Five Bulk Material Headlines You May Have Missed in November

With the fed holding interest rates in place, we’ve begun to see confidence returning in the market. Compiled with an avoidance of a national rail strike and forecasts for steady growth in manufacturing in 2023, this year is ending on a good note. Here are five headlines you may have missed in November:

Rail Strike Averted with New Legislation

After months of posturing, President Joe Biden signed new legislation, passed by Congress, that averts a rail strike that would have crippled the US economy.

With America’s railways moving about one-quarter of all US grain, and most grain products, such as soybean oil and meal, dried distillers’ grains and other byproducts used in the production of animal feed and pet food, a disruption in the rail service could have put the US economy and manufacturing in a tailspin. 

The Biden administration helped in negotiations between the rail labor unions and operators, resulting in a tentative agreement in September. Eight of the 12 unions had ratified the agreement.

The unions voting down the agreement took issue with the level of the pay increase given current inflation levels as well as a failure to address demands to make work schedules more flexible.

The workers and companies had until Dec. 9 to reach an agreement before they vowed to strike.

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FDA Passes New Rule to Increase Traceability of Contaminated Foods

Federal food safety agency The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized a new rule Tuesday that seeks to improve the traceability of contaminated food products from both domestic and international sources through enhanced recordkeeping duties.

The FDA’s final rule requires manufacturers, processors, packers, and handlers of certain foods – including fresh leafy greens, nut butters, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, and ready-to-eat deli salads – to maintain additional traceability records.

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Discovery of Gene Could Lead to Drought-Resistant Wheat

A discovery made by researchers at the John Innes Centre in Norwich and an international team of researchers could lead to wheat varieties that are more resistant to drought. The researchers found a height-reducing gene Rht13 that allows seeds to be planted deeper in the soil, giving them more access to moisture.

Other benefits of the dwarf gene may include stiffer stems that withstand stormy weather.

Reduced-height genes date to the 1960s but were considered a failure  While the genes have increased global wheat yields because the short-stemmed wheat they produce puts more investment into the grains rather than into the stems. However, when The genes are bred into wheat produced such short stems they failed , and the wheat varieties are planted deeper into the soil, they may fail to grow to the soil’s surface.

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Be Prepared for Weather Related Food Safety Interruptions in 2023 

Extreme weather-related events could affect and potentially shut down your operation—anywhere from a few hours to possibly weeks or months. Weather-related events, power interruptions and other issues can add up to serious food safety problems if there isn’t a plan or strategy set up in advance. 

In this article, the author looks at a few food safety issues that could emerge in 2023, including:

• Disruptions to potable water
• Food and Supply Chain Issues
• Flooding and Hurricane Caused Water Contamination
• Power Grid Outages
• Environmental Bacteria
• Improper Labeling

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Bulk Food Ingredient Market to Expand at a CAGR of 4.9% by 2030.

The global bulk food ingredients market size was valued at USD 303.55 billion in 2022 and is and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% over the forecast period.

The need for ready-to-eat foods grows daily as a result of the growing young population, the majority of whom are working age. This demographic is known to have a busy and demanding lifestyle. Additionally, the packaged food industry's business plans will maintain a steady market for packaged foods, which will help the market for bulk food ingredients grow over the projection period.

The development of the market for bulk food ingredients could also be hampered.  One potential problem is a lack of tools and techniques in the agriculture sector that would increase the effectiveness of the production of crops.  Another could be a lack of investment in infrastructure amenities that would prevent bacterial contamination of bulk food ingredients. This problem is anticipated to grow significantly because of the market's ambiguity and high volatility.

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