GROWMARK Updates Member Resource Platform

Cindy Zimmerman

Keeping all of the different divisions and the 35 FS member cooperatives of the GROWMARK system connected is a constantly evolving process, according to Amy Bradford, corporate communications manager – pictured here with NAMA CEO Jenny Pickett and Chuck at the NAMA fall conference. “My IT likes to call it an evolution because it’s never over,” she told Chuck during …

Audio, GROWMARK, NAMA

Results from GROWMARK Annual Meeting

Jamie Johansen

Last week GROWMARK held their Annual Meeting to discuss the year-end financial results and carry out other business for the cooperative. Business units produced record sales for the 2013 fiscal year, which ended August 31. I spoke with CEO of GROWMARK, Jeff Solberg, and he reported estimated sales of $10.3 billion for fiscal year 2013. Pretax income is estimated at …

Audio, Cooperatives, GROWMARK

Fueling the Farm Progress Show

Jamie Johansen

You can only imagine the fuel consumption during the Farm Progress Show. GROWMARK and FS have sponsored the fuel for the largest outdoor farm show for the last 30 years and expect to go through about 2,500 gallons this year. That amount is down from previous years because the field demonstrations had to be cancelled. Gerald Doty retired from the …

Audio, Cooperatives, FS System, GROWMARK

GROWMARK Supports Illinois Ag in the Classroom

Jamie Johansen

GROWMARK took advantage of the warm sunny skies of the 2013 Farm Progress Show and announced their donation of $70,000 to Illinois Ag in the Classroom programs. The funding will go to support IAA Foundation’s grassroot efforts to aid Agriculture Literacy Coalitions across the state of Illinois. These programs reach over 500,000 students in both rural and urban areas. GROWMARK …

Audio, Education, GROWMARK

GROWMARK Report on China Demand

Cindy Zimmerman

Is demand from China really driving commodity prices? That was the question that GROWMARK economic and market research manager Kel Kelly set out to answer in a recent research report. “Overall the report concludes that China does not have the dominant impact on commodity prices that everyone thinks they do,” said Kelly in an AgWired interview. “The primary reason for …

Audio, Grains, GROWMARK, International

AgriVisor Helps Market Grain to Maximize Profitability

Cindy Zimmerman

Grain marketing in today’s world means diversification and minimizing risk to maximize profitability, and AgriVisor helps farmers do just that. Account manager Cory Winstead says there are several ways they work with farmers. “We work directly with brokerage services and then since 1973 AgriVisor has been putting out general advice with recommendations,” he said. They also work with elevators, offering …

Audio, Farming, Grains, GROWMARK, Marketing

GROWMARK FS Websites Get Updates

Cindy Zimmerman

The 35 FS member cooperatives of the GROWMARK system are getting updated websites to better serve their customers and farmer-owners. “Technology’s changed so much we really wanted to be able to give our members as much of an advantage with their websites as possible,” said Jana Kiefer, GROWMARK Electronic Communications Coordinator, who noted that they have been in the website …

Agribusiness, Audio, Cooperatives, GROWMARK

Checking in with the AgFanatics

Cindy Zimmerman

The AgriVisor AgFanatics podcast has logged 40 episodes since its debut in December 2012, and quite a few since we last talked to them in March, so we decided it was time to check in for an update on how these two wild and crazy ag guys are doing. “It’s going great, we’re continuing to gain listeners and we’re continuing …

Audio, GROWMARK, Podcasts

GROWMARK: CTIC Support is Being Good Stewards

John Davis

The Conservation Technology Information Center tour just completed with a theme of “Community 4 Conservation” this year. Dan Maggart with GROWMARK (pictured to the right, talking to bus load on the tour about what GROWMARK offers in way of agronomic services) explained why his company sees itself as such a good fit as a sponsor for the tour and its …

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, GROWMARK