[LEXINGTON, Ky.] — ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17), held May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future. The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture.

To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to aqua production. From consumer demand for sustainable, healthy farmed fish to the potential of seaweed, ONE17 will provide real-life solutions for aqua producers.

“We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “The aqua production focus session will provide practical solutions that position aqua producers to meet consumer demands, sustainability requirements and profitability objectives.”

ONE17 aquaculture focus session

• Simpler Salmon: Is there an easier way to combat the sticky issue of sea lice?
• Back to the Basics: Consumers want a sustainable, healthy farmed fish without fish oil or fish meal, but they still want the health benefits that come from a normal fish diet, specifically DHA omega-3. Can we solve the fish oil and fish meal problem?
• Seaweed's Enormous Potential: Discover the potential of one of nature's original foods, from iodine to fiber and beyond.
• Total Sustainability, Total Traceability: Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) not only reduce water use, but maintain water quality and reduce ammonia toxicity.
• The Faroe Islands: A Small Group, but a Great Disruptor:. Faroe Islanders are successfully delivering what consumers want in their fish: the right color, the right taste and the right DHA levels. They also produce their fish with minimum water requirements. Do the Faroe Islands offer a model for the future?

For more information on the ONE17 aquaculture focus session, visit: one.alltech.com/aquaculture.

Register before April 1 to save $300 on your passport to innovative ideas at ONE17.

Join the conversation on Twitter with #ONE17.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] — ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17), held May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future. The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture.

To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to dairy farmers. From working through government regulations to discussing the dairy operation of the future, ONE17 will give farmers real-life solutions.

“We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “The dairy production focus session will drive dairy farmers to discover practical and profitable approaches that ensure the future of their farm.”

ONE17 dairy focus session

• The Kerrygold Story: Disrupting a commodity, making it taste different and involving the farmer: How has its status as an industry disruptor enabled Kerrygold to become a leader in butter commodities?

• The Internet of Things and the Nespresso Model: Building a Unique Service for the Dairy Farm: Could your operation benefit from communicating real-time data information to a team of nutritionists? What about meeting the daily nutrition needs of your herd via a special pod for your mixer?

• A Door-to-Door Story: What can the dairy industry learn from the success of the Pennsylvania Amish?

• The Dairy Disruptor: A case study featuring how new needs prompted ingenuity in Saudi Arabia.

• The Dairy Farm of the Future: Are robotics the disruptors of the dairy industry?

• Disruption in Washington: What can we expect from the new leadership landscape? How could the food chain and global trade be disrupted?

For more information on the ONE17 dairy focus session, visit: one.alltech.com/dairy.

Register before April 1 to save $300 on your passport to innovative ideas at ONE17.

Join the conversation on Twitter with #ONE17.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] — ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17), held May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future. The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture.

To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to beef production. From case studies on increasing carcass weight to profitable feeding strategies, ONE17 will give beef producers real-life solutions.

“We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “We also understand the importance of balancing innovation against the bottom line. Our beef production focus session will challenge producers and ranchers to think differently about their operations, from the cow-calf pen to the feedlot.”

ONE17 beef focus session

• Argentine Beef: In the Land of the Gaucho: Argentina’s meat consumption rates are among the highest in the world, and their grass-fed animals have become world-renowned. Learn from their practices as well as their signature restaurant, The Gaucho.

• BioBarrel®: Providing Nutrition Without Pollution or Residues: The BioBarrel’s “ice cream cone” design saves water and maximizes efficiency.

• The SuKarne Model: The Reinvention of Subtropical Beef Production: A fully integrated operation, SuKarne has maintained compound annual growth of 20 percent for two decades. What makes Mexico’s largest beef producer and exporter so successful?

• Breaking the Mold: Better Meat, Better Profit: See how a two-year experiment with the world’s largest privately owned feedlot company, Cactus Feeders, disproves the notion that cattle have reached maximum efficiency and can’t increase carcass weight.

• A Head-in-the-Sand Approach: “Major polluters, massive water consumers, antibiotic-laden” — or are they? Learn how one company has pioneered bringing a unique, traceable and healthy beef product to the global marketplace.

• Regenerative Grazing: The Next Disruptor: Can manure from grazing cattle be a natural fertilizer for crop land? Is this a revolution or a little-told story?

• Disruption in Washington: What can we expect from the new leadership landscape? How could the food chain and global trade be disrupted?

• The Biologist’s Toolbox: Precise gene editing technologies are the newest tool in the biologist’s toolbox, but are we pushing ethical limits?

For more information on the ONE17 beef focus session, visit: one.alltech.com/beef.

Register before April 1 to save $300 on your passport to innovative ideas at ONE17.

Join the conversation on Twitter with #ONE17.

[MANKATO, Minn.] — Ridley Inc. operating divisions, Hubbard Feeds, a leading provider of researched-based, animal nutrition products, and Ridley Block Operations, a recognized leader in the block supplement market, have teamed together to provide livestock feed relief to fire-stricken cattle producers and ranchers in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

More than 1,500 square miles of agricultural grazing land burned in early March, amid a series of devastating wildfires. Thousands of cattle perished and countless homes, buildings and fences were destroyed, as wind-swept flames scorched pastures, turning generations of hard work and dreams into ash. In several cases, ranchers died trying to save livestock.

To support these cattle producers and ranchers, Hubbard Feeds and Ridley Block Operations are donating Range Cubes, CRYSTALYX® products, dry feed calf pellets and milk replacer to producers in each of the four affected states. Also, they are working with transportation companies who are donating delivery of product from several of Ridley’s U.S. manufacturing facilities.

“Hubbard Feeds and Ridley Block Operations stand united in helping the many beef cattle producers who were so significantly impacted by the loss of their herds, grazing land and structures in these tragic fires,” said Kevin Levi, president of Ridley’s U.S. Feed Operations.

“The unyielding spirit of these ranchers has inspired us. They reinforce our pride in the agricultural community, and we’re proud to support them,” said Mark Nelson, president of Ridley Block Operations (RBO).

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] — ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17), held May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future. The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture.

To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to poultry production. From topics covering in ovo techniques and the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome modification to the effects of backyard farming and consumer meat preferences, ONE17 will give poultry producers real-life solutions.

“We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “For poultry producers, however, we understand that innovation must be practical and profitable. Our poultry focus session will facilitate open discussions about what’s ahead for the poultry industry and will drive the disruptive thinking that could determine long-term success.”

ONE17 poultry focus session

• In Ovo: Counting your chickens before they hatch? Could in ovo techniques be the next disruption in the poultry industry, and what benefits could they deliver to the consumer?
• Chickens by Design: What implications does CRISPR/Cas9 have for the world’s preferred protein?
• Slow-Grown Disruption: Is the slow-growth movement a disruption? Is it sustainable?
• Chickens and Eggs: Two growing markets have emerged: backyard farming and large-scale consolidation. What are the opportunities?
• Disruption in Washington: What can we expect from the new leadership landscape? How could the food chain and global trade be disrupted?
• The Biologist’s Toolbox: Precise gene editing technologies are the newest tool in the biologist’s toolbox, but are we pushing ethical limits?

For more information on the ONE17 poultry focus session, visit: one.alltech.com/poultry.

Register before April 1 to save $300 on your passport to innovative ideas at ONE17.

Join the conversation on Twitter with #ONE17.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] — ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17), held May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future. The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture.

To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to swine production. From topics covering nutrient delivery systems and remodeling pig barns to quantity versus quality efficiencies and global pork consumption, ONE17 will give pork producers real-life solutions.

“We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “However, we also want to provide producers with practical and profitable solutions for their day-to-day business. The swine focus session will drive pork producers to think differently about how they operate.”

ONE17 swine focus session

• More Pigs, More Problems: Are more piglets sustainable? Where is the balance between quantity and quality?

• Antibiotic Regulations: What have we learned? The U.S. Veterinary Feed Directive has disrupted the pork industry this year. Can nutrition be the new front line of defense?

• Time to Remodel? What innovations can take your operation to the next level?

• Hydro Oasis: Could smart water and nutrient delivery systems simplify your operation or create complications?

• The Ultimate Pig Starter: How can simple new methods disrupt long-standing conventions and help us achieve better results?

• Why Not Disrupt? Could the United States meet China’s growing appetite for safe, traceable pork?

• Disruption in Washington: What can we expect from the new leadership landscape? How could the food chain and global trade be disrupted?

• The Biologist’s Toolbox: Precise gene editing technologies are the newest tool in the biologist’s toolbox, but are we pushing ethical limits?

For more information on the ONE17 swine focus session, visit: one.alltech.com/pig.

Register before April 1 to save $300 on your passport to innovative ideas at ONE17.

Join the conversation on Twitter with #ONE17.

Adapted from a presentation by Dr. Pearse Lyons to the competitors of the 2016 Alltech Innovation Competition.

You never forget your first order

You can only start a business by going with what you know, and I knew how to improve fermentation. So, when I came across a problem related to fermentation, I took the opportunity to explain to the potential customer how I could solve the problem.

At the beginning, I was a one-man operation. When I received my first order on a Friday for Tuesday, I said “no problem,” even though it meant manufacturing 4,000 pounds ... and I didn’t have ingredients, the needed equipment or any packaging.

I recruited my next door neighbor, bought bags at the local grocery and shopped for the 16 ingredients all over the city. Then, in my home garage, we took spoonfuls of our ingredients, mixed them in a drum and then poured the mixture into 16,000 Ziploc bags we had set up all across the lawn. Fittingly, it was Labor Day weekend.

After 36 hours, Alltech was ready to be launched.

I called the customer and said the order was ready, and, much to my shock, he said, “Sorry to tell you this, Pearse, but we’re going to be closing down, so we don’t need your product any longer. I meant to call you.”

I supposed to myself that I just witnessed the rise and demise of my business in one weekend.

“Shucks, go ahead and send it to me anyway,” he said. “We’ll get back up and running in another month or so.”

Then, I decided to tell him, “Well, there’s something else. Knowing you like I know you, I knew you’d quickly want more product, so I went ahead and made two batches for you.”

To which he responded, “Oh, alright then, go ahead and ship that, too.”

As soon as I got off the phone, it was back to the neighbor’s house.

“We’re working again this weekend,” I said.

My advice to young entrepreneurs:

1. Take an order, any order. Don’t get hung up on the details, and take heart that you never get orders from the people you think you’ll get orders from.
2. Work with what you know. Identify a problem and solve it.
3. Always deliver what you say you’ll do.
4. Stay away, as long as you can, from taking partners.
5. Make a profit. Don’t sell yourself too short.
6. Appear successful.
7. Create your own culture.
8. Go with people who celebrate you, not those who tolerate you.
9. Share your success and stay curious.
10. For heaven’s sake, do something about your idea. Don’t get it right, just get it going.

The sun is shining and the skies are blue, but there is a palpable anxiety in the Florida orange groves.

A menace is lurking, evading citrus growers’ best attempts to keep it at bay and preserve their livelihood and the world’s favorite breakfast beverage.

The perpetrators are small, no bigger than an eighth of an inch, but they are mighty. The Asian citrus psyllid is responsible for transmitting a bacterial disease called Huanglongbing, better known as citrus greening.                                                                                                                   

What is citrus greening?

As the Asian citrus psyllid feeds on the phloem sap of the citrus trees, the Huanglongbing (HLB) bacteria can be injected. Phloem cells are responsible for transporting nutrients, sugars and metabolites throughout the plant, thus providing the bacteria with a carbon-rich food source.  

Typical citrus greening symptoms include blotchy mottle characterized by random patterns of asymmetrical yellowing on the leaves. In addition, the fruit are often reduced in size, fail to color properly, are misshapen, abscise from the tree prematurely and are bitter in taste. As the disease progresses, root growth is suppressed, there is twig dieback and, eventually, tree mortality occurs. 

Although some varieties of citrus show tolerance to the disease, there is no real resistance. Mature trees that become infected can take years to show symptoms, adding to the complexity of disease management. 

Citrus greening is one of the oldest and most serious citrus diseases. While the disease was first reported in China in 1919, it did not appear in Florida until 2005. 

Why should citrus greening concern you?

All commercial citrus species are susceptible to greening, and it has been reported that over 80 percent of citrus in Florida is infected.

Florida accounts for over 49 percent of citrus production in the U.S. and is one of the world’s largest contributors to the citrus juice industry. As the top agricultural sector for the state, Florida’s citrus industry provides over 76,000 full- and part-time jobs.  

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that citrus production in Florida decreased by 16 percent during the 2015–2016 season over the previous year. This is in addition to the continual decline in year-over-year production, with decreases ranging from 4–16 percent on any given year, that the state has been seeing since 2005. 

With the decrease in citrus acreage and the loss in number of production trees, Florida’s economy is being threatened. This decline could mean more sparse grocery shelves for orange juice and higher prices for consumers. 

How is the citrus industry fighting citrus greening?

In an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease, the U.S. government has placed a federal order on the quarantine of citrus plants and plant parts, excluding fruit, from leaving Florida without specific approval and proof of treatment against the Asian citrus psyllid.   

The USDA is also investing millions of dollars into research against the disease. The research spans several studies, including those that look into possible bactericides and finding resistant citrus varieties.

Currently, growers are using scouting, tree removal, nutrition and pesticidal programs to manage the disease. 

Alltech Crop Science is working with growers in Florida, investigating possible ways of combating citrus greening. Research is being conducted to investigate the impact of nutritional inputs as well as to identify how this disease impacts defense genes within infected trees.     

Have a question or comment?

Water is the most precious element on Earth. Access to clean water is fundamental for all living creatures, and for farm animals, the quality of the water they drink can have a direct impact on performance and productivity.

Like humans, most of the pig’s body is water, making up 82 percent of a young pig’s bodyweight and 55 percent of grown pig’s bodyweight (Kober, 1993).

In general, pigs tend to drink about 10 percent of their bodyweight per day or roughly two times the amount of feed they eat. Mortality, feed intake, growth rates and feed efficiency rates are known to be affected by the quality of the water provided (Stull et al., 1999).

Five points of water quality in pig production

In general, the quality of the pig’s water can be determined by measuring the presence of the following organic and inorganic elements:

1.Total bacterial count

Water contamination by bacteria is estimated by measuring the level of coliforms per milliliter of water. A total bacterial count of 50 colony forming units (cfu)/ml is considered good. If coliform levels are higher than 100 cfu/ml, then it is recommended to use a chlorine treatment.

When dealing with bacteria in the drinking water, it is important to consider the cleanliness of the water lines. Biofilm in pipes can be a considerable source of microorganisms in the water, but chlorine-based disinfectants have little to no effect on biofilms.  It’s important to flush out all buildup regularly.

2. pH

Water pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.5 is considered acceptable. If water is too acidic (lower than 5), it can create corrosion and damage pipes and waterlines; on the other hand, a basic pH (higher than 8.5) can leave scaly deposits.

3. Hardness

Calcium and magnesium are the two predominant minerals that make water “hard.” In pig production, hard water can contribute to the formation of scale deposits. The optimum water hardness in pig production is below 60 parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

4. Total dissolved solids

Total dissolved solids (TDS), also known as water salinity, is the amount of soluble salts and minerals dissolved in the water. Contaminants are usually measured in parts per million (ppm). The majority of the time, the amount of minerals or salts dissolved is well within the acceptable ranges, but sometimes very high levels can damage performance or equipment.

5. Nitrates and nitrites

Nitrates and nitrites are usually present in the water because the water supply is exposed to material with high nitrogen levels, such as animal waste, nitrogen fertilizers or decomposing organic material. Especially in monogastric animals, nitrites are 10 times more toxic than nitrates (Emerick, 1974). Levels as low as 0.10 mg/l of nitrite can impact performance in pigs.

There are various methods for treating water based on the type of issue as well as its severity:

Good water quality starts by implementing a program for testing as well as training farm personnel on spotting issues. It is recommended to test water quality in the pig barn at least twice a year and to test both at the beginning and at the end of the water lines. Over time, a biofilm will form inside pipes; it is important to treat waterlines with hydrogen peroxide and organic acids to flush out any buildup.

Water is the single most important nutrient, yet sometimes it can be taken for granted. By implementing a program that monitors and maintains proper levels of the five water quality indicators and by carrying out proper equipment maintenance, pig producers will be able to avoid costly problems that can negatively affect the performance of their herd.

Quality norms for water

I want to learn more about nutrition for my pig herd.

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – The Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory in Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland, was accredited in accordance with the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 from Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. This objective, third-party assessment distinguishes the managerial and technical requirements of the lab and ensures the accuracy and impartiality of analytical results.

The European Alltech 37+ mycotoxin laboratory, which opened in April 2016, is the third of its kind for Alltech, which has two similar laboratories in the U.S. and China. The proprietary 37+ LC/MS/MS analytical method, developed by Alltech, is included in the scope of accreditation. This analytical method is state-of-the-art in its detection and quantisation of more than 37 mycotoxins at parts per billion (ppb) and parts per trillion (ppt) levels.

“This accreditation sets the bar in global mycotoxin investigation and reaffirms our customers’ confidence in the precise, accurate and thorough testing of the Alltech 37+ mycotoxin analysis programme,” said Steve Mobley, manager of the European Alltech 37+ mycotoxin laboratory.

“Our diagnostic approach allows us to further investigate livestock and poultry health issues, study global mycotoxin trends and develop comprehensive, customised mycotoxin management programmes for our customers,” continued Mobley.

Led by Dr. Emma Daniels, senior analytical chemist and laboratory coordinator, the Alltech European 37+ laboratory provides much-needed, high-throughput mycotoxin profiling services to accelerate the detection process while saving time and money for European farmers and food producers.

Run in conjunction with the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management programme, Alltech continues to collate a powerful database, which recognises mycotoxin issues throughout the world. To date, Alltech’s mycotoxin laboratories have analysed more than 14,000 samples since opening its first dedicated facility in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, in 2012.

Research carried out on mycotoxin samples analysed in January and February in North American silages showed evidence of type B trichothecenes and fusaric acid. Although type B trichothecenes are still a prevalent mycotoxin group found in silages that can damage the health and productivity of animals, recently, there has been increase in the number of cases of type A trichothecenes and other Penicillium mycotoxins. In Europe, type B trichothecenes are still common among silages, but there is also a high risk from the other Penicillium mycotoxins, which occurred in 45 percent of samples at an average of 1,533 ppb.

For further information on the Alltech Mycotoxin Management programme, please visit www.knowmycotoxins.com.

Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP). In a region where farmland is measured in square feet, fried crickets are a delicacy and roadside markets are more common than supermarkets, we experienced many firsts, and our eyes were opened to the differences in agriculture between Canada and Southeast Asia.

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, ironically on the inaugural Canada’s Agriculture Day, and so we shared our #AgMoreThanEver pride from the other side of the world.

Over the next few days, we toured around rural areas, visiting a rubber tree plantation, an agriculture research park where they were growing cabbage, melons and peppers, an earthworm farm and a dairy.

After an eye-opening experience traveling through Vietnam, we flew to Thailand to finish our study tour. We visited the Baan Susan Chamchoen Farm, owned by Mr. Somsak, outside of Bangkok. He toured us through his mixed fruit farm, which he built for agri-tourism, with lodging, a restaurant and a store to purchase many value-added products, including syrups and jams. He grows bananas, coconuts and mangos and raises ducks, chickens and goats. We thanked Mr. Somsak for his hospitality with an Ag More Than Ever t-shirt and a Canadian flag.

Jenn Norrie is the on-farm communications manager for Alltech, based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. You can follow her on Twitter @jennorrie. You can also view posts from the AALP International Study Tour with the hashtag #AALP16.

300 líderes del sector agroganadero asisten a laprimera conferencia agroambiental de Alltech en Pekín

La "Conferencia ambiental para una agricultura y ganadería ecológicas en China", celebrada porAlltech en Pequín el 8 y 9 de marzo, reunió a líderes de casi 300 empresas agroganaderaspara fomentar el debate y el compromiso en la conservación energética, la optimización de la producción, la mejora de las prácticas de manejo y la normativa y legislación en materia agroganadera.

Para apuntalar su compromiso por una agricultura y una ganadería más sostenibles en China, 10 empresas agroganaderas firmaron una propuesta en la que acordaron optimizar sus procesos de producción y trabajar conjuntamente para materializar el objetivo de una agricultura y una ganadería verdes en China. Por otro lado, la Alianza de Suelos y Fertilizantes de China firmó con Alltech un memorándum de cooperación para impulsar de forma conjunta la agricultura regional, la integración ganadera y el desarrollo sostenible de la producción animal.

El documento de políticas chino conocido como "Documento Central n.º 1" establece como prioridades para el 2017 la agricultura y la ganadería, y fija objetivos para el desarrollo sostenible del país y la protección medioambiental. En los últimos años, el sector agroganadero chino ha atraído una mayor atención y ha sido objeto de una mayor presión gubernamental tras la aprobación de leyes más estrictas dirigidas a dar respuesta a las inquietudes generadas por la seguridad en el suministro de alimentos y el impacto medioambiental en la tierra, el agua y la atmósfera de las actividades agrícolas y ganaderas.

"Desde 1989, Alltech respalda lo que conocemos como principio ACE (Animal, Consumer, Environment) por el que nos comprometemos a operar en beneficio de los animales, los consumidores y el medioambiente", destacó el Dr. Mark Lyons, vicepresidente global de Alltech y director de la región Gran China. "Compartimos la visión de China y somos asimismo conscientes de los desafíos a los que se enfrentan los productores en el campo y la granja. Nuestra intención es que la conferencia de esta semana encienda la mecha para que el sector agroganadero chino una sus fuerzas en aras de encontrar soluciones prácticas que permitan lograr una agricultura y ganadería sostenibles".

La "Conferencia ambiental para una agricultura y ganadería ecológicas en China" organizada por Alltech cubrió un amplio abanico de temas, como el impacto económico del medioambiente en la agricultura, el control medioambiental en porcicultura mediante una tecnología nutricional avanzada, la comprensión de la nueva legislación o una perspectiva general sobre posibles leyes futuras, entre otros.

En su informe anual "El estado de la agricultura y la alimentación" de 2016, la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación estima que aproximadamente una quinta parte de las emisiones mundiales de gases de efecto invernadero procede de las actividades agrícolas y ganaderas, incluida la silvicultura, la pesca y la producción animal.

Para afrontar esta situación, China ha presentado las "Diez medidas para la prevención y el control de la contaminación atmosférica" creando un marco normativo más estricto en materia de control de la contaminación del aire. Por ejemplo, el gobierno apuesta por el desarrollo de fertilizantes de liberación lenta y la disminución de las emisiones de amoníaco. Asimismo, la ley de 2016 de prevención de la contaminación atmosférica establece que deben reducirse las emisiones de amoníaco y de compuestos orgánicos volátiles, e insta a las empresas ganaderas a limitar la liberación de gases malolientes.

Según el Dr. Richard Murphy, director de investigación del centro de Biociencia europeo de Alltech, los rumiantes, como las vacas o las ovejas, producen la mayor parte de metano (un gas de efecto invernadero) y toda la industria está actualmente trabajando para lograr reducir la cantidad que se libera en la producción de un litro de leche.

"El modelo de fermentación in vitro de Alltech puede evaluar las emisiones de metano simulando el rumen", explicó el Dr. Murphy. "Mediante los análisis rutinarios y la evaluación de la fermentación in vitro, el modelo de rumen artificial ayuda a los ganaderos a controlar la ración diaria, mejorar la digestibilidad del forraje, optimizar la fermentación ruminal y, de este modo, reducir de forma eficaz las emisiones derivadas del metabolismo ruminal".

En la conferencia, el foro dedicado a los rumiantes reunió a expertos reconocidos que abordaron cómo puede seguir desarrollándose la industria lechera protegiendo al mismo tiempo el medioambiente. Por ejemplo, la mejora de la digestibilidad del alimento para optimizar la fermentación ruminal es una manera eficaz de reducir las emisiones; por otro lado, seleccionar la forma y la dosis de los suplementos minerales puede reducir el contenido de metales pesados en las heces. Gracias a las experiencias y a los datos facilitados por estos expertos mundiales, la protección del medioambiente se mostró como un objetivo alcanzable desde el punto de vista práctico y económico.

Dado que la producción ganadera en China es cada vez más intensiva y a gran escala, la presencia excesiva de metales pesados en los suelos se ha convertido en un problema ambiental acuciante. Según las estimaciones del "Comunicado nacional de investigación sobre el estado de contaminación de los suelos"publicado por el Ministerio de Protección del Medio Ambiente y el Ministerio de Ordenación Territorial y de Recursos de China, el 19,4 % de los suelos chinos presenta niveles superiores a los considerados normales. Los principales contaminantes son el cadmio, el níquel, el cobre, el arsénico, el mercurio y el plomo. Una parte significativa de la contaminación por metales pesados, como el arsénico y el cobre, procede de la alimentación y las heces.

"Para atajar este problema, Alltech cuenta con un sistema completo de control de calidad que permite regular la contaminación por metales pesados de los aditivos para alimentos y piensos", destacó Steve Elliott, director global de la división de nutrición mineral de Alltech. "Nuestros minerales orgánicos y nuestro programa único de tecnología de sustitución total pueden suponer un gran avance para lograr reducir la contaminación ambiental por metales pesados".

En China, la mayor fuente de contaminación por amoníaco es el uso extensivo de fertilizantes nitrogenados en la agricultura. El recurso excesivo a fertilizantes y plaguicidas químicos ha provocado problemas graves como la degradación del suelo o la aparición de plagas resistentes, entre otros. En consecuencia, esta problemática también se incluyó en los controles estatales más estrictos sobre la contaminación del aire contemplados en las "Diez medidas para la prevención y el control de la contaminación atmosférica".

Para hacer frente a esta situación, Alltech Crop Science dirige sus esfuerzos a la salud de un aliado oculto: los microorganismos del suelo.

"Creemos que la vida natural tiene sus propios secretos, y la vitalidad de los suelos depende de la diversidad de sus microbios", declaró Weimin Ma, director de Alltech Crop Science para China. "Alltech recurrirá a su saber único en microbiología, enzimas y nutrigenómica para reducir el uso de fertilizantes químicos y promover en China la salud de los suelos y el ciclo natural de los nutrientes".

En la conferencia, la Alianza de Suelos y Fertilizantes de China y Alltech firmaron un memorándum de colaboración para explorar de forma conjunta las posibilidades agroecológicas encaminadas a impulsar la salud de los suelos y los cultivos. Con la fuerza que aportan las soluciones de Alltech basadas en la fomentación microbiana, ambas partes comparten la misma visión de desarrollar ecosistemas agrícolas saludables y reducir el uso de plaguicidas, de acuerdo con el objetivo del Departamento chino de Agricultura de frenar el aumento del uso de plaguicidas en el 2020.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The outlook for aquaculture, the fastest-growing sector in the feed industry, is strong. Yet, challenges loom as aquaculture producers find themselves dealing with pressures on all sides. They face a limited supply of fish oil from overfished oceans. Meanwhile, increasing consumer demand for more sustainable seafood is causing ripples in the supply chain.

It is at this pivotal tipping point where a new collaboration is seeking to provide sustainable aquaculture nutrition solutions.

Coppens International, an innovative Dutch aquatic feed and nutrition company that joined Alltech in 2016, will be collaborating with Guabi, a leading fish feed producer in Brazil. Guabi, a 43-year veteran in the animal feed business, entered into a strategic partnership with Alltech earlier this year, and now Alltech is linking the two leading aquaculture feed producers from opposite sides of the ocean together to accelerate solutions for the aquaculture industry.

“The opportunities between Coppens, Guabi and Alltech are exciting,” said Paulo Rigolin, strategic director for Alltech. “You have leaders in two different regions — Latin America and Europe — combining technology and expertise from more than 20 years of working in aquaculture. This strength is underpinned by Alltech, a leader in numerous agricultural sectors, including aquaculture.”

Guabi and Coppens have already begun discussing new opportunities, and it is expected that algae technology will be a significant focus.

“It’s a great opportunity to further apply new technologies to maximize performance for aquaculture species, but more importantly to bring profitability to producers and the highest quality products to consumers,” said Rigolin.

Guabi has a particular expertise in extruded feeds and unique solutions for a wide variety of aquaculture species, from shrimp to native South America freshwater fish. In addition to a range of feeds incorporating Alltech’s sustainable alternatives to fish oil and inorganic trace minerals, Coppens specializes in nutrition for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and recently announced a major $1 million expansion of their research center in the Netherlands.

“The new Coppens Research Centre will enable us to do more relevant studies and, more importantly, work with more species than previously whilst also providing a training centre for our staff around the world and customers alike,” said Anno Galema, managing director for Coppens.

Coppens and Guabi will share information on formulations, manufacturing techniques, and raw material and ingredient utilization.

“These are two leading companies in aquaculture feeds, each with unique local expertise,” said Patrick Charlton, CEO of Coppens. “We are very optimistic about what we might deliver to our customers through a collaborative approach to the pressing issues aquaculture faces.”

According to the 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey, the aquaculture industry experienced a 12 percent increase in feed production in 2016, reaching 39.9 million metric tons.

“We have seen aquaculture as key to our global growth for many years now, and the work with Coppens and Guabi allows us to be able to provide our customers with feeds incorporating the Alltech technologies that we believe are most critical to improving health and performance,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Through these relationships and our shared commitment to innovative research, we believe we are well-equipped to provide our customers with a level of support and expertise that is unrivaled in our industry.”

This expertise is reinforced through a series of research alliances with several universities and a research institute, all of which have focused on examining the impact of Alltech’s algae solutions in a variety of species:

Alltech-Kochi University Research Alliance (Japan) in Japanese yellowtail

Alltech-Ocean University of China Research Alliance (China) in turbot and shrimp

Alltech-Federal University of Santa Catarina Research Alliance (Brazil) in tilapia

Alltech-Kentucky State University Research Alliance (U.S.) in largemouth bass and shrimp

Alltech-Nofima Research Alliance (Norway) in Atlantic salmon

The research alliances’ findings to date have observed that Alltech’s All-G Rich™ could replace fish oil in the diets of marine, freshwater and salmonid species while maintaining performance and DHA levels in the fillet.

According to Dr. Lyons, the aquaculture industry should expect a long-term commitment from Alltech.

“We are already looking to add one or two more complementary partners to our aquaculture program,” said Dr. Lyons.

For information on Alltech’s innovative and sustainable solutions for aquaculture nutrition, visit www.alltech.com/aquaculture.

Nueve periodistas agrícolas tendrán pronto la oportunidad de sumergirse en una formación práctica sobre desarrollo profesional, liderazgo y creación de redes globales como ganadores de la edición de 2017 del premio Jóvenes Líderes del Periodismo agrícola IFAJ–Alltech.

Más de 100 periodistas jóvenes han recibido este premio y han consolidado sus capacidades comunicativas y de liderazgo en el sector del periodismo agrícola desde que el programa se inició en 2005.

Los afortunados galardonados en la 12ª edición del premio son:

• Tom Bicknell, Australia

• Kizito Cudjoe, Gana

• Melanie Jenkins, Reino Unido

• Philip Keitany, Kenia

• Rachel Martin, Irlanda del Norte

• Matthias Schulze Steinmann, Alemania

• Jessie Scott, Estados Unidos

• Maria Törner, Suecia

• Eva Zitz, Austria

El premio patrocina la participación de los ganadores en el congreso de la Federación Internacional de Periodistas Agrícolas (IFAJ) y en un taller intensivo organizado a modo de campamento. El campamento de este año se organizará del 31 de marzo al 1 de abril antes del congreso de la IFAJ que se celebrará en Gauteng (Sudáfrica).

"Año tras año, seguimos siendo testigos de cómo las mentes más brillantes y talentosas del periodismo agrícola de todo el mundo reciben este premio", destacó el Dr. Pearse Lyons, presidente y fundador de Alltech. "Mi más sincera felicitación a estos nueve candidatos excepcionales. Son el vivo ejemplo del liderazgo, las aptitudes y la dedicación que requiere informar y conectar a la industria agrícola con un público más amplio".

El proceso de selección del premio de Jóvenes Líderes del Periodismo agrícola IFAJ–Alltech incluye una presentación por escrito, un análisis crítico del potencial de liderazgo del candidato, una demostración de sus capacidades de liderazgo y una carta explicando su motivación por participar en el programa.

Tom Bicknell ha ejercido varios cargos relacionados con la comunicación agrícola desde 2008. Su carrera en los medios, que se ha centrado en la horticultura, ha incluido diversos puestos como primer editor de la revista hortícola de negocios 'Produce Plus', redactor para 'Asiafruit Magazine', organizador y juez del primer premio al Vendedor del año PMA-Produce Plus y asesor editorial de la editorial agrícola Coretext, para la que ejerció de redactor y responsable de varios títulos y campañas de comunicación.

Kizito Cudjoe cuenta con más de seis años de experiencia como redactor en 'Business & Financial Times', uno de los diarios más prestigiosos de Gana. En 2016 fue escogido Corresponsal de Turismo del año por la Autoridad de Turismo de Gana por su contribución al desarrollo de la industria turística local.

Melanie Jenkins, periodista agrícola y consultora de relaciones públicas en Agri-Hub desde 2015, escribe para numerosas publicaciones del Reino Unido, incluidas 'Farmers Weekly', 'Farmers Guardian' y 'Crop Production Magazine'. Recibió en 2015 el premio de formación del gremio británico de periodistas agrícolas John Deere.

Philip Keitany es periodista de negocios en Kenya Television Network, la principal empresa de medios de Kenia. En enero de 2016 recibió luz verde para producir y rodar un corte semanal sobre agroganadería titulado 'The Next Frontier' que ha compartido ya las historias y vivencias de más de 100 protagonistas de la industria agrícola de toda Kenia y África Oriental.

Rachel Martin escribe para 'Belfast Telegraph', el mayor periódico de Irlanda del Norte. Ha informado sobre la industria agrícola desde Italia, Suiza y Escocia. Sus artículos y fotografías se han publicado en 'Belfast Telegraph', 'Irish Independent', 'FarmWeek' y 'Farming Life', entre otros.

Matthias Schulze Steinmann es jefe de redacción adjunto de 'Wochenblatt für Landwirtschaft & Landleben', un periódico agrícola centrado en los aspectos económicos, comerciales y políticos del sector. En 2013 le concedieron el premio de periodista especializado del año Karl Theodor Vogel.

Jessie Scott es gestora de contenidos digitales en Meredith Agrimedia. Durante los últimos cuatro años, ha cubierto las tendencias en maquinaria agrícola para 'Successful Farming Magazine' y ha ejercido como responsable de su web y programa de televisión. Además de crear contenidos, también trabaja con el equipo editorial para coordinar la cobertura de noticias en Agriculture.com y es la encargada de la distribución de contenidos a través de los boletines y las redes sociales.

Maria Törner escribe para la revista agrícola 'Land Lantbruk' de LRF Media, una de las mayores editoriales de Suecia. En 2014 recibió la beca Gunnar Ernest para estudiantes ambiciosos del sector alimentario y agrícola.

Eva Zitz escribe para el periódico austriaco 'Oesterreichische BauernZeitung'. En 2014 fue galardonada con el premio de mejor periodista joven de la Dirección General de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural de la Comisión Europea y de la Red europea de periodistas agrícolas. En 2015 recibió también el premio Josef Steiniger concedido por el gremio austriaco de periodistas agrícolas.

"La IFAJ aprecia enormemente el compromiso de Alltech con el periodismo agrícola mundial y, en especial, su apoyo para que jóvenes periodistas talentosos se conviertan en líderes del periodismo agrícola de sus países", señaló Owen Roberts, presidente de la IFAJ. "Hay una larga lista de ejemplos de cómo los ganadores del premio Jóvenes Líderes que participaron en el programa patrocinado por Alltech están contribuyendo a reforzar tanto a la IFAJ como al periodismo agrícola. Alltech ayuda a desarrollar y a motivar a un gran número de talentos por todo el mundo".

Más de 100 periodistas jóvenes han recibido este premio y han consolidado sus capacidades comunicativas y de liderazgo en el sector del periodismo agrícola desde que el programa se inició en 2005.

[WASHINGTON D.C.] – An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, has today presented Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) prestigious ‘St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal’ to Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech, and Prof. Adrian E. Raftery, professor of statistics and sociology at the University of Washington, for their significant contribution to academia and industry.

Now in its fourth year, the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal recognises the outstanding contributions of Dr. Pearse Lyons and Prof. Adrian Raftery in their respective fields, as well as their role in developing the research ecosystem in Ireland. The Medal is awarded annually to a distinguished Irish scientist, engineer or technology leader living and working in the USA.

Congratulating the recipients at an award event held in the United States Institute of Peace in Washington D.C., An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, said: “I am delighted to present the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal on behalf of Science Foundation Ireland, to these two exceptional leaders. Dr. Lyons and Prof. Raftery have both had a huge impact in their own areas of expertise and played pivotal roles in the development of researchers in Ireland.”

“They have demonstrated how academic and industry-based scientific research can create jobs, tackle global problems and impact positively on people and society. These distinguished Medal recipients are driving globally significant innovation in the areas of agriculture, food production, health, and population and weather forecasting, to name just a few.”

Dundalk-born biochemist and entrepreneur, Dr. Pearse Lyons, is the first Irish scientist to have created a global business based on scientific research. With the aim of creating the next ‘green revolution’ to improve the health and performance of people, animals and plants, Dr. Lyons founded Alltech, in 1980 with just $10,000 in capital.

He has subsequently led the company to now trade in over 120 countries worldwide with more than 5,000 team members. Dr. Lyons and his team at Alltech remain committed to innovation and development, with three Alltech biosciences centres dedicated to research and education - two located in the U.S. and one in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, Ireland.

Dublin-born Prof. Adrian E. Raftery has been described by his peers as one of the most eminent statisticians in the world. His work has resulted in the development of new statistical methods, focusing particularly on the social, environmental and health sciences. Prof. Raftery’s work to quantify statistical uncertainty in demographic projections has fundamentally changed approaches to population forecasting. This was demonstrated by the United Nations recently publishing a recalculation of world population projections, which directly incorporated Prof. Raftery’s work.

Prof. Raftery has been a leader in developing new Bayesian statistical methods for model selection and model averaging, as well as model-based clustering. He has also worked on studies that have fundamentally changed the understanding of whaling populations, the prevalence of HIV/Aids and weather forecasting.

At the event in Washington, D.C., Dr. Lyons said:

“I am so proud to accept the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Medal from Science Foundation Ireland. While my business is global, my passion for biochemistry and entrepreneurship started at home in Ireland. As a company, we still have very close links to Ireland with one of our three biosciences research centres based in Dunboyne, Co. Meath. Science and technology play a very important part in my company’s success and all of the Alltech team work to innovate every day. We strive to put scientific research at the core of our business and to use that research to drive our success at home and abroad.”

“Almost 100 students have graduated with their Masters and Ph.D.s from our Alltech facilities in Ireland, in cooperation with virtually every Irish university, providing a platform that was once described by the European Commissioner of Food and Safety as a ‘Primacy in Science’.”

On accepting his SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal, Professor Raftery said:

“I developed my passion for statistics during my time at St. Conleth’s College in Dublin and at Trinity College Dublin. Statistics is vital to science, including the social sciences, and it is progressing rapidly with the current growth in big data and data science. I'm proud to have contributed to the development of statistics at University College Dublin in recent years. Statistics in Ireland has been developing fast and this will provide a competitive advantage for Irish science and industry. I'm grateful to SFI for supporting my visit to Ireland in 2013-14 as a SFI Walton Fellow, which galvanised several successful collaborations with UCD, TCD and the Central Bank of Ireland. The continued support for this and other research programmes, even during the economic crisis, shows that there is a broad consensus in Ireland for supporting scientific research, which bodes well for the future of the country. I am very honoured to receive the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal.”

Congratulating the recipients, Prof. Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, said:

“The Irish scientific and technology diaspora are outstanding representatives for Irish science abroad and play a huge role in promoting Ireland internationally. The research undertaken by these two Irish leaders has had a profound and diverse impact across the globe. As a nation, we should be immensely proud of the influence that Dr. Lyons and Prof. Raftery have had in their respective fields and indeed, across the globe. In presenting them both with the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal, Science Foundation Ireland recognises the significant value and impact of their work.”

About Science Foundation Ireland:

Science Foundation Ireland funds oriented basic and applied research in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) which promotes and assists the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise and employment in Ireland. The Foundation also promotes and supports the study of, and engagement with STEM and promotes an awareness and understanding of the value of STEM to society and in particular to the growth of the economy.  See www.ScienceFoundationIreland.ie.

Science Foundation Ireland has launched the #BelieveInScience campaign to promote the potential that science and discovery offer Ireland, today and in tomorrow’s world. The #BelieveInScience campaign will see Science Foundation Ireland work in partnership with the Irish research community to share a mutual passion for science with the public; to promote an understanding of the ability of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to create positive change in the world and to drive a sustainable economy in Ireland.