Industry News

"Empty" Railcars Returning from Mexico Could Be Enforcement Target:   The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service has announced plans to begin enforcing stringent rules affecting "empty" railcars that contain a residue.  Under Customs' rules, an "empty" car entering the U.S. found to contain a residue will be classified as "loaded," although this rule has not heretofore been enforced.  Customs has recently provided notices that it will begin enforcing this rule with an effective date of September 16, 2009 and an enforcement date planned for mid-November.  Rail carriers have been urging Customs to provide additional time before enforcement begins to put the necessary systems in place.   Concerns may be directed to Christina Kopitopoulos with the Customs Border Patrol at (202) 325-0217

Langholz Named to Cargill Post:  Chris Langholz has been named as the new president of Cargill's AgHorizons-U.S. unit, succeeding Dan Dye.  Dye is slated to be the new president of Horizon Milling, succeeding Guy Shoemaker, who is retiring.  For the last 18 months, Langholz has been serving in a corporate capacity and prior to that was a veteran of Cargill's animal nutrition business.  Cargill AgHorizons operates a network of grain elevator and crop input facilities that purchase grain from farmers and deliver agronomic services.  The business offers unique grain marketing contracts, allowing customers to implement a wide range of marketing strategies with an emphasis on reducing market risk.

Gallagher Named Bunge EVP:  Tim Gallagher is slated to return to Bunge North America headquarters in St. Louis as executive vice president over much of the company's agricultural businesses.  Most recently, Gallagher held responsibilities for global grain logistics with the parent company in White Plains, NY. 

Taets Named as ADM Corporate Officer:  The Archer Daniels Midland Company has announced the appointment of Joseph Taets as corporate vice president where he will be responsible for ADM Grain Company with the Agricultural Services business unit.  Taets will be relocating from Europe to the corporate headquarters in Decatur.  Since joining the company in 1988, Taets has held a various trading and management position in both North America and Europe.  He most recently served as managing director, European Oilseeds.

Dorr named CEO of U.S. Grains Council:   the U. S. Grains Council has named Thomas Dorr as its new president and CEO, succeeding Ken Hobbie, a 33-year veteran of the Council who is retiring.  Dorr, an Iowa farmer, had most recently served as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development.  He assumes this new position in November.

Wheat Industry Paper Says Biotech Key to World Supply:  Biotechnology has the potential to help reverse the loss of wheat acres in the United States and help ensure there will be adequate supplies to feed a hungry world. That is the conclusion of a new wheat industry analysis released September 17.

The eight-page paper outlines the competitiveness problem facing global wheat production and the wheat industry itself, which is increasingly vulnerable to short-term supply shocks and a long-term cycle of decline. The paper explains why this matters for the entire food chain - wheat growers, wheat users at home and abroad, and consumers in the industrialized and developing worlds.