Michelin North America announces price increase GREENVILLE, S.C. — As a result of continuing increases in raw material, energy and transportation costs, Michelin North America is increasing prices between 6-36 percent on Michelin, BFGoodrich and Kléber brands Agricultural and Compact Line tires and tubes sold in the United States and Canada, effective July 1. Back orders of record as of June 30 will benefit from price protection until July 31.
Deere to increase capacity for harvesting equipment MOLINE, Ill. — Deere & Co. announced it will invest approximately $35 million to increase manufacturing capacity by 30 percent for combine harvesting systems produced at the John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline, Ill.
The investment will include machine tooling and fixtures, improved work processes and improvements to the existing paint system. The project is expected to be completed in early 2009.
Earlier this year, Deere said it also was investing in its Waterloo, Iowa, facilities to expand manufacturing capacity for large, high-horsepower tractors as worldwide demand for agricultural equipment continues to be strong.
Wyffels hires district sales managers in Iowa, Illinois GENESEO, Ill. — Wyffels Hybrids announced two new district sales managers for northwestern Illinois and eastern Iowa. Jonathon Lower will be responsible for customers in Illinois. Scott Peck will be responsible for District 31, which covers Des Moines, Henry, Louisa and Washington counties in Iowa.
Lower grew up in Carroll County on a family farm accepts his position following seven years as a seed representative for Wyffels. Last summer, he served as a Wyffels sales intern working in Illinois and Iowa. A 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he received a bachelor’s degree in crop science. Lower was a crop science ambassador, served on the student advancement committee and was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.
Peck comes to Wyffels Hybrids with more than 30 years in sales and sales management in the crop industry. He served as an account manager for six years at Rosen’s, Inc., which is a distributor of agricultural chemicals proprietary adjuvant. He also was a district sales manager at another seed company for 18 years.
Wyffels Hybrids, headquartered in Geneseo, is one of the nation’s largest independent seed corn companies. Focusing strictly on developing elite corn hybrids, the company is dedicated to providing corn growers in Illinois, Iowa, southern Wisconsin and the Ohio River Valley with the latest agronomic information and unmatched customer service and product support.
CME Group says CME/CBOT
facility work is complete CHICAGO, Ill. — CME Group said it has completed its last major integration milestone needed to deliver cost synergies associated with the July 2007 merger of CME and CBOT.
The company said its trading floor migration is completed, combining all equity, foreign ex-change, interest rate and commodity open outcry trading facilities at the historic Chicago Board of Trade building.
Following the merger of the CBOT and the CME to form CME Group, the company in January successfully transferred 70 products from the e-CBOT platform to CME Globex. The transfer of more than 30 products and 2,000 traders, clerks and trading floor staff from the CME building was completed recently, within a six-week time period.
The CBOT building is now home to open outcry trading for futures and options on grains, livestock, dairy, equity indexes, foreign exchange, U.S. Treasury notes, Eurodollars and more.
Burrus Hybrids acquires
Hoblit Seed Co. ATLANTA, Ill. — Burrus Hybrids has acquired Hoblit Seed Co. of Atlanta, Ill. The acquisition of Hoblit, which produces seed corn and soybeans, enhances Burrus distribution of seed corn in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Iowa.
Burrus was founded in 1935 by brothers Roy and Wilbur Burrus. The company is in its fourth generation of family ownership. Hoblit, established in 1947, has also been an independent, family-owned company with a successful history in the seed business.
Hoblit will continue to produce seed corn and soybeans. Burrus dealers may distribute Hoblit soybeans in a defined area. Management and most Hoblit sales staff will be retained, and the Atlanta plant will remain open.
Alltech launches
dairy workers program LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alltech is proud to announce the launch of the Alltech Dairy Workers Program. The objective of this national program is to increase the efficiency of the dairy industry’s labor force through the training and education of farm employees.
The program will address a key concern for dairy farmers – the language barrier they often face with their employees.
“Many farms have a Spanish-speaking workforce, but the farm manager cannot speak Spanish and often has to resort to a form of sign language,” said Tyler Bramble, North America regional manager. “The Alltech Dairy Workers Program will open doors for dairy farmers by breaking down that communication barrier.”
Pedro Caramona has been appointed the key account/project manager for the program. He will be managing the integrated support project at a national level.
He has already been implementing this program in California with great success.
The training and education modules focus on animal health and nutrition issues, including such topics as the importance of proper feeding and mixing, identifying mycotoxins in feedstuffs, body condition scoring, physiology of the dairy cow and the detection of disease and sickness.
Caramona has served Alltech for nearly three years in various roles. Most recently, he directed Alltech’s operations in California, Nevada and Arizona as the California territory manager.
Curry Seed reaches
deal with Pioneer Hi-Bred DES MOINES, Iowa — Curry Seed Co. and Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, have reached an agreement regarding the purchase of the Curry Seed brand name. The terms were not disclosed.
This transaction will greatly expand Curry Seed corn trait offerings. In addition, Curry Seed will be introducing the first complete soybean lineup in its 73-year history. The Curry Seed brand will continue to be managed locally from Elk Point, S.D. Exclusive Curry Seed regionally-tested products will be available only from Curry Seed salespeople.
Founded in 1935 by J.J. Curry, Curry Seed has evolved to fit the changing needs of farmers. With headquarters in Elk Point, Curry sells hybrid corn seed to customers in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.
Smith sets sights
on central Indiana WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Bryan Smith of Bluffton, Ind., recently joined Seed Consultants, Inc. (SCI).
Before becoming an SCI seedsman, he was an executive sales manager for Great Lakes Hybrids, where he earned the top achiever award for three years, top increase in soybean sales in 2004-05 and was recognized for five consecutive years of sales increase.
A native of central Indiana, Smith received his bachelor of science degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion and his MBA from St. Francis University in Ft. Wayne.
Smith can be reached on his mobile phone at 260-273-0399 or by e-mail at bsmith@seedconsultants.com |
