Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research grants US$653K for supplements research 

USA- The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) awarded a US$653,035 Seeding Solutions Grant to Sasya, Inc. to develop sustainable, cost-effective, multi-species feed supplements safe for livestock, the environment, and human consumption.  The FFAR builds public-private partnerships to fund research addressing significant food and agriculture challenges. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, advancing actionable science to benefit…

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USDA raises Thailand rice production forecast, funds US rice resiliency research

THAILAND- The US department of agriculture (USDA) predicts that rice production in Thailand in the 2023-24 marketing year will reach its highest level in five years due to abundant rainfall and attractive farm-gate prices.  A Global Agricultural Information Network report from the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) projected output at 20.4 million tonnes, up 1%…

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Global chickpea shortage may be easing shortly as cultivation increases 

GLOBAL- According to Tony Roelofs, Columbia Grain, Inc. (CGI)’s pulses vice president, the global chickpeas’ dearth could dissipate this year as more acreage goes to chickpea cultivation.  Global supplies of chickpeas decreased by as much as 20% in 2022 due to harsh weather conditions impacting U.S. production and international war cutting off exports from Ukraine and Russia. This shortage affected…

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Kenya receives 30,000 tonnes of wheat from Ukraine as developing maize crop falls prey to fall armyworms

KENYA – Kenya has received 30,000 metric tonnes of wheat from Ukraine as part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ‘Grain from Ukraine’ (GfU) humanitarian program. The ‘Grain from Ukraine’ humanitarian program was launched by President Zelenskyy in November 2022, to provide much-needed assistance to nations affected by the ongoing global food crisis. Since its launch, the program has delivered over…

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Dr. Schär Spain schemes expanding its gluten-free capacity with a US$7.2M production line

SPAIN – Dr. Schär, an Italy-based gluten-free group, has invested EUR6.8m (US$7.2m) to add a new production line at its facility in Alagón, Spain, Just Foods has reported. The Company provides gluten-free breads, flour, snacks, cereals, pasta, biscuits, desserts, frozen convenience foods, and other dietary, as well as nutritional products The expansion, therefore, is intended to increase the capacity to…

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Mali inaugurates modern rice paddy hulling unit in Mopti in a bid to achieve self-sufficiency

MALI – Malian Prime Minister Choguel Maïga has inaugurated a paddy rice processing unit in Mopti, a regional project envisioned to give a boost to the agricultural sector in the area, Ecofin Agency has reported According to the executives, the husking unit will positively contribute to the country’s move to attain self-sufficiency in rice and reduce imports.   The new…

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Canada’s government to invest C$23 million in Global Agriculture Trans-Loading Inc.  

CANADA -The government of Canada is investing up to C$23 million in Global Agriculture Trans-Loading Inc. (GATL) to double its operations in the transportation of agricultural produce.  The multi-million investment is part of the National Trade Corridors Fund and will likely expand rail capacity in Surrey, British Columbia. The NTCF is a competitive and merit-based C$4.7 billion fund that helps…

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Freshpet under fire again from activist investor Jana Partners

USA- Freshpet, a US-based public pet food company listed on the Nasdaq exchange, is under fire from Jana Partners, one of its New York-based investors, for an “ill-conceived” and “baffling” capital-raise plan. Freshpet produces chilled pet food that contains no preservatives, and as of 2021, the company’s pet-food brands include Freshpet, Dog Joy, DogNation, Spring & Sprout, Vital, Homestyle Creations,…

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CHS names Sarah Bovim Vice President of Government Affairs

USA- CHS Inc., a US-based agribusiness cooperative, announced the appointment of Sarah Bovim as vice president of government affairs on March 20.  Bovim brings more than 17 years of experience to CHS, leading government affairs and public policy for Whirlpool Corp. and Albertsons Companies (ACI), one of the largest US food and drug retailers. Before working in the private sector,…

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Putin suggests free grain for Africa if the grain deal is not extended 

RUSSIA – Russia is adamant about not stretching the Black Sea Grains Deal further and is willing to send free grain to African countries if those conditions remain unmet, said President Vladimir Putin. Russia has been insistent about not renewing its support for the black sea deal if blockages on its agricultural exports persist. According to Russian authorities, while Western…

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