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AHRENSBURG, GERMANY — Mühlenchemie announced in January that it has expanded its Technology Center to include a pilot plant for pasta, in response to the shortage of quality wheat for pasta production.

“To complement our years of expertise in raw materials, we have now invested in a pasta laboratory of our own which will enable us to meet our customers’ requirements even more specifically,” said Managing Director Lennart Kutschinski of Mühlenchemie’s latest service offer to pasta manufacturers.

“On our Pavan pilot plant ...

MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. — Tom Ogle has been named AIB International’s chief financial officer (CFO) and vice-president, finance and IT. He will officially join the company Feb. 2.

“We are thrilled to have Tom join the AIB team,” said Andre Biane, president and chief executive officer. “As we streamline our day-to-day business and continue growing internationally, Tom’s expertise will be critical to AIB International’s long term success.”

Ogle has more than 20 years of experience with multiple financial functions along with information ...

The Nation (Thailand)
Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

Thailand achieved its highest-ever rice export volume of 10.8 million tonnes last year, enabling the country to reclaim its crown as the world’s largest rice exporter, according to the Commerce Ministry.

The target for this year is to continue the huge export volume in a range of 10 million to 11 million tonnes.

Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikalya said yesterday that 10.8 million tonnes of rice valued at US$5.37 billion (Bt174.8 billion) were shipped overseas last year.

This ...

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is the industry’s market development organization working in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to “develop, maintain and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” The activities of USW are made possible by producer checkoff dollars managed by 19 state wheat commissions and through cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org or contact your state wheat commission.

In This Issue:
1. ...

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S. — The U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announced on Jan. 15 changes to its leadership team in Asia following the departure of Regional Vice-President Mike Spier who recently joined Columbia Grain as Southeast Asia Representative.

Matt Weimar was named regional vice-president for South Asia and will relocate to USW’s regional office in Singapore after many years of service in Hong Kong as regional vice-president for China. In addition to supervising staff and directing strategic planning and activities in USW’s ...

UZWIL, SWITZERLAND — Since Bühler’s Polaris purifier first entered the market in 2010, the company said it has sold 800 units worldwide.

The purifier can be sold as a stand-alone machine or as part of Bühler’s Antares-Sirius-Polaris.

The Polaris, listed as article MQRG at Bühler, is primarily used in durum mills for manufacturing high quality semolina for the production of premium pasta. With its high throughput capacity and increased yield for low-ash flours the Polaris purifier can also be used in milling ...

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced on Jan. 13 nearly C$6.9 million for crop-related research through the Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund (ADF). The funding is being awarded to 42 projects.

This funding is part of Saskatchewan’s C$26.7 million agriculture research budget for 2014-15.

Projects to receive funding this year include studies to improve lentil varieties, enhance wheat midge resistance in wheat, decrease oil losses from canola dehulling, and reduce the ...

MANHATTAN, KANSAS, U.S. — Kansas State University’s (KSU) International Grains Program (IGP) Institute will host a two-part grain purchasing course April 6-17 at the IGP Institute Conference Center in Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.

Grain Purchasing – Part I: Fundamentals of Grain Purchasing
The first week of the course will investigate how grain is traded and transported. This includes USDA grading standards and how they are implemented, how to read a USDA report, how to establish a proper contract, among other topics.

“The markets ...

According to USDA’s January Crop Production estimate, the 2014-15 U.S. corn crop is still a record, at 14.2 billion bushels, even though it’s down 1 percent from the agency’s November forecast. It’s 3 percent higher than the 2013 crop.

Average U.S. corn yield is also a record, estimated at 171 bushels per acre by USDA. That’s down 2.4 bushels from the November forecast but 12.9 bushels above the 2013 average yield estimate of 158.1 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain ...