The Weekly Grind – February 14, 2014

NAMA NEWS

NEBRASKA CORN GROWERS VISIT NAMA

Sherri Lehman and Paul Green from NAMA hosted a delegation from the Nebraska Corn Growers Association who visited Washington DC this week. The group of corn producers was in town to thank Congress for completing the farm bill. The NAMA dialogue was focused on regulatory affairs, food aid and biotechnology events in Products with Unique Functional Characteristics (PUFCs). Several of the growers were contract producers of corn for food use and were knowledgeable of the issues related to the PUFC’s, particularly Enogen corn for ethanol use. The discussion was productive and NAMA has invited the group to come back during their annual DC visits.

NAMA CEO AND MEMBERS VISIT K-STATE

NAMA president and CEO, Jim McCarthy, was joined by members Tom Rogers, Wilkins Rogers Mills; Troy Anderson, Cargill, Inc.; and Ron Galle, ADM Milling Company for a full day visit to Kansas State University’s Grain Science Institute. The NAMA delegation met with Department Chairman Dirk Maier, Agriculture Dean John Floros, department faculty, and students. While there, they participated in multiple classes, one of which took place at the Hal Ross Mill on campus. McCarthy commented that it was a very productive visit and gave members much to consider regarding the program NAMA and its members are invested in.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 2014 CORN DRY MILLING CONFERENCE

The 55th Annual Corn Dry Milling Conference will be held May 14-15 this year. Jointly sponsored by USDA’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, Illinois and NAMA, the conference has become a unique event offering different sectors of the food system a forum for examining and sharing views on current, critical research issues as well as general topics of interest. On May 14, a member meeting and reception will be held at the Embassy Suites East Peoria hotel and on May 15, presentations will be given from the research community at NCAUR. Hotel rooms have been reserved at the Embassy Suites East Peoria for those who need overnight accommodations. Registration will open in early spring. For more detailed information regarding this meeting, please visit http://www.namamillers.org/meetings/corn-dry-milling-conference/.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SCHUMER ANNOUNCES MAJOR PUSH TO BAN CHEMICAL FOUND IN FAST-FOOD PRODUCTS

Senator Charles E. Schumer announced this week a major push to ban a chemical commonly found in fast-food bread products, and suspected to be a carcinogen, from all food products nationwide. The chemical, Azodicarbonamide, is already banned from use in food in many countries of the European Union and Australia. Schumer is calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the chemical in all food products nationwide. Currently, the FDA approves of the chemical. For a copy of the press release and the letter Schumer sent to the FDA, visit http://www.schumer.senate.gov/Newsroom/record.cfm?id=349413.