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Agro Universities, Climate, Live Stock

The study will aim to prove oil-based seaweed product has the potential to be more effective than existing solutions

Symbrosia, a Hawaii-based cleantech startup that uses seaweed to drastically reduce livestock methane emissions announced a study with Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Cornell CALS), supported by Danone North America, a leading food and beverage company. Designed by Associate Professor Joe McFadden, the study aims to prove the effectiveness of an Asparagopsis-based seaweed oil extract for reducing livestock methane emissions compared to Symbrosia’s existing freeze-dried seaweed products.

Dr. Mallory Honan, Symbrosia’s product and animal science lead, spoke about the thoroughness of the study. “The study is more in-depth than any previous, accounting for animal and human food safety, energetics, manure composition, and gas emissions. Additionally, it will observe unique milk characteristics beyond lactose, protein, and fat, assessing changes in the complete milk fatty acid profile,” explained Honan.

The Asparagopsis species has been proven to reduce methane emissions in ruminant species by interfering with the methanogenesis process. Symbrosia currently produces a freeze-dried product, SeaGraze™, made of Asparagopsis taxiformis. The product reduces methane emissions by 70 per cent – 80 per cent.

A reduction in methane emissions will have immediate benefits for the climate, superior to that of carbon dioxide reduction alone, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dairy production from cattle makes up an estimated 8 per cent of total human-caused methane emissions worldwide, as part of agriculture and livestock activities which represent approximately 40% of global methane emissions.

Oil absorbs the compounds found in seaweed at an effective rate, circumventing the need for high inputs of energy required for drying. The product in this form is also anticipated to increase the level of bioactive transference and solubility. Using fresh seaweed in oil instead of freeze-dried material also maintains more of the important compounds and nutrients, as well as possibly making it more stable over time. Should the study prove successful, the oil will be added to Symbrosia’s expanding portfolio of products designed to be incorporated into a variety of systems.

The study will aim to prove oil-based

Dairy, Live Stock, R&D, World

The first-of-its-kind project, supply chain best practice to improve the health and welfare of free-range buffalo harvest

A new research project by AgriFutures Australia and the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) is set to examine the wild-harvest buffalo supply chain in the Northern Territory (NT).

The first-of-its-kind project, Supply Chain Best Practice to Improve the Health and Welfare of Free-Range Buffalo Harvest in Arnhem Land – Northern Territory, aims to identify the barriers and potential opportunities to ensure the industry’s sustainable growth.

Since the introduction of buffalo to Australia in the 1880s, the industry has developed a free-range sector in the NT and a dairy buffalo sector which operates in most states.

Most free-range buffalo in the NT are found in unrestricted herds across Arnhem Land and other areas of Indigenous land, where they have important and often competing economic, environmental and social-cultural impacts on the land and local communities.

Despite the steady growth of the meat and dairy buffalo sectors in Australia, there are risks and challenges which threaten industry viability.

As identified in the AgriFutures Buffalo Program Strategic RD&E Plan (2021-2025), the industry’s highest priority is addressing animal welfare.

Ellen Buckle, AgriFutures Australia Senior Manager – Levied and Emerging Industries, said this project will ultimately provide information on best practices in the buffalo supply chain.

“There’s a real willingness in the industry to work together on this and it is often difficult to get that sort of consensus and movement,” Buckle said.

“The project, funded by the AgriFutures Buffalo Program and the CRCNA and led by The University of Queensland (UQ), will run until June 2026 and involves a consortium of seven research entities, including the Northern Territory Government, Northern Territory Buffalo Industry Council, Central Queensland University, and industry experts Neil MacDonald and Dr Rodd Dyer.”

The CRCNA will additionally support research on the impact and involvement of Arnhem Land Indigenous communities in the buffalo industry.

The first-of-its-kind project, supply chain best practice

Company News, Sustainability, World

The project aims to empower young people aged 16 to 35 by improving skills, expanding market access and offering inclusive financing in key sectors including poultry, horticulture, oilseed, dairy and beef value chains

Heifer International and the Mastercard Foundation will extend their collaboration in a new partnership to expand access to agribusiness opportunities for over 250,000 young people in Uganda.

The Stimulating Agriculture for Youth Employment (SAYE) project, led by Heifer International and local partners, will run from 2023 to 2029 in the Busoga sub-region of Eastern Uganda. The project aims to empower young people aged 16 to 35 by improving skills, expanding market access and offering inclusive financing in key sectors including poultry, horticulture, oilseed, dairy and beef value chains. Young women will make up 70 per cent of participants, while three per cent will be young persons with disabilities.   

“Our goal is to transform the market ecosystem in Busoga in a way that drives inclusion and economic resilience for the many young people who currently have trouble securing dignified and fulfilling work,” said Surita Sandosham, Heifer International President and CEO.  

The $48 million SAYE project will build on the work of Heifer International’s East Africa Youth Inclusion Program (EAYIP), which was also in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, and created 33,000 new jobs for more than 25,000 young people between 2016 and 2022. EAYIP leveraged an agri-hub model to boost young people’s access to technical, business and financial products and services. 

Under SAYE, Heifer will lead the formation and strengthening of youth- and farmer-led agri-hubs, while local partners will focus on business incubation, skills training, promoting micro, small and medium enterprises, and improving access to financial services. 

The SAYE project will roll out in 11 districts of the Busoga sub-region: Jinja, Mayuge, Iganga, Kamuli, Kaliro, Namutumba, Bugweri, Luka, Buyende, Bugiri, Namayengo. The high rates of poverty in these districts partly stem from an overreliance on low-value crops like sugar cane and limited opportunities for income generation. SAYE is targeting sectors with low entry barriers for young people and high market potential, aiming to boost local income opportunities.  

The project aims to empower young people

Dairy, Live Stock, World

The facility will produce fresh and powdered camel milk products

Australia-based Good Earth Dairy secures a $4.4 million grant for a $20 million dairy processing facility.

The first camel milk dairy in Australia will open ahead of Good Earth Dairy’s listing on the ASX next year. The facility will produce fresh and powdered camel milk products.

Good Earth Dairy is set to expand its distribution channels beyond Western Australia (WA) and into global markets with the help of a new facility. The $20 million facility, expected to be completed by 2026, will have the capacity to process around 22 million litres of camel milk annually.

Good Earth Dairy launched a bridging round via an equity crowdfunding campaign on the OnMarket platform last week ahead of its planned IPO next year to support international expansion.

The company will use crowdfunding to increase production capacity and fund the construction of a new dairy.

Camel milk retails at a premium in Australia, selling for between $13 and $20 per litre, compared to cow’s milk.

The milk is low in allergens and saturated fat, and highly nutritious. It is also easy to digest for infants and adults.

The facility will produce fresh and powdered

AgroPolicy, India

The agriculture, food, and dairy sectors will be present at the trade show, including Patanjali, Haldiram, Priya Gold, Bikanerwala, Vaidyanath, Ritual Foods, Fresh Foods, Augustia Foods, Indian Beekeeper Girija, Paras, Amul, Prime Foods, Gyan Dairy, Creamy Food Fair Export

The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is preparing to showcase the state’s food, dairy, and agro sectors on the global stage at the upcoming International Trade Show in Greater Noida. The trade show will take place from September 21 to 25 at the India Expo Centre and Mart, providing a significant platform for state companies to showcase their products. While companies from various sectors worldwide will participate, those from Uttar Pradesh in the food, dairy, and agriculture domains will receive priority, enhancing their branding and increasing their global reach.

Many prominent companies in the agriculture, food, and dairy sectors will be present at the trade show, including Patanjali, Haldiram, Priya Gold, Bikanerwala, Vaidyanath, Ritual Foods, Fresh Foods, Augustia Foods, Indian Beekeeper Girija, Paras, Amul, Prime Foods, Gyan Dairy, Creamy Food Fair Export, and others. Rural, small-scale, and cottage industries associated with food, agriculture, and dairy products will also receive priority at the event, as well as stalls related to food processing departments, logistics warehousing, animal husbandry, pisciculture, and other major sectors.

The trade show will also feature GI tagging products related to food processing, including ODOP, showcased on a large scale. The dishes served to dignitaries and attendees will showcase the rich heritage and flavorful essence of Uttar Pradesh, with cuisine delights at the centre of the event. Furthermore, a session will be dedicated to the successful journey of Mumbai’s ‘Dabbawalas’, providing valuable insights into logistics supply management, supply chain, and time management principles for attendees.

The agriculture, food, and dairy sectors will

Company News, Dairy, Packaging & Labelling, Supply Chain, World

This could be a first in the dairy industry and would reduce Arla’s plastic consumption by more than 500 tonnes annually if implemented

The dairy cooperative is teaming up with Blue Ocean Closures in a formal partnership to create a fibre-based cap for its milk cartons. This could be a first in the dairy industry and would reduce Arla’s plastic consumption by more than 500 tonnes annually if implemented.

The cardboard milk carton is a well-known classic in several countries and while the packaging has undergone several transformations over the years and is now a near-optimal choice in terms of food safety and sustainability, the time has come to completely rethink a small yet significant part; the cap.

Making up for around 23 per cent of the plastic used in Arla’s cartons, the farmer-owned dairy cooperative has now set its sights on the caps as part of its sustainable packaging strategy to eliminate the use of fossil-based virgin plastic in its packaging by 2030. Arla Foods is partnering with Swedish start-up Blue Ocean Closures in an effort to create a solution that could see the dairy cooperative introduce the first fibre-based cap on milk cartons in the industry.

“Improving our packaging, including reducing our use of plastic, is imperative to us and we know that consumers are also very invested in this area. This project to explore what could very well be the first fibre-based cap on milk cartons is very exciting and shows that we at Arla are constantly looking to improve and lead the transformation of sustainable packaging”, says Peter Giørtz-Carlsen, Chief Commercial Officer at Arla Foods.

This could be a first in the

Dairy, Live Stock, Sustainability, World

The five-day event also discusses the role of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as future importers and self-sufficient markets

Dairy Olympics 2023 will be held in Uzbekistan during 21-26 May in partnership with Agritechnica and EuroTier. As part of the international conference program to be held with over 400 visitors, themed tours to farms and processing plants will be organised.

At the 14th Dairy Olympics, an international conference event addressing region-relevant dairy topics is being held this year in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where the DLG (German Agricultural Society) will be contributing with its dairy know-how and management as well as farm equipment expertise. DLG’s two world-leading Germany-based exhibitions, Agritechnica, the international agricultural machinery exhibition, and EuroTier, the trade fair for animal farming and livestock management, will feature as partners with a contributing expert participating in the conference program from 21-26 May.

Designated as an official Agritechnica on Tour stop, which explores regional farm machinery topics, the Dairy Olympics is expected to attract 400 visitors from neighbouring countries including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as international experts.

The venue of Uzbekistan is interesting as it is not only one of the most populous countries in Central Asia but also one of the youngest. Agriculture plays an important role in the overall economy, employing over a quarter of the workforce, with a government program seeking to reform the sector, using modern genetics, production methods and a consistent feed system. Water management is a major challenge and the country is still coping with the legacy of its recent past. Some 27 million hectares of arable land represent 63 per cent of Uzbekistan’s total land area.

The five-day event not only explores the Uzbek dairy sector in-depth but also discusses the role of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as future importers and self-sufficient markets, as well as the position of Turkey in the region. Current technological, social and humanitarian challenges in the industry will be topics of discourse throughout the conference, a highlight of which will be the DLG’s expert contribution, entitled ‘Crises and sustainability policies: impact on dairy farming’ and presented by Dr Olga Hunger, Area Director Eastern Europe, DLG.

The five-day event also discusses the role

Dairy, Foodgrains, Oilseeds, Pulses, Vegetables, World

FAO Food Price Index increases, amid higher international quotations for sugar, meat and rice, while prices for wheat, maize, dairy products and vegetable oils decline

The benchmark index of international food commodity prices rose in April for the first time in a year, amid increases in world quotations for sugar, meat and rice, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) reported.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 127.2 points in April 2023, up 0.6 per cent from March.

At that level, the Index was 19.7 per cent below its level in April 2022, but still 5.2 per cent higher than in April 2021.

The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 17.6 per cent from March, reaching its highest level since October 2011, due to reduced productions expectations and outcomes in India, China, Thailand and the European Union caused by dry weather conditions as well as to a slow start of the sugarcane crop harvest in Brazil, along with higher international crude oil prices, which can increase demand for sugarcane-based ethanol.

The FAO Meat Price Index rose 1.3 per cent during the month, driven primarily by higher pig meat quotations, followed by poultry prices, which increased amid Asian import demand and production curbs spurred by animal health issues. International bovine meat prices also increased due to a decline in cattle supplies for slaughter, especially in the United States of America.

In the meantime, price indices for other major food commodity categories, with the exception of rice, continued their declining trend.

The FAO Cereal Price Index dipped 1.7 per cent from March and averaged 19.8 per cent below its April 2022 value. International wheat prices declined by 2.3 per cent, due mostly to large exportable availabilities in Australia and the Russian Federation. World maize prices fell 3.2 per cent as supplies in South America seasonally increased with ongoing harvests. On the other hand, against a backdrop of reduced harvests caused by higher input costs and adverse weather, especially outside of Asia, sales to Asian buyers sustained an increase in international rice prices.

“It is important that we continue to track very closely the evolution of prices and the reasons for increases in prices. As economies recover from significant slowdowns, demand will increase, exerting upward pressure on food prices,” said Maximo Torero, FAO Chief Economist. “At the same time, the increase in rice prices is extremely worrisome and it is essential that the Black Sea initiative is renewed to avoid any other spikes in wheat and maize,” he added.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index declined by 1.3 per cent in the month, registering its fifth consecutive monthly decline. World palm oil prices were stable, while quotations for soy, rapeseed and sunflower oils declined in step with seasonal harvest pressure from a potentially record soybean crop in Brazil.

The FAO Dairy Price Index dropped by 1.7 per cent, impacted by the persistent slack global import demand for milk powders and higher cheese export availabilities in Western Europe.

FAO Food Price Index increases, amid higher

Company News, Dairy, E-commerce, India, Live Stock, Poultry, Start ups, Supply Chain

Hybrid Ecomm platform designed for B2B, B2C and C2C in the 360-degree offerings

Animpet Ecomm launched India’s first Hybrid E-Marketplace Animstok.com after successful trial runs mounting over 25k vendors offering 150k products and services.

Vendors number will be scaled up to one million offering 10 million products, Karishma Dagar, AnimStok.com Cofounder and Chief Marketing Officer said in a statement adding that the platform is an attempt to give an organised marketplace, which hitherto is largely physical and unorganised, offering B2B, B2C and C2C services on a single platform.

For this purpose, the company has set a target of creating a 12,000-strong workforce, the bulk of which would be for marketing and technology during the very first-year operations, while the platform would have 15 verticals ranging from livestock trading, dairy and products, poultry, meat and products, animal feed, nutrients, medicines and veterinary services, she said adding that “Animpet has been accorded a startup certificate under the Animal husbandry and industry head by the Union Commerce Ministry.

“India is the global leader in milk production, number two in fisheries, number three in egg production, number four in buffalo meat exports etc. Yet the irony is the entire animal economy is heavily segmented and largely unorganized. This caught our imagination and over four years of subject research along with technology deployment for the purpose has resulted in AnimStok.com,” she said.

Bhasker Pathak, company promoter and CEO and Ashish Gupta, co-founder had earlier created a website for betting in races and other sports, mounting about 130 global entities and the same is now operational from the UK as part of a stable of a media, and this success led the cofounders to create the company for online trading through deployment of technology in the most transparent manner.

Logistics and payment gateway for ease of trade and transactions have been arranged for the purpose, Dagar said adding that for the purpose of expansion, the company has already started tapping potential investors both in India and Overseas who have generally welcomed the concept and soon presentations will be made for them.

“Our goal is to bring a moderate one per cent of the $400 billion estimated at the last count on our platform in the very first year and for this purpose, we will have representatives in every region and districts in the country. In the initial phase, AnimStok.com will also be operational Gulf region and a few leads, essentially for animal feed, were generated from buyers in UAE who could tap suppliers through the platform,” she said.

Animal trade and meat are sensitive subjects in a number of places including India, and the Ecomm platform will be customised in line with rules and regulations in each of the countries, she said adding that for the purpose of ease of trading, products and services would be put in 2000 categories, each detailing number of vendors, products, and prices.

AnimStok.com is an “open for all” platform where anybody, from an established brand to a local vendor, can register and sell their services and products with the advantage of a zero joining fee and the company will follow the established good trade practices in the Ecomm sector, Dagar said adding that one of the prominent features of Animstok.com will be relating to the listing of available manpower and opportunities in the sector akin to employment exchanges.

Hybrid Ecomm platform designed for B2B, B2C

Agrotech, Company News, Latin America, North America, Sustainability, Sustainable Energy

Darling Ingredients has acquired five facilities in South America and one in the United States, with the capacity to produce 46,000 metric tons of gelatin and collagen

Darling Ingredients, the world’s leading company turning food waste into sustainable products and producer of renewable energy, completed the acquisition of Gelnex, a leading global producer of gelatin and collagen products.

The company first announced the acquisition in October 2022 for a purchase price of approximately $1.2 billion in cash, plus or minus closing adjustments and costs. As part of the transaction, Darling Ingredients has acquired five facilities in South America and one in the United States, with the capacity to produce 46,000 metric tons of gelatin and collagen products annually. Darling Ingredients estimates that Gelnex will contribute approximately $75 million in EBITDA toward Darling’s earnings in 2023, net of inventory and integration costs.

“This acquisition gives Darling immediate capacity to serve the growing needs of its collagen customers while continuing to serve the growing gelatin market,” said Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Gelnex is a well-run business and is expected to be immediately accretive.”

With 17 state-of-the-art facilities on four continents around the world, Darling Ingredients’ health brand Rousselot is a leading manufacturer and worldwide supplier of hundreds of gelatin and collagen products made from bovine, porcine and fish sources.

“Collagen is the most abundant protein naturally found in the body, and it plays an increasing role in the health and nutrition market by consumers seeking benefits to their hair, nails, skin, joints, bones and muscles,” Stuewe said. “Our versatile and high-quality collagen products can be used in a broad range of applications, including powder blends, capsules, tablets, nutritional bars, drinks, dairy, confectionery and more.”

Darling Ingredients has acquired five facilities in South

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Animal Health, Dairy, India, R&D

This is the 2nd commercialisation of OmeB, a phyto – supplement for redesigning cattle milk fat

The ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bengaluru licensed the ‘OmeB’ technology to M/s Unique Organic Inputs, Bardoli, Gujarat, on a non-exclusive basis through AgrInnovate India.

Raghavendra Bhatta, Director, ICAR-NIANP, Bengaluru, and Devendra Malik and Sujeet Nirwal, Directors, M/s Unique Organic Inputs, signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on behalf of their respective organisations.

Jagmohan Sharma, IFS & Director General, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, Govt. of Karnataka, and Suresh S. Honnappagol, Former Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Govt. of India, were also present during the signing of MoU.

Devendra Malik stated that the adoption of OmeB through Unique Organic Inputs in the field would be helpful to the dairy farmers by fetching more income via milk fat modulation.

The technology OmeB was developed by the NIANP through comprehensive research and validated for milk fat modulation through field studies in dairy animals. OmeB leads to a significant increase in the mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The product also improves the conjugated linoleic acids and omega fatty acids content of the milk.

The institute filed a patent (No. 202211040737) for the technology and previously commercialised it to M/s Gou Agritech (P) Limited, Bengaluru.

This is the 2nd commercialisation of OmeB,

AgroPolicy, Dairy, India, Live Stock, Poultry

A major move to encourage commercial yak farming in the northeast of India  

The Himalayan Yak has received approval as a food animal from the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI). Yak farming has not been accepted as profitable farming in India. Now yak milk and meat will be included in the traditional dairy and meat sectors. The approval will help to encourage commercial yak farming in the northeast of India.  

National Research Centre (NRC) on Yak in Arunachal Pradesh had submitted a proposal to FSSAI, to consider Yak as a food animal in 2021. Food Animals are those that are raised and used for food production. Himalayan Yak plays a multi-dimensional and socio-economic role in the northeastern region of India. In Arunachal Pradesh, more than 10,000 farmers are into commercial yak farming, and these farmers sell yak milk products, woollen clothing and meat, it is also used for transportation in remote locations. Churpi, ghee, paneer and churkum are traditional yak milk products that are an essential part of the cuisine in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh    

Yak milk is having nourishing values, it includes, 80 per cent of water, 8 per cent of fat, 5 per cent protein, 5 per cent lactose, and 12 per cent SNF.

The census conducted in 2019, according to it, India has around 58,000 yaks, compared to the data from 2012 declined by 25 per cent.

A major move to encourage commercial yak

Dairy, India, Live Stock

MBS will also offer specially customised financial services to dairy farmers associated with Dairy Co-operative Societies (DCS) in the dairy value chain.

Extending banking services in the rural hinterland of Assam, Manipal Business Solutions (MBS) partners with Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services Society (ARIAS) to deepen financial inclusion in the region, and the grant signing ceremony was held in Guwahati in presence of, Roshni Aparanji Korati, IAS, State Project Director, ARIAS Society.

Rural citizens are currently traveling miles to deposit a cheque or simply withdraw cash from their bank account, to address this challenge and bridge the urban-rural divide, MBS will reach the last mile and offer financial services such as savings, deposits, withdrawal, and micro pensions to farmers, landless agriculture labourers, tenant farmers, and sharecroppers in the rural regions of Assam.

Under this collaboration, MBS will enable the digitalisation of the dairy value chain in focused districts of Assam. The company will also offer specially customised financial services to dairy farmers associated with Dairy Co-operative Societies (DCS) in the dairy value chain.

MBS will work closely with the leading financial intuitions to offer tailor-made products such as cattle loans, livestock insurance, personal loans, savings and investment services, payments, etc. for dairy farmers. These financial services will be delivered through the Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), and FPOs at the village level to reduce credit and transaction costs.

Kamaljeet Rastogi, CEO, Manipal Business Solutions said “MBS in its objective of digitising the dairy value chain will reach out to more than 1 lakh dairy farmers in Assam. Thereby aiming to digitise 1000+ Crore dairy payments annually.” 

MBS will also offer specially customised

Agrotech, Dairy, India, Live Stock

The ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Balinee Milk Producer Company Limited, Jhansi on August 18, 2022.

IGFRI and Balinee MPC will collaborate in several areas including:

  •  Fodder seed of improved varieties suitable for Bundelkhand.
  •  Planting material of the multi-cut perennial grasses
    training on fodder crops production, conservation and utilisation technologies including densification, hay and silage.
  • Adoption of common villages by the Institute and Balinee MPC for institute ongoing outreach projects/ activities.

IGFRI and Balinee MPC plan to conduct on-farm research and study socio- economic aspects, and an exchange of staff, farmers, students for academic, research and training. 

The collaboration will also help in dissemination of fodder technologies through a network of Balinee MPC, essentially empowering the women farmers in the process. 

The ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute