| Business Briefs-July 23, 2008 |
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Iowa awards Monsanto grant
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has awarded a state grant to help pave a road to a proposed Monsanto Co. seed corn plant near Independence.
The grant, approved by the Iowa Transportation Commission, is for $280,000. St. Louis-based Monsanto plans to spend more than $90 million on the plant at a 150-acre site. The company says it would employ 47 people and offer about 700 seasonal jobs at the plant, set for completion in 2010.
In May, Monsanto received tax benefits of up to $7.5 million from the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
Golden Oval owes $200K penalty
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa egg farm must pay the state a $200,000 penalty for violating environmental regulations.
A Winnebago County judge also ordered Golden Oval Eggs to complete improvements to its wastewater treatment facility at its farm near Thompson by the end of next April. The company has the capacity for more than 5 million chickens in 22 barns. It agreed to the fine and judge’s order to settle a lawsuit filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office last year.
The lawsuit says the company exceeded numerous wastewater discharge limits. The wastewater flows into a tributary of the Winnebago River under a permit from the state that sets limits, which the lawsuit claims were exceeded. The judge’s order was signed July 14.
Golden Oval Eggs is based in Renville, Minn. Its Thompson farm is about 30 miles northwest of Mason City.
Gowan acquires zoxamide rights
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Gowan Co., LLC has reached an agreement with Dow AgroSciences LLC to acquire the rights to its global zoxamide fungicide business, marketed primarily under the brand names ZOXIUM, GAVEL, ELECTIS, UNIKAT and HARPON.
Zoxamide is a highly active low-use fungicide used to control oomycete fungi infecting potatoes, vines and vegetables. This purchase will further strengthen Gowan’s position in these markets, and allows Dow AgroSciences to focus resources on priority solutions in its chemical and biotechnology portfolios.
Under this agreement, Gowan and its subsidiaries throughout the world will start selling zoxamide and its formulations effective Aug. 1. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
DuPont soybeans gain U.S. OK
DES MOINES, Iowa (PRNewswire) — DuPont announced it has received United States regulatory approval of its proprietary herbicide tolerance trait, the Optimum GAT trait in soybeans, bringing the company a step closer to further extending the performance advantage of its Pioneer brand soybean seed.
DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred recently launched its new high-yielding Y Series soybean varieties for 2009. The entire line has demonstrated a 5 percent yield advantage against key competitor varieties with some varieties yielding 6-10 percent better than competitors. These top-performing new varieties were developed with exclusive Accelerated Yield Technology (AYT) and will serve as a strong platform for the Optimum GAT trait.
The first-ever agricultural trait developed through proprietary DuPont gene shuffling technology, the Optimum GAT trait will provide broader spectrum weed control without compromising crop safety. This includes the ability to incorporate complementary ALS herbicides into a glyphosate program, including the new DuPont Freestyle, Traverse, Instigate and Diligent herbicides that DuPont Crop Protection has developed and is demonstrating in test plots this year.
DuPont continues to pursue regulatory approvals in key export markets around the world for both Optimum GAT soybeans and corn. Pending regulatory approvals, the company is planning to introduce its proprietary Optimum GAT trait in corn in 2010.
Smithfield receives AMI awards
SMITHFIELD, Va. — Fifty-four Smithfield Foods, Inc. facilities in 23 states have been honored by the American Meat Institute (AMI) for their significant environmental stewardship efforts in their local communities during the past year.
The facilities earned AMI’s Environmental Recognition Award, which singles out companies that assess their own environmental challenges and develop unique solutions that encourage continuous improvement.
The following 14 Smithfield Foods facilities in the Farm World coverage area earned the award: Armour-Eckrich Meats, LLC of Peru, Ind., and St. Charles, Ill.; Cumberland Gap Provision Co. of Middlesboro, Ky.; Curly’s Foods, Inc. of Sioux City, Iowa; Farmland Foods, Inc. of Carroll and Denison, Iowa, Monmouth, Ill., and New Riegel, Ohio; Golden Crisp Premium Foods, Inc. of Sioux Center, Iowa; John Morrell & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Sioux City, Iowa; Saratoga Specialties of Elmhurst, Ill.; Smithfield Beef Group, The Ohio Feedlot Division, South Charleston, Ohio; and Smithfield RMH Foods, LLC of Morton, Ill.
New foundation for education
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Seed Trade Assoc. (ASTA) announced the formation of the First the Seed Foundation, officially launched at its 125th annual convention.
The seed industry established the foundation to provide education and outreach about today’s vibrant seed industry and its promise for the future. Bud Hughes of Verdant Partners has been named president of the board for the foundation. The mission of the First the Seed Foundation is to conduct education, outreach and communication on the value of crops and food produced from seed.
Fewer than 2 million Americans are actively engaged in farming, yet agriculture generates some 22 million jobs in the United States, mostly located off-farm. Many are not aware of the science and technology that drives agriculture, solves its many challenges and offers many opportunities.
The highest priority of the First the Seed Foundation is the education of today’s youth. Efforts of the foundation will begin with outreach about seed to grade schools through multimedia and web-based curriculum to be used in classrooms, development of an introductory video on the seed industry’s role in American agriculture, the distribution of seed and informational kits to schools and youth organizations and the promotion of the value of quality seed and the impacts of the seed industry on every person’s life who eats food or uses agricultural products. |
| 7/23/2008 |
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