According to local media reports, citing government officials, the Straubing plant was forced to recall 20,000 tons of tainted soybean meal in late December. The soybean meal in question, originating from soybeans grown in Bavaria, Austria, Hungary and other countries of the Danube region, was said to have been delivered to farmers between November 13 and December 15.
After Salmonella contamination was suspected, production at the Straubing facility was halted - the last delivery of potentially loaded goods took place on 15 December, reported German media outlet, BR.de.
ADM sent FeedNavigator a statement yesterday on the matter:
“ADM takes its responsibility for the quality and safety of our products very seriously. We are taking action so farmers know that the feed products they provide unquestionably meet the highest quality standards for which they are known. The soybean meal will be decontaminated and the mixed feed will be disposed and burnt. We have taken all the necessary measures to clean our production lines, and our plant is fully operational.”
In an update provided to us today, a spokesperson for ADM explained that a few samples out of hundreds of deliveries of soybean meal tested positive for trace amounts of salmonella. "Out of an abundance of caution and in consultation with the Bavarian feed authorities, we recalled this entire batch of feed. We then paused production to complete a thorough cleaning and sterilization of our Straubing facility. Feed processed after December 23 has passed all quality and safety standards."
She said ADM was working very closely with its customers to return deliveries of affected feed, as well as liaising with the Bavarian Farmers Association to ensure farmers have the most up-to-date information and resources to return and replace that feed.
A spokesperson for the government of Upper Bavaria told Idowa.de, after that publication asked whether the Salmonella infestation could possibly have been detected earlier, that ADM was regularly controlled “in accordance with the legal requirements."
Investment in plant
In October last year, we reported that ADM has further invested in its crushing facility at Straubing to support the production of high-protein meal, adding to the existing non-GMO crushing capacity at the plant.
John Grossmann, president, European crush and origination, for the US agribusiness giant, said then the added capability would enable it to produce non-GMO soybean meal for the local poultry, dairy and pig feed markets.
“The new equipment is state-of-the-art and highly energy efficient, producing superior quality high-protein meal.”
ADM said the expansion of its non-GMO soybean processing capabilities at Straubing gives local farmers a further incentive to grow more non-GMO soybeans and benefit from bringing soybeans into crop rotations.
The demand for non-GMO soybean meal from European soybeans is steadily growing, it added.
Earlier in 2017, it expanded its soy processing capabilities at its facility in Spyck in Germany.
The company it has been actively working with farmers and industry partners across Europe to create further opportunities to grow and market soybeans in the region, including collaborating with industry accreditation bodies.
This article was updated to include comments from ADM provided to FeedNavigator today.