[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has announced the recipients of the 2019 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award. The program recognizes10 young agricultural journalists and communicators who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in reporting as well as excellent potential as future leaders of the industry. The winners were chosen by an international jury among applicants from many of IFAJ's 50 member countries.

This year's IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders award winners are:

• Prince Appiah, Multimedia Group, Ltd., Ghana
• Moses Bailey, Radio Gbarnga/The Bush Chicken, Liberia
• Kasey Brown, Angus Media, United States of America
• Marzell Buffler, Landmedien Deutschland, Germany
• Melissa Dahlqvist, Swedish Agro Machinery, Sweden
• Seedy Darboe, Network of Ag Communicators, Gambia
• Louise Denvir, RTÉ, Ireland
• Abi Kay, Farmers Guardian, United Kingdom
• Samantha Tennent, Dairy NZ, New Zealand
• Angus Verley, Australian Broadcasting Company, Australia

"The importance of strong journalism in communicating agriculture's truth in today's world cannot be overstated," said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. "We are proud to support the next generation of journalists who are passionate about sharing the real stories of the farm and field, and the men and women who work tirelessly to feed our planet."

The 10 honorees will attend the 2019 IFAJ Congress in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, in July. The Young Leaders will also participate in a boot camp in the days prior to the Congress, which includes professional development, networking workshops and farm visits in southern Minnesota.

"The IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders program has helped strengthen so many individual careers, so many guilds around the world, and IFAJ as a whole," said Steve Werblow, IFAJ secretary general. "Bringing together these talented, motivated and energetic young professionals is always a highlight of the year, and watching them go back home with new contacts and perspective is extremely exciting. Many of our organization's dedicated volunteers are alumni of the Young Leaders program, which is true testament to how it helps build IFAJ year after year. We are grateful to Alltech for its long-standing commitment to the future of agricultural journalism, and we are very excited to meet the Young Leaders of 2019."

Winners of the international agriscience competition to be awarded at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19)

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The global regional finalists have been selected for the 2019 Alltech Young Scientist (AYS) competition, the world’s largest agriscience competition for university students. Graduate students from colleges and universities around the world whose studies focus on agriculture and science will compete at the highest level for a chance to win US$10,000 and gain access to innovative scientists from around the world. Now in its 14th year, the competition has received entrants from a total of 120 universities and 40 countries.

The students will present their research to a panel of international judges and will also participate in leadership building, career mentorship and networking opportunities during the all-expenses-paid AYS Discovery Week, which will be held in conjunction with ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19), May 19–21 in Lexington, Kentucky.

The regional finalists for the AYS award and their paper topics are:

• Deeksha Shetty, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
  • “Role of the RpoE sigma factor and two-component Cpx systems, in biofilm formation of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis”
• Anouschka Middelkoop, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
  • “Lactational feed intake level of the sow and creep feed presentation strategy affect piglet performance”
• Renata Oselame Nobrega, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil
  • “Dietary supplementation of Aurantiochytrium sp. meal, a docosahexaenoic-acid source, promotes growth of Nile tilapia at suboptimal low temperature”
• Bing Liu, Jiangnan University, China
  • “Oxidative Stability and Quality Attributes of Muscle from Laying Hens Fed Organic Trace Minerals as Co-factors of Antioxidant Enzymes”

“For 14 years, Alltech has been honored to offer the next generation of agriculture science leaders the opportunity to participate in the Alltech Young Scientist competition and to present their research to an international audience,” said Dr. Karl Dawson, vice president and chief scientific officer at Alltech.

For more information about the Alltech Young Scientist competition, visit AlltechYoungScientist.com and stay connected through the Alltech Education Facebook page.

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Contact: press@alltech.com             

Jenn Norrie

Communications Manager, North America

jnorrie@alltech.com; 403-863-8547

Maria Daly

Communications Manager, Europe

mdaly@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

Photo caption: (copy link to browser to download image)

https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/iLi2Yixd7BR3

Saheed Salami, representing the University of Catania in Italy, accepts the graduate award at the Alltech Young Scientist competition during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference 2018. The finalists for the 2019 competition have been announced, and the winner will be named at ONE19 in May.

Photo caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/BeBnABGuyNnV

Deeksha Shetty from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada has been selected as a regional finalist for the 2019 Alltech Young Scientist competition.

Photo caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/dYdD6du-Q.Kd

Anouschka Middelkoop from Wageningen University in the Netherlands has been selected as a regional finalist for the 2019 Alltech Young Scientist competition.

Photo caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/hAEhWUhqQPVL

Renata Oselame Nobrega from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in Brazil has been selected as a regional finalist for the 2019 Alltech Young Scientist competition.

Photo caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/qRqmfqXgTQK

Bing Liu from Jiangnan University in China has been selected as a regional finalist for the 2019 Alltech Young Scientist competition.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.                

Alltech continues its commitment to improving the health and performance of animals and protecting the environment through scientific innovation

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Alltech’s flagship brand, Yea-Sacc®, has been validated by the Carbon Trust to reduce cattle methane emissions and nitrogen excretion rates. Yea-Sacc is the only yeast culture designed for use in ruminant diets that has been awarded this certificate. The Carbon Trust, a global organization that provides independent advice to businesses, governments and institutions on reducing carbon emissions, formed an opinion based on evidence from public research and on-farm trials demonstrating the efficacy of Yea-Sacc in ruminant diets.

The Carbon Trust’s findings on Yea-Sacc highlighted that reduced emissions do not need to come at the expense of improved animal performance; Yea-Sacc was shown to increase milk yield, milk fat and protein content, and nitrogen uptake via improved ruminal bacteria.

“This recognition from the Carbon Trust is another hugely exciting milestone for Yea-Sacc, the product that put Alltech on the map in the early 1980s,” said Matthew Smith, Alltech vice president.

In dairy and beef animals, methane is an indicator of waste not only for the animal, but also in terms of farm profitability. Increasing animal efficiency helps the animal retain more of that potential energy. This allows for both more environmentally sustainable production as well as increased profitability for the farm.

“For many years, Alltech has been working with farmers to help them determine exactly where their operations fit into the emissions picture and to reduce their carbon footprint,” continued Smith. “The Carbon Trust certification is a significant development for Alltech and for our customers, who are equally as committed to reducing farming’s impact on the environment.”

Alltech continues to enhance its portfolio of solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farms as it contributes toward sustaining and nourishing the world’s plants, animals and people. Additional announcements will be shared at the Alltech European Technical Summit held in Dublin, Ireland, from March 13–15, 2019, and at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference from May 19–21, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

-Ends-

Contact: Maria Daly

• Communications Manager, Europe
• mdaly@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About the Carbon Trust:

Established in 2001, the Carbon Trust works with businesses, governments and institutions around the world, helping them contribute to, and benefit from, a more sustainable future through carbon reduction, resource efficiency strategies and commercializing low-carbon businesses, systems and technologies.

The Carbon Trust:

* Works with corporates and governments, helping them to align their strategies with climate science and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

* Provides expert advice and assurance, giving investors and financial institutions the confidence that green finance will have genuinely green outcomes.

* Supports the development of low-carbon technologies and solutions, building the foundations for the energy system of the future.

Headquartered in London, England, the Carbon Trust has a global team of over 30 nationalities based across five continents. For more information, visit; www.carbontrust.com.

Award honoring late founder Dr. Pearse Lyons to be presented during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in May

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Together with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), Alltech is proud to announce a new award that recognizes excellence and leadership by young journalists. The IFAJ-Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism will be presented during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19), held May 19–21, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

The award marks a long tradition of celebrating journalistic achievements that began with late Alltech founder Dr. Pearse Lyons. A storyteller himself, Dr. Lyons appreciated the ability to share the stories of agriculture.

“Pearse had a passion for sharing stories about our industry and his personal experiences,” said Mrs. Deirdre Lyons, co-founder and director of corporate image and design at Alltech. “We are pleased to honor his legacy and continue Alltech’s support of agricultural journalism.” 

Dr. Lyons also understood the importance of mentorship and education, and in 2005, Alltech co-founded a young leader program with the IFAJ.

“It is more important than ever to give agriculture a voice and communicate our stories to the world,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Through our continued partnership with the IFAJ, we are able to support future leaders in agricultural journalism who are passionate about connecting our industry to a global audience.”

IFAJ president Owen Roberts of Canada says this new award underlines Alltech’s understanding of agricultural journalists’ role in knowledge mobilization.

“Producers look to agricultural journalists for balanced, evidence-based information that can help them be profitable, knowledgeable and sustainable,” said Roberts. “Alltech works hard to develop relationships with journalists who believe sound research knowledge is imperative to best management practices on the farm.”

Young journalists, aged 40 years or younger by Dec. 31, 2019, can be nominated through their IFAJ guilds via the online application form. A global winner will be selected by an international committee based on their journalistic achievements and the leadership they demonstrate within their guild. The global winner receives complimentary registration and a travel stipend to attend ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, where they will be recognized on stage in front of a global audience of nearly 4,000 attendees and press.

“ONE19 features leading industry experts in an exploration of the challenges and solutions facing agriculture,” said Roberts. “It is an excellent resource for journalists to acquire new insights that producers want and need.”

The deadline for nominations is March 15, 2019.  

For more information, visit one.alltech.com or contact press@alltech.com.

-Ends-

Contact: press@alltech.com

Jenn Norrie

• Communications Manager, North America
• jnorrie@alltech.com; (403) 863-8547

Maria Daly

• Communications Manager, Europe
• mdaly@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

Photo Caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/6v36zw6v7_KnW

Dr. Pearse Lyons (middle), founder of Alltech, with members of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Irish Guild, Damien O’Reilly (left) and David Markey (right).

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.                

About International Federation of Agricultural Journalists:

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, founded in 1956, comprises 5,000 members in 50 countries. It is the only organization in the world dedicated to global agricultural journalism. Its three pillars are professional development, youth development and global outreach. IFAJ members embrace freedom of the press. http://www.ifaj.org.

Animal health sector experts and thought leaders will also discuss challenges facing European agriculture

[DUBLIN] – The Alltech European Technical Summit will be held in Dublin, Ireland, on March 14–15, 2019. The summit will feature scientific and research-based learning, problem-solving and unique networking opportunities for more than 300 leading animal nutrition professionals from across Europe.

“Recent media attention has focused heavily on issues such as climate change, hunger and obesity, and antimicrobial and pesticide use,” said Cathal McCormack, country manager of Alltech Ireland. “There has never been a greater need for our industry to deliver a strong message about the wealth of positive opportunities in agriculture, especially in terms of sustainability and human health.”

Industry experts will tackle the bigger issues on the plenary stage on Friday, March 15, while species-specific sessions on Thursday, March 14, will give attendees an opportunity to explore topics within their particular fields of interest, including ruminant, pig, poultry, crop science and ag-tech.

Alltech President and CEO Dr. Mark Lyons will be joined at Friday’s plenary session by Mairead McGuinness, vice president of the European Parliament, and Patrick Wall, professor of public health at University College Dublin (UCD).

Having spent most of his childhood travelling with his father, the late Alltech founder Dr. Pearse Lyons, Dr. Mark Lyons can offer attendees unique insights into global agriculture and share educated advice about tackling shifting trends in the industry. McGuinness, who has a background in agricultural economics, works to influence the future shape of agriculture and rural development policies, global development policy, the environment, public health, and food safety and security. Professor Wall’s research interests include food safety, nutrition and managing lifestyle-related disease through behavioural change.

The Thursday species sessions will focus on scientific and research-based learning. During the ruminant session, attendees will hear discussions about solving the environmental puzzle surrounding beef and dairy production from such speakers as Dr. Carolyn Opio of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation; Adam Henson, farmer and TV presenter with BBC’s Countryfile; and Chris Kerston of the Savory Institute in the United States.

Getting a gut feeling for antimicrobial-free pig farming is the theme of the pig session, which will include presentations from Mark Cigan from Genus R&D in the U.S.; Leigh Marques of Quantum Genetix, Canada; and UCD’s Dr. Seamus Fanning.

Key industry speakers for the poultry session, which will explore the exploitation of birds’ genetic potential through immunity, include Ben Huntington of Avara Foods in the U.K.; Eilir Jones, international poultry consultant; and Richard Turner of St. David’s Poultry Team in the U.K.

Growing toward a pesticide-free future is the overarching theme of the crop science session, featuring talks by Pedro Palazón from Ideagro, Spain; Cody Eubanks of JR Simplot in the U.S., and Professor Adrian Newton from the James Hutton Institute in Dundee.

Species session topics include*:

Ruminant:

• Ruminant agriculture and a healthy climate
• Re-engaging the consumer with a positive message about agriculture
• Can ruminant animals save our planet?

Pig:

• Reducing antimicrobial use: Implications for human health
• Measuring and managing AMR on your pig farm
• Gut health: the importance of the microbiome

Poultry:

• Production is vanity, feed conversion is sanity — worldwide “best-in-class” experiences
• Intestinal health and the microbiome — rehabilitation through nutrition
• Global burden of animal diseases: problem, solution, legacy

Crop:

• Feeding tomorrow’s world — the way nature intended
• Innovative platforms for sustainable crop production
• Early disease detection — the role of genomics in modern crop farming

Ag-tech

• Ag-tech: where we are now
• Dreaming of an ag-tech unicorn: the new world of startups
• Keeping InTouch with your customers

*More topics can be found at www.alltech.com/eurotechsummit. Topics are subject to change as the schedule evolves.

Learn more at www.alltech.com/eurotechsummit. To register for free, please contact your local Alltech office.

-Ends-

Contact: Maria Daly

Communications Manager, European

+353 86 466 9554

Image:

Caption: The Alltech European Technical Summit will be held in Dublin, Ireland, on March 14–15, 2019. Pictured are Alltech Ireland country manager, Cathal McCormack with Mairead McGuinness, vice president of the European Parliament, and Patrick Wall, professor of public health at University College Dublin (UCD). McGuinness and Prof. Wall will join Alltech President and CEO Dr. Mark Lyons on the main stage of the European Technical Summit on Friday, March 15 for the plenary session. Learn more at www.alltech.com/eurotechsummit.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Register before March 31 at one.alltech.com to save $200

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19), held May 19–21 in Lexington, Kentucky, will bring together producers and industry experts from around the world to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within the global agriculture industry.  

Everyday heroes united by the search for inspiration, motivation and ONE meaningful idea are invited to explore over 60 topics slated for discussion.

Agriculture focus sessions include topics such as*:

Beef:

• Beef's Carbon Footprint: Setting the Record Straight
• The Future of Antibiotics: Will the Consumer be King?
• The Secret Weapon to Better Calves
• Alternative Meats vs. All Beef: Who's Really More Environmentally Friendly?

Dairy:

• Get Tech Savvy on Your Dairy
• Global Milk Dynamics: From Demand to Delivery
• Get More From Your Milk: Value-Added Products
• Cream of the Crop: Genomic Selection

Poultry:

• Health and Housing for Modern Poultry Producers
• Building a Finer Flock: Improving Hatchling Quality
• Food Safety and the Need for Improved Pathogen Control
• Eggciting Times Ahead: Innovations in Poultry Production

Pig:

• Fever Fears: Keeping ASF at Bay
• Healthy Beginnings: A Focus on Gut Health
• Generational Shift: Stay Ahead of the Curve
• Mineral Matters: Reducing Our Environmental Impact

Aquaculture:

• SalmoSim: Building a Salmon Gut From Scratch
• New Diets, New Solutions
• There Are Plenty of Fish in the Sea...Right?
• RAS Systems: The Perfect Environment for Fish

Crop Science:

• The Ins and Outs of Bio-Controls
• Growing Forward: Digital Disruptions
• Lead the Way: Bio-Control Integration
• Zero Gravity Agriculture

*Topics subject to change as the schedule evolves.

Other focus sessions include business, the future of food, brewing and distilling, and lifestyle sessions focused on pet, equine, and health and wellness.

Keynote speakers who will anchor plenary sessions include Bear Grylls and Chris Zook.

Bear Grylls, one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure, will take the ONE19 mainstage. Grylls starred in seven seasons of the Discovery Channel’s Emmy Award-nominated “Man vs. Wild” television series, which became one of the most watched shows on the planet. The BAFTA award-winning host trained in martial arts from a young age, and his survival skills were later perfected during his service in the 21 Special Air Service Regiment. When a free-fall parachuting accident left him with a broken back, Grylls’ grit and determination guided his long recovery. He went on to become one of the youngest people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Joining the lineup is Chris Zook, best-selling author of books on leadership and business strategy and an advisory partner at the renowned consulting firm Bain & Company. Zook specializes in guiding companies to find new sources of profitable growth and renew themselves internally to become more adaptive and entrepreneurial.

The conference experience extends beyond superior presentation content, with attendees invited to embark on area tours throughout the Bluegrass and network with peers from across the globe. They’ll enjoy first-class dining and entertainment at the Kentucky Night celebration, held at the famous Kentucky Horse Park. International Night will feature cuisine from around the world, as well as the finale of the Pearse Lyons Art of Innovation Cocktail Competition. Join us as bartenders from China, Ireland and the United States vie for a cash prize and the chance to help develop the next innovative whiskey from Town Branch Distillery.

Now in its 35th year, Alltech’s conference is attended annually by nearly 4,000 people from over 70 countries. Whether producers are navigating a fundamental change within the industry or just need a little inspiration, they’ll learn about real-world opportunities and solutions at ONE19.

Learn more and register at one.alltech.com. Join the conversation with #ONE19 on Twitter and follow the ONE19 Facebook event page for updates.

-Ends-

Contact: press@alltech.com

Jenn Norrie

Communications Manager, North America

jnorrie@alltech.com; (403) 863-8547

Maria Daly

Communications Manager, Europe

mdaly@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

Photo caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/0890aQ0bUZRv

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19). Register now for ONE19 on May 19–21 in Lexington, Kentucky, at one.alltech.com.

Photo caption: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/Iw3Iv1IwWOAL8

Professor Damien McLoughlin of the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School speaks during a beef focus session at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. ONE19 will offer producers an opportunity to explore topics specific to their industry and participate in a global exchange of ideas for the future.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Record number of startups apply for third year of The Pearse Lyons Accelerator

[DUBLIN] – After a record-breaking 251 startups from 53 countries applied to be part of The Pearse Lyons Accelerator, the class of 2019 has been selected to work with Alltech and Dogpatch Labs to accelerate their business development. This year’s applicants have already raised over $143 million, with 135 startups disclosing funding

Now in its third year, The Pearse Lyons Accelerator was the brainchild of the late Dr. Pearse Lyons, who founded Alltech, an animal nutrition company, in the early 1980s in his garage with just $10,000.

“Through The Pearse Lyons Accelerator, we carry on my father’s legacy, his entrepreneurial spirit and his desire to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to contribute to a planet of plenty,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech.

The participants, which hail from Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, will also have the opportunity to present on the mainstage at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. Now in its 35th year, the annual international conference will be held in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, from May 19–21 and will welcome more than 4,000 agriculture industry leaders from over 70 countries.

“Our class of 2019 startups focus on all aspects of agriculture, including animal welfare, meat quality, crop health and increased productivity,” said Lyons. “The final group of startups reflect the full scope of Alltech's global operations, and we believe that their technologies can help make both Alltech and our customers more sustainable, profitable and innovative.”

The participants represent a wide variety of transformative agricultural innovations.

“At SomaDetect, we can instantly detect every compound in raw milk with our in-line sensor,” said Bethany Deshpande, CEO and co-founder of SomaDetect. “Our technology can be used to track the impact of premium nutrition on dairy cows and help detect issues like mastitis, which is a major pain point for dairy farmers. We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with Alltech, one of the leading animal nutrition companies in the world.”

DNA sequencing startup Biome Makers from the United States, a winner of the AgFunder Innovation Awards, has also been selected to participate in the accelerator.

“We are looking forward to joining the accelerator and working with Alltech, which has a vast international network that could really help us launch our newest solution, which uses the soil microbiome as a biosensor to evaluate the real-time effect of crop inputs,” said Adrian Ferraro, CEO and co-founder of Biome Makers.

“Alltech has a fantastic track record in guiding young companies to success,” said Benjamina Bollag, co-founder of cell-based meat startup Higher Steaks from the U.K. “We are grateful to have been given such a unique opportunity to benefit from Alltech’s combined experience in animal nutrition and crop science.”

The success of the program’s alumni reflects the high quality of the startups that The Pearse Lyons Accelerator has attracted to date. Since completing the accelerator, the startups have collectively raised $36 million. Two startups have made acquisitions, including AgriWebb, which raised $14 million in 2018 in a series A round of venture capital financing from Wheatsheaf Group, the investment fund of Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster. More recently, Allison Kopf, founder of Agrilyst, was named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in the Food & Drinks category. Similarly, Irish startup MagGrow raised €3 million in a round of funding, and the Indonesian startup eFishery closed a $3.5 million round of funding.

“Access to this global alumni network of extraordinary ag-tech entrepreneurs will be hugely beneficial for this new cohort of startups,” said Patrick Walsh, founder of Dogpatch Labs.

“What makes this accelerator unique is the commitment from Alltech’s leadership to actively mentor the startups,” said Robbie Walker, Alltech’s program director of The Pearse Lyons Accelerator. “This now includes Dr. Mark Lyons, our president and CEO, who is directly involved in the program and sees collaboration through innovation as a key growth strategy for Alltech.”

The Pearse Lyons Accelerator: 2019 class

• SomaDetect (Canada): In-line sensor that measures every critical indicator of dairy quality (fat, protein, somatic cell count, progesterone and antibiotics) from every cow at every milking.
• Higher Steaks (United Kingdom): Using state-of-the-art cell culture techniques, a small sample of cells from an animal will be expanded by feeding these cells. When these cells have grown, they become the desired meat product.
• SwineTech (United States): SwineTech is the world’s leading solution to reduce piglet crushing and pre-weaning mortality, and also for monitoring sow health.
• Breedr (United Kingdom): The world's first app for livestock farmers that uses shared data to optimize yield, quality and profitability.
• Biome Makers (United States): Measuring crop health and functional biodiversity by using DNA sequencing and intelligent computing.
• Global Resonance (United Kingdom): Bringing real-time data from the start to the end of the food supply chain directly into business systems.
• Terra NutriTECH (Ireland): Adding precise amounts of feed supplements into the water systems on farms, reducing labor and improving returns.
• FOLIUM (United Kingdom): Removal of feed bacteria via CRISPR.
• InTouch (Ireland): Online feed management solution for dairy farmers.

To learn more, visit pearselyonsaccelerator.com.

-Ends-

Contact: Maria Daly, Alltech PR

press@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

Photo: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/WFZWBMWFEwN1i

Caption: Co-founder of the ag-tech startup Breedr, Claire Lewis, speaks with Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, during the first day of The Pearse Lyons Accelerator 2019 program at Dogpatch Labs in Dublin, Ireland.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Dogpatch Labs:

Dogpatch Labs is one of Europe’s leading tech community hubs fostering entrepreneurship for startups, facilitating technology innovation for all sizes of companies and nurturing transformative social enterprises.

Located in the historic CHQ building in the heart of the Dublin Docklands, it is home to over 80 startups and over 350 members from 30+ countries. It supports the startup community by providing a unique space to grow and hosting regular events to share knowledge, form connections and spark collaborative innovation.

Acknowledged as a world-class entrepreneurial hub catalyzing the ecosystem in Ireland, Dogpatch Labs was awarded the Global Citizenship Award in 2017 and the Diversity & Inclusion Award in 2018 by Google for Startups.

Alumni include many of Ireland’s fastest growing tech companies including Irish tech unicorn ‘Intercom’ and provides the global headquarters for CoderDojo, the volunteer-led movement of free computer programming clubs. Dogpatch actively supports social technology initiatives such as CoderDojo, ChangeX, HackAccess, PyLadies, Social Innovation Fund and others.

Links: dogpatchlabs.com/press | Twitter: @dogpatchlabs | Facebook: www.facebook.com/dogpatchlabs

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The 2019 Alltech Global Feed Survey, released today, estimates that international feed tonnage has increased by a strong 3 percent to 1.103 billion metric tons of feed produced in 2018, exceeding 1 billion metric tons for the third consecutive year. The eighth edition of the annual survey includes data from 144 countries and nearly 30,000 feed mills. The feed industry has seen 14.6 percent growth over the past five years, equating to an average of 2.76 percent per annum. As the population grows, so does the middle class, which is well reflected in an increase in overall protein consumption.  

The top eight countries are China, the U.S., Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, Spain and Turkey. Together, they produce 55 percent of the world’s feed production and contain 59 percent of the world’s feed mills, and they can be viewed as an indicator of the trends in agriculture. Predominant growth came from the layer, broiler and dairy feed sectors.  

“Alltech works together with feed mills, industry and government entities around the world to compile data and insights to provide an assessment of feed production each year,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “We are proud to present the eighth annual Alltech Global Feed Survey and share the results publicly to demonstrate the importance of the animal feed industry as we strive to provide for a planet of plenty.”  

The Alltech Global Feed Survey assesses compound feed production and prices through information collected by Alltech’s global sales team and in partnership with local feed associations in the last quarter of 2018. It is an estimate and is intended to serve as an information resource for policymakers, decision-makers and industry stakeholders. 

Regional results from the 2019 Alltech Global Feed Survey 

• North America: North America saw steady growth of 2 percent over last year due to an increase in the major species, with beef and broilers leading the growth at 3 percent each. The U.S. remained the second-largest feed-producing country globally, behind China. Feed prices in North America are the lowest globally across all species, and with the availability of land, water and other resources, the region is expected to remain a primary contributor to feed production.  

• Latin America: As a region, Latin America was relatively stagnant this year. Brazil remained the leader in feed production for the region and third overall globally. Brazil, Mexico and Argentina continue to produce the majority of feed in Latin America, with 76 percent of regional feed production. Brazil stayed flat, while Mexico and Argentina saw growth of 1 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Colombia’s feed production grew by approximately 8 percent, primarily due to an increase in pork and egg production. Several countries saw a decline in feed production, such as Venezuela (-27 percent), El Salvador (-16 percent) and Chile (-8 percent).  

• Europe: Europe saw an overall growth of about 4 percent over last year, making it the second-fastest-growing region in the survey, resulting from feed production increases in layer (7 percent), broiler (5 percent), aquaculture (5 percent), dairy (4 percent) and pig (3 percent). Beef was the only primary protein species to decline, though it was less than 1 percent.  

Much of the region’s growth can be attributed to smaller countries, such as Turkmenistan, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which all saw increases in overall production estimates of 20 percent or more. Additionally, larger-producing countries like Russia, Spain and Turkey saw strong increases in feed production estimates, which added to the overall production growth.  

• Asia-Pacific: The Asia-Pacific region is home to several of the top 10 feed-producing countries, including China, India and Japan, and accounted for more than 36 percent of the world’s feed tonnage. China maintained status as the top feed-producing country in the world with 187.89 million metric tons, with 10 million metric tons more than the U.S. Increased production for Asia-Pacific came from India with 13 percent due to growth in dairy, layer and broiler feeds. Other countries that demonstrated higher growth variance included Pakistan, Myanmar and Laos. Southeast Asia’s feed production represented over 20 percent of the Asia-Pacific region’s feed production, with Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand contributing to 93 percent of Southeast Asia’s feed production.  

• Africa: Africa continued strong growth with a 5 percent increase in overall feed production, and no country in the region saw a decline. Morocco demonstrated strong growth across dairy, beef, layers, broilers and turkeys. The areas that declined for feed production were equine (-4 percent) and pets (-14 percent). These two areas represent a very small proportion of Africa’s overall production, so the impact is very minimal. Most of the major animal production species in ruminant and poultry contributed to the overall growth of the region. 

Notable species results from the 2019 Alltech Global Feed Survey  

• In the poultry industry, major growth areas for layer feed included Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. In Europe, Poland and Uzbekistan each saw growth of around 200,000 metric tons. Latin America had increases in Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Mexico. In the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea, India and Indonesia all saw growth of several hundred metric tons. North America experienced overall growth of 2 percent, in which both the U.S. and Canada saw increased production. Africa saw a small decrease in layer production due to declines in both Egypt and Seychelles. 

Globally, broiler production increased by approximately 3 percent in 2018. There was growth in all regions, except for Latin America, in which a very small decline was observed. Africa showed 9 percent growth, demonstrating an overall trend that as populations grow and become wealthier, interest in protein — particularly in palatable chicken — does as well.  

• Pig feed production saw an increase of nearly 1 percent in 2018. The primary producing region for pig feed is Asia-Pacific, but this was also the only region that saw a decline in pig feed production as Mongolia, Vietnam, China, New Zealand and Japan experienced decreases. From a tonnage standpoint, Europe saw the largest growth at approximately 2.2 million metric tons. Russia and Spain accounted for the majority, while Finland, Denmark, France and Poland also contributed. Latin America saw the greatest growth in pig feed as a percentage at 5 percent, with the largest growth seen in Mexico and Argentina. 

• Global dairy feed production saw growth in North American, Europe and Africa, while Latin America remained flat. Europe, a global leader in dairy production, grew on average by approximately 4 percent. The largest increase was in Turkey with 10 percent, while Ireland, Russia and the U.K. also contributed to the region’s growth. Africa’s growth was primarily due to a significant increase in both Morocco and Nigeria.    

• North America has always led beef feed production and continues to do so with an increase of 3 percent in 2018. Europe saw a small decline at barely 1 percent and remained in second place. Latin America saw strong growth of approximately 8 percent, with Mexico and Argentina as the primary contributors. As a result, the Latin American region has taken third place in beef feed production, moving ahead of the Asia-Pacific region.  China and Australia both saw growth in the Asia-Pacific region but could not offset the overall decline in countries such as Bangladesh, Mongolia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Pakistan. 

• Overall, aquaculture feeds showed growth of 4 percent over last year. This was primarily attributed to strong increases in the Asia-Pacific and European regions. The traditional Asia-Pacific leaders in aquaculture, Vietnam, India and Indonesia, combined for an additional 1.58 million metric tons of feed in the region. China, the region’s leader, also saw an increase of 1 percent over last year. The primary European leaders either experienced strong growth or remained relatively flat. Those that did grow included Norway and Turkey, both at 7 percent, and Spain at a substantial 31 percent. The other regions remained relatively flat or saw only a 1 percent increase or decrease in feed production, demonstrating the continuity of the industry as a whole.  

• The pet food sector saw growth of approximately 1 percent, primarily attributed to an increase in the Asia-Pacific region, which was offset by a decrease in the Latin American and African regions. North America and the Middle East both remained relatively flat. In previous surveys, Europe had been the top-producing region for pet food production, but after a reassessment of 2017 numbers and despite growth of 2 percent, it ranks just behind North America. Europe is estimated in 2018 to have produced 8.6 million metric tons in total, approximately 200,000 behind North America. Africa saw a small decrease in production, but the actual tonnage is quite small compared to many of the other regions. The Latin American region experienced a decrease of about 5 percent, which was spread across several countries, including Chile, Venezuela, El Salvador, Colombia, Argentina and Ecuador. 

To access more data and insights from the 2019 Alltech Global Feed Survey, including the results booklet, an interactive global map and a pre-recorded video presentation of the results by Dr. Mark Lyons, visit alltechfeedsurvey.com.

ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) returns May 19–21, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky, to welcome everyday heroes united by the search for inspiration, motivation and ONE meaningful idea. ONE19 is a unique global conference that transcends culture and industry, presenting innovation-driven solutions for overcoming challenges in agriculture, business, health and wellness, brewing and distilling, and everyday life.

Keynote speakers who will anchor ONE’s 35^th annual exploration of transformative ideas include Bear Grylls and Chris Zook.

Bear Grylls, one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure, will take the ONE19 mainstage. Grylls starred in seven seasons of the Discovery Channel’s Emmy Award-nominated “Man vs. Wild” television series, which became one of the most watched shows on the planet. The BAFTA award-winning host trained in martial arts from a young age, and his survival skills were later perfected during his service in the 21 Special Air Service Regiment. When a free-fall parachuting accident left him with a broken back, Grylls’ grit and determination guided his long recovery. He went on to become one of the youngest people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Grylls is a number one best-selling author, an honorary colonel to the Royal Marine Commandos, the youngest ever U.K. Chief Scout and the first Chief Ambassador to the World Scout Movement, representing a global family of 50 million Scouts.

Joining the lineup is Chris Zook, best-selling author of books on leadership and business strategy and an advisory partner at the renowned consulting firm Bain & Company. Zook specializes in guiding companies to find new sources of profitable growth and renew themselves internally to become more adaptive and entrepreneurial. He was included by the Times of London in its biannual list of the “50 Most Influential Global Business Thinkers.” He was also named “one of the most interesting strategic thinkers working today” by “The Financial Times Guide to Strategy.”

Alltech’s flagship conference is attended annually by nearly 4,000 people from over 70 countries who gather to dream bigger and explore solutions to improve their businesses and the world around them. The conference experience extends beyond superior presentation content, as attendees are invited to embark on area tours throughout the Bluegrass State and network with peers from across the globe.

While world-class speakers will light up the plenary stage with universal themes of perseverance and achievement, subject- and species-specific breakout sessions with industry experts give attendees an opportunity to explore their particular fields, including aquaculture, beef, crop science, dairy, pig, poultry, equine, health and wellness, business, and brewing and distilling. Additional ONE19 speakers and session topics will be announced shortly.

Learn more and register at one.alltech.com by Jan. 31 to save $300. Follow ONE19 on Facebook for updates and to join the conversation.

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Highest levels of risk from DON, fusaric acid and fumonisin

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Mycotoxins are a concern for livestock producers, as they have toxic properties that impact feed quality as well as animal health and performance. Harvest samples from across Europe that have been submitted to the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory in 2018 show high levels of mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON), fusaric acid and fumonisin in areas where there was excessive rainfall during flowering and pollination or late-season rain after heat and drought stress. This situation occurred for grains and forages alike.

“Mycotoxins thrive in changeable conditions, with lack of rain, excessive rainfall or, sometimes, one after the other causing a perfect storm of contamination,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, global technical support with the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management team. “The extreme weather events that we’ve seen this year around the world have led to an increased occurrence of mycotoxins in many countries.”

In Europe, the weather from May to July was dry and drought-like, especially in the north. This weather impacts the types of mycotoxins livestock producers must contend with. However, the weather changed in August, alleviating most of the drought but bringing surplus rain around corn harvest time — which often results in the increased presence of trichothecenes and Fusarium-type mycotoxins.

Forage samples from across Europe showed high levels of mycotoxins, which can impair the performance of ruminants. Grass silage samples from Europe showed a 100-percent occurrence of fusaric acid, while corn silage showed a 100-percent occurrence of type B trichothecenes. These mycotoxins can be problematic in ruminants, as they can be detrimental to rumen health and rumen function.

“Corn silage can typically be more problematic, as it’s in the field longer and exposed to more environmental factors,” explained Hawkins. “We also see a bigger risk to mycotoxins, as we’re not just bringing in the grain but the plant itself, which means more mycotoxins are in the mix.” The biggest threat to the wheat crop and barley in Europe is type B trichothecenes. This mycotoxin was present in over 56 percent of wheat samples and 70 percent of barley samples, and results from Croatia, Serbia and Spain show a 100-percent occurrence of type B trichothecenes. On average, the corn samples showed the presence of three different mycotoxins, mostly coming from fumonisins. These mycotoxins can be particularly damaging for grow finish pigs.

Mycotoxins are seldom found in isolation, and when multiple mycotoxins are consumed, they may have additive, or even synergistic, interactions that increase the overall risk to the animal’s performance and health. As a result, the animal may have a stronger response than what would be expected if it were only experiencing a single mycotoxin challenge.

“The annual Alltech Harvest Analysis, which utilises the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analysis, provides an assessment of contaminants in feed ingredients and potential risks to livestock. Between labs located in Lexington, Kentucky, and Dunboyne, Ireland, the Alltech Mycotoxin Management program has tested more than 26,000 samples of animal feed, for more than 50 mycotoxins. Establishing a management program for optimum livestock performance and health is important to understanding the risk of mycotoxins. For more information on mycotoxin management, visit knowmycotoxins.com.

Hawkins recently gave a webinar on the European Summer Harvest mycotoxin results. To watch this webinar, click here.

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Contact: press@alltech.com

Maria Daly

• Communications Manager, Europe
• mdaly@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

Photo:

https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/GV7GlJGgWvqC-

Corn silage is typically more problematic for producers, as it’s in the field longer and exposed to more environmental factors that can lead to the presence of mycotoxins.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.