Stabilized Nitrogen Center Named for AGROTAIN VP

Cindy Zimmerman

Agrotain Stabilized Nitrogen CenterWhen Lange-Stegmann acquired AGROTAIN eight years ago with that acquisition came Allen Sutton, vice president of business and product development. You could say the Stabilized Nitrogen Center that opened in St. Louis Tuesday was his brain child. Because of that, it will now bear his name – the Allen R. Sutton Stabilized Nitrogen Center.

Allen SuttonMaking that announcement, Lange-Stegmann president Mike Stegmann explained that five years ago he asked Allen to find a way for customers to make their SuperU product at their own locations. “After a little while, he came back and said ‘I don’t think there is a way, but I found something better’ and that something was the stabilized nitrogen center that you see here today,” Mike said. They made the decision to name the center after Allen because of his “commitment and dedication to the technology, the company and the industry as a whole.”

Allen’s enthusiasm and excitement for the fertilizer industry was evident when he talked to the media prior to the opening ceremony and proudly displayed and discussed the company and products they offer for the agriculture, turf and ornamental and golf course industries.

Listen to an interview with Allen here: agro-allen.mp3


AGROTAIN Grand Opening Photo Album

Agribusiness, Fertilizer

Urea Center Christening

Cindy Zimmerman

Mike and Rich StegmannThe brand new urea center in St. Louis received its official name at the grand opening ceremony on Tuesday – the Richard W. Stegmann St. Louis Urea Center.

Lange-Stegmann president Mike Stegmann (left) surprised his father Rich, who is chairman of the company, by naming the center after him. “It was really humbling,” Rich said in an interview after the ceremony.

Lange-Stegmann, the parent company of AGROTAIN International, was started in 1926 by Rich’s father-in-law Henry Lange and his brother Dewey. “At that time, it was meat scraps and tankage and steam bone meal that was fertilizer,” said Rich.

Agrotain Grand OpeningThe reason the plant was first located at the site near the Mississippi River was because it was next to the stockyards. “At that time a lot of livestock moved by rail and they had to unload it every 24 hours,” Rich explained. “People would come in with trucks and they would haul back fertilizer.”

Stegmann celebrates his 48th year with the company on Friday and he is proud that this global corporation is still very much family-owned. “And our employees are like family too,” Stegmann says. “And that is very gratifying.” A whole line of family, friends, employees and business associates lined up to cut the ribbon opening the urea center and the adjacent Stabilized Nitogen Center.

Listen to an interview with Rich here: agro-rich.mp3


AGROTAIN Grand Opening Photo Album

Agribusiness, Fertilizer

DTN Acquired by Telvent

Chuck Zimmerman

TelventTelvent announced today that it has acquired DTN.

Telvent (NASDAQ: TLVT), the IT company for a sustainable and secure world, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire one hundred percent of U.S.-based business information services provider, DTN Holding Company, Inc. (DTN), headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The acquisition represents an all cash purchase of DTN for a total enterprise value of $445 million U.S. dollars (approx. 310 million Euros), to be financed through a combination of fully funded senior indebtedness and the issuance of common equity. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2008 and is subject to customary regulatory and shareholder approvals.

The acquisition of DTN marks another important strategic step in Telvent fulfilling its vision to help build a sustainable world, by adding an important new segment – agriculture – and by strengthening its Robert Gordonexisting energy, transportation and environment segments. DTN has a large list of world class customers in the areas of downstream refined fuels, wind farms, grain producers, agribusinesses, biofuels producers, departments of transportation and aviation companies, among others.

Robert Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of DTN commented, “We are thrilled about the future with Telvent, which will allow us to develop a long-term plan headed to better serve our customers with the information and systems that they need to make day-to-day critical decisions. We see many opportunities to integrate our services and achieve extensive new growth on a global scale, while allowing our professionals to develop their careers in a solid global company”.

Media

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Rhea + Kaiser Marketing Communications announces the hire of two staff members to the growing Bayer CropScience team — Ann Fleming and Kimberly Bergmooser. Fleming joins Rhea + Kaiser as senior account executive working on the Bayer CropScience horticultural crops team. Bergmooser joins as assistant account executive for the corn, soybean and sorghum team.
  • New Holland’s 98D Series corn heads unite the best attributes of a point-to-point pinching style stalk roll with the capacity required by larger, more productive combines. It gets under downed corn and takes in less trash. With residue management a key part of farming practices, the 98D corn heads are especially beneficial for no-till planting and minimum-till operations.
  • Joe Kapraun was named manager, GROWMARK Grain Division, effective Sept. 1, 2008. He replaces Larry Keene who retired with 23 years of service.
  • Case IH has made several upgrades to its mower lineup in order to continue to provide rugged, long-lasting machines while improving user productivity and simplifying serviceability. New models of key mower, mower conditioner and mower conditioner header products now feature a shock protection system. This system replaces the drive hub of discs with a shock hub, making in-field repairs fast and easy after encountering field obstructions.
    Zimfo Bytes

    ABN Radio To Relocate to WOSU Facility

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Andy Vance and Lindsay HillIt seemed like the ABN Show midday here at the Farm Science Review. The BARN has a nice barn. Here’s Andy and Lindsay just before their big announcement today.

    Basically, ABN is partnering with WOSU Radio and will be relocating their studios to WOSU facilities in Columbus in early 2009.

    It seems like WOSU grew so much that they had to move into new studios opening up this opportunity for ABN. WOSU is the University of Ohio radio station.

    You can hear Andy’s comments at their press conference here: fsr-08-andy-vance.mp3

    You can hear Lindsay’s comments here: fsr-08-lindsay-hill.mp3

    Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill with Dr. E. Gordon GeeAlso on hand to commemorate the announcement was University of Ohio President, Dr. E. Gordon Gee. He said this was an exciting day for him since ABN Radio founder (deceased), Ed Johnson, was his friend and he knows that Ed would be proud of this announcement and to see Andy and Lindsay carry on his legacy.

    You can hear Dr. Gee’s comments here: fsr-08-gee.mp3

    Farm Science Review Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Farm Science Review is being sponsored by Monsanto and the Propane Research and Education Council.

    Audio, Farm Science Review, Media, Propane

    Cathedral to Fertilizer

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Urea CenterAGROTAIN International and parent company Lange-Stegmann today celebrated the grand opening of a $20 million expansion project in St. Louis.

    The Stabilized Nitrogen Center and the St. Louis Urea Center represent the country’s first urea plant using phase modification and the nation’s largest inland urea import terminal – or as one AGROTAIN official called the project, a “Cathedral to Fertilizer.”

    The grand opening was a glorious event and I have lots of interviews to share later when I get back to home base. Meanwhile, enjoy the photos – I took a bunch of them!

    AGROTAIN Grand Opening Photo Album

    Agribusiness, Fertilizer

    Farm Science Review Media Center

    Chuck Zimmerman

    FSR Media CenterWell here I am at the Farm Science Review. It’s a beautiful day after what apparently was some bad weather from Hurricane Ike earlier this week. A hurricane hitting Ohio. That’s different.

    It has caused some challenges though like me not having a room since the hotel I was supposed to stay in is closed due to no electricity. I did get another one though.

    I’ll be here doing interviews with my sponsors from Monsanto and the Propane Research and Education Council. I’ve already got a photo album started too. This picture is of the show’s media center.

    Farm Science Review Photo Album

    Farm Science Review, Propane

    Heading to Farm Science Review

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Farm Science ReviewAnother day, off to another farm show. After Cindy and I got in to St. Louis last night we re-grouped and re-packed. She’s going to be attending an event for Agrotain in St. Louis today while I’m on my way to Columbus, OH and the Farm Science Review.

    This will be my first time at the show and you’ll be seeing interviews with coverage sponsors, Monsanto and the Propane Education and Research Council.

    I’ll get in early this afternoon and probably start posting later today.

    2008 Features at a Glance

    * This is the 46th Farm Science Review, the 26th at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center.
    * Hundreds of demonstration plots and several million dollars worth of machinery.
    * Nineteenth-year inductions into the Farm Science Review Hall of Fame.
    * Ohio Farmer Conservation Awards; Thursday at 11:30.
    * OSU Central, featuring demonstrations and displays from OSU colleges and departments.
    * Lots of farm safety, home safety and health information.
    * Global Positioning Systems (GPS) hands-on demonstrations in the demonstration fields.
    * Expanded programs on conservation practices in the Gwynne Conservation Area.
    * An arts and crafts exhibit tent.
    * Permanent washroom facilities with diaper changing stations.

    Field Demonstrations

    Harvesting, strip-tilling, global positioning, and tillage demonstrations will take place every day. Check the schedule for demonstration times.

    We expect to completely fill the commercial exhibit area this year, with about 600 exhibitors from all over North America in the Central Exhibit Area.

    Farm Science Review, Farm Shows, Propane

    Franz Fischler Concludes The Congress

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Franz FischlerI like the way Fran Fischler, President of the IFAJ Congress 2008, started his remarks at the end of the event.

    “Everything has already been said but not by everybody.” He then proceeded to thank all the people who worked to make this Congress a reality, including all the sponsors.

    He pointed out how different farming is around the world. Speaking of the small farms in Austria and Slovenia he said, “I think you have a feeling now that this way of farming can also be successful.” He said that we need to accept that in our world there are many different ways to farm.

    You can listen to Franz Fischler’s remarks here: ifaj-08-fischler-goodby.mp3

    IFAJ Congress 2008 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2008 is sponsored by: Pioneer-HiBred and Novus International

    Audio, IFAJ, International, Novus International, Pioneer

    Mike Wilson is New IFAJ President

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Mike WilsonThe new President of IFAJ is Mike Wilson, Farm Progress Companies.

    On one of the early nights of the IFAJ Congress we held a little private reception for Mike after a dinner in Graz, Austria. It was a surprise and I think you can see that in his face in this picture. We were at a very nice place right near the University where our dinner was held. Attending were those of us from the American delegation and a number of other folks who wanted to wish Mike a special congratulations on his new responsibilities.

    Mike WilsonThen during our final dinner of the IFAJ Congress in Portoroz Mike took the microphone as the new man in charge.

    He made it clear that he is going to carry on the efforts started by David Markey. “I just wanted to say thank you to David and thank you to all of you for the confidence you have placed in me and I won’t let you down.”

    Mike did take off his jacket and tie later in the evening to get up on stage and play with Quasimojo. More on that later.

    You can listen to Mike’s remarks here: ifaj-08-wilson-close.mp3

    IFAJ Congress 2008 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2008 is sponsored by: Pioneer-HiBred and Novus International

    Audio, IFAJ, Novus International, Pioneer