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ABN (Associated British Nutrition)
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| Why ABN? As the third largest animal feed manufacturer in the UK [1], ABN is one of the biggest users of genetically modified (GM) crops in the country. The company uses unsegregated (mixed GM and non-GM) soya and maize in many of its products, which are then eaten by livestock on farms across the country. The effects of this on livestock and on people who eat the meat and dairy products that come from them is unknown. Through pressure from activists, campaigners and consumers, human food manufacturers have been forced to use only identity preserved (non-GM) ingredients. There is currently very little incentive for ABN to follow their example. This briefing aims to give campaigners an insight into the company and so help them to find ways of persuading the company to stop using GM ingredients. If successful, campaigners will be robbing the likes of Monsanto and AgrEvo of one of their largest sources of income in the UK. What is ABN? |
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| Who owns ABN? ABN is wholly owned by Associated British Foods PLC (ABF). ABF is wholly owned by Wittington Investments Ltd [2]. ABF PLC 68 Knightsbridge, London SW1. Tel 0171 589 6363 Fax 0171 584 8560 Wittington Investments Weston Centre, Bowater House, London, SW1X 7LQ. Tel 0171 589 6363 Head Office ABN Ltd ABN House, Oundle Road, Woodston, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 9QS Tel 01733 555552. Fax 01733 422258. Managing Director - Alan Murphy |
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| Subsidiaries of ABN involved in animal feed J. Bibby Agriculture By far the largest of ABN's animal feeds businesses. Contact details as ABN head office. Trident Feeds Specialises in Molassed Sugar Beet Feed and feed made from the by-products of distillers (spirits manufacturers). Based at ABN head office. Tel 01733 422220. Fax 01733 890182 Jordans Animal Feeds A large feed manufacturer in Northern Ireland. 160, Moira Rd, Lisburn, County Antrim BT28 1JB Tel 01846 662 611. Fax 01846 677 202 Central Laboratories This company analyses the feed of ABN's feed businesses. They receive end products and raw materials which they analyse for nutritional content and 'undesirables' such as pesticide residue. Wildmere Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 7TU Tel 01295 222 700. Fax 01295 222709 Farming Supplies (Maldon) The company only produces feed for sheep and cattle. It doesn't use any antibiotics or growth promoters in its products. The company is in the process of converting to organic. Fullbridge Mill, Maldon, Essex Tel 01621 852 462. Fax 01621 857 274 KW Alternative Feeds Involved in alternative feeding systems, selling a range of feeds. 2 Giles Cross Bradford Peverell, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9SJ Tel: 01305 267763 Badminton Speciality Feeds. Manufacturer of horse, pet and speciality feeds. 16, Mill St, Oakham, Leicestershire LE15 6EA Tel 01572 756 091. Fax 01572 756 021 |
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| ABN’s position on GM ABN doesn't have a position statement on the use of GM ingredients. However, according to Dr Michael Marsden (see 'Other Key People' this page) the majority of ABN's products do contain GM material. He says that there isn't currently sufficient demand for non-GM animal feed to warrant ABN producing more than niche quantities. This is done on an ad hoc basis when a customer demands it, though even then ABN will only supply it if it is economically viable. Like many others in the industry, he believes that it would be relatively easy to produce dairy and sheep feed without GM crop ingredients because soya and maize can be excluded. However, this still leaves the issue of GM micro ingredients unresolved, (see 'Introduction and Strategic Overview' briefing). Dr Marsden claims that it would be difficult to produce pig and poultry feeds without using soya and as identity preserved (segregated non-GM) is currently much more expensive than unsegregated soya. Since the end product would be more expensive, this would be unpopular with farmers, he says. He goes on to state that it is also currently difficult to obtain large quantities of IP soya, though this may become easier in the future. Companies in the US have recently announced that they are going to segregate maize because some varieties grown in the US have not been approved in Europe [12] and farmers are being urged to consider growing non-GM varieties by the American Corn Growers Association [13]. With pressure from Europe, soya growers may follow suit. Dr Marsden also stressed that there is a risk of cross-contamination throughout the supply chain and that there is a need for a legally defined threshold (acceptable level of GM contamination). This effectively means that they want a legal definition of GM free that allows them to continue to include some GM ingredients! |
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| Some of J. Bibby's Products Feed for dairy cattle - Diamond Grasslink. Supreme Grasslink. Supreme Gold (high levels of maize). Graslink Gold, Plus and 16 Diamond Dairy 20. Supreme Dairy 20. Super Magnum. Dairy Extra 18. Magnum Plus 18. Premium Dairy 16 Feed for beef cattle- Primestock range Pig feed - Primary Range, Pioneer Range and Sow Feed (Drysow Plus, Supersow and Superlac) Sheep - Prime Breeder 22 Cake. Super Sheep Cake. Premium Ewe 18 cake/nuggets. Various lamb pellets. Diamond Sheep Breeder 34. Super Sheep Cake and Intensive Lamb Pellets. |
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| J. Bibby and BSE J. Bibby are giving evidence to the BSE inquiry. The company has admitted that it produced cattle feed containing meat and bone meal from other cattle. This is thought to be the mechanism by which BSE was transmitted through herds - and thence to humans. Dr Helen Raine and Dr Michael Marsden (see ‘Other Key People’) are giving evidence on the company’s behalf [14]. Financial Details Turnover £256.2m. Pre-Tax Profit £8.2m. Year to September 1997 [1] Number of Employees 896 in September 1997 [6] Key Personnel - Directors Peter Jackson David Langlands Alan Murphy Dr Helen Raine John Shirbon David Yiend [7] Other Key People As well as being a director, Dr Helen Raine is ABN's Technical Director. She is a member of the United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association's National Executive Committee and is Chairman of its Feed Executive Committee. She is also a member of the new Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs which was set up by MAFF to examine the safety and use of animal feed. It "will review the implications of new developments, particularly the use of GM materials." It will also provide ‘independent’ advice to the Food Standards Agency and Agriculture Ministers in the government [8]. In addition she has given evidence on behalf of J. Bibby Agriculture to the BSE enquiry [9]. Dr Michael Marsden is Research and Technical Manager of ABN. He is responsible for the specifications of all ruminant (cattle and sheep) feeds and is also giving evidence on behalf of J. Bibby to the BSE inquiry [9]. He also chairs the UKASTA scientific committee [10]. This is part of UKASTA's animal feed sector and is responsible for, among other things, lobbying government on environmental issues which effect its members [11]. Direct Line 01733 422 131 |
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| Where is ABN? England - North West J Bibby Agriculture Ingleside, Paddock Lane, Audlem, Cheshire, CW3 0DP. Tel 01270 812473 . Mill producing sheep, cattle, pig and poultry feeds. Manager Dave Dodd Lower Philips Road, Whitebirk Ind Est, Blackburn, Lancs, BB1 5SL. Tel 01254 59506. Fax 01254 682439 Mill. Site Manager Peter Marsden High Mill, Langwathby, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1NB. Tel 01768 881431. Fax 01768 881766. Mill producing various feeds. Manager Mr J Edgar England - North J Bibby Agriculture Bishopdyke Road, Sherburn in Elmet, Leeds, W Yorks, LS25 6JZ. Tel 01977 684784. Fax 01977 684656. Mill producing sheep, cattle, pig and poultry feeds Manager Mr Warns England - West Midlands J Bibby Agriculture Ennerdale Road, Harlescott, Shrewsbury, Shrops, SY1 3TD. Tel 01743 441081. Fax 01743 465457. Mill producing sheep, cattle, pig and poultry feeds. England - East Midlands J Bibby Agriculture 75 Northgate, Newark, Notts, NG24 1BR. Tel 01636 676012. Fax 01636 707258. Mill producing various types of feed. Site manager Robert Reed. England - East Anglia A.B.N, J Bibby Agriculture and Trident Feeds ABN House, Oundle Road, Woodston, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 9QS Tel 01733 555552. Fax 01733 422258 (ABN and J Bibby) Tel 01733 422220. Fax 01733 890182 (Trident Feeds) Head Office. Managing Director Alan Murphy J Bibby Agriculture Sedge Fen Road, Southerby, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE38 0PS. Tel 01353 676234 Mill producing pig and poultry feeds. Manager Mr Morley 58 Station Road, Framlingham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP13 9EE. Tel 01728 723374 Fax 01728 724227 .Mill producing mainly pig but also some poultry feed. Manager Mr Osslar England - South West A B N Farm Costings, Cheviot Ho, Castle St, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 3SP. Tel 01722 415683 Office J Bibby Agriculture Bristol Road, Bridgewater, Somerset, TA6 4TB. Tel 01278 683551. Fax 01278 684697. Mill producing sheep, cattle, pig, poultry and game feeds. Manager David Pope Sporting Feeds (J Bibby Agriculture) 3A, West Market Place, Cirencester, Glos, GL7 2NJ. Tel 01285 658884. Fax 01285 651038 England - South East J Bibby Agriculture- Enstone Airfield, Chipping Norton, Oxford, Oxon, OX7 4NR. Tel 01608 678503. Mill, producing ruminant (sheep and cattle), pig and poultry feeds. Produce some organic feeds. Site Manager Boyd Barrington. Central Laboratories Wildmere Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 7TU. Tel 01295 222710 Test animal feeds. Test for several animal feed companies, biggest customer is J.Bibby. They receive end products and raw materials which they analyse for nutritional content and 'undesirables' such as pesticide residue. Operations manager Chris Ingram Farming Supplies (Maldon) Fullbridge Mill, Maldon, Essex. Tel 01621 852462 Mill producing sheep and cattle feeds. In process of going organic. Manager Simon Grist Scotland ABN Scotland Damside, Cupar Muir, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5SL. Tel 01334 657070. Mill. Operations Manager Gordon Jessiman. J Bibby Agriculture New Mill, New Mill Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 3XD. Tel 01563 546600. Store of finished products, Distribution Centre and Customer Service Centre. Manager Simon Dodds Wales J Bibby Agriculture Cillefwr Ind Est, Johnstown, Carmarthen, SA31 3RB. Tel 01267 232041. Fax 01267 230983. Mill producing mainly cattle feed. Also some sheep feed. Mill manager Hugh Jones Northern Ireland J. Bibby Agriculture and Jordans Animal Feeds Knockmore Mill, 160 Moira Road, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, BT28 1JB. Tel: 01846 662611. Fax: 01846 677202. Mill producing various feeds |
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| Footnotes 1. Key Notes Report. Animal Feedingstuffs 1999. Key Note Ltd 2. Who Owns Whom 1999. Dun and Bradstreet 3. Hoover's Company Profiles September 1999 4. ABF website. www.abf.co.uk/trading.html 5. Farming News 05/03/1999 P11 6. Key British Enterprises 1999. Dun and Bradstreet 7. Companies House Information Centre 8. Hermes - UK Government Press Releases 13/07/1999 9. Hermes - UK Government Press Releases 01/10/98 10. Conversation with Michael Marsden August 1999 11. UKASTA website. www.ukasta.org.uk 12. Financial Times 11 September 1999 p13. 'Cold comfort from crop segregation' 13. Los Angeles Times 5 October 1999 14. www.bse.org.uk/witness/htm/stat154.htm. The BSE Inquiry Statement No 154. Dr Raine gave evidence on days 17 and 61, Dr Marsden on day 61. |
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| Corporate Watch is a research and publishing group whose aim is to support activism against large corporations. Copies of these briefings can be obtained by sending an A4 SAE (45p postage) to: Corporate Watch 16b Cherwell Road, Oxford OX4 1BG Tel/Fax +44 (0)1865 791391 mail@corporatewatch.org |
