Dow AgroSciences Acquires Pfister Hybrids

Chuck Zimmerman

Pfister HybridsHere’s the latest change in the seed business and it’s a big one.

Dow AgroSciences LLC announced today it is acquiring the majority of assets of Illinois based corn company Pfister Hybrids. The addition of Pfister Hybrids will further expand Dow AgroSciences’ current U.S. seeds business as the company anticipates the introduction of SmartStax(TM) in 2010 and Dow AgroSciences Herbicide Tolerance (DHT) technology in corn in 2012. The transactional close is expected in the near future.

“Pfister was one of the founding seed corn companies in the Midwest, and we are proud to continue the legacy started more than seven decades ago by one of the nation’s original seedsmen Lester Pfister,” said Stan Howell, vice president, North America Regional Commercial Unit for Dow AgroSciences. “Pfister Seeds is a welcomed addition to our U.S. seed business. At Dow AgroSciences investing in innovation is the key to our future, and we look forward to building upon the Pfister tradition.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Dow AgroSciences will acquire the Pfister brand and the sales and marketing areas, as well as the warehousing and administrative services of the business. Dow AgroSciences will continue to independently market seeds under the Pfister Seeds brand, and Pfister Seeds will continue to be headquartered at its existing location in El Paso.

Linda Brown, president for Pfister, will remain with Pfister Seeds LLC as general manager. Dale Brown will continue with Pfister as the business and brand development lead and Bill Salmi will remain as the company controller.

Agribusiness, Seed

Redfish Seminar at Peanut Conference

carly

Redfish Riviera OutfittersA new addition this year to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference first day fun was a Redfish Sport Fishing Seminar, presented by Redfish Riviera Outfitters.

Steve Bailey with Redfish Riviera and Captain Daniel Snapp with Grassy Flats Charters, in colorful shirts promoting peanuts, presented tips and tricks of the fishing trade to peanut growers and their families.

Listen to an interview with Steve and Captain Daniel here:

Audio, Peanuts

American Peanut Council President Honored

carly

The Webster definition of “valor” is “strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness” and that was required this year more than any other for the peanut industry.

Patrick ArcherIn recognition for his strength and leadership of the peanut industry during a time of crisis, American Peanut Council president Patrick Archer received the Valor Award, presented by Valent USA.

Patrick says this year is one he hopes he never has to repeat. “The recall started January 9th and was greatly expanded the following weekend, which was inauguration week in Washington DC,” Patrick said. “The city was in lock down, we had to work from home. It made a difficult situation even more of a challenge.”

He credits everyone in the peanut industry with the massive communications effort that helped get information out that eventually helped to resolve the situation. “The industry really pulled together during the crisis and everybody from the grower all the way through the manufacturer really worked hard in a concerted and coordinated effort to combat the problem,” Patrick said.

Listen to an interview with Patrick here:

Audio, Peanuts

Pioneer Launches Plenish

Chuck Zimmerman

Pioneer PlenishSoybean growers now have a new brand to add to their arsenal of seed options. This one from Pioneer Hi-Bred.

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, today introduced Plenish as the brand name for the high oleic soybean oil trait in the next generation of healthy soybean products from Pioneer. These products will bring more value to soybean growers in high-performing varieties and increased global competitiveness for the U.S. soybean industry.

The Plenish high oleic soybean oil trait will be introduced in the industry-leading lineup of Pioneer® brand soybean varieties. These varieties are on track for a limited introduction in the U.S. for 2010 planting, pending regulatory approval, and will be offered in a broad range of maturity groups.

“Pioneer leads the industry in the development and commercialization of soybean traits that benefit everyone from growers to consumers,” says John Muenzenberger, Pioneer business manager for specialty oils. “Developed through the Pioneer exclusive Accelerated Yield Technology (AYTTM) system and launched in the Y Series product line, these soybean varieties will have the key agronomic and defensive traits growers want, including resistance to SCN, Phytophthora and SDS. Also making it attractive to growers will be the opportunity to receive a premium for producing and segregating their high oleic crop.

Agribusiness, Pioneer, Soybean

Florida’s ‘Pure’ Honey Standard

Amanda Nolz

Get your sweet tooth ready for Florida’s “pure” honey standard in Florida! According the the Miami Herald Breaking Business News, Nirvi Shah reports about Florida’s big step towards producing pure honey for the world.

honey Florida has become the first state — and possibly the first in the world — to ban additives, chemicals or other substances from honey produced, sold or processed in Florida.

”Too often in the past, honey has been cut with water or sugar, and sometimes even contaminated with insecticides or antibiotics,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson. “In the future, when you’re paying for honey in this state, pure honey is what you will get.”

Food

Catch You in Denver!

Amanda Nolz

baby-face-close-up Are you geared up for the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver? I’m getting ready and packing my suitcase for an exciting week with beef cattle raisers from around the country. There are so many things to see in do while at the conference, and I will be working with Cindy to cover the Cattlemen’s Beef Board meetings and events throughout the week.

Be sure to catch us at our new media workshops, where we will be discussing blogging tips and tricks for effectively telling the beef production story. I hope to meet a lot of you there! Who knows, maybe we will even stop you for an interview! See you there!

For a full schedule of events at the Cattle Industry Summer Convention, link here.

Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Marinade Your Meat on Demand

Chuck Zimmerman

Schwan's Beef Chimichurri Marinade on DemandIf you like to marinade your beef before cooking it then you might want to think Schwan’s courtesy of The Chicago Meat Authority. Take this Marinade on Demand Chimichurri Beef. Yes, Marinade on Demand. It doesn’t get any more convenient than that.

Marinate with all of the flavor but none of the mess. SCHWAN’S® exclusive packaging lets you marinade your meat all in one package-no additional bowls needed! This self-marinating package contains USDA Choice Ranch steaks and a popular South American Chimichurri marinade made with cilantro, onion, garlic, bell pepper, parsley and lime juice. Just thaw, marinade and grill for steak house perfection.

I’m pretty sure the Joint New Products & Culinary Initiatives Committee of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and NCBA had something to do with this.

But let’s say you’d like to have a nice pork dinner and wish there was a way to do the same. There is. Isn’t life wonderful? Try Schwan’s Marinade on Demand Herb and Garlic Pork.

Beef, Food, Pork

Peanuts on Panama City Beach

carly

Hello from Panama City Beach, Florida and the Southern Peanut Growers Conference.

The theme of the 11th annual conference is really a tribute to the U.S. peanut industry for overcoming adversity in 2009.

Everyone knows that this year has been a tough one for the industry, starting out with the salmonella issue in January. But, Georgia Peanut Commission executive director Don Koehler says the industry has come back stronger than ever after what could have been a complete crisis.

“Farmers are really resilient and even though it wasn’t a crisis they caused themselves, we have made it through,” Don says. “And the really good news is that our May 2009 numbers for peanut butter were 13 1/2 percent over what we did in May 2008.”

That is truly an amazing example of crisis management and communications, two topics growers will be hearing about during the conference this week, as well as an even bigger emphasis on food safety than ever before. “We want to make sure that can never happen again,” said Don. “But, when you look at it, we’ve got to take our hats off and maybe even bow just a little bit to the growers and to the peanut industry in general.”

See all the coverage of the peanut conference here on the SPGC blog.

The SPGC Flickr Photo Album is started – view it here and keep checking back as photos will continue to be updated throughout the conference.

Listen to an interview with Don here:

Audio, Peanuts

CAMA Alberta is Building Success in Agri-Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

CAMA AlbertaIt sounds like our agricultural marketing friends in Alberta are becoming more active. Thanks to Janet Kanters for an update. We’ll see her in Ft. Worth, TX very soon for the combined IFAJ/AMS meeting.

After several years, the Alberta CAMA Chapter hosted its first meeting in April at Olds College in Olds, Alta. Over 60 people attended the networking social and meeting where they learned more about CAMA and discussed an action plan for the newly revived Alberta Chapter. The guest speaker was Steve Warme, Woodruff Sweitzer Calgary, who provided insight on the latest tools and techniques being used for social media marketing, what is currently happening in the agricultural world online and how best to harness current and emerging tools.

Following this successful meeting, a smaller group of CAMA Alberta members held a ‘Rebuilding CAMA Alberta Workshop’ on June 15, with 15 eager ag marketers raring and willing to help get CAMA Alberta back up and running after several years of being MIA.

Much discussion took place around the configuration and number of board members required for the resurrected Chapter. And a new CAMA Alberta slogan was adopted: ‘Building Success in Agri-Marketing’.

Other discussion took place around the constitution, how the executive/board would function, and the cost of yearly membership. There was also general discussion around having a student chapter.

Finally, the group discussed how best to attract members to the organization, via PR/press, education, events and a blog. All ideas were felt to have a positive impact to raise the profile of the Alberta Chapter and drive membership sales.

A CAMA Alberta kick-off barbecue is being planned in the Calgary area for late August 2009. More details to follow as plans evolve.

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