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March 2007 Steven J. Markey joins CF Industries, Inc. as Dir of Sls Strategy. Prior to joining CF Industries, Markey was Dir of Crop Nutrients Product Management for Agriliance, LLC. Smithfield Foods Inc., announces it is in the process of phasing out individual gestation stalls at all of its company-owned sow farms and replacing them with pens. In making the decision to convert from gestation stalls to group housing, C. Larry Pope, Smithfield Foods CEO says, "our decision acknowledges that extensive research into sow housing has concluded both gestation stalls and group pens provide for the well-being of pregnant sows and work equally well from a production standpoint. There is no scientific consensus on which system is superior, and we do not endorse one management system over the other." The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) Board approves the dissolution of the Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation (FAC). The FAC was chartered to provide capital to Farm Credit System (FCS) institutions experiencing financial difficulties and to assist FCS institutions in repaying funds provided through the program. The FAC was determined by the FCA Board to have completed its statutory mission in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Farmetrics introduces the first prediction market tailored for U.S. agribusiness that enables participants to learn more about their local, state and national crop conditions. Participants submit predictions, which are posted weekly, for local planted acreage, yield and harvested acreage at www.farmetrics.com. "Gaining real-time, more accurate information about local crop conditions is vital to U.S. agribusiness," says Bill Towles, who manages farmer focus programs for the Web site's sponsor, Bunge Global Markets, Inc. Quality Technology International, Inc. (QTI) appoints Steven C. Johnson as Mktg Mgr, Animal Health. In his new position, Johnson will be responsible for the sales and marketing of Calsporin direct fed microbial feed additive. Prior to joining QTI Johnson was the Dir of Mktg for Chr. Hansen, Inc., Milwaukee, WI. USAgNet reports net farm income is forecast to be $58.9 billion in 2006, down from 2005 by $14.9 billion, but above its 10-year average of $57.2 billion. Major factors behind the projected decline in farm income from recent record levels are declines in milk prices, government payments, and an increase in production expenses. In 2006 the average farm household income is projected to be $80,703, down 0.9% from 2005. On family farms, increases in crop cash receipts and other farm income, are projected to be more than offset by declines in livestock cash receipts and government payments. Eli Lilly and Company launches a business group focused on companion animal health. The group, evolving at Lilly for more than seven years, will produce innovative medicines for dogs and cats under the Lilly brand name. Also, Lilly announces a $250,000 endowment to the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine to fund a lecture series on the human-pet bond. Losonoco Ltd., a Fort Lauderdale-based energy company, plans to build four plants in Florida to produce 300 million gallons of ethanol annually from agricultural and yard waste. Alan Banks, CEO Losonoco Ltd., says he thinks it makes more sense to use existing castoff material for ethanol production instead of food crops. Banks says using yard waste as a source for cellulosic ethanol also solves a disposal problem, citing the Palm Beach County's Solid Waste Authority collection of 250,000 tons of yard waste a year. Deere & Co. hires Jack Buzzard as VP of Mkt Development. He will be responsible for developing and implementing business strategies for Deere's Roberts Irrigation Products, a company specifically chosen as a vanguard member of a developing global water platform for Deere. Prior to joining Deere, Buzzard was with Rain Bird Corp., where he served in a number of senior level management positions. Beck's Superior Hybrids breaks ground for its Practical Farm Research Program site. At the Bloomington, IL, site due to open Spring 2007, the company plans to conduct research of interest to Illinois farmers. "This investment expands our commitment to Illinois farmers and will give them the opportunity to visit and learn from locally-based research," says company VP Scott Beck. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., (BIVI), St. Joseph, MO, swine division announces changes to its sales and professional services staffs. Following are the key appointments: Brian Hotze, Reg'l Mgr; Paul Skartvedt, Swine Sls Mgr for eastern Iowa; Brent Green, Swine Sls Mgr for corporate accounts ; Dr. Edgar Diaz, Technical Mgr for porcine circovirus, Swine Team; and Dr. Tom Painter, Professional Services Veterinarian, Swine Team. Cargill subsidiary Emerald Renewable Energy LLC announces plans to develop four 100 million-gallon-per-year ethanol plants in the Midwestern United States. The company is also considering several sites in the Cornbelt. The plants will use nearly 40 million bushels of corn annually and produce 100 million gallons of ethanol and over 300,000 tons of dry distillers grains for animal feed yearly. Texas A&M University Agriculture and Monsanto Company announce the creation of the Borlaug-Monsanto Chair for Plant Breeding and International Crop Improvement. The chair is named in honor of Dr. Norman Borlaug, 1970 Nobel Peace Prize winner. Funding for the chair comes from a $2.5 million endowment from Monsanto. Pat Arthur joins Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., as Public Affairs Mgr. He was with Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications. Golden Harvest names Jim Germscheid as Sls Development Mgr. He is responsible for managing the DSM Trainee program and the sales staff. Kinze Mfg., Williamsburg, IA, opens a new 39,000 square foot training center, representing Phase 1 of its planned expansion that will result in a 150 x 260 foot clear-span facility. Phase 2 will add state-of-the-art classrooms and meeting facilities to the center. Kinze's new, indoor 250-foot traveling seed bed will extend its research and development capabilities with year-round, in-the-dirt testing of planter row units, attachments and seed meters, including the ability to study soil flow characteristics. Cargill and MMI Genomics, Inc., Davis, CA, announces the launch of two new breeding tools for the cattle industry: Tru-Marbling and Tru-Tenderness. Based on MetaMorphix's Genius- Whole Genome System, the tools are DNA based selection products that allow livestock breeders to accurately determine the genetic potential of beef cattle to express these desirable traits. Breeders can use these products to optimize matings that accelerate genetic progress for individual cattle production operations and for entire breeds. In addition, these trait-specific tests can eliminate the need to perform expensive and time-consuming progeny testing on unproven bulls. Cerexagri-Nisso LLC, King Of Prussia, PA, announces that two of its products, Microthiol Disperss (micronized wettable sulfur) and Firewall (streptomycin) have received organic status. All components of these two formulations are now on the USDA National Organics Program approved list and an application is being made for inclusion in the OMRI Product List. "We believe organic growers will be well served by the improved characteristics of the products coupled with the stewardship provided by the Cerexagri Team," said Beth Sears, Mktg Dir, Cerexagri, Inc. Wyeth names Bernard Poussot as its Pres/COO and Vice Chmn. In addition, he was elected to the company's board of directors. Poussot continues his current leadership responsibilities for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Wyeth R&D, as well as the Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Fort Dodge Animal Health divisions of the Company. Schering-Plough announces Raul Kohan has been named Sr VP and Pres, Animal Health. He will continue to serve on the Executive Management Team and the Operating Management Team and will serve as a Strategic Advisor to Consumer Health Care. Kohan will continue to support the HomeAgain business due to the close working relationship between HomeAgain and Animal Health. He will also work on additional corporate initiatives in collaboration with other EMT colleagues. Kohan has been with the company since 1984 when he joined as finance director of Schering-Plough Venezuela. He held various positions of increasing responsibility and was appointed president of Schering-Plough Animal Health in 1993 and assumed responsibility for Global Specialty Operations in 2003. British Petroleum announces it has selected the University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Illinois to lead an unprecedented $500 million research effort to develop new sources of energy and reduce the impact of energy consumption on the environment. The funding will create the Energy Biosciences Institute which initially will focus its research on biotechnology to produce biofuels — that is, turning plants and plant materials, including corn, field waste, switchgrass and algae, into transportation fuels. Engineered Storage Products Company (ESPC) unveils a new logo for its Harvestore brand. The first major change to the logo in more than 20 years, it will appear on corporate and promotional materials and all new and rebuilt Harvestore structures. The new logo was designed by ESPC's business development and marketing services firm, OPEN ROADS in Milwaukee, WI. The World Agricultural Forum, St. Louis, MO, receives a $250,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition, the Forum receives a $100,000 grant in from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, MI. Titan Tire Corporation, Quincy, IL, launches three new Goodyear branded tire lines for agricultural and skid steer equipment at the annual Goodyear Dealer Conference. Included are high flotation and sprayer tires. Maurice Taylor Jr., Titan chairman and CEO says, "It is a great honor to be able to introduce these items during the dealer conference through our close working relationship with Goodyear." Tweet |
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