The Boards of Directors for North Central Farmers Elevator (NCFE) and Wheat Growers (WG) have reached an agreement to join the two cooperatives. Now it is in the hands of the members to ratify the decision and become member-owned, locally governed CentraGro Cooperative. “The vote on the Unification Agreement taken by our Board members reflects the overall support we’ve heard from …
GROWMARK Report on Perception & Commodity Pricing
A new report from GROWMARK Research demonstrates how commodity market capital flows distort our perception of the effect that news has on commodity prices. “News, Money and Prices” shows that money flows constitute an independent causal force on prices that have a life of their own; they represent additional demand. Often, it is not the news causing prices to rise; …
Farmers Union President Discusses Sustainability in Ghana
National Farmers Union (NFU) officials made a stop in Africa to talk about how cooperatives can promote sustainability. This news release from the group says NFU President Roger Johnson talked about the development of cooperatives at the National Food and Agric Show (FAGRO) in Ghana. “I am excited to be able to discuss and promote cooperatives as a means for …
FS Crop Advisers Help with Nutrient Management Plans
This is the final installment of a four part series on Nutrient Management sponsored by FS/GROWMARK John Musser, a crop adviser with Stephenson Service Company, has been a crop consultant for over 30 years and a Certified Crop Adviser for the past two decades. He was the 2012 winner of the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Award for helping his growers …
Top 100 Ag Cooperatives
It’s still National Cooperative Month, which is when USDA traditionally releases its top 100 list of agricultural cooperatives. According to USDA, Iowa has the most agricultural cooperatives of any state at 16, up from 11 a decade ago. Minnesota ranks second among the states, with 13. It is followed by Nebraska with nine, Illinois and Wisconsin with five each, then …
Cooperatives Set Another Record
October is National Cooperative Month and once again the nation’s agricultural cooperatives set a new sales record for 2013. According to USDA, total business volume in 2013 surpassed $246 billion, exceeding the 2012 record by $8 billion or four percent. This is the third consecutive year of record sales by ag cooperatives, reflecting increased sales in the overall farm economy …
GROWMARK Makes VP Announcements
GROWMARK has made two new Vice President appointments for the cooperative’s executive team. Barry Schmidt has been named GROWMARK Region Vice President effective Nov. 1, 2014. Barry will report to GROWMARK CEO, Jim Spradlin, and will serve on the senior management team Schmidt will support FS member companies in the northern portion of the Central Region. GROWMARK CEO Jim Spradlin …
Another Good Year for GROWMARK
Solid volume growth in GROWMARK business units produced record sales for the cooperative for the 2014 fiscal year, as numbers reported last week at the annual shareholders meeting in Chicago reveal. Retiring GROWMARK CEO Jeff Solberg reported estimated sales of $10.2 billion, with pretax income estimated at $180 million, which once again exceeds the key financial target of 12 percent …
Meet the New CEO of GROWMARK
As of September 15, GROWMARK will have a new chief executive officer. Jim Spradlin was named CEO of GROWMARK to replace Jeff Solberg who is retiring. Spradlin has a degree in business administration and economics from Illinois College and has held various positions within the GROWMARK System of cooperatives, including controller of Schuyler-Brown FS, regional administrative director, general manager of …
GROWMARK Names New CEO
GROWMARK, Inc. has named Jim Spradlin of Morton, Illinois as new chief executive officer effective September 16, 2014, replacing Jeff Solberg who will retire in September. “Jim has the skills, knowledge, experience, and support to successfully lead GROWMARK into the future,” said GROWMARK Chairman of the Board and President, John Reifsteck. “The Board has great confidence in him and his …