Butterball LLC donated more than 160 pounds of turkey pot roast to the Salud Family Health Centers for a Dia de los Niños celebration aimed at raising awareness about the importance of healthy living.
“Butterball is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with groups like Salud Family Health Centers, who are committed to building a healthier community,” said Tony Seta, Butterball's celebrity chef for the event. “It’s important that consumers have access to nutritious, wholesome meal options that are also affordable. Turkey is a great option because it is a relatively affordable form of protein." Seta used the turkey meat to prepare a turkey taco recipe for the approximately 400 guests who attended the celebration on April 29.
Dia de los Niños also provided nutritional education and demonstrations, with more than 30 booths from local Longmont, Colo., groups. “There are many youth within our community that do not receive immunizations, dental checks or health screenings that are essential preventive measures for a healthy lifestyle,” said Kirk Bjella, AmeriCorps member of Salud Family Health Centers. “We fill the gap by providing these services at affordable rates. Further, we work to educate the community on available resources, thus increasing the community's ability to deal with health issues that arise.”
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Pilgrim's Pride reports $120.8 million loss due to animal feed costs, storms
Pilgrim's Pride reported a first-quarter loss of $120.8 million due to high animal feed and fuel costs, winter storms and inventory reductions, according to the company.
The loss is a significant increase from the first quarter of 2010, when the company reported a loss of $45.5 million. Pilgrim's said it has implemented efforts to reduce costs by $400 million, due in part to a predicted $500-million increase in poultry feed costs for 2011. "We will continue to look at further price increases," said CEO Bill Lovette.
Damage from recent storms in the U.S. Southeast will temporarily reduce chicken production, causing further troubles, said Pilgrim's. Roughly 100 of the company's 16,400 chicken houses were damaged or destroyed, and power was knocked out to two processing plants.
The loss is a significant increase from the first quarter of 2010, when the company reported a loss of $45.5 million. Pilgrim's said it has implemented efforts to reduce costs by $400 million, due in part to a predicted $500-million increase in poultry feed costs for 2011. "We will continue to look at further price increases," said CEO Bill Lovette.
Damage from recent storms in the U.S. Southeast will temporarily reduce chicken production, causing further troubles, said Pilgrim's. Roughly 100 of the company's 16,400 chicken houses were damaged or destroyed, and power was knocked out to two processing plants.
Victam Europe highlights opportunities for European animal feed producers
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| Patrick Vanden Avenne |
But this was not all that had characterized the last year. Christmas had been far from merry due to the dioxin crisis in Germany. Yet despite so much doom and gloom, the European feed and livestock industries have shown the strength to rebound. While growth may be the strongest outside Europe, particularly in Asia and Latin America, the European periphery, for example Turkey, was also showing satisfactory growth.
There is a future for European feed and livestock industries – they are the laboratories of the world, and the continent remains a strong developer of new technology. Among new technologies on the horizon is the reintroduction of meat and bonemeal, and the use of biofuel byproducts for monogastrics. For those with any doubt about how technology continues to develop, Victam is the perfect showcase.
In 2010, for the first time, European sales of poultry compound feed overtook those of pig feed. The outlook for this year is that the market will be largely stable.
And indeed, while the German dioxin crisis certainly posed challenges for the industry, it also presented opportunities. Vanden Avenne insisted that there should be zero tolerance of cowboys, and that the owners of quality assurance systems should be brought together to ensure best practice across the continent. He said he was confident that the industry would rise to the challenge.
Watch Vanden Avenne's presentation: European feed industry outlook.
Good housekeeping and the animal feed industry at Victam
It's something that we should all do all the time, but one of those things that, too often, we let slip.
At the IFF Feed Processing Conference, held as part of Victam 2011, Richard Oldman of Anitox, looked at a topic that is important to each and every one of us and that, in a time of rising input costs, is particularly relevant to the feed industry.
So how can good housekeeping really help? Well, while new and more efficient technology can usually be introduced to most processes, saving energy always makes sense. Looking particularly at energy demands in the pelleting of feed, he noted that saving energy was essential.
So where to start? Amongst his observations were that equipment is often left running, there can be build ups of old material, mixers may not properly be emptying, there may be badly worn padders, holes may be half blocked, knifes blunt, and the cooler air flow incorrect. If not enough attention is paid to these, and other, areas, then energy is wasted. Just like the build up of scale in a kettle or an accumulation of lint and dust in a vacuum cleaner in our own homes, failure to attend to simple things reduces efficiency and increases costs.
Mr Oldman noted that, as far as steam is concerned, he has often seen that pipework is undersized, traps may not be working properly, and an absence of gauges for pressure and temperature.
He also pointed to trials that were carried out in 2009 at the IFF Research Institute of Feed Technology Braunschweig, Germany, that responded to the question of whether pelleting aids can solve problems. Broiler, dairy and pig feeds were trialled and, across all three feed types, there were savings in electrical power. Although increased throughput could not be demonstrated, electrical savings could be.
Amongst reasons for this were improved conditioning rates by increased thermal acceptance of the pellet press by thorough heating of the meal particles rather than simply surface heating.
Mr Oldman notes that there are many mills where energy consumption is much higher than it needs to be.
Writing from the Victam showfloor, I an wondering whether I left the television on standby, when was the last time I descaled the kettle or gave the vacuum cleaner a thorough overhaul? I need to save electricity!
At the IFF Feed Processing Conference, held as part of Victam 2011, Richard Oldman of Anitox, looked at a topic that is important to each and every one of us and that, in a time of rising input costs, is particularly relevant to the feed industry.
So how can good housekeeping really help? Well, while new and more efficient technology can usually be introduced to most processes, saving energy always makes sense. Looking particularly at energy demands in the pelleting of feed, he noted that saving energy was essential.
So where to start? Amongst his observations were that equipment is often left running, there can be build ups of old material, mixers may not properly be emptying, there may be badly worn padders, holes may be half blocked, knifes blunt, and the cooler air flow incorrect. If not enough attention is paid to these, and other, areas, then energy is wasted. Just like the build up of scale in a kettle or an accumulation of lint and dust in a vacuum cleaner in our own homes, failure to attend to simple things reduces efficiency and increases costs.
Mr Oldman noted that, as far as steam is concerned, he has often seen that pipework is undersized, traps may not be working properly, and an absence of gauges for pressure and temperature.
He also pointed to trials that were carried out in 2009 at the IFF Research Institute of Feed Technology Braunschweig, Germany, that responded to the question of whether pelleting aids can solve problems. Broiler, dairy and pig feeds were trialled and, across all three feed types, there were savings in electrical power. Although increased throughput could not be demonstrated, electrical savings could be.
Amongst reasons for this were improved conditioning rates by increased thermal acceptance of the pellet press by thorough heating of the meal particles rather than simply surface heating.
Mr Oldman notes that there are many mills where energy consumption is much higher than it needs to be.
Writing from the Victam showfloor, I an wondering whether I left the television on standby, when was the last time I descaled the kettle or gave the vacuum cleaner a thorough overhaul? I need to save electricity!
UK egg packer buys out free range, organic egg business
UK-based egg packer Stonegate Ltd. has bought out Farmhouse Freedom Eggs Ltd., a company specializing in free-range and organic eggs.
According to both companies, the acquisition of Farmhouse, which will continue to operate as a stand-alone company, will expand their business dealings in Wales. “Our Welsh customer base is extremely important to us and this merger will enable us to strengthen our Welsh producer base and offer additional support to our farmers,” said Gerry Tuffs, co-founder and managing director of Farmhouse.
Stonegate had previously invested £5 million (US$8.3 million) into its Swansea, Wales facility.
According to both companies, the acquisition of Farmhouse, which will continue to operate as a stand-alone company, will expand their business dealings in Wales. “Our Welsh customer base is extremely important to us and this merger will enable us to strengthen our Welsh producer base and offer additional support to our farmers,” said Gerry Tuffs, co-founder and managing director of Farmhouse.
Stonegate had previously invested £5 million (US$8.3 million) into its Swansea, Wales facility.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Ghana government to support small corn, soy farmers with $2.5 million
Ghana's Venture Capital Trust Fund will contribute $2.5 million to support 3,000 farmers cultivating corn and soy beans, a move that will reduce the costs of importing poultry feeds and create jobs, according to Daniel Duku, CEO of Venture Capital.
Venture Capital, which focuses on providing assistance to small and medium businesses in Ghana, will support corn farmers in the Eastern, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Volta, Central and parts of Greater Accra regions, as well as the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. Soy support will be given to farmers in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, and parts of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions. The company has already chosen the nucleus farmers for the current planting season.
Venture Capital, which focuses on providing assistance to small and medium businesses in Ghana, will support corn farmers in the Eastern, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Volta, Central and parts of Greater Accra regions, as well as the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. Soy support will be given to farmers in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, and parts of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions. The company has already chosen the nucleus farmers for the current planting season.
US corn and soybean futures drop as exports slow
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| U.S. corn exports were down 43% in the week ending April 21, to 348,969 metric tons from a week earlier and the smallest amount in six months. |
An easing of demand for U.S. supplies has contributed to the numbers. U.S. exporters sold 348,969 metric tons of corn in the week ending April 21, down 43% from a week earlier and the smallest amount in six months, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The price also fell on forecasts for drier weather in the Midwest that may allow for increased planting, said Dale Durchholz, senior market analyst at AgriVisor LLC. Only 9% of the U.S. corn crop was planted as of April 24, compared with 46% by this time in 2010, due to unfavorable weather. “Worries about U.S. planting delays may have peaked,” said Durchholz. “There is plenty of time to plant corn next month, and people are going to be surprised by how many acres farmers can plant in a short period.”
Soybean futures also fell from a two-week high as overseas and domestic demand eased, by $0.31 (2.2%), to close at $13.535 a bushel in Chicago. Earlier, the price reached $14.005, the highest since April 11.
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