World Grain - June 2018 - 14

NEWSREVIEW

Prairie AquaTech to build soybean processing plant
BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA, U.S. - Prairie AquaTech, an
aquaculture feed producer, is set to build a 300,000-square-foot soybean processing plant in Volga, South Dakota, U.S., according to the
Brookings Register.
According to the newspaper, the $60 million project is a collaborative effort between Prairie AquaTech, South Dakota State University
and the Brookings Economic Development Corp.
"For projects of this magnitude, it really takes a village to make
it happen," Mark Luecke, managing director and chief executive of¿FHURI3UDLULH$TXD7HFKWROGWKHBrookings Register.
Luecke described Prairie AquaTech as "a very unique facility"
that uses "large fermentation tanks where we've taken the work that
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big fermentation tanks."
"Essentially what we're doing is fermenting soybean meal,"
he said. "We buy soybean meal from South Dakota Soybean
Processors in Volga. They have a plant down in Miller that produces

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also have a small feed mill. That allows us to take our ingredients
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feed."
The feed is then used to test AquaTech's protein-rich ingredient
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product.
Luecke told the Brookings Register that the facility, once completed, will be able to produce about 30,000 tons of a major component that will go into pellets that also contain vitamins, minerals
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The fermentation process at AquaTech's current facility is done
in several 2,000-gallon tanks. At the new plant, the process will
take place in 40,000-gallon tanks. That will drive a big demand for
soybean meal from one of Prairie AquaTech's partners - South
Dakota Soybean Processors - which Luecke said produced about
700,000 tons on an annual basis.

Superior Ag opens new feed mill
HUNTINGBURG, INDIANA, U.S. - Superior Ag Cooperative on
May 18 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new Dale Feed Mill in
southern Indiana. The mill has the ability to produce 3,000 tons of
livestock nutrition weekly and provide bagged or bulk products of
feed and supplements. Production is slotted to begin mid-June.
"Our feed milling operations are continuously growing due to
customer and consumer demand," said Barry Day, president and
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livestock nutrition. The new facility will enable us to keep our costs
competitive in our ongoing efforts to provide superior value to our
member-customers."
In 2016, Superior Ag's board of directors made the decision to
invest in the construction of a new facility.
"To be compliant with the FSMA regulations, the upgrades alone
on our current facilities would far exceed the cost of the new facility," the cooperative said.

With the new facility, Superior Ag intends to grow its Livestock
Nutrition business.
Superior Ag said the new facility, increased pelleting capacity,
added ingredients, higher quality products and more purchase power
will allow it to provide more specialized animal nutrition to local
producers and member-customers.
Superior Ag's current feed mill locations in St. Meinrad and
Jasper, Indiana, will merge all operations to the Dale location.
In April, Superior Ag agreed to acquire a former Cargill grain elevator located in Princeton, Indiana, U.S. The facility, which has grain
storage capacity of 2.2 million bushels, will increase Superior Ag's
total grain storage capacity to 6.6 million bushels.
As a cooperative, Superior Ag provides a full range of coverage and
responsive service to local farmers located in southwestern Indiana,
northern Kentucky and the bordering regions of Illinois. Superior Ag
has 13 agronomy locations, 6 grain elevators, 2 feed mills, 3 retail
fuel stations, 2 hardware stores and a convenience store.

IGC raises grains forecast for 2018-19
LONDON, ENGLAND - The International Grains Council (IGC)
raised its forecast for total grains production in 2018-19 to 2.089
billion tonnes, up from 2.088 billion tonnes in April but down from
2.091 billion tonnes forecast for 2017-18.
Total grains consumption is forecast at 2.136 billion tonnes, down
from 2.139 billion tonnes in April and compared with 2.108 billion
tonnes in 2017-18.
The forecast for total grains carryover stocks was lowered to 556
million tonnes, down from 560 million tonnes as the April forecast
and down from 602 million tonnes in 2017-18.
"Total grains production in 2018-19 is projected to be only a little
below the season before as a reduced wheat harvest is almost balanced by better outturns of corn, barley and sorghum," the IGC said.
"However, taking account of reduced opening stocks, total supply
is set to decline to a three-year low. Another year of consumption
growth is anticipated, with food, feed and industrial uses all expected
to expand. The global carryover is therefore seen coming down for a
second year, taking inventories to a four-season low."
Corn production in 2018-19 is forecast at 1.055 billion tonnes, up
14

from 1.054 billion tonnes in April and up from 1.044 billion tonnes
in 2017-18. Consumption is forecast at 1.098 billion tonnes, down
from 1.099 billion tonnes in April and compared with 1.074 billion
tonnes in 2017-18.
Global wheat production in 2018-19 is forecast at 742 million
tonnes, up from 739 million tonnes a month ago and compared with
758 million tonnes forecast for 2017-18. Consumption is forecast a
bit higher, at 746 million tonnes compared with 745 million tonnes
in April and 740 million tonnes a year ago.
Soybean production in 2018-19 is forecast at 356 million tonnes,
up from 355 million tonnes in April and 336 million tonnes in 201718, while consumption is forecast at 356 million tonnes, down from
357 million tonnes forecast a month ago but up from 345 million
tonnes a year ago.
Rice production in 2018-19 is forecast at 490 million tonnes, down
from 493 million tonnes in April but up from 488 million tonnes
in 2017-18. Rice consumption also is forecast lower, at 491 million
tonnes, which compares with 493 million tonnes in April and 488
million tonnes in 2017-18.
June 2018 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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World Grain - June 2018

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