World Grain - April 2019 - 10

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China's ban on Canadian canola widens
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA - China will no
longer accept shipments of canola from Viterra, Inc., making
it the second Canadian company to have its registration canceled by the Chinese.
China's General Administration of Customs made the announcement on its website March 26, effective immediately.
This comes days after the Canola Council of Canada (CCC)
said China was unwilling to purchase canola seed. Earlier
in March, China canceled the registration of Richardson
International. Canadian officials hoped to resolve the issue
quickly, but said it seems unlikely now.
"All of our export products are tested to ensure they meet
specific import standards. We take quality concerns seriously
and support a sound, science based approach in the testing of
our exports," a Viterra spokesperson said. "Market access issues such as this one hurt our industry and Canadian farmers.
We are hopeful for a quick resolution to this matter."
China has claimed the bans are due to pests it has found in
shipments. However, there is speculation of political retaliation tied to the December arrest of Meng Wanzhou, an executive with Chinese telecommunications company Huawei.
"Canadian canola is one of the highest quality because of
our world-class quality assurance systems," said Jim Everson,
with CCC. "We have a long-standing history of delivering on
Pat Thiessen, retired flour milling exec, dies
AUGUSTA, KANSAS, U.S. - Patrick H. Thiessen, a retired
flour milling executive, died March 7 in Augusta, Kansas,
U.S. He was 91.
A native of Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S., Thiessen graduated
with undergraduate and law degrees from the University of
Kansas, Lawrence. While at KU, he met Lorraine (Larry)
Ross. The two wed in 1950 and were married nearly 62 years,
until her death in 2012. After graduating from law school,
Thiessen was commissioned a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army
Judge Advocate General Corps. He worked at the Pentagon in
the Defense Appellate Division.
For several years after his military service, Thiessen practiced law in Kansas, first in Salina and then Hutchinson, and
he was elected Reno County Attorney in 1958.
Two years later, Thiessen moved with his family to Wichita
and joined the flour milling business of Ross Industries, Inc.
Ross was a major Kansas milling business established in 1918
by Thiessen's father-in-law Paul Ross and other members of
the Ross family. Thiessen worked in the offices of Kansas
Milling Co., Wichita, the largest of five businesses that made
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quality and reliability. We will continue to provide our customers with high-quality canola and promote stable trade
based on science."
China is a major market for Canadian canola, taking 40% of all
canola seed, oil and meal exports. The CCC said seed exports to
China were worth $2.7 billion in 2018.
China is a top destination for Canada's canola seed, oil and meal.
Photo courtesy of USGC.

up Ross Industries (the others were American Flours, Newton,
Kansas, U.S.; Hunter Milling Co., Wellington, Kansas, U.S.;
Wichita Terminal Elevator, Wichita, Kansas, U.S.; and
Whitewater Flour Mills, Whitewater, Kansas, U.S.).
Ross Industries was acquired by Cargill in 1974. Cargill expanded rapidly in milling while Thiessen was there, combining into a single milling business its Burrus Milling and Ross
Industries businesses with the North American milling business of Seaboard Allied Milling Corp., acquired in the early
1980s. During his time with Cargill, Thiessen was manager
for the Southwest Region of Cargill Flour Milling.
He was active in the North American Millers' Association
(formerly Millers National Federation), chairing the group's
export committee during a period of active U.S. flour exports. He was named a lifetime MNF member following
his retirement.
Thiessen was elected to the Wichita School Board and was
its president in 1969. He was a member of the board of elders
for Eastminster Presbyterian Church and for 25 years was a
director of Intrust Bank.
April 2019 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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World Grain - April 2019

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