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June 2007 AgStar Financial Services, Mankato, MN, names Paulsen Agribranding, Sioux Falls, SD, as their agency of record. AgStar operates primarily in 69 counties in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin serving production agriculture, rural communities and agribusinesses as part of the Farm Credit System. Dow AgroSciences LLC announces it has acquired assets of the Austrian affiliate of Maize Technologies International (MTI), an Austrian based corn seed company, including its breeding programs, germplasm, and related technology, as well as ownership of MTI's French affiliate and other related assets. Jerome Peribere, Dow AgroSciences Pres/CEO says, "Dow AgroSciences gains valuable sources of new genetics to increase the depth and diversity of the company's portfolio as we expand our corn business platform in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe and North America. Additionally the genetics bring exciting potential for higher levels of stress tolerance — cold, moisture, frost — in early maturity zones." McCormick International U.S.A., appoints Rodney Miller as VP, Sls and Mktg for new products and communication. Miller most recently served as Montana Tractors CEO, where he helped launch the company in 2004. He has also held key sales positions for tractor makers such as Mahindra, Valtra and Long Agribusiness. Agricore United (AU) and Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Inc. (SWP) announce that AU has agreed to support a revised all cash offer from SWP to acquire all of the limited voting common shares of AU for $20.50 per share. The transaction has a total enterprise value of approximately $1.8 billion. The amended and restated acquisition agreement entered into between AU and James Richardson Int'l on April 19, 2007 provided for JRI's offer to acquire the limited voting common shares of AU at a price of $19.25 per share, was terminated. JRI has also waived its "right to match" the revised SWP offer. Accordingly, as per the terms of the JRI Acquisition Agreement, AU will pay a termination fee of $35 million to JRI. Additionally, JRI has agreed to acquire certain AU grain elevator locations and crop input centres throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Gibbs & Soell Public Relations (G&S) unveils a new brand identity and Web site reflecting its client-centric culture and emphasis on business-focused results. "The strong, contemporary look symbolizes our continued evolution as a public relations agency that combines solid strategic thinking with a broad, yet targeted, service portfolio. Through this approach, we are uniquely positioned to develop programs that generate meaningful results for our clients' businesses," said Cos Mallozzi, G&S Pres/CEO As part of its brand identity efforts, G&S also redesigned its Web site www.gibbs-soell.com to integrate the fresh, new style and focused positioning. John Deere Foundation announces a $1.25 million grant for construction of a new agricultural and biosystems engineering facility at Iowa State University. The building is part of a planned multi-structure complex that will include ISU's Office of Biorenewables Programs. "Based on its long record of scientific and engineering achievement, Iowa State University is in a particularly strong position to provide leadership for the biorenewables effort. Technical support from the university is essential to producing renewable fuels on a large scale and in an economically feasible, sustainable manner," said Michael J. Mack, Jr., Dir of the John Deere Foundation and Sr VP/CFO of Deere & Company. The new agricultural and biosystems facility will be part of a 166,000-square-foot complex that will include three separate buildings to replace current laboratories, classrooms and offices. Cost is estimated at $63.3 million. The North American Agricultural Journalists name Paula Lavigne, a reporter for the Des Moines Register, as the recipient of its top writing award for 2006. Lavigne also received the Glenn Cunningham Memorial Award as the organization's journalist of the year at the National Press Club. The award recognized a series of Lavigne's news stories on organic food labeling published last year in the Dallas Morning News. DTN had the most winning entries (four), followed by Top Producer, Western Producer and the Omaha World-Herald with two each. CNH Global announces it has restructured into four legal entities: Case IH Agriculture; Case Construction; New Holland Agriculture; and New Holland Construction. Purdue University announces upcoming events for agrimarketers: Precision Selling: Building Relationships with Large Farmers - July 10-11, 2007 Strategic Agrimarketing - October 22-26, 2007 National Conference for Agribusiness Re-Thinking Service Strategies: Innovations that Drive Profit - November 13-14, 2007 For more information visit, https://www.agecon.purdue.edu/cab/index.html AGCO Corporation announces a restructuring of its RoGator and TerraGator distribution strategy. Beginning July 1, four Caterpillar dealers, currently distributing AGCO's Challenger product line, will assume responsibility for new machinery sales of TerraGators and RoGators. Already providing after-the-sale parts and service support, Altorfer Inc., Butler Machinery, NMC and Ziegler Ag Equipment will become the single source for new machinery sales in the prime Midwestern agricultural markets of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Carl Moberg joins EMD Crop BioScience's as a North American Mktg Mgr. Moberg will concentrate on areas of expansion, specifically new, foliar-applied LCO Promoter Technology and other technologies for a variety of crops. As new crop onputs are introduced, he will lead marketing efforts to get the yield and plant health-enhancing technologies in the hands of growers. Moberg was most recently with Agriliance as Dir of Branded Product Mktg and was responsible for the development and marketing of all products sold under the AgriSolutions, Origin and RSA brands. KZEN Radio and Platte County Nebraska 4-H Club are putting together seed packets to assist Iraqi children and families in growing their own vegetables. "What we are doing is per the request of some U.S. soldiers," says Susan Littlefield, a Reg'l VP on the NAFB Board of Directors. Intervet releases the new Intervet Power Retailer Web site. "The site provides retailers with information on special offers, interactive training modules with product and merchandising tips, plus a host of useful marketing and merchandising resources and tools, all designed to help retailers be more successful," said Jacinthe Moreau, Ag Retail Mktg Mgr. The Web site is divided into four specific categories: promotional programs, products, training modules and merchandising tools. Designed to create sales momentum, the promotional programs help drive in-store traffic and create loyalty with customers. The programs include special buying opportunities, turnkey promotions, and product coupons. Kent Feeds promotes Kale Causemaker as Commercial Feed Product and Brand Mgr. He began his career with Kent Feeds in 2003 as a DSM in West Central Illinois. Smithfield Foods, Inc. announces the completion of its acquisition of Premium Standard Farms, Inc. (PSF). The total combined value of stock and cash to be received by PSF shareholders was $22.13 per PSF share with a total purchase price of approximately $800 million, including the assumption of PSF's approximately $125 million of net debt. IRON Solutions, LLC, announces the appointment of Roger Sanders as Dir of National Dealer Account Sales. Sanders most recently was with Machinery Link, Meredith Corp., and has been in the farm equipment business. Trans Ova Genetics and ViaGen, have partnered to launch Bovance, a new company offering cloning services to the cattle industry. Bovance combines the cloning capabilities of ViaGen with the broad bovine reproduction expertise of Trans Ova Genetics. Breeders of dairy, beef, bucking stock, Longhorn, and all other cattle now have access to the best source of bovine cloning technology. For more information visit, www.bovance.com. Beck Ag announces the launch of a new Web site at www.beckag.com. According to Beck Ag Pres Stephanie Liska, "Our new Web site (V. 2007) is designed for customized access by Ag marketers who sponsor WOMM campaigns and our Ag professional participant base (the audience targeted by sponsor companies). We realize that both of these audiences have unique reasons to learn about Beck Ag." The new Web site includes case studies of past WOMM programs, client and participant feedback, educational resources on WOMM, and easy to access audio clips of actual Beck Ag-produced programs. The U.S. District Court, for the Northern District of California has ruled that the planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa may not take place until the USDA completes an environmental impact statement. Roundup Ready alfalfa that was planted by March 30, 2007 can still be grown, harvested and sold as forage. Monsanto petitioned the court to become a party in the case to defend grower choice to use the technology. The company is reviewing its options, including the possibility of an appeal of the court's decision. IN MEMORIAM Rex Parsons, 82, former National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Exec Dir passed away. Parsons a WWII veteran received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in journalism from Kansas State University. He had a distinguished career as a writer, editor, publisher and advertising executive in the agriculture industry. He also served as the Exec Dir of NAMA for 13 years before retiring in 1991. Parsons is survived by his wife of 61 years, two sons, five grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Tweet |
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