News from the week of November 8 - 14, 2009

News Topics

• Ag Biotech
  Soya & oilseed-related biotech and seed breeding
• Biobased Products
  Biofuels, polymers and other new, oilseed-based products
• Commodities and Trade
  International trade in soybean and oilseed commodities
• Grains
  Wheat, corn, rice, barley, oats and other grains
• Ingredients and Nutraceuticals
  Soya & oilseed-derived food and nutritional ingredients
• Soybean & Oilseed Processing
  Crushing, refining and other processing
• Soyfoods
  New food products, nutrition research and market trends

Ag Biotech top

Live Commodity Prices on Soyatech.com Grains - Oilseeds - Soybean Complex - Ethanol MORE

Monsanto Completes U.S. Regulatory Submissions Supporting Vistive III Soybeans for Healthful Cooking Oils Monsanto Company has completed regulatory submissions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration in support of the Vistive III soybean trait. This second-generation product builds … READ MORE »

Dow, DuPont to Cross-License Technologies for Soybean Development Dow Chemical Co.’s Dow AgroSciences unit is teaming with DuPont to develop herbicide-tolerant soybeans. Under the agreement, Dow AgroSciences is non-exclusively licensing its herbicide-tolerant trait technology for … READ MORE »

Syngenta Receives Approval for New Corn Technologies in Brazil Syngenta announced today that its genetically modified corn traits MIR162 and Bt11xGA21 are now fully approved for cultivation in Brazil. This follows the approval by the National Biosafety Committee and the thirty day … READ MORE »

Consortium Completes the Sequencing and Analysis of Three Oil Palm Genomes The Malaysian Palm Oil Board and Orion Genomics today announced that a consortium co-led by the Advanced Biotechnology and Breeding Centre of MPOB and Orion Genomics has sequenced three oil palm genomes from two oil … READ MORE »

Monsanto Reconfirms Projections on Strength of Expectations for Blockbuster Products The positive mix lift expected as farmers choose to upgrade to next-generation technologies allows Monsanto Company to reconfirm its commitment to double its 2007 gross profit in 2012, Monsanto President and CEO … READ MORE »

U.S. Suit Against Bayer CropScience Confirms GM Rice Contamination in Nigeria The legal action instituted against Bayer CropScience AG by farmers in the United States for allegedly contaminating their farms with Genetically Modified rice seeds in 2006 is a further confirmation of the validity of … READ MORE »

Monsanto to Buy Missouri Research Facility From Pfizer US-based agricultural products provider Monsanto Company and pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc said today they have inked an agreement for Monsanto to acquire Pfizer’s Chesterfield Village Research Center located in … READ MORE »

New Study Reveals How Plants Respond to Water Shortages Much as adrenaline coursing through our veins drives our body’s reactions to stress, the plant hormone abscisic acid is behind plants’ responses to stressful situations such as drought, but how it does so has been … READ MORE »

GMO Crop Rules Sometimes Ignored, Says New CSPI Report More farmers are failing to plant required "refuge" zones near fields where genetically modified corn is grown, possibly increasing chances that pesticide-resistant bugs will harm crops in years to come, according to a … READ MORE »

GMO Crop Legislation Spurs Controversy in Turkey The past week saw much criticism on a recently adopted regulation related to the control of food and feed products containing genetically modified organisms in Turkey, according to local daily Sunday’s Zaman. The … READ MORE »

Biobased Products top

$900K in Grants Offered for Ethanol, Biofuel Switch in Arizona There’s $900,000 in matching grants waiting for Arizona businesses and local governments that want to start using ethanol or biodiesel fuels in their vehicle fleets, a little-known and relatively small part of the … READ MORE »

Two Biodiesel Production Plants Under Development in Adelanto, California Canada-based Sunx Energy is opening a 21,500-squarefoot biodiesel plant, and San Diego-based Dynasty Energy is opening a 20,164-square-foot biodiesel plant, according to Adelanto Associate Planner Linda Blackbern. Both … READ MORE »

Brazil's Biofuel Producers Hail Government's Proposal for 20% Biodiesel Blend by 2015 Biodiesel producers in Brazil cheered the government’s proposal to gradually increase the amount of biodiesel in diesel fuel to 20 percent in big cities by 2015. Sergio Beltrao, head of the Brazilian Biodiesel Union, to … READ MORE »

Green Plains Renewable Energy Announces Management Changes Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. announced the appointment of Michelle S. Mapes as Executive Vice President - General Counsel and Corporate Secretary effective November 3, 2009. Ms. Mapes joined the Company … READ MORE »

Iowa Biodiesel Plant Still Set to Be Auctioned, Despite Pending Sale A Keokuk biodiesel plant that its largest lender foreclosed on will be auctioned next month despite an earlier report that it had been acquired by a company based in Switzerland. Tri-City Biodiesel will be auctioned at … READ MORE »

Neste Oil to Collaborate With Energy Firm St1 on Biofuel Development Program Finland-based Neste Oil and Finnish energy company St1 have begun working together on a fuel project as part of the TransEco development program co-ordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Neste Oil has said … READ MORE »

U.S. Foodservice-Atlanta Becomes First Major Foodservice Distributor in Georgia to Use Biodiesel U.S. Foodservice-Atlanta has become the first major foodservice distributor in Georgia to run its entire delivery fleet on biodiesel fuel. All of the Atlanta division’s 185 tractors and 210 trailers began using … READ MORE »

Commodities and Trade top

Louis Dreyfus, Amaggi Create Joint Venture for Northeastern Brazil Grain Market Louis Dreyfus Commodities and Amaggi have just created a joint venture to act in the grain market in Bahia, Maranhão, Piauí and Tocantins, with the purpose of originating soybeans and corn, financing farmers, change/exchange … READ MORE »

Southeast Asia Trade Delegation Purchases $105M in U.S. Commodities During Soyatech Conferences in New Orleans Jointly organized by ASA International Marketing (ASA-IM) and the US Grains Council (USGC) for the second time, this mission is made up of 33 executives representing 29 companies from Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam … READ MORE »

Growing Chinese Economy Means Opportunity for Multinational Firms, Says Abbott Laboratories Executive The growth of the Chinese economy has brought opportunities for multinational companies and has a great future, according to a senior executive from U.S. health care company Abbott Laboratories. Thomas F. Chen, senior vice … READ MORE »

Pesticide Levels Decline in Corn Belt Rivers: New USGS Survey Concentrations of several major pesticides mostly declined or stayed the same in "Corn Belt" rivers and streams from 1996 to 2006, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study. The declines in pesticide concentrations … READ MORE »

Sharing Information Minimizes Trade Barriers Trade policy and biotechnology are often referred to as being the most common barriers to free and open trade of U.S. coarse grains and their co-products. Often off the radar screen, according to U.S. Grains Council President … READ MORE »

Palm Plantation Never Causes Deforestation: Malaysian Official Putting blame on palm oil as the cause of deforestation in Malaysia is baseless and unsubstantiated, a Malaysian official said here on Monday. Malaysian Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Bernard Giluk Dompok … READ MORE »

CN Railway's New President Bracing for Gradual Economic Recovery in 2010 Canadian National Railway’s new president believes the railway has seen the worst of the recession, but predicts a gradual economic recovery more like a Nike swoosh logo than strong rebound. "We have to be realistic … READ MORE »

Brazil Celebrates 45% Reduction in Amazon Deforestation, Largest Drop in 20 Years The Brazilian government yesterday announced a "historic" drop in the deforestation of the Amazon, weeks before world leaders meet in Copenhagen for climate change talks. Brazilian authorities said that between August 2008 … READ MORE »

ARS Scientists Find Ozone Levels Already Affecting Soybean Yields Current atmospheric ozone levels are already suppressing soybean yields, according to Agricultural Research Service scientists and university cooperators studying the effect of global climate change on crops. ARS plant … READ MORE »

Cargill Introduces the Pennent(tm) System to Improve Feed Mill Efficiency Cargill and Feed Management Systems(tm), Inc. have teamed to introduce the Pennent(tm) system, a web-based, integrated software system designed to improve feed mill efficiency and lower costs. The Pennent(tm) system … READ MORE »

Grains top

US Small Grains Estimates Virtually Unchanged The U.S. Agriculture Department has revised its estimates for production of small grains such as wheat and barley but the changes are small. Estimated U.S. spring wheat production is down less than 1 percent from the … READ MORE »

Philippine Rice Production in July-Sept Hit 3.5 Million Tons Philippine paddy rice (palay) production in the third quarter rose by 1.5 percent to 3.52 million metric tons on expanded harvest areas, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said. "The increment was largely attributed … READ MORE »

Two Kansas Farmers Sued Over Uncertified Wheat Seed Two Kansas farmers have been sued over unauthorized use of a proprietary wheat variety developed by Kansas State University researchers. The suit was filed last Friday in U.S. District Court in Wichita against James Rossillon … READ MORE »

US Crop Estimates May Ease Fears About Wet Harvest Newly released estimates for U.S. wheat, corn and soybean crops may put to rest fears that a wet harvest season in many parts of the country could cut into production. Late-season rains had delayed harvest of small grains … READ MORE »

NutraCea U.S. Files for Protection Under Chapter 11 to Restructure Operations NutraCea, a world leader in stabilized rice bran (SRB) nutrient research and technology, announced today that the Company has filed a voluntary petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. … READ MORE »

Possible New, Increased Markets for U.S. Sorghum in Taiwan, Japan Alvaro Cordero, USGC manager of international operations for marketing, traveled to Taiwan and Japan last week to assess the market potential for U.S. grain sorghum. Cordero said increased opportunities for U.S. sorghum exist … READ MORE »

Kenyan Rice Irrigation Shows Government Investment Can Stem Food Shortages Joram Abiero remembers it was not too long ago that his neighbors went to bed hungry. Now they and thousands of others in the lowlands of western Kenya are able to get year-round work as farm laborers or earn money from … READ MORE »

Barley Mission Reveals Growth Potential for U.S. Barley Exports A team of U.S. barley farmers traveled to Taiwan and Japan this week, affording them the opportunity to showcase their product to two strong and continuously growing markets, while learning the demands of their customers … READ MORE »

Flowers Foods 3rd-Quarter Profit Rises For the quarter ended Oct. 10, the bakery product maker’s profit rose 17 percent to $31.9 million, or 34 cents per share, from $27.4 million, or 29 cents per share, in the same period last year. Revenue rose 5 percent … READ MORE »

Ingredients and Nutraceuticals top

Solae Introduces 90% Protein Soy Nugget at SupplySide Solae, LLC, the world’s leader in developing soy-based technologies and ingredients, is introducing a new high protein soy nugget for nutritional bars, snacks, bakery products, cereals and more -- SUPRO(R) Nugget 570 … READ MORE »

Gelatin and Soy Protein May Reduce Bitterness of Spray-Dried Casein Hydrolysates Protein hydrolysates could be used as bioactive compounds that may have physiological benefits or reduce the risk of diseases. However the bitterness of these compounds may limit their use in foods. A study published in the … READ MORE »

Camelina Meal Approved for Use in Feedlot Beef Rations The North American Camelina Trade Association today announced the achievement of another milestone in its efforts to build camelina production and marketing opportunities for growers. The industry received approval … READ MORE »

Soybean & Oilseed Processing top

ADM Tells Stockholders It Sees Sweeter Days Ahead Archer Daniels Midland Co. told investors Thursday that the second half of 2009 had left a bitter taste in the mouth, but prospects may be about to turn sweeter. Results for the first six months of the old fiscal year had … READ MORE »

Bunge Plant Fire Fills Decatur, Alabama With Smoke Heavy smoke billowed through the air after a vent in a processing area caught fire at the Bunge plant at 1400 Market St. N.E. shortly before 4 p.m. Crews initially reported two explosions when they arrived, but Decatur Fire … READ MORE »

CHS Posts Fiscal 2009 Earnings of $381.4 Million CHS Inc., a leading energy, grains and foods company, today reported fiscal 2009 net income of $381.4 million, the fourth-highest in the farmer-owned cooperative’s nearly 80-year history. Net income for fiscal 2009 … READ MORE »

New Investment Must Accompany Better Yields, Technologies for Ag Production to Meet Needs, Says ADM CEO Through innovation, investment and partnership, agriculture can sustainably serve the world’s growing needs for food and energy. This is the central message that Patricia Woertz, chairman, CEO and president of Archer … READ MORE »

Vegetable Oil Patents From Cargill, Loders Croklaan, Others Compositions suitable for use as a frying fat or oil may be derived from palm oil by a process comprising interesterification and comprise triglycerides. The compositions may have a content of saturated fatty acids having … READ MORE »

New Wet Ethanol Production Process Yields More Ethanol and More Co-Products Using a wet ethanol production method that begins by soaking corn kernels rather than grinding them, results in more gallons of ethanol and more usable co-products, giving ethanol producers a bigger bang for their buck – by … READ MORE »

No One Injured in Explosion at Missouri AGP Plant No injuries were reported after a South Side explosion rumbled through St. Joseph early Friday morning. City and county law enforcement officers were called to Ag Processing on the Stockyards Expressway around … READ MORE »

Soyfoods top

Silk's Move Away From Organic Soybeans Creates a Stir Among Retailers Organic-food shoppers are making a rude discovery at their grocers’ refrigerated display case. "White Wave Silk Vanilla Soymilk is no longer Organic," declares a hand-lettered sign at the two Sunflower Shoppes in Tarran … READ MORE »

Simplicity Heads Top Ten New Food New Product Development Trends for 2010 Levels of new NPD activity are continuing to hold up well in the face of the difficult global financial situation, with the number of launches in the first 10 months of 2009 ahead of the total achieved in the same period of … READ MORE »

California Firm to Expand Iowa Facility for New Products Including Soy-Based Frozen Dessert Construction is under way on a nearly $1 million expansion of Commerce, California-based Carmi Flavors & Fragrance Co. Inc.’s Waverly plant. It will lead to the creation of 75 full-time jobs and retain nine existing … READ MORE »

Pulmuone Wildwood to Acquire Monterey Gourmet Foods Monterey Gourmet Foods, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of fresh, gourmet, refrigerated food products, has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Pulmuone U.S.A., Inc. to be acquired through a cash tender … READ MORE »