Milling & Baking News - October 5, 2021 - 38

TUES | 10 05 202 1
Three-day IBIEducate 2021 set
for late October canceled
KANSAS CITY - IBIEducate, a threeday
event set to take place in late October
in Kansas City featuring a series of workshops,
speakers, breakout sessions
and facility tours, has been canceled
" after an exhaustive process of due
diligence conversations and staff
preparation efforts, " the American
Bakers Association (ABA) and the
Baking Equipment Manufacturers &
Allieds (BEMA) announced on Sept. 29.
The hands-on conference, which was to
be the first event of its kind, would better
serve the industry at a more opportune
time, the groups said.
" We deeply regret having to make this
decision, " said Robb MacKie, president
and chief executive officer of the ABA.
" However, we know having this specific
event at this specific time would not be the
best experience for attendees, despite the
a phenomenal event has been created, and
we look forward to executing those plans
when the time is right. "
The associations said registration and
sponsorship fees will be refunded, and
all hotel reservations made as part of the
IBIEducate 2021 block will be automatically
canceled at no penalty.
Despite IBIEducate 2021 being canceled,
the ABA and BEMA are encouraging
baking industry participants
to virtually attend the associations'
partner event iba.CONNECTING
EXPERTS from Oct. 25-28. The Octotop-notch
curriculum and safety planning
by ABA and BEMA. "
Kerwin Brown, president and CEO of
BEMA, said the decision to cancel is a disappointment.
" Bringing
the industry together and
providing opportunities for education
and networking is at the heart of our mission, "
Mr. Brown said. " The foundation for
United States and Canada face
grain production challenges
CHICAGO - For the first time in nearly
a decade, North American farmers are
grappling with widespread growing challenges,
according to a new report from
BMO Economics on the agriculture sector
in Canada and the United States.
" In both Canada and the United States,
exceptionally hot and dry weather across
the prairies has curtailed crop yields and is
dragging production of major products like
wheat and canola to multi-year lows, " said
Aaron Goertzen, senior economist with
BMO Capital Markets. " But there is a silver
lining. After years of excess supply, expectations
of a smaller harvest have helped
provoke a large increase in crop prices.
Strengthening demand has also helped. "
The report noted that food demand not
only held up well through the COVID-19-related
recession, it increased sharply - and
grocery volumes have remained high even
as the restaurant industry has reopened.
" Strong demand, coupled with less
abundant supply, has given a major lift
to both crop and livestock prices, " Mr.
Goertzen said. " That, on its own, is great
38 MILLING & BAKING NEWS
news for the farm sector. "
But the report also noted production
costs were rising, too, with farmers across
the continent facing higher prices for
many important inputs, including equipment,
fertilizer, feed and energy.
" With costs on the upswing, it is as
important as ever for farmers to maintain
an unrelenting focus on efficiency, " Mr.
ber event is expected to build upon the
groups' virtual event that was held in
March. Topics of discussion will include
the four pillars of connect, discover, learn
and entertain.
IBIEducate was scheduled to follow the
Sosland Publishing Purchasing Seminar,
also in Kansas City. The Purchasing Seminar
is still set to be held Oct. 24-26. MBN
It has been apparent for months that
crop yields across the prairies would be
subpar this year, but the latest estimates
are eye-opening.
" In the United States, total wheat yields
are likely to be around 12% below trend
this year - and that estimate incorporates
a decent winter wheat harvest earlier
this year, " Mr. Goertzen said. " In Canada,
which produces predominantly spring
wheat, yields are projected to be roughly
33% below trend this year. The drought on
the prairies has also devastated yields for
Canadian canola - typically the country's
largest revenue-generating crop - which
are likely to be 37% below trend this year.
" US canola yields are also extremely
weak, though the crop is not grown intensively
south of the border. "
Although North American corn and
soybean yields have held up relatively
well this year, reflecting generally accommodative
conditions in the US Midwest,
continental stockpiles of all major crops
Goertzen said. " Fortunately, both crop and
livestock producers have an impressive
track record on that front. Overall, North
American wheat production has increased
by around 40% over the past half century,
even as the amount of acreage devoted to
the crop declined by more than 20%. "
are getting extremely low.
" Across North America as a whole,
inventories of wheat, canola, corn, and
soybeans are all projected to fall near
decade-lows relative to consumption by
the end of the current marketing year, "
Mr. Goertzen said.MBN
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Milling & Baking News - October 5, 2021

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