DEPARTMENTS
News
Elam Joins Siegers’ Seed Consultant Team
Jim Elam has joined Siegers Seed Company’s
team of seed consultants and is available to help commercial growers in
Tennessee, Kentucky, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and Southern Indiana and
Illinois. Elam grew up on a dairy farm and has a degree in agriculture from
the University of Tennessee at Martin. He has worked in the
agriculture industry for over 25 years and is a past president of Tennessee
Ag Production Association. His history includes working for Tennessee
Farmers Co-op, Henry Farmers Co-op, Terra, and EDEN Bioscience.
Michigan’s Food Bank Recognizes Contributions
Dutchman Orchards, a family-run fruit farm that
donates and sells reduced-price fruits to local food banks, has received
the Four Seasons Award for long-term support from the Food Bank Council of
Michigan. Since 1991, Dutchman Orchards has donated 734,000 pounds of fresh
apples and peaches.
The Food Bank Council also recognized Riveridge
Produce Marketing with the Golden Harvest Award. Riveridge Produce
represents growers throughout Michigan and markets one-third of
Michigan’s fresh crops every year. In 2006, Riveridge delivered
426,000 pounds of fresh apples to Michigan food banks through the Michigan
Agricultural Surplus System.
Gehl Lends a Loader to Milwaukee Brewers
Gehl Company has
loaned a new Gehl 6640E skid-steer loader to the Milwaukee Brewers to
assist with their snow removal and general maintenance at Miller Park. The
skid loader loaned has a fully enclosed cab with heating and defrosting,
and the Gehl PowerView lift arm. Attachments included a 74inch
bucket and a 72-inch hydraulic-powered angle broom for cleaning sidewalks
and parking lots.
Mexico’s GBM Purchased by Arysta
Arysta LifeScience Corporation has acquired Grupo
Bioquímico Mexicano, S.A. de C.V., a Mexican manufacturer and
marketer of inputs for the fruit and vegetable market. The purchase
includes GBM and its subsidiaries, affiliated real estate and employee
service companies, as well as its formulation and manufacturing facilities
in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Mexico.
Doosan Acquires Businesses from Ingersoll Rand
Doosan Infracore has completed the acquisition of the
Bobcat, Utility Equipment and Attachments businesses from Ingersoll Rand
Company, Ltd.. The three entities will operate as individual businesses of
Doosan Infracore International, a U.S.-based subsidiary of Doosan
Infracore, and will be known as Bobcat, Doosan Infracore Portable Power
(formerly Ingersoll Rand Utility Equipment), and DII Attachments (formerly
Ingersoll Rand Attachments). The company now has a combined network
of over 3,500 dealers worldwide and 20 manufacturing plants in the U.S.,
Europe and China.
John Deere Clarifies Position on Biodiesel
Due to the variety of standards that exist in the
diesel engine industry and in response to questions from various markets, John
Deere Power Systems has clarified its position on the use of biodiesel in
its diesel engines. While 5 percent blends (B5) are preferred, biodiesel
concentrations up to a 20 percent blend (B20) in petroleum diesel fuel can
be used in John Deere engines through Tier 3/Stage III A models, including
all non-emissions-certified engines. Biodiesel blends up to B20 can be used
only if the biodiesel (100 percent biodiesel or B100) meets ASTM D6751
(U.S.), EN 14214 (EU) or equivalent specification. Biodiesel users are
strongly encouraged to purchase biodiesel blends from a BQ-9000 Certified
Marketer and to source from a BQ-9000 Accredited Producer, as certified by
the National Biodiesel Board. Certified Marketers and Accredited Producers
can be found at www.bq-9000.org. John Deere-approved fuel conditioners
containing detergent/dispersant additives, such as John Deere Premium
Biodiesel Fuel Conditioner, are recommended when using lower biodiesel
blends but are required when using B20 blends.
Sakata Aids Watermelon Association
Sakata Seed America, Inc. is in a new promotion of its
triploid watermelon variety, Sweet Treasure. For every unit of Sweet
Treasure seed sold through July 2008, Sakata will make a donation to the National
Watermelon Association.
New Staff at Exosect
Exosect, a provider of IPM solutions, has expanded its
QA Logistics team with the appointment of two new members of staff. Tony
Ray is the new quality control and assurance manager and his role at
Exosect will include the analysis of all product lines to ensure they are
correctly formulated and to develop the required validation methods for new
formulations. Phil Jeffrey takes on the role of supply chain manager
and will look after all aspects of product supply and shipping.
Committee to Enhance Produce Traceability
Representatives of more than 30 companies have been
appointed to serve on the steering committee of the Produce Traceability
Initiative, an industry-led effort to enhance traceability throughout the
supply chain. The initiative was launched in October by the Produce
Marketing Association, Canadian Produce Marketing Association, and United
Fresh Produce Association. The steering committee will be chaired by Cathy
Green, chief operating officer of Food Lion, LLC. The initiative is in
recognition of the need for a consistent, whole-chain traceability
solution, and the steering committee will develop an action plan to help
the industry meet this challenge. Participating companies currently
confirmed to serve on the steering committee include seven foodservice
buyers (Amerifresh; Applebee’s International; Markon Cooperative,
Inc.; McDonald’s; Pro*Act; Sysco Corporation; U.S. Foodservice); nine
retail buyers (Food Lion; H-E-B; W. Newell & Co.; The Kroger Co.;
Loblaws, Safeway Stores, Inc.; Schnuck Markets, Inc.; Wal-Mart Stores,
Inc.; Wegmans Food Markets); and 17 produce suppliers (Quebec Apple
Packers; B.C. Tree Fruits Limited; Ballantine Produce Co., Inc.; C.H.
Robinson Worldwide, Inc.; Dole Food Company, Inc.; Domex Superfresh
Growers; Driscoll’s; Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc.; Fresh Express,
Inc.; Fresh Innovations LLC.; Frontera Produce Ltd.; Naturipe Farms LLC.;
The Oppenheimer Group; Pandol Brothers, Inc.; Ready Pac Produce; River
Ranch Fresh Foods LLC.; and Tanimura and Antle).
MOI Asian Tree Extract for Organic Pesticide
In an agreement signed with JCS, Inc. of Osaka, Japan,
Marrone Organic Innovations has obtained the rights to utilize certain
JCS patents and toxicology data to develop new pesticides for conventional
and organic farmers. The JCS technology obtained by MOI involves a compound
for controlling bacteria and molds that is extracted from an Asian tree
species. JCS has commercialized products, including hand sanitizers,
antibacterial hand towels and antifungal eardrops for dogs and cats, from
this patented extract. MOI intends to develop the extract into sprayable
products that control various fungal and bacterial diseases of plants as
well as products that kill weeds.
New President at Crary Industries
Crary Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of ECHO, Inc.,
announced that Chuck Crary has stepped down from his role
as president to become chairman of the board. Keith Nilson, formerly vice
president of operations at Crary, has replaced him.
INCOTEC Appoints New Sales Manager
Integrated Coating and Seed Technology, Inc. has
appointed Bradley J. Kortsen as sales and marketing manager. Based in
Salinas, Calif., Kortsen will be responsible for the management of all
sales and marketing activities in North America. He will have direct sales
responsibility for all vegetable seed technology sales with INCOTEC
customers in the Western U.S. and Mexico. Fern Larose assumes the
position of senior account manager with emphasis on INCOTEC’s
business in Eastern U.S. and Canada. Jeff Weber continues to focus on
film coat liquid sales in the Midwest.
New Holland Supports Use of Biodiesel
New Holland has announced its support for the use of
B100 biodiesel in all equipment with New Holland-manufactured diesel
engines, including electronic injection engines with common rail
technology. Overall, nearly 80 percent of New Holland-branded products with
diesel engines are now available to operate on B100 biodiesel. Other
suppliers of diesel engines used in New Holland-branded products have been
asked to test and approve higher levels of biodiesel. Only high-quality
biodiesel produced to ASTM D6751 standards from a reputable supplier should
be used. Details of the models that can run on B100, as well as New
Holland’s requirements and recommendations to do so safely, are
available from New Holland dealers or at www.newholland.com/na/biodiesel.
ACI Promotes Hanson
Agri-Cover, Inc. has promoted Joy Hanson to
marketing manager. Hanson will manage and coordinate all media relations,
product literature, and ACI’s Web site. She joined ACI in 2005.
Batcha Joins OTA
The Organic Trade Association has appointed Laura
Batcha to the position of director of marketing and public relations.
Batcha has been a member of the natural and organic business community for
over 15 years, most recently serving in leadership positions at Tom’s
of Maine.
