USA and Canada

       Maltsters watch barley quality

Maltsters are facing a double whammy in terms of supply constraints this year, says an industry official.

Not only is North American barley production way down, but there are serious quality issues as well.

“It’s going to be a tough year all around for producers and the malting industry alike,” said Peter Watts, managing director of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre.

The average protein level in this year’s malting barley crop is north of 14 percent compared to the usual 11 to 12 percent range.

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U.S. corn to supplement tight Canadian feed supplies

The looming corn harvest in the United States should keep a lid on rising feedgrain prices in Western Canada, with more corn expected to make its way into Canadian feedlots this winter.

“U.S. corn should start landing in Lethbridge sometime in October or early November,” said Jim Beusekom of MarketPlace Commodities in Lethbridge. “That will replace a substantial amount of the barley and feed wheat being used today.”

Beusekom noted that corn was currently trading at about C$30 to $40 per tonne cheaper than barley or feed wheat delivered into Lethbridge, with both domestic grains in the $390 to $400 per tonne area.

“We have to get through another six weeks of Western Canada supply until the corn comes in, and then we’ll see what happens after that.”

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Statistics Canada: Saskatchewan crop yields expected to be very low compared to 2020

Statistics Canada has released numbers that show just how much less grain and other crops are being harvested this year in Saskatchewan.

The drastically low yields are the result of the crippling drought over much of the summer when temperatures were reaching over 30 C.

Wheat is one of the province’s staple crops and is used in everything from bread to breakfast cereal.

StatCan says total wheat production in the province will be down by nine million tonnes, or almost 45 per cent.

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Assessing soybean performance

Soybean harvest has begun, and yields have generally been good. Many growers are reporting above average yields. But there are fields that underperformed. For those fields that yielded less than expected, it’s important to assess why in order to make good management decisions for the future. Sometimes we blame the weather or a specific variety too quickly and miss an opportunity to improve outcomes for next year.

Did a field mature unevenly, or did parts of a field yield much less than the rest? These can be tell-tale symptoms of underlying problems, not just soil type or drainage issues. For example, soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has become a large yield robber right across the province, including eastern Ontario. An underperforming field may be infected with low levels of SCN and the grower is unaware they have the problem.

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Affordable autosteer adds direction to older gear

Expanding farmers need to add seeding tractors, high clearance sprayers, swathers and combines. And, as a matter of efficiency, all these new machines need some sort of reliable autosteer system.

For the seeding tractor, accuracy down to 1.6 inches pass-to pass might be required. But for the sprayer, swather and combine, accuracy down in the range of four to six inches might fit the bill.

The more precise you are on each pass, the closer you come to eliminating overlap and reducing input, labour, fuel and hours on the equipment. Of course the higher accuracy you buy, the more you expect to pay.

The AgJunction company in Scottsdale, Arizona, builds a different autosteer for each level of accuracy.

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New Zealand

The science is there with proof of agriculture’s essential role in delivering global health and nutrition, and underpinning farming’s social licence for responsible production

New Zealand food and related sciences research centre, the Riddet Institute, leads the world in modelling the contribution of global and New Zealand agricultural production to meeting the nutritional needs of the world’s population.

The Sustainable Nutrition Initiative team which comprises food and nutrition scientists and mathematical modellers has developed the DELTA model to test various scenarios for globally sustainable food production. The model demonstrates the bioavailability and source of nutrients from all plant and animal based foods.

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Will high product prices and good grass growth temper enthusiasm and support for rural protest over excessive and sometimes pointless regulation? Or will, Government refusal to engage just make things worse?

The Latest Global Dairy Auction (GDT) has continued its upward trend, at least for the powders. But the fall in the butter and cheddar is a little surprising given that consumer activity should be increasing in developed countries. They both have been tracking each other reasonably closely in recent months and this is the first drop for both in the last six auctions.

Butter was down -1.9%, to an average price of US$4,857/MT.

Cheddar cheese was down -1.2%, to an average price of US$4,274/MT.

Skim milk powder (SMP) was up +0.9% to an, average price of US$3,302/MT.

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Dairy prices rise at global auction; demand is ‘hot’, analyst says

Dairy prices rose at the global auction overnight, showing demand remains “hot” for New Zealand’s biggest export commodity.

The global dairy trade price index increased 1 per cent at the fortnightly auction. That follows a 4 per cent gain at the previous auction, which was the biggest increase since early March, when it jumped 15 per cent.

“The previous auction resulted in a sharp hike in prices, across all products on offer, and gave the market some direction,” said NZX dairy analyst Stuart Davison. “This auction has solidified those results overall, while also confirming to the market that dairy products are still in hot demand globally.”

The average price for whole milk powder, which has the most impact on what farmers are paid, increased 2.2 per cent to an average US$3777 (NZ$5383) a tonne, with gains across all contract periods. The average price is sitting 26 per cent higher than at the same time last year.

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Wild kiwifruit vines ripe for taming in Golden Bay

Wild kiwifruit vines, classified as a pest plant, have been spotted on 39 sites in Golden Bay in an aierial survey.

While the fruit grown in controlled conditions is prized, wild vines can smother native trees and degrade plantation forest. In some North Island areas, wilding kiwifruit have become a reservoir of diseases such as the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa).

Kiwifruit Vine Health operations and compliance officer John Mather on Tuesday said Psa ​was estimated to have cost the kiwifruit industry about $1 billion since 2010.

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The Government never foresaw the land-use forces they were unleashing with the ETS

In recent weeks I have written multiple articles on the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) with a particular focus on forestry. This week I also had an extended interview with Kathryn Ryan on RNZ ‘Nine to Noon’. However, there is still lots more that needs to be said.

The bottom line is that carbon forestry is now far more profitable than sheep and beef farming on nearly all classes of land. We are indeed on the cusp of the greatest rural land-use changes that New Zealand has seen in the last 100 years.

For many sheep and beef farmers, carbon farming can now be a gold mine. The key requirement is pastoral land that will grow an exotic forest that will not be destroyed by storm, fire or disease.  

Read more here…

Australia

Tips to optimise your harvest this season

The Australian grains sector is on course to what is forecast to be another golden harvest for many key production zones as grain begins filling chaser bins across the country.

Favourable growing conditions, and many months of hard work, have meant the latest Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences Australian Crop Report forecasts winter crop production will hit 54.8 million tonnes in 2021-22 – a considerable 32 per cent above the 10-year average.

Handling a crop of this volume in a year when access to seasonal labour to support local contractors and farmers will be limited due to border closures, and the freight network may be under pressure, means thoroughly preparing equipment and embracing technology has never been more important.

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GrainCorp cautious about future MBRP investment

Grain accumulator and processor GrainCorp has expressed caution about continuing to invest in Victorian rail network sites, while the outcomes for the Murray Basin Rail Project remain unclear.

GrainCorp’s concerns come as work is about to begin on further upgrades of the Murrayville to Ouyen section of the MBRP.

The work is due to be finished by mid-2022.

The 109-kilometre line was last upgraded to standard gauge and re-opened three years ago.

A GrainCorp spokesperson welcomed the commitment to upgrade the line, saying it ensured continued access to the Victorian export supply chain for northern Mallee growers.

 Read more here…

Malt machinations decided for next year’s harvest

MALT barley segregations for Maximus CL are set to be available in some form in every Western Australian port zone, except Geraldton, for the 2022/23 harvest.

The Grains Industry Association of Western Australia’s (GIWA) barley council officially finalised the malt barley variety receival recommendations for next year’s harvest earlier this month.

Other notable changes for 2022/23 include Bass and Flinders being removed from the offerings in the vast majority of areas, with the former set to only be offered as a limited segregation in Kwinana North and South and the latter only in Albany South and Esperance.

La Trobe will move from a limited to a niche segregation across all areas, except for Geraldton where it will not be offered at all.

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Strong demand for Australian wheat

Shrinking global wheat production is expected to see robust export demand for Australian wheat through the 2021-2022 season.

Global forecasters have been ratcheting production estimates lower through the season on the back of unfavourable weather. The full extent of wheat production losses in the northern hemisphere is only being realised as the harvests in North America, Europe and the Black Sea near completion.

Further cuts to world wheat production are expected to see world wheat export supplies shrink to the lowest level seen in close to a decade and push more demand to Australia. Local grain exporters are reporting strong buying interest from global buyers and they expect this to continue into next year.

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Frost takes a bite of harvest estimates

RECENT frost events and the lack of useful spring rain north of the Great Eastern Highway have caused the Western Australia harvest estimate to decline by more than 700,000 tonnes.

In August, the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia’s (GIWA) crop production estimate was sitting at just over 20 million tonnes, however last week it was announced that has been reduced to 19.3mt.

According to GIWA crop report author Michael Lamond, the very cold temperatures experienced in early September will reduce deliveries by growers in the worst hit areas by at least 50 per cent on what was expected prior to the frost events.

Read more here…

South America

Brazil expects to harvest a record 143,75 million tons of soybeans in 2021/22

With different climate prospects, clearly more positive than last season, Brazil expects to harvest in 2021/22 a new record of some 143,75 million tons of soybeans, according to a survey with information from the main sowing states.

Favorable rains helped to expand planted areas and if estimates are confirmed Brazil will collect 5,5% more oilseeds than in 2020/21 (135,9 million tons) pointed out Conab the National Supplies Company.

Brazil the world’s largest producer and exporter of soy could also reach a record in overseas sales, 40,3 million tons, up 4,62% over the last season.

Market analyst Enilson Nogueira also anticipates a boom for the soy sector, given the profitable prices, which has reflected in a greater area planted.

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Paraguayan meat production set to achieve historic profits in 2021

Paraguayan livestock traders foresee profits near the US $ 2 billion by the end of a most favourable 2021 for the activity, National Service for Animal Quality and Health (Senacsa) José Carlos Martín announced over the weekend in Asunción.

During “Senacsa Night” at Expo 2021, Martín explained that all meat export items -beef and its offal, pork and its offal, poultry meat and its offal, as well as products and by-products of animal origin- are expected to yield un unprecedented US $ 2 billion income, which would represent a 70% growth compared to 2020 figures.

These figures could have been much better, had the first semester of 2021 not been Paraguay’s worst in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, analysts explained.

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ARGENTINA’S 2020/21 SOYBEAN SALES HIT 30 MLN TONNES -MINISTRY

BUENOS AIRES, Sept 21 (Reuters) – Argentine farmers have sold a total 30 million tonnes of soybeans from the 2020/21 crop, after registering sales over a seven-day period of 650,200 tonnes, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday.

The sales volume of one of Argentina’s main crops lagged that of the previous season, when by the equivalent point some 31.6 million tonnes of the oilseed had been traded, the ministry said in report with data through Sept. 15.

The 2020/21 soy harvest in Argentina ended in June at 43.1 million tonnes, according to the Buenos Aires grains exchange, compared with 49 million tonnes in the 2019/20 season.

Read more here

Food Updates

MIT engineers develop new method to remove lead from drinking water

The engineers say the process is much more efficient than current methods of lead removal, as it does not target sodium and magnesium which are essential to healthy drinking water.

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new approach to removing lead or other heavy-metal contaminants from water, in a process that they say is far more energy-efficient than any other currently used system, though there are others under development that come close. Ultimately, it might be used to treat lead-contaminated water supplies at the home level, or to treat contaminated water from some chemical or industrial processes.

The new system is the latest in a series of applications based on initial findings six years ago by members of the same research team, initially developed for desalination of seawater or brackish water, and later adapted for removing radioactive compounds from the cooling water of nuclear power plants. 

 Read more here…

Food insecurity impacts mental health in Canada

Research from the University of British Columbia has revealed that concerns around food insecurity took its toll on Canadians’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns may have worsened worries over food insecurity among many Canadians and negatively impacted their mental health, according to a nationwide survey conducted during the first wave.

People who were younger or who had household incomes below $50,000 were more likely to worry about having enough food to meet their household needs, claims researcher Dr. Corey McAuliffe, a postdoctoral fellow at University of British Columbia’s school of nursing in the faculty of applied science.

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One in three Brits drink plant-based milk as oat overtakes almond

Plant-based milk shows no sign of slowing down, with oat milk now overtaking almond milk as the premier milk alternative after a strong year of growth.

New research from Mintel suggests a record one in three Brits now drink plant-based milk, with usage up from 25 percent in 2020 to 32 percent in 2021, and almost 44 percent of Brits aged 25-44 are plant-based milk users. Usage of standard cow’s milk continues to be lower amongst younger consumers, dropping to 84 percent of 16-24s compared to 96 percent of those aged 65+.

Mintel also claims that a quarter (23 percent) of adults polled agree that plant-based milk is better for them than cow’s milk, while half (50 percent) of adults agree people’s milk choices make a difference to the environment. Overall, a quarter (26 percent) of adults agree the COVID-19 outbreak has made vegan/plant-based food and drink more appealing to them, rising to 38 percent of under-35s.

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Top dairy companies join Pathways to Dairy Net Zero initiative

Some of the world’s top dairy producers have signed up to a new initiative to drive the realisation of zero emissions targets within the dairy sector, ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit in New York.

Pathways to Dairy Net Zero, a new climate initiative, is launching today during Climate Week and just prior to the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit, scheduled to take place during the UN General Assembly in New York.

Forty leading organizations, including 11 of the 20 largest dairy companies in the world such as Nestle, Dairy Farmers of America, Danone, and Royal FrieslandCampina have already declared their support for the effort. Collectively, these supporters represent approximately 30 percent of total milk production worldwide.

 Read more here…

Best practices for cheese sampling amid COVID-19

KANSAS CITY — Few practices in the grocery fresh perimeter were hit harder by COVID than product sampling, and cheese sampling was no exception.

Now, with the pandemic receding, retailers are once again starting to tap into a merchandising tactic that has traditionally played a crucial role in educating consumers —and turning that knowledge into sales.

Heading into summer, most of the retail partners of Green Bay, Wis.-based BelGioioso Cheese were still taking a wait-and-see attitude on sampling, due not only to COVID regulations but also to staff shortages.

Sean Moran, BelGioioso’s vice president of sales, said that should change soon, however.

Read more here…

USA and Canada

        Bean carryout forecasts questioned

Chuck Penner said the “ultimate question” for the Canadian dry bean price outlook is what will the carryout be from the 2020-21 crop?

Statistics Canada believes it will be slightly more than 100,000 tonnes, which would result in ample supplies for the current crop year.

Production is way down this year but that level of carryout would create a total supply of 489,000 tonnes of beans, which would be well above the typical crop of around 400,000 tonnes.

“I’m not entirely convinced about these supply numbers, largely because of price behaviour in the last little while,” Penner told delegates attending the 2021 virtual Pulse and Special Crops Convention.

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‘A lot of variability’ expected in corn and soybean crops in southeast Minnesota

According to University of Minnesota Extension Educator Michael Cruse, there are a lot of weed issues on the edges of fields in southeast Minnesota.

MABEL, Minnesota ― Michael Cruse, extension educator with the University of Minnesota, said yields are going to be generally OK for the Southeast Minnesota corn and soybean crops.

“We’re going to see a lot of variability both in our soybeans and corn fields,” Cruse said.

Cruse said although the area is more on the “wet side” than other regions, the area did experience some early frost and washouts on some fields, followed by some dryness.

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Farmers should put poor 2021 crop year in perspective, farm business management instructor says

The 2021 crop season has, no doubt, been disappointing for grain and row crop farmers in the Northern Plains.

However, before producers begin blaming themselves for being responsible that their cash flow plans falling apart, they should recall other years in which plans went awry, said Betsy Jensen, farm business management instructor at Northland Community and Technical College in East Grand Forks, Minnesota.

Jensen spoke to farmers virtually about “How to Take a Fall: Adapting When Nothing Goes as Planned,” during an online Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers September marketing seminar on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

Although drought this year reduced farmers’ yields, in other years, quality issues such as falling numbers and test weight resulted in crop damage that reduced farmers’ cash flow, Jensen noted.

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U.S. Tractor and Combine Sales Increased in August

U.S. tractor sales increased last month compared to 2020 while combine sales jumped 19.8 percent, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers monthly sales report. Combine sales posted the second month in a row of growth near 20 percent in the United States, and total farm tractor sales climbed 9.9 percent.

Soybean prices experienced a 1.4% rally on 300,000 fewer soybean acres planted this year, despite a 0.6 bpa increase in yields from USDA’s August estimate of 50.0 bpa.

Sub 40 horsepower tractor sales were up 8.7 percent, and mid-sized, 40-100 horsepower, sales were up 5.4 percent. Heavy-duty units saw significant growth, with the articulated four-wheel drive segment leading the way for the fourth straight month by climbing 40.4 percent to 306 units sold.

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Canada cuts canola, wheat estimates further due to drought

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept 14 – A drought has damaged Canada’s canola and wheat harvests even more than it appeared weeks ago, according to a Statistics Canada report.

Record-hot summer temperatures in Canada’s western crop belt, combined with sparse rain, sharply reduced farm yields of the world’s biggest canola-growing nation. Canada is also a major wheat exporter.

ICE Canada November canola futures spiked after the report, climbing as much as 4.4 percent.

Statistics Canada, using satellite imagery, estimated canola production at 12.8 million tonnes, about 2 million tonnes less than its Aug. 30 estimate and down 34 percent from last year.

The canola crop, crushed mainly for its vegetable oil, is the smallest in 13 years.

Read more…

New Zealand

Moral fibre: Why sheep farmers want Kiwis to take another look at wool

Times are tough for the wool industry. It costs more to shear most sheep than the wool is worth, and some farmers are throwing in the towel. But others are fighting to bring wool back, and say there’s a whole new future for the environmentally-friendly super-fibre. Chris Marshall reports.

Tom O’Sullivan says there was once a time when his grandfather could pay his whole farm off with one year’s wool cheque – in 1953, during the Korean War.

O’Sullivan, whose Hawke’s Bay farm runs 5000 perendale ewes, says that would be “equivalent to winning lotto today”.

Since 2019, it has cost more to shear most sheep than what is earned from their wool. O’Sullivan’s farm ran a deficit of $6000 that year; last year the deficit blew out to nearly $30,000.

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Strong dairy prices are not translating into many dairy farm sales transactions, especially in Southland. Guy Trafford examines the reasons, and looks at the wider dairy trade picture

Colliers have just released their update of Southland dairy sales. Despite the continuing strong returns coming from dairy returns which are looking to continue into the future, sales are looking somewhat below par when it comes to price.

The complete graph below from the beginning of 2015 shows the full picture and the potential influence of occurrences along the way.

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Guy Trafford sees new questions about changing land use to monocultures such as pine with no foreseeable plans for harvesting, and their GHG emissions, and with very limited contribution to ecological ecosystems

A passing comment from a colleague has led to this article and it concerned my understanding of “isoprene”, which I had to admit was almost zilch; just a vague recollection of something to do with ozone at a guess.

The question was asked in the context of trees which created a bit more confusion for me. But some research has made me far better informed although well short of being close to expert on the topic.

The reason the question raised my eyebrows as it was asked in the context of trees adding (at least in part) to the total CO₂e totals going into the atmosphere. Given that trees are seen as a major part of the solution in restoring some balance back into the atmosphere obviously some further investigation was required.

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Despite all the external political pressures, buyers want our dairy products and are bidding up prices, reports Guy Trafford. Sadly, Synlait isn’t benefiting

The latest Global Dairy Trade dairy product auction took place in the early hours and the current trend of decline has fortunately been arrested and reversed. All categories of product Fonterra puts up have shown increases:

SMP lead the way with a +7.7% increase, and WMP rose +3.3%. Butter and Cheddar rose by +3.7% and +3.6% respectively.

According to the Westpac update, the SMP rise indicates a reduction in supplies coming out of Europe.

Read more here…

Scientist looking to improve milk enzymes

Mother’s milk is best for baby – irrefutable fact. But not all mothers are able to feed their babies as they wish to, for whatever reason, and need the support of nutrition scientists to get the best possible alternatives.

New Zealanders are well aware of our huge export income from cows’ milk powders, especially infant formula, which so many Asian mothers rely on. They may not know that there is an increasing supply of goat and sheep milk, some of which is made into infant formula and exported to many countries.

Drinking raw milk comes with a risk of contamination by harmful microorganisms such as the bacteria E coli. Milk from any animal source has to be heat-treated, most commonly by pasteurisation (75 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds) to kill any bugs, or the ultra-high temperature process (143C for 15 seconds). But what effect does that heat have on the good stuff in milk?

Read more here…

Australia

Agerris Digital Farmhand robots tackling horticulture industry’s challenges

Controlling weeds and labour challenges are two of the big issues horticulture growers face.

But growers may soon have another tool in their arsenal as robots begin rolling into paddocks across Australia.

In Queensland’s south east corner, four robots can be seen mapping the fertile soils of farms in the Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim.

They are part of Agerris’ growing Digital Farmhand fleet, with eight robots working on farms in Victoria and one in NSW.

Read more here…

Industry ready to seize sustainability opportunities

THE HEAD of Nutrien Ag Solutions believes the Australian grains industry is ready to seize opportunities presented in the emerging sustainability space.

“Sustainability is going to be an increasingly important topic in the grains industry in the next couple of years and how it impacts farm businesses will come down to individual farmers’ approaches,” said Rob Clayton, Nutrien Ag Solutions managing director.

“You could look at it as another burden in terms of regulation and red tape, but we prefer to see it as an opportunity,” Mr Clayton said.

“At Nutrien we definitely see a market that wants to see farmers that can prove they are farming sustainability and with that we can see new income streams with people wanting to pay more for products they know are grown sustainably,” he said.

Read more here…

New wheat variety a high-yielding Calibre

WHEAT growers who reaped the benefits of moving from Mace to Scepter in the past will be able to take another big step forward from next season, with the commercial release of Calibre, the latest variety from Australian Grain Technologies (AGT).

Calibre is suited to all areas that have previously grown Scepter in WA and is the highest-yielding variety from AGT available to growers in the State.

It is a quick-mid maturing variety with head emergence coming a little sooner than Scepter, has an Australian hard (AH) quality classification and a sound physical grain quality package.

AGT wheat breeder James Edwards said that what Scepter was to Mace, Calibre would be to Scepter.

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Highest yielding sorghum varieties revealed

Queensland’s highest yielding sorghum varieties have been revealed in the GRDC’s 2021 National Variety Trials Sorghum Harvest Report.

In its report, GRDC stated the performance values for grain yield were from four seasons and should be taken into consideration.

It said the values may not be representative of the long-term seasonal conditions experienced by growers in their individual situations – especially since three of the past four seasons have had extreme conditions dominated by extensive drought.

“When choosing a hybrid grain sorghum variety, do not rely on the results from a single trial conducted at one location in only one year,” it said.

Read more here …

Where is the export value around the world?

AFTER a large production year in 2020/21 and a comparatively strong export year, let’s take a look at Australia’s most important cropping trade partners in the last year.

Indonesia took the mantle of Australia’s most valuable cropping export destination in 2020/21 with an export value of $1.3 billion.

Cropping export value and volume increased by more than 250 per cent to Indonesia, with market share now 9.6pc.

The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership (IA-CEPA) contributed to this rise in export value.

Read more here…

South America

Argentine Farmers Start Planting Corn With Record Crop in Sight

Buenos Aires, AR (Reuters) — Argentina’s farmers have begun planting the first batches of 2021/22 corn this week, the Buenos Aires grains exchange said on Thursday (Sept. 16), a predicted record harvest of 55 million tonnes due to expanded planting area at the expense of rival crop soy.

Argentina is the second-largest global exporter of corn, and in the current campaign, farmers are expected to plant a record 7.1 million hectares with the grain, the eighth consecutive year the planting area will have expanded.

The exchange in a weekly report said farmers had planted 2.3% of the total estimated area of corn, while good rainfall earlier this month was a positive for the planting process.

“The rains recorded during the first half of September allowed humidity levels to be renewed, promoting the start of the campaign,” the grains exchange said.

Read More here…

Farmers in Brazil Begin Planting Soybeans

Occasional rain showers in soybean areas of Paraná state enabled some soy growers to start sowing their new 2021/2022 crop, agribusiness consultancy AgRural said on Monday.

After the showers, the first fields in the west and southwest of Paraná began to be planted, as these areas received more volumes of rain in recent days.

According to Reuters, the expectation is that soy planting will also start this week in isolated areas of Mato Grosso, Brazil’s top grain state, as well as in Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo.

“Although volumes are still small and more humidity is needed for the beginning of the 2021/22 crop, the rainfall recorded since the end of August is better than those observed in the same period last year,” AgRural said.

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Brazil’s huge scope for grains expansion

BRAZIL has emerged as a serious player in the grains industry in the past decade, especially in corn and soybeans.

The South American nation is now routinely the world’s largest exporter of soybeans, and analysts say the industry is only going to continue to grow.

Speaking at the Australian Grains Industry Conference last week CHS global research analyst Joe Lardy said Brazil’s planted hectares were expanding rapidly every year.

Read more here

Food Updates

NT trials cyclone-proof tropical fruit

Top End farmers are investigating new ways of growing tropical fruit in a bid to cyclone-proof the northern food bowl.

The Northern Territory’s traditional low-density horticulture production systems are highly susceptible to tropical cyclones.

The damage inflicted by extreme weather has stopped the sector from reaching its full economic potential, Minister for Northern Australia David Littleproud told reporters on Thursday.

A collaborative $2.7 million project will trial high-density and trellis planting at local mango producer Manbulloo in Katherine, about 300km south of Darwin.

“In Mato Grosso only 7-10 per cent of the land is row crops,” Mr Lardy said.

“Of the rest there is a large amount of pasture, cerrado (scrubland) and rainforest.

Read more here…

Could CBD be the next innovation in the hard seltzer sector?

New research has suggested that adding CBD could be a way for hard seltzer brands to increase purchases, as well as revealing which brand is currently performing best in what is a crowded market.A new study of US hard seltzer drinkers has revealed growth opportunities still remain for one of the alcoholic beverage industry’s most up and coming categories.

Veylinx, a consumer insights platform that uses behavioural research to predict purchasing habits, studied eight hard seltzer brands (AriZona SunRise, Bon V!V, Bud Light, Corona, Smirnoff, Topo Chico, Truly, and White Claw) and eight added benefits to determine which potential product innovations consumers value most, and which will impact their willingness to pay.

Read more here…

Does cocoa really help you age better?

Cocoa, and in particular dark chocolate, has long been touted as a food that makes us age better – now scientists are undertaking a large study to really find out if this is true or not.Does cocoa make us age better? Scientists want to definitively answer this question, and so have begun a comprehensive study to find the truth.

They are looking for answers in the blood of 600 individuals aged 60 and older who participated in what is reportedly the largest trial ever to assess the impact of a cocoa supplement as well as a common multivitamin, on reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and other health outcomes.

Read more here…

Carbon dioxide shortages disrupting meat sector

The unfurling carbon dioxide crisis could start proving very costly for the meat industry, with pig farms facing the possibility of culling animals if supplies do not improve.

The shortage of carbon dioxide could impact the food and beverage industry very soon, with the UK meat sector in particular set to feel the effects. That’s according to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), which has warned of shortages of some products should the crisis continue.

Once their current stocks of the gas run out (estimated to be in less than 14 days) some companies will have to stop taking animals and close production lines, leading to a logjam of animals back to the farms. The BMPA says this scenario is already playing out in the pig industry, which is now facing the imminent prospect of a humane cull on farms.

Read more here…

Fish consumption to double by 2050, according to new report

The report has highlighted China as a particular area of growth, where it claims changing tastes are leading to an increased consumption of less sustainable fish products such a salmon and shrimp.The world is likely to eat twice as much fish and aquatic foods by 2050 compared to 2015, according to a landmark review of “Blue Foods”.

In a new paper published by Nature Communications as part of a series of five initial reports in the Blue Food Assessment (BFA), experts projected global consumption would increase from 80 million tonnes in live weight to almost 155 million tonnes across all fish and shellfish categories in the next three decades as long as production keeps pace and real prices do not rise.

Read more here…

USA and Canada

U.S. jumps into pea market

The United States is going to displace China in the driver’s seat of the pea market in 2021-22, says an analyst.

Pea production in the U.S. is estimated at 500,000 tonnes or about half of a normal crop.

Meanwhile, domestic consumption is estimated to remain at 850,000 tonnes, while more will be needed to fulfill at least some of the country’s export obligations.

“That shortfall in the U.S. is probably going to be the key market driver,” Chuck Penner, analyst with LeftField Commodity Research, told delegates attending the 2021 Pulse and Special Crops Convention.

He is forecasting the U.S. will need to import 450,000 tonnes of the crop, up from about 100,000 tonnes last year. The vast majority of that will come from Canada.

Read More…

Tight supply may give chickpea prices more room to grow

The chickpea bull run likely has a little more runway, says an analyst.

“It looks to me like there is still more upside possibly but maybe not up to those record levels that we had a few years ago,” said Chuck Penner, analyst with LeftField Commodity Research.

Prices topped 65 cents per pound in 2017. By comparison, posted rates last week were around 50 cents.

Even prices at today’s levels have only happened 18 percent of the time in the past 10 years.

Brian Hildebrand, a grower from southern Alberta, said he’s waiting for further price increases.

Read More

Minnesota Kernza farmers see a market for earth-friendly grain

The University of Minnesota released a new Kernza variety last year and a second variety is slated for release in 2023.

“It took us 30 years to get to this point, but we now have what I call real crops that have real possibility for the marketplace and for planting by farmers,” said Wyse. “And it’s really, really exciting.”

Perennial crops can help reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, and they fit well with the regenerative agriculture movement that focuses on soil health.

The largest crop yet of Kernza was recently harvested. Research shows Kernza improves water quality by reducing fertilizer pollution of water, and it can efficiently store carbon in the soil, helping reduce carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

Read More…

Soy stages surprise rally after September WASDE

Corn prices edged lower this morning after USDA found an additional 600,000 acres of corn planted across the country in the latest Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports released this morning.

Corn yield estimates jumped up 1.7 bushels per acre on improving crop prospects, sending new crop ending stocks to 1.41 billion bushels and triggering minor bearish price movement in the corn complex. December 2022 futures held steady above the $5/bushel benchmark, suggesting that today’s report was not as bearish as the trade had originally been expecting.

Soybean prices experienced a 1.4% rally on 300,000 fewer soybean acres planted this year, despite a 0.6 bpa increase in yields from USDA’s August estimate of 50.0 bpa.

Read More..

Lentil yields could take further drop this fall

Canada’s undersized lentil crop could be getting even smaller, according to analysts.

Marlene Boersch, managing partner of Mercantile Consulting Venture, is currently forecasting a national average yield of 1,045 pounds per acre, 23 percent below the five-year average.

That is slightly above Statistics Canada’s estimate of 1,030 pounds per acre.

However, based on Mercantile’s analysis of early crop yields by district in Saskatchewan, that number could fall as low as 855 pounds per acre.

She is not ready to drop her estimate to that level just yet, but it is a sign there could be further downward revisions in the fall and winter months.

 Read more…

New Zealand

Dairy prices jump 4% at auction, the biggest gain in six months

Dairy prices jumped 4 per cent at the global auction overnight, the biggest increase in six months, with gains across all products.

The global dairy trade price index posted its biggest increase since early March, when it jumped 15 per cent. The index had fallen 13 per cent since then, before the latest bounce.

The average price for whole milk powder, which has the most impact on what farmers are paid, increased 3.3 per cent to an average US$3691 (NZ$5200) a tonne, with gains across all contract periods. The average price is sitting 24 per cent higher than at the same time last year.

Fonterra has been reducing the amount of whole milk powder it offers on the auction platform, saying it has “extremely strong” contract demand and expectations for flat milk supply this season will limit its ability to increase production.

Read More here…

Grower warns Kiwis to pay more for produce as Pacific RSEs ‘nowhere near enough’ to meet labour shortage

Produce growers have been anxiously waiting to see if recognised seasonal employer (RSE) workers would still be allowed into the country given the current Delta outbreak.

On Friday, the Government announced workers from Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu would be able to come into New Zealand quarantine-free from next month.

But one grower says that’s still not enough, warning the labour shortage will result in Kiwis paying more for fruit and veg.

Apple blossoms are a sign of fruit coming to life. While it’s a pretty picture, the situation with the lack of horticulture workers is anything but.

Read More here…

The carbon price is now high enough to change land-use sufficiently to blow away sheep and beef, but too low to significantly influence emission behaviours elsewhere

The concept of ‘carbon farming’ has been around for a long time. I recall carbon farming discussions with my colleagues at University of Queensland back in the early 1990s, but the industry has taken a long time to finally arrive.  Well, it is now here. And it has the potential to overwhelm not only the sheep and beef industries, but also have big impacts on the timber industry.

It is only six weeks since I wrote an article setting out that carbon farming is now considerably more attractive than sheep and beef on the hard North Island hill country. Then two weeks later I extended that analysis to the easier hill country. In a more recent article focusing on the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), I mentioned that the same conclusion could be drawn for considerable parts of the South Island. All of those can be found archived here.

Read More here…

Despite all the external political pressures, buyers want our dairy products and are bidding up prices, reports Guy Trafford. Sadly, Synlait isn’t benefiting

The latest Global Dairy Trade dairy product auction took place in the early hours and the current trend of decline has fortunately been arrested and reversed. All categories of product Fonterra puts up have shown increases:

SMP lead the way with a +7.7% increase, and WMP rose +3.3%. Butter and Cheddar rose by +3.7% and +3.6% respectively.

According to the Westpac update, the SMP rise indicates a reduction in supplies coming out of Europe.

Read more here…

Angus Kebbell talks to scientist Sinead Leahy about why and how the rural community needs to respond to the climate crisis, and why not responding will be worse for our rural businesses

Although the Climate Commission’s latest report broadens the responsibility for meeting New Zealand’s climate targets to every sector of the economy (and especially the transport sector), there is no escaping the need for the agricultural sector to adapt significantly further, to ensure these national targets are achieved.

For farmers, they need to realise that our customers are demanding change. And our customers are international. This is a powerful market signal that must be responded to if we are to have markets for our products.

Sinead Leahy is a senior science adviser at the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Center in Palmerston North.

Read more here…

Australia

Grain tail winds set to favour Aussie growers

AUSTRALIA is poised to take advantage of strong fundamentals in the global grains sector according to Lachstock Consulting chief executive Nick Carracher.

Speaking prior to the Australian Grains Industry Conference this week Mr Carracher said domestic and international factors were falling into line for a positive season.

“It’s going to be a big year for the new crop,” Mr Carracher said.

Speaking before weekend rain, Mr Carracher said the Mallee needed a drink, but other areas looked good and with the Mallee receiving good falls over the weekend most areas are now in at least reasonable condition.

Read more here…

September has arrived and the harvest countdown underway

September has arrived and the countdown to the Queensland wheat and barley harvest is under way.

After a cold front and associated trough resulted in widespread rain across Victoria and NSW late last week, weather will turn drier and warmer. Overall, temperatures will climb to the mid to high 20s by the middle of the week. The absence excessive heat is conducive for crops to maximise available soil moisture as they mature in the coming weeks.

National winter grain production expectations were bolstered by last week’s rain across NSW and Victoria. 

Victoria received a general 15-20mm on Thursday and Friday to the relief of farmers after below average winter rainfall across large areas of the state. 

 Read more here…

Harvesters urged to have COVID movement plans in place

WITH COVID-19 state border restrictions still firmly in place and unlikely to ease any time soon, lobby group Grain Producers Australia is urging grain growers and harvest contractors to have a clear plan regarding logistics this harvest.

There are still permits available for those in the agricultural sector to cross borders closed to the general public, however there have been many reported incidents with border crossing systems and GPA is warning the industry to be well prepared to ensure the projected 50 million tonne plus crop comes off in a timely manner.

“While there’s a positive outlook with good prices, we can’t take anything for granted,” said outgoing GPA chairman Andrew Weidemann.

Read more here

Tight wheat supplies push up values

Global wheat supplies have tightened, pushing wheat values in a range of markets to their highest values since 2008. We see that in our own market, with the $A value of Chicago Board of Trade futures continuing to trade in a range not seen since the massive price spike in early 2008.

Our cash market for both new and old season wheat is reflecting this as well, with new season prices moving above $350 a tonne, and close to $380/t in WA. Price levels like these have traditionally been reserved for drought years, with our market responding to domestic issues, not international price levels.

The various futures markets around the world will continue to bounce around as final harvest results from the northern hemisphere get bedded down. The markets will also be watching the Australian crop, to see how big it can get, and whether it will balance out some of the ongoing downgrades being put forward for the Russian, European Union and Canadian crops.

Read more here …

Mango Hybrids enter next phase of commercial development

THREE mango hybrids will soon transition to the next phase of their commercial development, with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries taking over role as lead licensor.

The varieties, currently known as NMBP-1201, NMBP-4069 and NMBP-1243 were produced during the National Mango Breeding Program and are currently grown by more than 20 producers on orchards in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.

The breeding rights to these mangoes are currently protected by Plant Breeders Rights granted through IP Australia.

Read more here…

South America

Brazil imports record volumes of Argentine corn to feed poultry and pork

While Brazil is complying with the last shipments of corn contracted earlier and at a lesser rhythm and volume than a year earlier, imports of the grain compared to 2020, have more than doubled this year, mainly from Argentina.

So far Brazil has purchased 1,3 million tons of corn, and in the first three days of September it already has unloaded 65.700 tons against 147,000 tons for the whole same month in 2020, points out Secex, the country’s Foreign Trade Secretariat.

And this is only the beginning according to companies that have purchased Argentine corn and are to be delivered in coming weeks. The scarcity of the grain needed to feed poultry, pork and feedlots has forced to appeal to Mercosur associates supplies.

Read More here…

Brazil’s ‘mad cow’s care over; China willing to continue purchasing beef

The quick reply from the World Animal Health Organization, OIE, acknowledging that the two cases of ‘mad cow’ reported in Brazil were atypical and China’s willingness to accept the diagnosis, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture should strongly mitigate the impact on beef exports to China and Hong Kong.

However the consequences on the cattle live market should be minimal since this is a short week in Brazil, Tuesday was a national holiday, Independence Day, and abattoirs are in no hurry to purchase, and want to take advantage of the BSE cases lull.

Furthermore according to Cattle breeders association, “many farmers were forced to sell their fat steers because of the ongoing drought and early frosts, plus the fact that higher grain prices forces farmers to think twice before feeding cattle”

Read More here

Paraguayan minister praises FAO’s project for family farming products

Paraguay’s Agriculture Minister Moisés Santiago Bertoni Tuesday highlighted the cooperation framework his country will have with the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the period 2022-2031.

The official also reaffirmed Paraguay’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda and addressed the importance of guaranteeing the resilience of production systems and at the same time generating mechanisms that ensure sustainability.

Bertoni made those remarks during FAO’s launch of the global initiative “One country, a priority product,” to develop sustainable value chains and support small farmers to reach international markets.

Read more here

Food Updates

High-fat diets could disrupt the body clock and lead to obesity

New research has suggested that a high-fat diet can disrupt our body clock and affect how full and sated we feel – leading to overeating and potentially obesity.

When rats are fed a high fat diet, this disturbs the body clock in their brain that normally controls satiety, leading to over-eating and obesity. That’s according to new research published in The Journal of Physiology.

The number of people with obesity has nearly tripled worldwide since 1975. Obesity can lead to several other diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.

Those behind the research are confident it could become a cornerstone for future clinical studies that could restore the proper functioning of the body clock in the brain, to avoid overeating.

Historically, it was believed that the master body clock was only located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus.

 Read more here…

Could food waste soon be used to power data centres?

Researchers from Virginia Tech are entering the final stages of research that could soon see food waste used to manufacture batteries to power things like data centres.

Could your leftover apple core one day be used to power a data centre? Scientists from Virginia Tech are hoping to achieve exactly that, as they investigate how food waste and its associated biomass can be converted into rechargeable batteries.

“This research could be a piece of the puzzle in solving the sustainable energy problems for rechargeable batteries,” said project co-lead Haibo Huang, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Read more here…

Yum China launches healthy eating initiatives

Yum China has unveiled a series of heathy initiatives as it looks to promote healthy eating across its restaurants in China, including an option to add fruit and vegetables to meals in some of its best-known brands.

Yum China has announced the launch of a new campaign to promote balanced diets by offering customers more fruit and vegetable options in its restaurants in China. The campaign will launch simultaneously today (13 September) at over 6,000 KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell stores nationwide, before gradually expanding to more stores.

A core component of the campaign is the “Fruit and Vegetables 100+” programme that encourages customers to add at least 100g of fruit and vegetables to their meals. Yum China says that KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell will also launch a series of new and updated fruit and vegetable-based products in China, while leveraging their digital platforms to raise public awareness of nutrition and healthy eating.

Read more here…

Big moments for food labels on the horizon

As we see a number of changes in the way in which foods are labelled, Professor Chris Elliott offers his expert insight on the current and future landscape.

What’s on the label of the food we buy is meant to inform us and guide what purchase we should make. While companies do set out to provide such details, they also view labelling as one of the most important means of marketing. The ‘information’ ranges from large, brightly coloured text, to numbers and copy that you’d need a magnifying glass to read.

The legislation on labelling is highly complex and will soon become even more complicated with the introduction of Natasha’s Law in the UK. While this is a very positive addition to protect those with food allergies, many businesses are still feeling unprepared for the legislation which will come into enforced in less than a month (October 2021)

 Read more here…

Is the wine industry inclusive?

Bethan Grylls and Mecca Ibrahim interview a number of wine experts to find out whether the sector, which has been deemed as not diverse enough, has made any significant improvements.

f the wine sector wants to survive, it must have a drastic rethink about the way in which it represents and relates to the world today.

In this article, Mex and I teamed up to look at the wine sector, which has been called out for its lack of diversity, to see how it’s faring today. 

This article includes references to previously published work, interviews we conducted ourselves, and quotes taken from a session at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium – a trade show held each year in Sacramento, California, US, entitled Strength in Diversity: Achieving Meaningful Change for Business Success in the Wine Industry.

Read more here…

USA and Canada

Rare inbound grain shipment recorded at Thunder Bay

Year-to-date grain shipments through Ontario’s Port of Thunder Bay are sharply lower than they were a year ago, the port authority said this week.

Thunder Bay’s total grain shipments from Jan. 1, 2021 to through the end of August were just a shade more than four million tonnes, the port authority said in a news release.

That’s a million tonnes lower than last year, but still slightly higher than the previous five-year average of 3.965 million tonnes.

“Year-to-date grain shipments are now one million metric tonnes lower than last year’s 25-year high volume, marking a return to normal volumes,” the port authority said.

Read More…

Drought Shrinks Canada’s Wheat Crop to 14-year Low

Drought has shriveled Canada’s wheat crop to its smallest in 14 years, and its canola harvest to a nine-year low, a government report showed on Monday. Parched soils and record-hot temperatures in Canada’s western crop belt sharply reduced farm yields of one of the world’s biggest wheat-exporting countries and largest canola-growing nation.

According to Reuters, the drought has forced millers and bakers to pay more for spring wheat, and drove canola prices to record highs.

Statistics Canada, in this year’s first report on crop production, estimated the all-wheat harvest at 22.9 million tonnes, down 35% from last year and slightly larger than the average trade expectation of 22.6 million tonnes.

Read More

Southwestern Minnesota corn, bean yields could surprise

Dorian Gatchell, owner of Minnesota Agriculture Services of Granite Falls, Minnesota, discusses status of the corn and soybean crop after dry summer. He thinks strip-tillage systems can help row crop farmers to adapt to both excessive wet and dry seasons.

GRANITE FALLS, Minnesota — “Don’t give up on it, yet.”

That’s the message the 2021 soybean crop seemed to be putting out as August turned to September, said Dorian Gatchell, owner of Minnesota Agricultural Services LLC, of Granite Falls, Minnesota.

Gatchell talked about the dry year in an interview Aug. 24 for the 2021 Agweek Corn and Soybean Crop Tour. His agronomy consulting business covers clients in about a 30-mile radius around his hometown of “Granite,” where parents on both sides still farm.

Read More…

Strong crop prices bode well for fertilizer market: Nutrien

High grower margins in most parts of the world expected to be an incentive to increase acreage and focus on higher yields

Global demand for fertilizer products continues to be positive, despite reduced production forecasts in many parts of the world, according Nutrien’s chief economist and head of market research.

Jason Newton said continued uncertainty about the size of U.S. corn and soybean crops, combined with reduced production estimates for Russian wheat, Brazilian corn and all crop types in Western Canada, have provided strong market support for most commodities and will continue to do so for the rest of this year and into 2022.

Over the next month or so, farmers and grain marketers will be paying close attention to actual yield data out of the United States and Canada as harvest progresses, he added.

Read More..

Farmers expecting good yields despite drought

As of the end of August, the Upper Thumb was still classified as being in a state of drought, with Huron County being in a moderate drought while Sanilac and portions of Tuscola, Lapeer, and St. Clair counties were dealing with abnormally dry conditions, according to the United States Drought Monitor. The majority of the Upper Peninsula is also experiencing various stages of drought.

The Upper Thumb, along with the majority of Michigan, has been experiencing various stages of drought over the past year, with the entirety of the Lower Peninsula experiencing moderate drought at the end of May.

Theresa Sisung, a field crop specialist with the Michigan Farm Bureau, said the area has ebbed and flowed with drought due to weather patterns over the course of this year. The dry conditions earlier this year were good for farmers planting crops since in years past, the spring and summer has been particularly wet.

Read more…

New Zealand

Dairy farmer says he’s not a polluter, but agrees to pay $103,500 ‘dirty dairying’ fine

A dairy farmer who allegedly said a council would never “get a dime out of me” for dirty dairy offending now says he will pay up, though he maintains he “never, ever polluted”.

Eketahuna farmer Derek Berendt and his company Huka View Dairies were fined $51,750 each in January after pleading guilty to allowing effluent to enter a waterway and keeping silage too close to water.

The fine of $103,500 is the largest imposed for ‘’dirty dairy’’ offending in the 2020-2021 year.

Berendt, who manages the farm about 7 kilometres north of Eketahuna, was charged by Horizons Regional Council after failing to heed warnings and abatement notices requiring him to comply with rules that protect waterways.

Read More here…

Guy Trafford explains how Fonterra and some other large exporters were saved from the worst of the freight stress by the Kotahi Logistics operation. He also shows that China’s pig virus crisis is far from over

Despite the issues of global logistics imposed upon exporters by the Covid-19 pandemic, Fonterra has managed to maintain volumes exported.

Fonterra has given much of the credit to their jointly owned (with Silver Fern Farms) logistics company, Kotahi. Set up in 2011, the company embedded some security of supply chain movement by signing long term strategic commitments with the Danish owned Maersk logistics company and the Port of Tauranga.

While most exports have been leaving via Tauranga, additional shipping through the ‘partnership’ has been able to relieve some of the South Island pressure as well.

Read More here…

Red meat and co-products exports reach $870 million

New Zealand exported red meat and co-products worth $870 million during July 2021 – marking a 29% increase year-on-year, according to analysis from the Meat Industry Association (MIA).

More than 25,300 tonnes of sheepmeat and almost 50,000 tonnes of beef were exported with increases in the value of exports to all major North American and Asian markets.

This included a 1,425% increase in beef exports to Thailand compared to July 2020. Thailand was New Zealand’s tenth largest market for beef by volume during the month, at 347 tonnes.

Read more here…

‘Farm Assured’ wool goes live

Wool growers certified to the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) can now promote and sell their wool as ‘Farm Assured’.

It follows the National Council of New Zealand Wool Interests (NCNZWI) adopting the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) as a national standard for wool in May.

Nick Beeby, chairman of New Zealand Farm Assurance Incorporated (NZFAI), which owns and manages NZFAP, said the milestone provides a substantial boost for the wool industry.

“This initiative provides the sector with an opportunity to add value to our national wool crop by locking in New Zealand’s unique farming systems and the natural and sustainable qualities of wool.

Read more here…

Australia

Wheat Quality Australia announce new milling wheat class Australian White Wheat on the way

THE AUSTRALIAN wheat industry is creating a new milling wheat class as it seeks to move beyond the classification system set up for the former single desk exporting system.

Wheat Quality Australia (WQA) announced this week that a new milling wheat class, Australian White Wheat (AWW) would be created.

WQA executive officer Hugh Robertson said the new classification was not a direct replacement for any existing groupings but rather would be created to give breeders and growers a flexible line that does not require the high protein levels of hard wheat but can still comfortably fit in human consumption markets.

Read more here…

Hort Innovation puts $28 million into lifting tree crop productivity

ALMONDS, avocados, citrus, macadamias and mangoes will be the first crops to benefit from a major Hort Innovation productivity project.

The five-year $28 million National Tree Crop Intensification in Horticulture Program aims to give growers the tools needed to produce more fruit and nuts per hectare.

The program will develop systems to increase the intensity of orchards while improving production, quality and profitability outcomes for growers.

The five initial tree crops identified are regarded by Hort Innovation as important to Australian horticulture and have strong potential for improved productivity through crop intensification.

Read more here…

Farmers’ grain sales pick up ahead of harvest

Strengthening grain prices and last week’s rain have seen a spike in new crop farmer selling before the upcoming winter crop harvest.

A general 10-15mm of rain across the western Darling Downs and south western Queensland cropping regions early last week will ensure bumper wheat, barley and chickpea yields throughout southern Queensland. 2021 has been about as good as it gets for southern Queensland cropping areas, with most areas receiving 300-350mm of rainfall from March through to August.

Timing of the rain has been close to ideal. Soaking rains in autumn saturated paddocks and allowed for timely plantings with regular follow-up rainfall through the growing season. The ideal weather is being reflected in yield potential, with many southern Queensland farmers expecting record high yields that could match yields seen in northern NSW last year.

Read more here

WTO barley decision breakthrough as appeals agreement reached

AN AGREEMENT between Australian and Chinese officials in their World Trade Organisation dispute over alleged Australian dumping of barley into the Chinese market means a meaningful finding is likely to be made.

A July 27 agreement to use a multi-party interim appeal arrangement (MPIA) means the loser cannot stall proceedings on a technicality.

And an Asia-Pacific international relations expert believes Australia is well placed to win the dispute, which dates back to 2018 when China launched an internal investigation into dumping claims, before hitting Australian barley exporters with 80 per cent tariffs in May 2020.

Jeffrey Wilson, research director at the Perth USAsia Centre, said he believed Australia was in the box seat in the dispute.

Read more here …

Strawberry growers hurt by lockdowns

Queensland strawberry growers are calling on shoppers to stock up as COVID-19 lockdowns push prices below the cost of production.

The state is the largest supplier of strawberries in Australia, producing 41 per cent of the nation’s fruit, but with parts of NSW and Victoria in lockdown, traditional buyers such as restaurants, cafes, fruit shops and farmers markets are not as active.

And with online buyers less likely to add strawberries to their cart, the oversupply is forcing down prices to as little as $1 a punnet at supermarkets like Coles, Woolworths and ALDI.

The cost of production in a normal year is $1.30 per 250 gram punnet.

Read more here…

South America

Argentina extends cap on meat exports, producers may halt all activity

The Government of Argentina has extended the cap on meat exports until October 31, claiming it was because the measure had been effective in helping curb domestic prices.

Agrifood producers gathered under the so-called Liaison Table are eyeing strikes and other measures which would likely not have a good impact on the administration of President Alberto Fernández less than two weeks before the Open Primary, Simultaneous and Mandatory elections scheduled for Sept. 12.

According to the new resolution published Tuesday in the Official Gazette, a 50% cap remains effective on all shipments abroad, based on figures from the second half of 2020.

Read More here…

Cattle prices drop in Brazil as meat industry is idle waiting for tests from a suspected mad cow case

The suspicion of a possible mad cow case identified in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has further paralyzed activity in the country’s abattoirs, and consequently the price of live cattle. A release from the Association of Brazilian abattoirs in the representation of the industry confirmed the situation.

“The news of a mad cow case comes at a moment in which abattoirs are working with idle capacity to supply the domestic market and has further diminished the business of purchasing live cattle”, said Abrafrigo.

According to the industry the main concern is for those plants that export, mainly to China because there is a serious chance of a suspension of sales abroad this season.

Read More here

Argentina grains exports brought in $3 bln in August -CIARA-CEC

BUENOS AIRES, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Argentina’s oilseeds and grains exporters chamber said on Wednesday overseas sales brought in some $3 billion in August, boosted by high global grains prices, up 75% from the year-earlier period though down about 13% from the previous month.

The Argentine Chamber of the Oilseed Industry (CIARA) and the Cereal Exporters Center (CEC) said foreign currency income from farm exports in the first eight months of the year totaled $23.2 billion.

Argentina’s farm sector dominates the country’s exports and is critical to rebuilding battered foreign currency reserves that were drained over the last two years amid economic and debt crises, a plunging currency and high inflation.

Read more here

Food Updates

Why three glasses of red wine a week could lower your blood pressure

New research from Queen’s University Belfast suggests drinking a few glasses of red wine a week could be the key to reduced blood pressure.

Consuming more red wine, berries, apples, pears and tea on a regular basis could reduce your blood pressure, because of a key link with the human gut microbiome.

A higher intake of flavonoid-rich foods is associated with a clinically relevant reduction in blood pressure levels, partially explained by characteristics of the gut microbiome, according to new research led by Professor Aedin Cassidy from the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen’s University Belfast.

Prof Cassidy, chair of nutrition and preventive medicine at IGFS, was lead investigator in the study of over 900 adults which has been published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

Read more here…

Invest in alternative proteins to deliver on climate targets, says new report

In order for the UK and other countries to deliver on climate target, the Social Market Foundation says more attention and investment needs to be given to the alternative protein sector.The UK Government is being urged to invest more in the alternative protein market, as the country looks to achieve net zero climate commitments by 2050.

A new report by the Social Market Foundation, an organisation which looks to promote cross-party cooperation in UK politics, has called for a similar level of focus to be applied to the alternative protein market as has been applied to developing alternative forms of energy.

Read more here…

Salt switch reduces chance of stroke, says new research

Replacing salt with a low-sodium alternative reduced the chance of stroke and other major cardiovascular events among participating communities in China.Replacing salt with a low-sodium alternative lowers the risk of stroke in people with high blood pressure or prior stroke, according to new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Both elevated sodium intake and low potassium intake are associated with high blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.^{1 2} Salt substitutes, which replace part of the sodium chloride in regular salt with potassium chloride, have been shown to lower blood pressure³ but their effects on heart disease, stroke, and death had been uncertain. In addition, there had been concerns about causing hyperkalaemia in people with chronic kidney disease leading to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death.

Read more here…

5 consumer behaviours that are reshaping food, beverage and supplement innovation

ADM has identified five changes in consumer behaviour which it predicts will last long after the pandemic is over, and will greatly influence the food, drink and supplement sectors.

Sixty percent of consumers worldwide are looking to improve their overall health and wellness over the next year, research from FMCG Gurus has identified.

We’re also witnessing consumers taking a more proactive approach to managing well-being with functional nutrition, ‘close-to-nature’ ingredients and foods that signal self-care.

Food processing company, ADM, has identified five health and wellness behaviour shifts that are creating opportunities for manufacturers to develop innovative, health-forward foods and beverages that support consumers’ evolving health and wellness needs.

Read more here…

The salad bar comeback

KANSAS CITY — COVID hit retail salad bars hard, with many if not most closing, and retailers scrambling to find pre-packaged and other alternatives. As 2021 enters its second half, however, the prospects for these perimeter staples are looking bright again.After the first few weeks of the pandemic, when most salad bars sat idle, retailers got very creative in reusing the space, said Anne-Marie Roerink, president of San Antonio-based 210 Analytics.

Some stuck with salad but offered it in pre-packaged formats instead. Others put full meal solutions in their salad bars or repurposed them for packaged sides, meats, desserts or other items. A few took out salad bars altogether.

Depending on the guidance from local health authorities, some retailers opened the bars as early as last summer, whereas others are only reopening them now, Roerink said.

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Home Page About us Agriculture and Food Security In recent years, numerous major drivers have put the world off course to ending world hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. The trials have grown with the COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures.  Agricultural development is critically significant to improving food security and nutrition. Its roles include: increasing the quantity and diversity of food; driving economic transformation; and providing the primary source of income for many of the world’s poorest people. Reade more… The Importance and Challenges of Farm to Fork Farm to Fork strategy helps ensure consumers that the food system has a positive impact on the environment without sacrificing its resiliency, productivity or safety. It aims to ensure food security, public health, safe and nutritious food, and accelerate a sustainable food system.  Read more… Current US Inflation The U.S. inflation rate as of July 2021 was 5.4% compared to a year earlier according to The Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index. This indicates that consumer prices increased by 5.4% over a year. This increase was driven by a 2.3% increase in energy commodities, a 2.4% increase in gasoline prices, and a 1.7% increase in new car prices.… Read more Drone use in Agriculture With the global increase in demand for sustainable and ethical food supplies, the “farm to fork” movement has made consumers become more interested in the origin of the goods they purchase and how they were grown. Farmers around the world are finding that drones are returning critically-needed information on the health of their crops. Software programs for analyzing and correcting crop .. Read more                             A focus on products Gluten-Free Products Gluten is a protein complex gained from wheat, barley, triticale, and rye. It is usually found in cereals, pasta, baking products, barley-based products like malt vinegar, malt, food colorings, and beer. However, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome are a common epidemic that causes a wide range of symptoms such as gastrointestinal issues, skin problems, mood swings, and more. As a result, gluten-free products are becoming more popular. Some consumers also opt for a gluten-free diet regardless of their medical conditions, such as a busy lifestyle, weight management programs, and diet plans; hence, the demand for gluten-free products is now becoming a trend instead of a specialized market… Read More Organic Product The shift to a healthier lifestyle has been practiced for years; however, the pandemic increased the consumer’s demand for organic and natural foods. This includes organic dairy products, fish & poultry, organic meat, organic fruits & vegetables, and organic frozen & processed foods. It surged consumers to eat and make meals at home than easily ordering from restaurants. Consumers are now keen to maintain diets and eating plans with the minimal process, lesser additives, and lesser refined sugar., … Read More Organic Rice Rice is a staple food and the second-largest cultivated cereal globally, after maize. It is being consumed by more than half the population of the world (about 3 billion consumers) and being produced for around 700 M metric tons globally. Rice is subdivided into different categories like grain parboiled rice, grain fragrant rice, and red rice, which has the highest nutritional value among all the varieties of rice. In 2021, the global revenue for the rice market is counted at USD 346,337M, .... Read More                           RETAIL TRENDS 2021-2022 Over the past years and on the onset of the global pandemic, the world had witnessed a considerable lifestyle change and the food industry has not been spared. People are spending more time at home and giving importance to healthy living. Additionally, consumers are also opting for ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat, and bakery products to conveniently save time and effort. As a result, retailers and suppliers have been producing and conceptualizing packaged consumables to meet the demands of consumers .…Read More   TREND-DRIVEN INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2021: EPISODE 5 In 2021, it will evolve as chefs are creating new and interesting ways to bring the restaurant experience to life at home for guests. Restaurant-style meals packaged for the family will definitely keep trending in the year to come. Plant-based, healthy vegetarian dishes with seasonal ingredients and global flavor are here to stay in the future…...Read More

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