NAMA News
June 2007
Inside this Issue
Register for NAMA’s 2007 Annual Meeting
Technical Committee Meeting set for September 11-12
Presentations from the 48th Corn Dry Milling Conference
NAMA signs on to NAWG Farm Bill research statements
Change in General Mills representation on NAMA Board
DHS link to Top Screen questions and manual
Disparity among crops in the Farm Bill
Stakeholders in Africa learn about protein-based foods
Consumer attitudes towards bread improves
IFIC releases results of consumer survey on diets
Change in Bemis Representative
NAMA in the news
AACC Short Course on Biofuels and Food
Conference calendar
Since the last newsletter
Register for NAMA’s 2007 Annual Meeting
NAMA members and invited guests received information about NAMA’s 2007 Annual Meeting electronically. Included was information on the program, social events, hotel, and registration. To register for the meeting, download a registration form. Complete the form and either email or fax it back to the NAMA office at tlong@namamillers.org or 202.488.7416 AND mail a copy with your payment to the address on the registration form. Contact Terri Long, Director of Meetings, for further information: 202.484.2200, ext. 11 or tlong@namamillers.org or visit NAMA’s web site.
September 11 - 12 is the date of the next Technical Committee meeting. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Manhattan campus of Kansas State University. The room rate is $89. To make reservations contact the hotel at 785.539.7531.
Tuesday, September 11
2:00 – 5:00 pm - NAMA Meeting - ARS Grain Marketing and Production Research Center
6:00 – 8:30 pm - NAMA Reception and Dinner with guests from KSU, ARS and AIB
Wednesday, September 12
8:00 – 10:30 am - ARS Briefing - GMPRC
11:00 – 1:30 pm - KSU Briefing and Tour of Ross Mill - IGP Conference Center
Presentations from the 48th Corn Dry Milling Conference
More than 70 participants attended the annual Corn Dry Milling Conference held in Peoria, Illinois. NAMA and USDA’s National Center for Agricultural Research (NCAUR) jointly sponsor the conference. Conference presentations included:
- Corn Ear Rot and the Impact of Cropping Systems, Charles Woloshuk, Purdue University
- Sorting Grain Contaminated with Mycotoxigenic Fungi Using NIR, Don Wicklow, USDA/ARS
- Biocontrol of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Corn, Peter Cotty, USDA; University of Arizona
- Resistance Breeding to Mycotoxigenic Fungi, David Kendra, USDA/ARS
- Impact of Extrusion on Fumonisins, Dojin Ryu, Texas Woman’s University
- Beneficial Compounds in Corn, Mario Ferruzzi, Purdue University
- Economic Impact of Bt Corn on Mycotoxin Reduction, Felicia Wu, University of Pittsburgh
- NCGA and Biofuels, Rick Tolman, National Corn Growers Association
- Importance of Corn Grain Quality, Gary Munkvold, Iowa State University
- Corn-on-Corn: Expanding Uses – How will Seed Companies Handle Change, Chuck Hill, Agrigold
- Cellulose Conversion Technology in a Dry Mill Pathway, Michael Cotta, Fermentation Biotechnology Research
- Economic Impacts of Fuel Ethanol for Agriculture, Robert Wisner, Iowa State University
For copies of the presentations, go to NAMA’s web site.
NAMA signs on to NAWG Farm Bill research statements
NAMA has signed several letters drafted by the National Association of Wheat Growers about research funding in the 2007 Farm Bill.
In a letter to the House Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Research, the ag groups opposed the creation of six institutes in the office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE). They stated the proposal will take funding away from valuable research and will reduce stakeholder input by adding another layer of bureaucracy.
Change in General Mills representation on NAMA Board
NAMA welcomes back Greg Schlafer as the company’s representative to the Board of Directors following a reorganization within the company. His contact information is:
Greg Schlafer
Director & General Manager, Bakery Channels
No. One General Mills Blvd., MS W5B
Minneapolis, MN 55426
Phone: 763-293-1152
Fax: 763-293-1296
Greg.Schlafer@genmills.com
Thanks to Warren Patterson for serving as Director in the interim.
DHS Publishes Information on Chemical Security Regulations
The DHS (Department of Homeland Security) Chemical Security regulations could potentially require millers to provide the agency with detailed information regarding chemical inventories and security plans.
It is expected that DHS will publish a final listing of chemicals of interest with thresholds in July. The proposed list, called Appendix A, available on their website now, includes chemicals used in milling and fumigation.
Information on the DHS website is available for the first two steps for complying with the chemical security regulations. The first step, which is an online registration, enables companies to use the secure website to complete the remaining steps.
The second step is completing a Top Screen. Companies with quantities of chemicals over the threshold amounts must complete a Top Screen which is a web-based questionnaire regarding inventories of chemicals, their location and storage. The Top Screen must be completed 60 days from the publication of the final Appendix A.
DHS will use the Top Screen responses to place companies in risk tiers. The agency is estimating that approximately 2,000 facilities in the US will be placed in high risk tiers which will require companies to submit security vulnerability assessments and site security plans to DHS.
Disparity among crops in the Farm Bill
NAMA contracted with Informa Economics to study US oat production and government programs and to advise NAMA on the best farm bill policy approach with respect to the production of oats in the United States. Informa examined the past history of oat production and oat production economics as well as the critical reasons for the decline in oat acreage in the United States. 2006 oat production was the lowest since USDA began keeping records in 1866.
The study concludes oat acreage and production trends over the past several decades reflect a sharply declining market for oats as a feed grain and modest growth in the food oats market. Contributing factors include:
- Oat yields have grown more slowly than those of other crops.
- Government price support programs that provide high levels of support to minor oilseed and pulse crops.
- Focus on biofuels is shifting acreage to corn and soybeans.
The study recommends NAMA advocate a program that recognizes oats as a favored cover crop in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Such a program could increase the CRP’s wildlife carrying capacity, reduce the cost of the program to the federal government, and, at the same time, significantly increase the production of oats. Informa Oat Study
Stakeholders in Africa learn about protein-based foods
NAMA International Trade Consultant Paul Green participated in a US Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service Global Broadbased Initiative (GBI) project. GBI projects address common challenges and opportunities in cross-commodity, multi-national markets. The purpose of this project was to engage food companies and non-governmental organizations on the use of US protein-based foods as ingredients in processed foods in Eastern Africa. Seminars were held in Kenya and Tanzania. Other project participants included representatives from WISHH (World Initiative for Soy in Human Health), National Dry Bean Council, US Dry Pea and Lentil Council, and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Board.
After completing the GBI project in Kenya and Tanzania, Green and Charles Wachsmuth, a food aid and nutrition consultant to NAMA and other farm groups, went on to Malawi to engage several international NGOs on food aid nutrition projects.
Consumer attitudes towards bread improves
The Grain Foods Foundation (GFF) is a joint venture of members of the milling and baking industries dedicated to advancing the public's understanding of the beneficial role grain-based foods play in the human diet. The GFF June progress report reports considerable movement in consumer attitudes towards bread. A Harris Interactive poll shows that in 2007, three times as many people believe bread provides health benefits as they did in 2005.
Last year the NPD Group announced that sandwiches are now the number one dinner entrée in America.
IFIC releases results of consumer survey on diets
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation released the second Food & Health Survey. The research shows how consumers view their own diets, their efforts to improve them, and their understanding of the components of their diets.
A few of the new findings for 2007 are:
- Carbohydrates, Low-Calorie Sweeteners, and Sugars Even though there was no significant change in Americans’ concern over the amount of carbohydrates they consume, concern with the type of carbohydrates they consume increased to 52 percent in 2007 from 47 percent in 2006. Americans are more concerned with the amount of sugar they consume (70 percent in 2007 versus 63 percent in 2006) and the type of sugar they consume (58 percent vs. 53 percent).
- Foods and Beverages with Added Health and Wellness Benefits Although “taste” and “price” continue to have the greatest impact on Americans’ decisions to buy foods and beverages, the importance of “healthfulness” is growing (65 percent in 2007 vs. 58 percent in 2006).
- Meal Occasions Ninety percent of consumers named breakfast as the most important meal of the day, followed by dinner (87 percent) and lunch (80 percent); however, only 49 percent of consumers eat breakfast seven days per week.
Change in Bemis Representative
With the departure of Greg Chastain from the Bemis Company, Mike Sell will now serve as their representative to NAMA. Mike’s contact information is
Mike Sell
Bemis Company, Inc.
National Sales Director
613 Burwick Terrace
Manchester, MO 63021
Office 636-394-5809
Fax 636-394-5209
mjsell@bemis.com
NAMA in the news
Controlling Aflatoxin Biologically Proves Effective in Parts of ...
Grainnet - Decatur, IL
"... Millers' Association (NAMA) and the US Department of Agriculture's National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research's (NCAUR) 48th Annual Corn Dry ..."
June 8, 2007
Wheat Summit moves industry toward more efficient advocacy
Bismarck Farm & Ranch Guide - ND
"... North American Export Grain Association, American Bakers Association, North American Millers' Association, AIB International, US Wheat Associates, ..."
June 10, 2007
North American Millers' Association Submits Comments to Department ...
Grainnet - Decatur, IL
"The North American Millers' Association (NAMA) reported in its latest issue of NAMA News that it submitted comments to the Department of ..."
June 12, 2007
North American Millers' Association Supports Changes to Chicago ...
Grainnet - Decatur, IL
"Additional proposed changes include modifying the load-out provisions for the wheat, corn, oats, and soybean futures contracts and changing the last trading ..."
June 12, 2007
Three Leading Grain, Feed Organizations Establish New Agroterrorism Prev...
Grainnet - Decatur, IL
"It also will interact with organizations such as the North American Millers Association and National Oilseed Processors that also have established ..."
June 21, 2007
Register for the North American Millers' Association's (NAMA) 2007 ...
Grainnet - Decatur, IL
"The North American Millers' Association's (NAMA) 2007 Annual Meeting will be held in Savannah, GA, Sept. 27-29. As always, the goal of the ..."
June 26, 2007
AACC Short Course on Biofuels and Food
AACC International (American Association of Cereal Chemists) is presenting an executive seminar on Biofuels and Food, July 26-28 at The Hyatt Lodge at McDonald’s Campus, Chicago, IL.
The seminar, designed for senior food industry executives, will (1) define the current and future state and impact of ethanol demand on agriculture and the food industry, (2) identify and review potential solutions to the price/supply issues, and (3) establish a framework for a subsequent Workshop/Seminar on practical product development to mitigate the impact of corn and other ethanol biomass demand.
The registration fee is $1,100 for AACC members and $1,200 for non-members. Contact Joan Clemens at AACC, 651.454.7250 or jclemens@scisoc.org.
Program Information
Conference calendar
2007 Annual Meeting, Savannah, GA
The Mansion on Forsyth Park
September 27-29, 2007
2008 Division Meetings, Palm Coast, FL
The Club at Hammock Beach
March 15-18, 2008
2008 Annual Meeting, Lake Tahoe, NV
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
September 25-27, 2008
2009 Division Meetings, Ft. Myers, FL
Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa
March 21-24, 2009
Since the Last Newsletter
Members who would like to review the activities of NAMA staff during the past month go to http://www.namamillers.org/mbr_SLN_06_30_07.cfm.
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