Future of grain
HIGHLIGHTING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN GRAIN PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION
BioAmber opens succinic acid plant in Sarnia
BioAmber Inc., a renewable chemistry company, opened a new plant in Sarnia at the beginning of August. The plant was jointly built with Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
BioAmber is committed to producing chemicals in a more environmentally responsible manner by using renewable feedstock, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, and substantially reducing energy consumption. Their bio-based process for making succinic acid will result in a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 60% reduction in energy consumption compared to the equivalent process that uses petroleum. The new plant uses innovative biotechnology to produce biobased succinic acid from glucose sourced from southern Ontario agricultural suppliers. The production process is based on fermentation technology that uses a proprietary yeast.
BioAmber Sarnia Inc. will produce succinic acid in a crystalline form, similar in appearance to table salt. It can be used in products such as plastics, paints, textiles and coatings, artificial leather, food and flavours, and personal care products. •
Who are you following?
Farmers are using Twitter to stay connected and up to date with industry news. Each month, Ontario Grain Farmer magazine will highlight Twitter accounts we think you should consider following or hashtags (#) that will help you join specific conversations.
#SafeHarvest
Use this hashtag to find daily harvest safety tips from Syngenta until October 31. Tweets will include links to farm safety videos, articles, and websites. Farmers can also share their own safety tips using #SafeHarvest for a chance to win safety equipment prizes from Syngenta.
@advancing_women
The Advancing Women Conference East (#AWCeast 2015) will be held October 5 – 6, 2015 in Toronto. The conference is designed to help women with leadership development, finances, career development, community support, and communication skills. For more information and to register, visit www.advancing womenconference.ca. •
The Digital Toolbox
The smartphone, tablet and computer are important tools on today’s farms. Each month, Ontario Grain Farmer magazine will highlight an app, online tool, or website that may help you in the field or in the farm office.
Harvest Loss Calculator
The Harvest Loss Calculator from Ag PhD helps you determine how much of your crop you are leaving in the field after harvest. It is extremely easy to use; simply select your crop and input the number of seeds or kernels counted on the ground in one square foot of area. The app returns a harvest loss calculation in both bushels per acre and pounds per acre. The app calculates losses for barley, corn, oats, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.
It is available for free for Android and Apple devices. •
