska corn crop was in good to excellent condition, according to USDA-NASS. That compares to 64% of the total U.S. corn crop with those condition ratings. Along with that, USDA rated 20% of the Nebraska corn crop as fair.

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Freakish Flood: Arkansas Farmers Fight $250M Crop Loss after Historical Summer Deluge

In the same crop year as the ground groans from extreme drought in the Great Plains and West, farmers in southeast Arkansas are drowning in the aftermath of water world. In a matter of days, freakish summer rains devastated many operations, and the financial blow may push some young producers permanently out of business.

In June and July 2021, a stretch where pivots and polypipe carry the bulk of water to row crops in Arkansas, a one-two punch of near-unprecedented amounts of rainfall swamped at least 600,000 acres of farmland. Wes and Vonda Kirkpatrick’s farming operation was in the bull’s-eye of standing water, and the Desha County residents are emblematic of affected growers, forced to watch as a major portion of their production was erased for the year.

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U.S. slashes outlook for corn, soybean harvests

CHICAGO, Aug 12 (Reuters) – U.S. corn and soybean production will be smaller than previously thought as dry soils in key western growing areas cut into the potential for a bumper harvest, the government said on Thursday.

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Corn production was likely to reach 14.750 billion bushels, based on an average yield of 174.6 bushels per acre, the U.S. Agriculture Department said in its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report. Soybean harvest was pegged at 4.339 billion bushels on an average yield of 50.0.

Canada might be the one dry bean growing region in North and South America that does okay this year.

Read More…

Government of Canada invests to help over 500 innovative companies develop natural products

Network to boost the development and commercialization of natural products and technologies in Canada

Canada’s natural products sector remains largely untapped, although it has the potential to offer vast environmental, health and economic benefits to Canadians. This includes everything from agriculture to wastewater treatment, veterinary care and green household products. Many of the businesses breaking new ground are currently working on their own and would benefit from the knowledge and expertise of others in the sector to bring their products to market and, eventually, to consumers in Canada and around the world.

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North Dakota, Minnesota farmers seeing varied wheat yields, higher prices

DRAYTON, N.D. — Dust billowed behind combines harvesting wheat along the I-29 corridor this week as farmers worked to wrap up the 2021 harvest.

Early planting last spring and an extremely dry summer with hot temperatures that pushed the small grains crops, including wheat, to mature quickly has resulted in one of the earliest harvests in recent years. Most small-grains farmers in northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota have completed their harvests, or expected to by the end of the week, barring rain delays.

Rain delays during harvest have been spotty. For example, rains fell Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 9 and 10, east and west of Grand Forks, delaying harvest for a few days, while some fields in the northern Red River Valley had little, if any, rain.

Read more…

New Zealand

Fonterra looks to get more value for NZ’s ‘white gold’ as cow numbers decline

Fonterra is looking to eke more value out of New Zealand milk as it faces a future with fewer cows.

As part of its strategic reset under chief executive Miles Hurrell in 2019, Fonterra shifted its focus away from expanding its milk pools overseas to concentrate on enhancing the value of the milk produced by its 10,000 farmer shareholders at home.

“We were growing at that point a global milk pool and so we were trying to say ‘all milk is equal’,” Hurrell told a media briefing at the co-operative’s research and development centre in Palmerston North in June.

Read More here…

Dirt poor: Change required to improve vineyard soils

Compaction under wheel tracks on vineyards is one of the concerns highlighted by a new Marlborough soil quality report, along with reducing levels of soil carbon under vines.

“Some vineyards are better than others, there is no doubt about it,” says Marlborough District Council environmental scientist Matt Oliver, who co-authored the report, presented to council last month.

“But they all have compaction to some degree. They all have degraded soil carbon to some degree.”

The Soil Quality Monitoring Programme has been operating for 20 years, looking at pasture, cropping and viticulture soils, and has begun to clearly identify a declining trend in some soil quality parameters, according to the report.

Read More here…

NZ urged to tax meat and dairy to save the climate

New Zealand is one of 50 countries being called on to introduce or raise taxes on meat and dairy, in the hope reduced consumption will help lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

A number of non-profits and activist groups have signed an open letter organised by the True Animal Protein Price Coalition (TAPP), a Europe-based organisation which wants “fair prices and taxes to make the production and consumption of meat and dairy more sustainable”.

Meat and dairy production emits far more GHGs than making the equivalent amount of plant-based food. A study in Germany last year found meat should cost about 2.5 times more than it does, based on the impact it has on the environment. 

Read more here…

New Zealand’s apple growers preparing for Pacific RSE workers still don’t know how many they’ll get

New Zealand’s apple growers are gearing up to welcome back more Recognised Season Employees (RSE) from the Pacific.

The Government’s allowing workers from Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu to bypass MIQ from next month, but exactly how many is still unknown.

August is pruning season on Hawke’s Bay apple orchards. Not a lot of fruit to be found, but still plenty of work.

Read more here…

Given current carbon prices, the march of the pine trees across the landscape has only just begun. The implications are massive

My previous article on carbon farming focused on the North Island hard-hill country. If financial returns are to be the key driver of land-use, and based on a carbon price of $48 per tonne, then the numbers suggested that carbon farming on that class of country is a winner.

By my calculations, sheep and beef farms on this hard-hill country provide an internal rate of return (IRR) of around 2%, whereas my recent estimate for carbon farming was 9.7%.

Here I extend the analysis, still using a price of $48 per tonne, by looking at the easier hill country that Beef+Lamb (B&L) categorise as ‘Class 4 North Island Hill Country’. This fits between their ‘Class 3 North Island hard-hill country’ and the ‘Class 5 North Island intensive finishing farms’.

Read More here…

Australia

GrainCorp fortunes soar as export demand and prices leap

Surging overseas demand for Australian grain has revved up profit expectations for GrainCorp which is lifting its full year forecast by another $40 million.

The big east coast grain logistics, marketing and processing business will officially post its 2020-21 financial results in November, but has hinted net profit after tax will jump from earlier forecasts of between $80m and $105m to at least $125m – maybe as high as $140m.

Total exports for the trading year are expected to be close to 8m tonnes, while stored grain carry over at the end of September was likely to land at the high end of a range between 3.5m and 4.5m tonnes.

It’s the second time GrainCorp has upgraded its earnings forecasts since May, thanks largely to another promising harvest on the horizon and soaring export grain demand in the wake of northern hemisphere crop setbacks.

Read more here…

La Nina threatens northern winter crops

The prospects of a record wheat harvest in Argentina this season have taken a hit during the past two weeks, as bad weather threatens to derail crop progress.

A lack of soil moisture and regular frosts in the northern and central regions are the biggest issues in the near term as the crops approach spring and enter the critical – and moisture dependent – reproductive phase.

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) released its latest Grain and Feed Update for Argentina on July 27 – before the recent weather concerns became apparent.

It expected the nation’s wheat production to reach a record 20.8 million tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year.

Read more here…

Queensland wheat crop estimates climb

A timely start and well above average winter rainfall put Queensland grain farmers on track for a bumper winter crop.

Southern Queensland farmers have been confident of well above average crops for since early winter. After a dry start to the season, Central Highlands growers are becoming more upbeat about crop prospects after improved rain over the past 10 weeks. Although crop conditions across CQ are patchy, timely rains in June and July have benefited crops.

Growers across southern Queensland are saying yield potential is as good as they have seen. The combination of above average rain in June and July and mild temperatures have been ideal for crop growth.

Read more here

Drone Deploy expands with acquisition of robotics software company Rocos

New Zealand robotics software company Rocos has been snapped up by a Silicon Valley business this week.

The acquisition will enable San Francisco-based drone data company DroneDeploy to make physical workflow automation possible.

DroneDeploy’s software is used with aerial and ground robots on more than 400,000 job sites across the world in the agriculture, construction, energy sectors.

DroneDeploy CEO and co-founder Mike Winn said the acquisition would enable customers to automate ground-level data capture.

Read more here…

2021-22 cotton season shaping up to be one of the largest on record, Rabobank says

Excellent seasonal conditions and strong prices are fuelling a positive outlook for Australia’s cotton sector, with expectations next year’s crop could be one of the largest on record, according to Rabobank.

Rabobank senior commodity analyst Dr Cheryl Kalisch Gordon said the production and price outlook suggested there should be “no catches for cotton” as long as growers could get it in the ground this coming planting season.

Dr Kalisch Gordon said early planted-area forecasts for the 2021-22 Australian cotton crop pointed to a sizeable increase – anywhere from 49 per cent to more than 80pc year-on-year.

Read more here…

South America

Chilean agriculture and fruit producers suffering the hydric crisis

Chile faces a “state of shock in agriculture and fruit growing” because of the severity of the hydric crisis and sustained drought, to which must be added the driest July in the country’s history, pointed out the president of the Chilean Federation of Fruit Producers, Jorge Valenzuela.

“Fruit production employs 700,000 people but if the situation continues there are some areas that will cease to produce, because of water availability or because they will decrease production. This means fruit farmers will have to decide what to plant from now onwards”.

Members of the Federation have been talking with local associations about the situation, which in some places because of the lack of a basic water supply, endangers the continuity of many fruit farms.

Read More here…

Brazil protein giant JBS moves into the fish production industry

Brazil’s JBS, one of the world’s largest protein processors with interests in three continents is moving into the fish industry following a deal for the purchase of Australia’s salmon farming company Huon Aquaculture for the equivalent of US$ 315 million.

The pre agreement already has the support of most shareholders and should be decided by the end of the year, following the approval by Australian authorities, according a release this week from the company.

Tasmania based Huon is Australia’s second largest salmon producer with an estimated output of 35,000 tons annually, supplying 40% of the domestic market, adds the release. Andrew Forrest, an Australian millionaire linked to mining purchased a 7,3% of the company, listed in the Sydney stock exchange, for some US$ 15 million last June.

Read More here

‘Once in 100 years’ drought seen affecting Argentine grains exports into next year

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -A once-a-century drought has lowered the water level of Argentina’s main grains transport river, reducing farm exports and boosting logistics costs in a trend that meteorologists said will likely continue into next year.

The South American grains powerhouse is the world’s No. 3 corn supplier and No. 1 exporter of soymeal livestock feed, used to fatten hogs and poultry from Europe to Southeast Asia. Farm exports are Argentina’s main source of hard currency needed to bolster central bank reserves sapped by a three-year recession.

Read more here

Food Updates

Plant-based protein market to top $150 billion by 2030 says new report

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the plant-based market in the years to come, with an expected population boom creating a larger need for meat and dairy alternatives.

The plant-based foods market could make up to 7.7 percent of the global protein market by 2030, with a value of over $162 billion, up from $29.4 billion in 2020, according to a new report by Bloomberg Intelligence (BI). The report Plant-Based Foods Poised for Explosive Growth identifies growth expectations for the plant-based foods market through 2030, as global animal and dairy protein demand is poised to reach $1.2 trillion by then.

According to the new report, brands such as Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and Oatly are driving an increase in plant-based food options as they partner with restaurants and major chains.

Read more here…

What’s eating away at UK consumers?

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has a unique role in government – we look after consumer interests when it comes to food. Listening to the voices of consumers and communities is vital to inform our work. That’s why Food and You 2 is such an important piece of research. It’s our flagship survey which gives us valuable information about what the public think of a whole range of food-related issues, as well as their behaviours linked to the food they eat.

We launched Food and You 2 in 2020. It uses a ‘push-to-web’ approach to encourage respondents to take part online and covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Read more here…

What should cell-based seafood be called?

The cell-based seafood sector will have to decide upon one name for its products that is easy for consumers to understand and is appealing.

Food companies, regulators, marketers, journalists and others should use the terms “cell-based” or “cell-cultured” when labelling and talking about seafood products made from the cells of fish or shellfish, according to a new Rutgers study in the Journal of Food Science.

The US Food and Drug Administration and US Department of Agriculture require food products to have a “common or usual name” on their labels, so consumers can make informed choices.

With more than 70 companies around the world developing cell-cultured protein products and more than $360 million invested in their development in 2020 alone, the adoption of one common name is crucial as products move closer to commercialisation.

Read more here…

Impossible Foods debuts ground plant-based sausage at retail

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. — Impossible Foods has launched Impossible Sausage Made From Plants in a ground sausage form for the first time at retail.

Available in two flavors – Savory and Spicy – the sausage includes 30% fewer calories, 47% less total fat, and 43% less saturated fat when cooked, compared to the leading pork ground sausage.

“At Impossible Foods, we’re intent upon delivering on what consumers demand from meat, but without the compromise inherent in the use of animals for food production,” said Dennis Woodside, Impossible Foods president. “With our latest Impossible Sausage product for retail, we’re doubling down in our efforts to reach every home cook looking to satiate their cravings for sausage. We are excited to see what consumers cook up.”

Read more here…

Study links plant, fish intake to lower COVID-19 risk

STAMFORD, CONN. — A study appearing online in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health on June 8 found an association between consumption of plants and fish and lower chances of COVID-19 infection. Those on a plant-based diet and those on a plant-based/pescatarian diet had 73% lower odds and 59% lower odds, respectively, of moderate to severe COVID-19 infection compared to those who did not follow those dietary patterns.

The study involved researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Conn., and Columbia University in New York.

The researchers conducted an online survey from July through September of 2020 and gathered responses from 2,884 doctors and nurses with “extensive” exposure to SARS-CO-v2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Read more here…

USA and Canada

US and Canada heatwave hammers crops, forcing up global grain prices

A heatwave across the United States and Canada is having a devastating effect on crops and pushing grain stocks low.It is good news for Australian farmers, though, as the price of canola is rocketing.

In the United States, temperatures in some regions have risen to 50 degrees Celsius, smashing previous records, while Canada is in the grip of its worst drought in two decades.

Temperatures have risen to record levels in the Pacific North West and parts of California.

According to the US federal government drought indicator, the country hasn’t seen such dry conditions in the West or Washington State since the late 1800s.

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Southeast Minnesota crops healing from stretch of drought conditions

Crops in Southeast Minnesota including hay are seeing improvements from a month ago due to recent precipitation.

Most drought-stressed crops in southeast Minnesota seeing the light at the end of the tunnel last month have been revived, according to area specialists.

Michael Cruse, University of Minnesota Extension educator based out of Fillmore County, said the conditions in southern Minnesota are unlike in the majority of the state.

“We’re kind of different in our region than what we’re looking at across the rest of the state,” Cruse said on July 7. “In the past two or three weeks we caught a couple of good rains.”

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Looming protein shortage boosts spring wheat demand

Millers in the United States may be confronted with the double-whammy of a low-protein hard red winter wheat crop combined with severely curtailed spring wheat production, say analysts.

An estimated 38 percent of the hard red winter wheat crop has been combined. Protein levels have averaged 11.4 percent based on 266 samples, down slightly from the five-year average of 11.6 percent.

Analysts believe protein levels will be well below average by the time the entire crop is off, which means millers will need to blend in some spring wheat.

The problem is that U.S. spring wheat production is forecast to be 42 percent below last year’s levels.

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Ottawa set to move on AgriRecovery

Following an appeal from western provinces, the federal government says it is prepared to help producers impacted by ongoing drought conditions through the AgriRecovery program.

Officials are organizing meetings to discuss specifics, but the program is designed to offer disaster-specific relief “in situations where producers do not have the capacity to cover the extraordinary costs, even with the assistance available from other programs.”

Agricultural ministers from across Canada met July 15 to discuss a variety of issues, and an official readout following the meeting said they “expressed their concern for farmers and workers dealing with the current heat waves, wildfires and drought conditions.”

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Spring wheat prospects begin to fade

The first official estimate of United States spring wheat yields could be a harbinger of what’s to come in Canada, say analysts.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts an average yield of 30.7 bushels per acre, a 37 percent drop from last year.

Is a similar 37 percent decline in store for Western Canada’s crop?

“Maybe not right now but by the time we hit Aug. 1 maybe,” said MarketsFarm analyst Bruce Burnett.“It’s entirely within the realm of possibility. I don’t for a minute think we’re an exception this year.”

Read more…

New Zealand

Fonterra warns New Zealand has reached ‘peak milk’

We’ve reached “peak milk” and are entering the era of “flat milk”, Fonterra’s chief financial officer warns.

Marc Rivers said he couldn’t see the volume of milk New Zealand produces increasing again, “so, I guess we could go ahead and call that peak milk”.

Environmental restrictions were impacting how much more land the dairy industry could occupy.

“We don’t see any more land conversions going into dairy – that’s quite a change from before,” he said.

He had also seen dairying land shrink. Some farmers had converted land from dairying to forestry or horticulture, or in some cases housing or even solar farms.

Read More here…

While New Zealand agriculture is in a global sweet spot, Guy Trafford says it is wise to keep the global food security risks well in mind as we work to adapt to the changing climate forces

Compared to many parts of the world, New Zealand and a few other nations seem to be weathering the threats that are real and potential, both profitably and with minimal changes. However, it is worthwhile taking note at what ‘experts’ consider to be what the threats are, how they relate to New Zealand agriculture, and where possible, see how they may be dealt with.

Back in 2019 not long before COVID-19 started making its presence felt Time magazine was asking the question about the ability of the planet to provide enough food for the predicted 9.7 billion or so that are meant to be on the planet by 2050, especially with the impact of climate change likely to be having all sorts of (in the main part) negative impacts.

Read More here…

Groundswell protest: Farmers says ute tax a ‘real kick in the guts’ for rural communities

Farmers say the Government’s ‘ute tax’ is the “straw that’s broken the camel’s back” as frustration boils over in rural communities around the country.

Thousands of farmers are expected to take to the streets in more than 50 towns and cities on Friday in Groundswell’s Howl of Protest.

Organiser Bryce McKenzie says farmers are hoping to send a strong message to the Government they’ve had enough of a “barrage of regulations” that “aren’t fit for purpose”.

Groundswell NZ was formed last year after farmers in Southland took to their tractors to protest newly introduced freshwater regulations.

Read more here…

‘Howl of a Protest’ in photos: Tractors take over main streets across NZ

Tractors rolled into main centres and town squares across New Zealand as farmers’ protested against proposed new government regulations on Friday.

The ‘Howl of a Protest’ took place at around 50 locations throughout the country.

Here are some of the best photos from the day.

Read more here…

Allan Barber highlights a desperate job shortage of Halal butchers in the meat industry that is jeopardising a $3.3 bln trade, and contrasts the approach to this issue with ‘exceptions’ for yachties, sports teams and film makers

One of the main problems with this government is its inability to implement. Another is an apparent failure to address pressing problems.

A major gripe is a total refusal to take any action on immigration or to give any hope for future plans to enable employers to retain essential skills or bring them into the country beyond a very small list of exceptions. We all know there is a pandemic which is seriously constraining immigration of any sort. After all we don’t have enough MIQ facilities or staff to cope with returning residents or travellers caught up in the Greater Sydney lockdown.

Read More here…

Australia

Cotton futures rise on declining stocks and production concerns

THE LOWEST cotton stocks in three years have seen cotton futures rise sharply in recent weeks.

During last week cotton futures made sharp gains on Wednesday, breaking through new highs for the season.

Tobin Gorey, Commonwealth Bank commodity analyst said the New York December 2021 contract finished the day not far under US89 cents a bushel, a new high for the season.

Mr Gorey also said the May 2022 contract had hit season highs, both in US and Aussie dollar terms.

Expectations of lower production in parts and increased textile demand as world economies get back into gear post COVID-19 are driving the rally.

Read more here…

2021 season on track to be a bin burster

WITH the very large total area sown this year and good growing conditions right across the State, it is hard to see how Western Australia will not be in for a record total tonnage, with the Grain Industry Association of WA (GIWA) last week conservatively predicting 19.63 million tonnes.

Recent rainfall has consolidated the excellent start to the grain growing season and all regions have received top-up rain which has continued to drive tonnage estimates up.

The wet areas in the South West and southern coastal areas are now becoming too wet and tonnage estimates are down at least 10 to 15 per cent in the southern areas of the Albany Port zone and the coastal strip in the Esperance port zone.

Read more here…

Grain handler plans ahead for big harvest

IN response to estimates of a 19.63 million tonne harvest, CBH Group has brought forward its planning for the busy harvest period and is currently a month ahead of where it would usually be.

Key parts of that planning include the need for an additional 1mt of emergency storage and an early start to the recruitment of casual workers for the harvest period.

CBH acting chief executive officer Ben Macnamara said ultimately they’re forecasting that the 2021/22 harvest would be well above average.

“With a big crop coming at us, it’s more important than ever to get harvest estimates in and Paddock Planner is a key part of that,” Mr Macnamara said.

Read more here…

Bringing indigenous interests into bush food market

IN Australia, less than one per cent of traditional produce is commercialised for Aboriginal interests, creating a huge barrier to indigenous involvement in the native bush food supply chain.

Include the fact that Aboriginal people were excluded from having any form of commercial business rights until the 1970s and you end up with multiple generations of people who lack business and entrepreneurial skills, as well as face trying to enter an industry that has started to become oversaturated.

Australian Venture Consultants partner Russell Barnett said the native bush food industry provided a great opportunity for Aboriginal people to build businesses around products that matter to them, creating a connection to country and culture.

Read more here…

Barley eases as farmer sales lift

East Coast barley prices came under pressure as farmer selling picked up into a market as buyers eye-off another thumping harvest.

An abundance of natural pastures and the absence of export buying from China have significantly eroded demand for Australian barley in recent years.

Two years of drought through 2018 and 2019 forced farmers to feed barley to keep livestock alive. In many cases farmers were forced to buy in supplies at a crippling cost. This was reversed in 2020 as record high barley yields filled on-farm storages to the brim, offering an abundance of supplies for the domestic feeders.

The situation was further complicated in the south. An absence of export demand from China left Victorian farmers looking for new overseas buyers to absorb excess supplies from last year’s bumper crop.

Read more here…

South America

ASOEX’s Chilean Citrus Committee Gives Update on Recent Freezes

The Chilean Citrus Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) has provided an update on the recent freezes that have occurred in citrus orchards and proposed some actions to be taken by its associates, which together account for 75% of Chile’s citrus exports.

During the freezes that occurred at the beginning of week 26, the registered minimum temperatures reached averages of −1.7 degrees Celsius in the Valparaíso region, −2.3 degrees Celsius in the Metropolitan and O’Higgins regions, −2.6 degrees Celsius in the Maule region, −2.7 degrees Celsius in the Biobío region and −2.8 degrees Celsius in the La Araucanía region, according to the Chilean Meteorological Directorate.

Read More here…

Is Argentina’s soy boom over?

This season, Argentina will plant the least amount of soy for a decade. Maize and wheat have begun to overshadow the oilseed, which has been grown less and less each year.

While in 2014, the ratio of hectares of soy sown compared to maize or wheat was 4:4, this year it fell to 1:4. Far from the “sea of soy” that was the Pampean plains in recent years, record maize production is expected this agricultural cycle, adding up to five percent more cultivated area.

A combination of factors including trade incentives and environmental damage has led producers to move away from the star crop of the early 2000s’ commodity boom. Greater crop diversity could also bring environmental benefits such as protection against increasingly extreme weather events and healthier soils.

Read More here

Brazil sees record soy, disappointing corn yields

The latest report from the National Supply Company of Brazil, CONAB, reveals a tale of two cities: a new record in soybean production, and a decrease in corn yields.

As we have mentioned in our last blog, the weather tampered with corn production in 2021. The first crop corn was hurt by rain delays. Even though the planted area increased by 3.3%, it was not enough to compensate for weather issues. The second crop corn (Safrinha) was hurt by drought in the main producing states and by frosts.

Paraná state, one of the top producing states, had irreversible corn losses. Besides the frost that happened last week, still 75% of the farms are likely to suffer from freezing weather.

Read more here

Food Updates

Will plant-based meat alternatives ever be as popular as meat?

The European plant-based market is expected to grow to €18.3 billon by 2023¹, representing an exciting opportunity for SMEs and large companies alike to engage in plant-based ‘meats’.

Drivers of plant-based meat product development

Today’s consumers are concerned with global warming, animal welfare and healthy eating. Meat production is a major contributor to greenhouse gases but producing an equivalent amount of isolated soy protein has a much lower carbon footprint and so it has proven as a popular protein source in alternative products.² However, increasing household income and urbanisation has caused the demand for meat and meat products to continue to grow.³

Read more here…

Lidl to increase healthy food sales 35 percent by 2026

Christian Härtnagel, CEO at Lidl GB, claims the discounter’s ‘Healthy Eating Pledge’ is its most ‘ambitious’ target yet, and aims to encourage healthier diets

Lidl GB has today announced a new healthy food commitment, which will see the discounter increase sales of healthy and healthier products to at least 85 percent of total sales, based on tonnage volume, by 2025.

Lidl says its specialist nutrition teams have developed a bespoke nutrient profiling system (NPS) based on Public Health England’s nutrient criteria for front-of-pack traffic light labelling, focusing on fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt, which ranks all products as healthy, healthier or least healthy.

Read more here…

Limit sushi intake warn scientists after samples found to contain heavy metals

Researchers have determined the right amount and combination of sushi to eat based on the study of 100 samples of different types of sushi.

Eight pieces of salmon-based maki, nigiri or sashimi or maki unagi (eel) is the safest combination of sushi for adult and adolescent populations. That is one of the findings of TecnATox (Centre for Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology), a joint research group from the University of Rovira i Virgili in Catalonia and the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV), which has analysed the presence of arsenic and various heavy metals in sushi.

The consumption of sushi has increased significantly since the start of the 21st century, as has the number of restaurants offering it throughout the region.

Read more here…

Will craft beer overtake the traditional German beer industry?

30 percent of German consumers say curiosity is motivating them to try new beers, with craft beer gaining a stronger presence since 2019.Germany’s beer industry is being threatened by craft beer as consumers are becoming more experimental with products, claimed GlobalData, a data and analytics company.“Since 1516, German breweries have maintained focus on the German Purity Law; however, this is set to change with the entrance of the craft beer segment,” said Holly Inglis, Beverages Analyst at GlobalData. She furthered commented on how COVID-19 restrictions affected the hospitality and trade industry, with a reduction in tourism and on-premise closures hindering consumption opportunities.

Read more here…

Does coffee enhance athletic performance?

Research suggests that caffeine intake can improve an athletes muscle endurance and strength, on top of various aerobic and anaerobic sport-specific benefits.

With the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games just around the corner, could a cup of coffee be the secret to success for would-be gold medallists in the Japanese capital?  A review of the latest published research by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee has highlighted the impact that coffee can have on participants’ performance in sport.

Meta-analysis of 21 studies suggests that caffeine does affect a range of exercise tasks, with a greater effect on aerobic performance compared to anaerobic exercise.

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Home Page About us FOOD SAFETY TESTING MARKET The Quality Assurance team at Tradelink are aware and focused on our Food Safety and Quality. From fraudulent organic certificates to unhygienic plant conditions,  our team have exposed many murky players along the way… Reade more… Global Logistics Outlook Unprecedented levels of congestion are resulting in vessel delays that are absorbing needed capacity. Operational instability increases – it has been calculated that the current delays in vessel schedules are removing as much as 20-25% of the actual vessel capacity …. Read more… DEFORESTATION AND ITS EFFECTS Forests stretch around 31% of the land size on our planet. It provides the inhabitants purifying water and air. It also contributes to the employment rate of a country. Reports show that 13.2 of the world’s population are working in the forest department, and approximately 41 million people are working in departments related to forestry… Read more  SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY OF VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN Vital wheat gluten is a staple ingredient for meat and meat substitutes. It acts as a binder for meatballs, meatloaf, veggie burgers and tofu alike and improves breads elasticity and creates a better crumb, mouth feel and chewiness in the final product. Tradelinks Vital Wheat Gluten is made from the protein found in the endosperm of the wheat berry, containing 75% to 80% protein. .… Read more                             A focus on products Chia seeds market Chia seeds belong to the salvia hispanica family of edible seeds, which origins from Guatemala and Mexico. The South American long, dry climate makes the production of chia seeds rapidly, especially in countries like Guatemala, Ecuador, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and Bolivia, which made them the major consumers of the product. Bolivia alone has around 3,000 to 4,000 cultivars of chia seeds, making them one of the largest producers in the region. An estimate of 80% of the global chia supply comes from South America. The rest of the percentage comes from Australia and France, with a few from the Asia-Pacific regions. Due to its gluten-free property, richness in protein, fiber, carbohydrate,.. . Read More USA Crop Update CORN: USDA reported 64% of the nation’s crop to be in good to excellent condition as of July 4, the same as the week prior as the crop stabilized after a week of less stressful growing conditions. Conditions remain variable across the country, though. Only 62% of Iowa’s corn crop – the largest state for corn production in the country – is in good to excellent Nebraska – 82% good to excellent).Markets are now largely trading on yield potential, and despite favorable planting weather, … Read More Quinoa Market Tagged as the best alternative to white rice, quinoa is a cereal crop, which is gluten-free, rich in protein, and a good source of fiber. Quinoa has more than 3,000 varieties with various colors and saponin levels. It can be segmented by black, red, and white quinoa seeds. While it is technically considered a seed, quinoa is also categorized as a pseudo-cereal or cereal. Compared to other cereal grains, quinoa has the highest nutritional rate with an average protein of 16% a great source of omega 3, omega 6, fiber.... Read More                           THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE Today’s global trend is a significant factor that twists the future of agriculture. The developments in demographics, climate change, shortage in natural resources, and food waste are reported as the top reasons for global agronomy to produce at least 70% more food by the end of 2050. While scientists, investors, and the government are working on several ways to increase crop yields, innovative agricultural technologies are now trending worldwide. .…Read More   TREND-DRIVEN INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2021: EPISODE 4 Online platforms have allowed creators from all over the world to share what they’re cooking up in the kitchen during the pandemic. In 2021, we expect people will be going further than throwing these videos a simple “like” and will seek out food from cultures they may not have previously been familiar with…..Read More

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