Land O’Lakes CEO on TIME100 Most Influential People
TIME named Land O’Lakes President and CEO Beth Ford to the 2024 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Land O’Lakes operates in all 50 states and more than 60 countries and Ford has served as President and CEO since 2018.
Ford, who has held senior positions in seven companies in six industries, leads not only by delivering financial performance, but also by addressing the important global issues and structural changes that can improve areas directly impacted by food and agriculture. During her tenure, Land O’Lakes has focused on its members, the technology that enables them, and on ensuring the vibrance and connection of the communities in which they live and work. Working to close the digital divide, she convened the American Connection Project and contributed to the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which included $65 billion for rural connectivity. She regularly addresses issues around global food security, noting food security is national security.
Ford’s acknowledgement in TIME, available here, was authored by Larry Fink, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock. Ford was named to the inaugural TIME100 Climate List last November.
Precision Ag News 4/17
Custom Agronomics Acquires BioTek Ag
Florida-based specialty products company Custom Agronomics has acquired North Carolina-based BioTek Ag to expand its focus on nutrient use efficiency products.
Custom Agronomics is a formulator and manufacturer of private-label liquid plant nutrition, nutrient use efficiency, and other specialty products for the agriculture, turf, and ornamental markets. BioTek Ag has more than three decades of experience helping farmers improve and protect crop yields with specialized nutrients, nitrogen stabilizers, and other specialty products that improve soil biology and enhance the effectiveness of crop inputs.
“This acquisition immediately enhances our portfolio of nutrient use efficiency products, expands our footprint, and strengthens our overall team,” said Greg Thompson, chairman of the Custom Agronomics Board of Directors and a senior operating partner at Inverness Graham, a private investment firm that acquires innovative companies where technology is transforming traditional industry. Inverness Graham’s investment in Custom Agronomics is part of its Green Light initiative that invests in businesses where environmental sustainability is a key driver of growth.
BioTek Ag will become part of Custom Agronomics. Financial terms of the deal are confidential.
Golden Harvest Corn Still Growing Strong
With corn planting underway now across the Midwest, there are likely quite a few Golden Harvest hybrids going in the ground after a successful 2023.
“Golden Harvest has made a lot of innovation over the past 50 years,” said Rex Gray, Golden Harvest Corn Product Manager, at the recent Commodity Classic. “Over the past two years we’ve brought 39 new products to the market.”
Gray said they are excited to launch Enogen DuracadeViptera™ this year. “That’s something farmers have told us they wanted and needed for a some time,” he said.
Learn more in this interview about the 50 year legacy of Golden Harvest.
Classic24 Rex Gray, Golden Harvest/GHX 4:08
Animal Ag News 4/15
Industry Ag News 4/12
ZimmCast 729 – Preview of the 2024 Agri-Marketing Conference
Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast.
It’s almost time for the 2024 Agri-Marketing Conference that is put on by the National Agri-Marketing Association. ZimmComm will be there to celebrate our 20th anniversary in our Connection Point booth. We’ve got more to come on this when we get to the conference later this month.
In this episode I’m talking with Lori Kruger, Signal Theory, and Chair for the Agri-Marketing Conference committee. We’ll do a preview of what you’ll find.
In case you haven’t registered it’s easy to go to the NAMA website and get it done.
Listen to the episode here:ZimmCast 729 - Preview of the 2024 Agri-Marketing Conference (12:14)
That’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.
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Custom Agronomics Appoints New CEO
Custom Agronomics, a leading provider of private-label liquid plant nutrition and other specialty products for the agriculture, turf, and ornamental markets, announced today that Tom Snipes has been appointed CEO.
“Tom brings a valuable combination of agricultural experience and business expertise to Custom Agronomics. He has a track record of innovation and growth that will enable us to continue expanding our presence and product line,” said Greg Thompson, chair of Custom Agronomics’ Board of Directors.
Snipes most recently served as CEO of Plant Response Inc., a global plant biotechnology company specializing in nutrient use efficiency, plant innate immunity and plant physiology. Under his leadership, the company successfully completed substantial fundraising and portfolio expansion and experienced rapid growth as a result of aggressive commercialization efforts and strategic acquisitions. Plant Response was acquired by The Mosaic Company in 2022 and is now part of Mosaic Biosciences.
“The emphasis on sustainability and improving plant health has presented strong market opportunities for Custom Agronomics. The company is already an industry leader in liquid nutrients and custom formulations, and I’m excited about capitalizing on opportunities to drive its next stage of growth,” Snipes said. Read More