Calgary-Agrium Inc. confirmed last week that its Argentine joint venture, Profertil, is planning a $60 million investment in a new terminal in Argentina. The amount will cover the land improvement, dry facility, equipment, and dock facilities. It will be a 200,000 mt dry terminal at Timbue, in Sante Fe Province, located on the Parana River near Rosario. The river access is deep water and can accept ocean-going vessels. It will be used to store urea from the Profertil manufacturing plant, as well as imported dry fertilizer products.

Denver-The Denver office of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has sent a letter to farm supply stores across the country warning them to keep a look out for terrorists. One suspicious activity mentioned in the letter was the purchase of large quantities of pesticides, combustibles, or fertilizers containing ammonium nitrate out of season or with cash. On Feb. 23, a 20-year-old college student from Saudi Arabia, Khalid Aldawsari, was arrested on bomb charges in Texas. He had already procured two chemicals to build bombs and had researched the possible targets, including dams and the Dallas home of former President George W. Bush. Two businesses, Carolina Biological Supply, Burlington, N.C., as well as a freight firm, had alerted authorities. Aldawsari had tried to buy phenol, which is explosive when mixed with sulfuric and nitric acids. He had already bought the two acids.

Calgary-Viterra Inc. has donated C$75,000 in support of the ongoing rescue and relief efforts in Christchurch, New Zealand, following the major earthquake Feb. 22. The donation will go to the New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal. Viterra employs approximately 115 people in its New Zealand operations, which include a feed mill and three bulk commodity stores. Only minor damages occurred to the mill and one of the bulk commodity stores that are located near Christchurch.

Loveland, Colo.-Agrium Advanced Technologies has announced the addition of micro-sized Sulfate of Potash (SOP) and mini-sized Muriate of Potash (MOP) to its line of Duration CR® controlled-release fertilizers. Created specifically for the golf environment, these new products use a natural oil coating technology to provide steady, long-lasting potassium, which promotes increased plant health and helps superintendents keep their turf in top condition. “Our smaller-sized products are ideal for golf course environments, including greens, tees, and fairways,” said Andrew Mittag, president. “We’ve seen the challenges golf course superintendents face to keep turf healthy in high heat, particularly in high-traffic areas. The steady supply of potassium provided by these fertilizers creates stronger turf, and quicker recovery. And, because these products are 100-percent controlled-release, they guarantee turf safety.” The SOP product is a greens grade controlled-release fertilizer that provides consistent, predictable feeding for six months; it can easily be incorporated into aerification programs to promote improved healing, plant health, and stress tolerance. Using the product immediately after aerification locks the controlled-release potassium right in the root zone, where it’s needed the most, and minimizes the chance of mower pickup. The MOP product gives two tofour months of constant nutrient delivery and encourages stronger turf throughout the season, making it good for high-traffic areas, including fairways and tees. It is applied prior to the busy golf season to promote improved turf health and tolerance to cart traffic, foot traffic, and heat.

Washington-Corn acreage should be 92 million acres in 2011, according to statistics released Friday morning, Feb. 25, at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum. This is up 3.8 million acres from 2010, and would be the highest planting since 2007’s 93.5 million acres. USDA projects wheat acres to move up 3.4 million acres, to 57 million acres. Soybean acreage will see a 600,000 acre increase, to 78 million acres. Rice, however, is projected to see a 21 percent drop from 2010 to 2.88 million acres, the lowest in four years. For a detailed presentation of these projections, sign up for the Green Markets 2011 Agriculture & Fertilizer Outlook March 1 Webinar; see our ad on page 12.

Plymouth, Minn.-The Mosaic Co. recently made news in Florida for paying too much for a cake and too little for a steer. A company representative paid $10,000 for a cake entered in the Polk County, Fla., youth fair by the nine-year-old daughter of the new Florida commissioner of agriculture. Fair officials explained that no one has ever paid that much and probably never will for a cake, saying that prices usually range from $200 to $500, and one year $1,000, but never $10,000. At first, according to press reports, Abigail Putnam was going to donate back most of the money to the fair, but changed her mind a few days later and returned the full amount to Mosaic. Her father, Adam Putnam, who took office on Jan. 3, told the local press, “Even my nine-year-old knows a cake isn’t worth $10,000. I am proud of my daughter and proud of her cake.” He added that the purchase put him in an awkward position, but then explained that “the one that it’s most awkward for is Abbie.” He said if she had kept the money it could have helped a lot of kids. A Mosaic spokesman who asked that he not be identified by name confirmed that the check had been returned. “You are correct,” he told Green Markets on the phone. “The money has been returned. Mosaic has apologized for the situation and all is resolved.” But not entirely. In another development, the father of another youngster who entered a grand champion steer at the same fair complained that Mosaic was off kilter paying so much for the hazelnut chocolate cake and then later only a meager $3 pound for another girl’s prize steer. There was no connection between the two, and the Mosaic bidder reportedly was prepared to pay a good deal more for the steer. The company spokesman explained it this way: “Mosaic made a competitive bid in an open auction on the steer and no counteroffer was made beyond our $3 a pound.” Asked if there would be any disciplinary action as the result of the two miscues, he responded, “We’re in the process of reviewing the situation to determine what the appropriate actions are.”

Kilgore, Texas-Martin Midstream Partners LP has closed on the purchase of certain shore-based marine terminal assets from Martin Resource Management Corp. (MRMC) the owner of Martin Midstream GP LLC and general partner of MMLP. Earlier, MRMC purchased 100 percent of the membership interests in L&L Holdings (Louisiana) LLC. Simultaneous with the close of that transaction, MMLP acquired certain L&L terminals and terminalling-related assets from MRMC for a purchase price of approximately $36.5 million. The acquisition is immediately accretive to MMLP unit holders and was funded using availability under the LP’s revolving credit facility. Through this acquisition, MMLP has acquired an additional 13 marine and one inland terminalling facility located across the Louisiana Gulf Coast. The LP now owns a system of 27 shore-based facilities in four states along the Gulf Coast. “We are pleased to announce strategic growth in the form of additional marine terminals from L&L,” said Ruben Martin, president and CEO of the general partner. “We have now created what we believe is one of the largest, most geographically diverse fuel and lube distribution systems on the Gulf Coast. More importantly, the transaction means additional stable, fee-based cash flows for our unit holders.” In similar fashion to the LP’s existing marine terminal operations, MMLP has entered into a long-term throughput agreement with MRMC for use of the assets. As part of the throughput agreement, MRMC will continue to own all inventory and working capital elements of the fuel and lubricant distribution business, which is consistent with current and past practices. In addition, MRMC has agreed to guarantee a minimum throughput volume to the LP in exchange for use of the assets, resulting in additional stable, fee-based cash flow to MMLP.

Toronto-IC Potash Corp. said Feb. 2 that it has commenced the prefeasibility study for the Ochoa Sulfate of Potash Project in New Mexico (GM Jan. 10, Jan. 17, 2011). Through this study and concurrent environmental work, IC will establish the engineering basis for the Ochoa project for mining, processing, and SOP marketing. IC said this announcement complements recent operating progress, including two successful drill programs, the establishment of substantial measured and indicated resources, and the completion of the Preliminary Economic Assessment, which indicated that the project has a projected net present value of $1.4 billion with a discount rate of 10 percent and production level of 660,000 st/y. “I am very pleased with the operational progress made to date,” said Sidney Himmel, IC president and CEO. “We are on plan with our primary strategic goal to be in production for 2014. To achieve that, we have assembled an excellent team of accomplished professionals to complete this study and will now move quickly to establish the economic engineering parameters for the project.”

Toronto-MBAC Fertilizer Corp. said Jan. 31 that it has received approval from Banco Itau BBA S.A. for a US$110 million project financing facility in connection with the development of its planned large-scale single super phosphate project (540,000 mt/y) located in the State of Tocantins, Brazil. MBAC also says the International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group, has indicated that it will provide $25 million in project financing and $20 million of equity financing in connection with the project. MBAC expects to receive a definitive term sheet from IFC in March. MBAC says these financings and cash on hand will be enough to fully fund the expected future capital expenditures for the project through the commencement of commercial production in 2012.

St. Louis, Mo.-Agrotain’s more concentrated version of its liquid nitrogen formulation, which was launched successfully last year in the U.S., is now available in Canada. Marketed as Agrotain Ultra, the new product is designed with both the ag retailer and the farmer in mind. Agrotain’s Jeff Whetstine, vice president for global marketing, told Green Markets that Agrotain Ultra has been in development for a couple of years, with the aim of reducing the amount of storage space and packaging required and also to reduce the amount of product needed at the time of fertilizing. “In the past the fertilizer dealer would have to apply four quarts per ton for urea. With the new product this has been reduced to three quarts.” He said another plus is that the dealer now has fewer containers to contend with during the mixing process, which requires just a few minutes. The new product also uses Agrotain’s proprietary “StabilizedNitrogen” technology, which is meant to limit the volatility losses of nitrogen into the air following urea and UAN application by inhibiting the urease enzyme in the soil. Agrotain points out that reducing volatilization extends the availability of nitrogen to plants, thus improving yield and plant health. Whetstine added that the cost is very reasonable in light of the increases in nitrogen prices. He said this helped make the reception in the U.S. very positive and the same is expected in Canada, where major crops are cereal grains, canola, and flax. “Farmers need to make sure the nitrogen they apply stays with the crop and this product helps them to increase their nitrogen efficiency,” he explained. “If the farmer wants to add Agrotain Ultra to urea he just puts it in at the time it’s blended and it’s just as easily added with UAN solution at the rate of 1½ quarts per ton because it is a very powerful formulation.”