Biodegradable Corn Products Are A Hit In Japan As a result of U.S. Feed Grains Council efforts, the 1998 Winter Olympic games in Nagano, Japan, will feature biodegradable plastic products made from U.S. com. The Council, the Hoshida Group, and ASA will display and use biodegradable plastic bags, flatware, cups and coated paper products at the Eco- Friendly Kentucky Fried Chicken booth located near the Olympic Ice Skating Rink. U.S. com imports could in crease by 7 mmt (275.8 mbu) as a result of Council biode gradable promotion in Japan. The Olympics are not the only venue for biodegradable com products. The Council’s composting infrastructure de velopment efforts in Japan targeted at expanding the mar ket for corn-based biodegrad able packaging have spur red the harmonization of separ ate composting initiatives within different divisions of Ja pan’s Ministry of Food and Forestry (MAFF), Discussions are moving for ward among three Japanese ministries (MAFF, MHW and MITI) on establishing a har monized pan-government scheme for organic treatment of compostable waste. This un precedented cooperation im proves the outlook for develop- HYBRID CORN 7757 - Great Silage 7343 - Lots of Grain 7300 EE - High Oil 6848 - 108 Day Super Technology Chemgro Performance Value Corn Briefs ing a broad-based biodegrad able market, rather than smaller niche markets. High Oil Corn Continues To Shine When high oil corn’s (HOC) popularity began to grow, the Council began marketing it to overseas customers, both old and new. A recent signing ceremony in Taiwan marked another milestone in this mar ket development effort In October, a Taiwan feed mill signed an agreement to purchase 280,000 mt (11 mbu) of U.S. high oil com between November 1997 and October 1999. Since 1995, the Council’s office in Taiwan and the world headquarters in Washington, D.C., have been working close ly with U.S. suppliers and Tai wan feed millers to promote U.S. HOC. “Our promotional efforts on high oil com have included de monstrations and short cours es,” said C.M. Lynn, USFGC director/Taiwan. In addition, “a trade team that visited the United States introduced key Taiwan customers to high oil com,” said Kent Swisher, USFGC manager of interna tional operations. “They vis ited a feed mill in Ohio and saw how HOC was handled. That was the first time that many team members had heard of HOC.” In Japan, the Council helped PO Box 2U, East Petarsburg, PA 17520 (717) 569-329* • (SOO) 345-47*9 (GROW) get HOC approved as a feed for swine ahd poultry and is wott ing on approval for beef feed ing. In Colombia, the top mar ket for U.S. com in South America, demand for HOC is increasing. Two major grain companies arc currently con tracting with U.S. com fanners to produce more than 1.8 mmt (70.9 mbu) of HOC for export in 1998-99. According to the Council’s Value-Enhanced Com Quality Report, U.S. fanners planted 400.000 acres of HOC, in 1996/97. In 1997/98, the report estimates that to grow to one million acres. Corn News In Colombia El Nino has apparently caused many agricultural pro duction problems in Colombia, forcing the country to initiate a substantia] increase in imports over the last few months. U.S. com imports through September 1997 were close to 1 mmt (39.4 mbu) and with new Council marketing pro grams and estimates of de creased local grain production as a result of El Nino, com im ports are likely to rise to 1.6 mmt (63 mbu). El Nino is presently affect ing com, sorghum and rice planting and the farmers’ asso ciation has said that Colom bia’s feed grain production during the first part of 1998 will decline sharply. Accord ing to Colombia’s seed asso ciation, seed zero. PICK CORN AND CHOP STALKS At the Same Time with the Geringhoff Rota Disc Head The Rota Disc technique allows the corn head to draw the corn plant in quickly through the stripping system not only stripping the plant but cutting the stalk into small pieces and delivering it to the bottom of the row. Visit our web site at http://www.geringhoff-us.com HERNLEYS EQUIPMENT INC. When You Want Service You Can Count On Us! -f -800-564-251 1 2095 S. Market St. Elizabethtown, PA 17022 71 7-367-8867 Coro Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 7, 1998-Page PENNSYLVANIA MASTER CORN GROWERS ASSOC., INC. The Minister of Agriculture said that if necessary he will support increased grain im ports through the beginning of CY9B. The Council’s 1997 Pioneer International Agricul tural Trade Fellowship Mission members found Colombian customers pleased with the quality of U.S. com and very enthusiastic about high oil com, all of which they source from the United States. They also heard during several meet ings that com and sorghum production is declining in Colombia, and that by the year 2000, Colombia could import 3.0 mmt of feed grains. HOC endusers in this region are will ing to purchase more of this in gredient, and a key importing feedmill said that if there was more U.S. HOC available on the market they would buy it Egypt Initiates Use Of Corn Flour For Bread Council work pays off again. Based on Council suggestions an Egyptian flour mill began using white corn in their bread production. Currently, 50,000 mt (2 mbu) of white corn has been used with complete consumer Fits all brand combines up to 12 row sizes! acceptance. Additional market tests using yellow com have been a success, with the yellow com bread receiving higher marks nutritionally. The flour mills intend to expand their use of white and yellow corn in flour and bread production in the upcoming year. A Japanese Network Helps To Promote Corn-Related Products Com flake consumption got a big boost in Japan from a 30-minute program on the Tokyo Broadcasting Station’s breakfast program. Hiroko Sakashita, USFGC associate director/Japan, and Juri No guchi, ATO public relations, were instrumental in getting the program, originally plan ned for five minutes, expanded to a half hour. The broadcast included views of a typical American family eating com flakes, discussions with nutri tionists of the benefits of U.S. cereals, and demonstrations of their convenience, concluding with the suggestion that Japan ese consumers are missing a great breakfast option if they don’t increase their intake of com flakes beyond the current 200 grams per capita per year. Tlie revolutionary head saves yon time and money by eliminating yonr stalk chopper Here’s how it works . . . 231
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