Consumers seeking locally sourced products can easily find one in an everyday pantry staple – vegetable oil, which is primarily 100 percent soybean oil made from soybeans grown in the U.S. Sales of vegetable oil support more than 550,000 U.S. soybean farmers who strive to leave the land in better shape than they found it for America’s next generation of farmers. “I work hard to help produce an ingredient that I am proud to serve to my own family, as well as families across the U.S.,” said United Soybean Board (USB) Chairman Bob Haselwood. “Every time you purchase vegetable oil, or soybean oil, you’re supporting local farmers.” Haselwood produces soybeans on his farm in Berryton, Kansas. Many retailers sell soybean oil primarily produced with U.S.-grown soybeans. This past summer, USB partnered with a large Midwest grocery retail chain with 200+ stores to emphasize the importance of knowing where food comes from and educate about the benefits of soybean oil. During this promotion, unit sales of the store brand vegetable oil rose more than 27 percent over the same time last year, and shoppers commented that they were more likely to purchase soybean oil knowing it’s a U.S.-grown product. To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7689851-united-soybean-board-eat-local/
World trade in perishable foods turns a page as Maersk Container Industry (MCI), an independent business unit in the Maersk Group conglomerate, today announced that it has begun production of the first refrigerated containers and Star Cool refrigeration machines built in South America at its new MCI facility in San Antonio, Chile.
The first trial production of these ISO standard 40 feet reefer containers were successfully delivered during the third quarter of 2015 into the Maersk Line and CMA CGM operations. Shortly thereafter, both shipping lines placed new orders. To further leverage this new value proposition, Maersk Line has secured a fixed monthly volume from the MCI facility allowing for increased agility and fast response time to the demand in the region.
“In this sweet spot of fruit exporters, we have placed the factory right where the demand is. For the first time ever in South America, reefer containers can go straight “from factory to farm”,” said Stig Hoffmeyer, Chief Executive Officer of MCI. “Offering the Star Cool Integrated reefers locally to shipping lines, farmers, fruit distributors and leasing companies, will have a financial benefit counted in thousands of dollars per reefer, and millions for the industry in total,” he continued.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7688551-maersk-container-industry-factory-chile/
eKonomics from PotashCorp, an online resource dedicated to providing farmers with relevant, easy-to-understand agricultural information, today unveils the first nationwide nutrient balance analysis highlighting a major nutrient application deficit across the United States. The analysis finds that soil nutrient removal rates continue to outpace fertilizer application in most states.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7555351-potashcorp-ekonomics-soil-fertilizer/
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will open a new exhibition on American business July 1 in the Mars Hall of American Business. The exhibition, “American Enterprise” will have a strong focus on the nation's agriculture history which is one of four economic sectors in the exhibition. It will explore precision farming, environmental concerns and hybrid seeds.
“American agriculture has gone through a tremendous transformation in the past seven decades, becoming a high-tech industry, deeply affecting not just farmers themselves but every American and the American experience in general,” said Peter Liebhold, museum curator and chair of the Division of Work and Industry.
The companion book American Enterprise: A History of Business in America, will highlight significant artifacts from agriculture's humble beginnings to the technological advances that make it a leading industry in the United States.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7433931-national-museum-of-american-history/
Farmers in Ivory Coast struggle with a mango harvest season that is as short as the fruit is sweet.
“For a 4-6 week period in April and May, the country is flooded with good mangos, but it ends abruptly when the rainy season starts. From then on, the mango just starts decaying,” explains Mathew Shed, container manager in the specialist shipping company Africa Express Line (AEL).
“We were approached in April by Eolis, a CF logistics company, who asked for some kind of smart solution that would keep the fruit delicious and marketable for a longer time,” he adds.
The solution turned out to be special reefer containers. With quick help from a container leasing company and a container depot in Antwerp, Belgium, Star Cool containers were upgraded to work with controlled atmosphere, in short known as CA, and sent to Ivory Coast.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/72762525-MCI-eyes-revolution-mango-trade/
Farmers in Ivory Coast struggle with a mango harvest season that is as short as the fruit is sweet.
“For a 4-6 week period in April and May, the country is flooded with good mangos, but it ends abruptly when the rainy season starts. From then on, the mango just starts decaying,” explains Mathew Shed, container manager in the specialist shipping company Africa Express Line (AEL).
“We were approached in April by Eolis, a CF logistics company, who asked for some kind of smart solution that would keep the fruit delicious and marketable for a longer time,” he adds.
The solution turned out to be special reefer containers. With quick help from a container leasing company and a container depot in Antwerp, Belgium, Star Cool containers were upgraded to work with controlled atmosphere, in short known as CA, and sent to Ivory Coast.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/72762525-MCI-eyes-revolution-mango-trade/
If you don’t already sing to tomatoes, you may soon find yourself rethinking your salsa. Known for its freshly flavorful dips and spreads, Sabra® Dipping Company (www.sabra.com) has relaunched its eight refrigerated salsas to the sweet sound of farmer serenades. To underscore the loving process with which Sabra prepares its line of salsas, the brand is featuring in-field farmers singing to vine-ripening tomatoes in its first salsa advertising campaign.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7101952-sabra-dipping-company-celebrates-summer-of-salsa-love/
The Wasil Foundation, a Pakistan-based microfinance institution, won the Islamic Microfinance Challenge, a global contest to identify innovative Sharia-compliant financial products. Wasil won the $100,000 grant award for its package of products aimed specifically at smallholder farmers.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7065951-cgap-2013-islamic-microfinance-challenge-winner-the-wasil-foundation/
Farmers Insurance is ringing in the New Year by honoring those who make us smarter with the “Thank A Million Teachers” float at the Tournament of Roses Parade. In Farmers’ 55th entry to the renowned event, the float will celebrate the “Thank A Million Teachers” initiative, which invites America to make 2014 the year to thank a million teachers. Riding the float will be honored educators from Montana and Nevada, alongside local Los Angeles students. Through the “Thank A Million Teachers” platform, Farmers has committed up to $1,000,000 in funds to classrooms and education programs. The celebration at the 2014 Rose Parade follows a recent kick-off event where actor Jack Black offered the first “thank you” to his former teacher and mentor, Debbie Devine.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64791-farmers-insurance-thank-a-million-teachers-float-2014-rose-parade
CHS Inc., the nation’s leading cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company, is committed to continued growth that will drive economic value to its farmer owners and the rural communities in which they live, its leaders told attendees at its recent annual meeting.
“Our ultimate responsibility is to invent the CHS of the future by making the decisions, executing the investments and managing the financial health of this company in a manner that not only adds value for you today, but continues to pay off 10 and 20 years down the road,” CHS President and Chief Executive Officer Carl Casale told attendees. “Ultimately, it’s about taking actions today that will benefit tomorrow’s owner, the generations that are now playing in farm yards or buying their first blue FFA jackets.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58034-chs-inc-putting-future-first-for-cooperative-farmer-owners
As part of the General Mills long term sustainable sourcing program, the company and its Foundation announced today a four-year joint commitment with supplier partner AgroMantaro to provide $1.1 million to help smallholder artichoke farmers in Peru increase yields and improve profitability.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/63226-general-mills-agromantaro-sustainable-sourcing-program-in-peru