All posts by hlancey@bloomberg.net

South Korean Company to Build Ammonia Carriers

Ammonia, Clean Ammonia, Low-Carbon, South Korea

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, an intermediate holding company for HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering, announced on March 18 that it had won the order for three large ammonia carriers for clients in Oceania, with the contract valued at $372 million.

The vessels will be constructed at the Ulsan, South Korea HD Hyundai Heavy Industries facility, and are expected to be delivered by December 2027. HD Korea Shipbuilding has secured orders to construct 72 vessels totaling $8.75 billion so far in 2024.

SEC Climate Disclosure Rules on Hold

Clean Ammonia, Low-Carbon

The Security and Exchange Commission rules that were approved on March 6 have been temporarily halted by the 5th Circuit Court. The US Chamber of Commerce sued to stop the rules, calling them unconstitutional (GM March 8, p. 33). Ten Republican-led states also sued to stop the rules.

The rules would require public companies that meet certain criteria to disclose their climate risks, including how much greenhouse gas emissions they produce. Disclosure of Scope 3 emissions, which includes emissions from supply chain and customers, was already dropped from the rule before it was challenged in court last week.

The McGregor Co. – Management Brief

Management Briefs

James C. Lemon, a 23-year veteran of The McGregor Co. and former President of the Far West Agribusiness Association (FWAA), died on March 12 at the age of 78. Lemon joined McGregor in 1991, working in the equipment division and becoming Safety and Regulatory Officer before his retirement in 2014.

He was honored as McGregor’s Manager of the Year in 2006 and was a member of the FWAA, serving as the President of the Board of Directors in 2009 and receiving the Marilyn Cramer Safety Award in 2010. Earlier work experience included positions with Darigold Farms, Palouse Producers, Western Ag, and Colfax Grange Supply.

AgroLiquid Adds Southeast Production

News Briefs, U.S.

AgroLiquid, St. Johns, Mich., broke ground on its first Southeastern production facility on March 19 at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park (NFMIP) in Lake City, Fla. The facility is expected to be fully operational by early 2025.

The new 48,355-square-foot facility, situated on nearly 20 acres, is the first facility for the 20-year-old industrial park. By establishing a local manufacturing presence, AgroLiquid said it aims to streamline operations, reduce transportation time and cost, and minimize environmental impacts associated with current long-distance product hauling.

AgroLiquid paid Weyerhauser Co., which developed the industrial park, $1.3 million for the 20-acre site in February, according to the Lake City Reporter, which reported that initial plans are for the plant to employ 10-15 people. AgroLiquid currently has manufacturing and distribution sites in Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Iowa, and California.

According to the site plans submitted to the county for approval, the facility will feature four tanks for mixing the fertilizers to be packaged and distributed. One tank will hold 2 million gallons, while the others are set to hold 500,000 gallons. According to the company’s website, it sells nitrogen fertilizers, phosphorous fertilizers, potassium fertilizers, biofertilizers, and products that focus on micronutrients and secondary nutrients.

Founded in 1983 by father and son-in-law team Douglas Cook and Troy Bancroft, AgroLiquid remains a family business both in its ownership and direction with Troy Bancroft’s three sons, Nick (CEO), Albert (Workplace Development Lead), and Gerrit (Operations Director). The company said its sales account managers support a network of more than 200 independent retail partners and hundreds of sales representatives.

Norofert to Build Bio-Based Plant in South Dakota

News Briefs, U.S.

Romania’s Norofert AG on March 19 announced plans to invest €250,000 to build a small bio-based fertilizer plant in Watertown, S.D. Production will concentrate on soil health and foliar nutrition, similar to a facility in Romania. The plant will use bacteria produced in the laboratory in Filipestii de Padure in Romania.

The investment will be carried out in partnership with Gary Lamb, who the company identifies as an entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in Midwest agribusiness, with extensive knowledge of the market and farmers in the area. He will manage the activities of the new entity from South Dakota, overseeing sales, territorial expansion, and company administration. Norofert holds the majority stake of 51% in the project, with Lamb holding 49%.

Norofert said the production line will be located in a rented space, and automation will allow the company to maintain a small number of employees, specifically two, for the first year. The company said there are already pre-orders for the bacterial fertilizers to be produced from the facility. The start of construction for the production line is scheduled for the first week of April.

Replenish Nutrients Partners with Dark Horse

Canada, News Briefs, U.S.

Ag bioscience company Replenish Nutrients Holding Corp., Okotoks, Alta., has announced a strategic partnership with ag tech firm Dark Horse Ag Ventures, Saskatoon, Sask., which specializes in simplified and perpetual data related to inputs.

Dark Horse products include Paradigm, Harvest Zones, and Symbiosis, which the company says streamline nutrient management, optimize water-based risk management, and maximize yield potential while minimizing environmental impacts.

The partners said combining Replenish’s proprietary regenerative fertilizer with Dark Horse’s digital agriculture tools is expected to further strengthen and reinforce the ties and relationships with new and existing farmers and drive increased sales through Dark Horse’s data supported feedback that confirms the value and efficacy of Replenish’s products.

Stratovation Launches New Biologicals Study

Midwest, News Briefs, U.S.

Meristem Crop Performance Group LLC, Pivot Bio, and Syngenta have signed on to sponsor a comprehensive, farmer-centric market research effort around row-crop farmers’ increased use of agricultural biologicals. The study, “Biologicals: Row-Crop Farmer Value, Perception and Potential,” is being launched by Stratovation Group, a diversified Midwest research, marketing, and communications firm based in the Midwest, according to a March 20 announcement.

The 2024 initiative is a follow-up to baseline research conducted in 2022 focused on farmer sentiment regarding the rapidly growing agricultural biologicals market. That research found that most farmers were aware of agricultural biologicals and early-adopting farmers rated their use and benefits as highly positive.

“Leading companies that market agricultural biologicals know and understand that staying on the cutting edge of farmer trends is critical to their continued success in this rapidly changing sector,” said Cam Camfield, Founder and CEO of Stratovation Group. “We are proud to work with Meristem, Pivot Bio, and Syngenta to continue our exploration.”

Camfield said the study will focus on how perceptions of biologicals have changed in farmers’ minds since the baseline research, and will use improved methodology and a broader scope, adding farmers in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and the DelMarVa region. The research will be fielded this spring.

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), DC Legislative and Regulatory Services (DCLRS), and the Biological Products Industry Alliance (BPIA) are strategic partners for the research.

“Farmers are using new tools to apply biologicals and there is an expansive amount of agronomic research that has looked at the success and efficacy of biologicals in regard to increasing yields, overall efficiency, improving soil health and overall sustainability,” Camfield said. “We want to find out how meaningful that information is to farmers. We also know there have been changes in biological marketing patterns, and this research will show us the extent of change in marketing preferences from the viewpoint of farmers.”

Mosaic Biosciences Brasil Launched

Brazil, News Briefs

Mosaic Fertilizantes announced the launch of Mosaic Biosciences Brasil at the Show Safra Fair on March 18-22 in Lucas do Rio Verde, state of Mato Grosso. Mosaic Biosciences was established by The Mosaic Co. and launched in the US on Aug. 15, 2023 (GM Aug. 18, 2023).

Mosaic Bioscience products focus on bionutrition and include inoculants, biostimulants, and biofertilizers. The portfolio has three main missions: managing water stress, using nutrients efficiently, and managing leaf activation.

The Brazil portfolio will initially feature four products, all intended for soil use. MBio Hidro manages water stress by protecting the crops against water and heat stresses, promoting more tolerant plants. MBio Brad, MBio Azo, and MBio Phos will help plants make the most efficient use of nutrients, making nitrogen and phosphorus more available to plants, maximizing growth, and promoting a more resilient production system.

The Mosaic Biosciences line will be produced by partner companies and suppliers in Brazil, which the company said were selected for the quality, efficiency, and reliability of their
products. Mosaic Fertilizantes said at the appropriate time it will provide more details about the partnerships.

Alexandre Ricardo Alves, Director of Mosaic Biosciences Brasil, noted that the technologies in the new line improve soil health and support plant physiology. “Farmers have been adept at innovating in this area to maximize yields with minimal environmental impact, and this is a move that will certainly serve their interests,” he said.

“The launch of Mosaic Biosciences in Brazil symbolizes another important strategy for diversification of new businesses and sustainable growth for the company in the country,” he added. “Mosaic Fertilizantes wants to become the leading bionutrition company by offering products that enhance the interaction between soil, plants, and the microbiome. This will improve crop performance and soil health, creating new opportunities for agriculture and humanity.”

Mosaic Fertilizantes also highlighted other Mosaic specialty fertilizer products at the fair, including Aspire, MicroEssentials, Performa Bio, and MPasto.

Yara Announces UK Liquid Terminal Upgrade

England, News Briefs

Yara International ASA has announced a UK£7 million (approximately $8.9 million at current exchange rates) phased investment in its liquid fertilizer terminal at Chedburgh, near Bury St Edmunds in East Anglia, eastern England. The project will see a post-season rebuild of the Chedburgh terminal, which produces nitrogen sulfur grade and compound NPK grade fertilizers, Yara UK reported on March 15.

The bulk solids raw materials store and the production building will be upgraded, with the goal of being fully operational by spring 2025, the company said. It added that reducing the terminal’s carbon footprint will be at the forefront of all its decisions, from installing new boilers to adapting new processes.

Yara offers over 300 grades of liquid fertilizer in mainland UK and delivers them directly to farming customers from its terminals. The Chedburgh terminal upgrade is part of Yara’s investment program in mainland UK aimed at ensuring safe and efficient operations to deliver high-quality products to its farmer customers, it said.