Farmers Inc., Greenville, Miss., and Memphis-based GreenPoint AG on Aug. 5 announced an agronomy business consolidation that will combine Farmers Inc.’s Greenville, Miss., and Rolling Fork, Miss., agronomy locations with GreenPoint AG’s facilities in Rolling Fork and Leland, Miss. The consolidated agronomy business will operate under the GreenPoint AG name.

Under terms of the agreement, Farmers Inc. will receive a minority ownership interest in GreenPoint AG, and will continue to provide fuel along with products offered by the Farmers Inc. retail store on Raceway Road in Greenville. GreenPoint AG will provide seed, crop nutrients, crop protection products, and services at their Leland location and both Rolling Fork locations.

“This is a great opportunity for both of our organizations to combine our efforts to better serve our market,” said Tim Witcher, president and CEO of GreenPoint AG. “We are excited about the expertise that Farmers Inc. and GreenPoint AG bring together to provide more advantages and resources to area growers.”

GreenPoint AG was formed in 2012 (GM Aug. 13, 2012) as an agronomy joint venture between Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, La Vergne, Tenn., and Winfield Solutions LLC, a leading provider of agricultural inputs and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Land O’ Lakes Inc. GreenPoint currently operates approximately 50 agronomy locations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Kentucky.

Farmers Inc. is a stockholder corporation that was started in 1956 by growers in Mississippi’s Washington, Sharkey, Issaquena, and Bolivar counties. The business currently has more than 350 stockholders and services many farms in those same counties. Farmers Inc. and GreenPoint AG noted that they each serve similar customer bases, and principally provide seed, crop nutrients, crop protection products, and related services for area growers who produce corn, cotton, and soybeans.

“In today’s highly competitive agronomy market, this consolidation will give our farmers more services and opportunities than ever before,” said Floyd Trammell, executive vice president and general manager of Farmers Inc. “Farmers Inc. is proud of its 58-year history of providing goods and services throughout the Delta, and looks forward to providing fuel and products through ‘The Co-Op’ in the future. Our fuel and oil business is growing, and we intend to be the fuel supplier of choice to all our farmers.”

The Asmark Institute on Aug. 5 announced plans to recognize Ford B. West for his years of service to the fertilizer industry by dedicating a new training center in his honor. A dedication ceremony to commemorate the launch of the Ford B. West Center for Responsible Agriculture will be held on Oct. 27, 2014 in Owensboro, Kentucky. West served as the president of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). He retired in 2013 after 34 years of service to TFI and the industry.

"Ford West is known throughout the U.S. for his impeccable integrity, tireless work ethic and an inherent ability to quickly dissect complicated issues into a simple plan of action. It is very fitting that we honor him by creating a first-of-its-kind learning center that advances safety and compliance for the ag industry," said Allen Summers, Asmark Institute president.

The facility will be used as a national training and education center for personnel employed in the agricultural input industry. Among other programs planned for the new facility, will be the training of auditors to implement ResponsibleAg, an industry-led effort to assist agricultural retailers with compliance on a myriad of federal environmental, health, safety and security regulations.

Agrium Inc.’s Crop Production Services (CPS) recently donated the retired facility to the Asmark Institute to help make this national training center possible. The retired facility served as a retail farm center until 2014 when CPS consolidated local operations and closed the site. The Asmark Institute anticipates the renovation and construction project, which includes training scenarios, to cost $1 million. Renovations at the new center will be complete this fall and include a classroom and computer lab along with the typical equipment and simulated operations found at ag retail locations nationwide.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) on Aug. 1, approved the Greene County Industrial Development Board’s application to allow two pipelines from U.S. Nitrogen LLC’s plant to the Nolichucky River. TDOT earlier denied the permit for the pipelines along public right-of-way saying they were for private, not public use (GM June 23, p. 1). The IDB re-applied indicating that the pipelines are for public benefit and not just for U.S. Nitrogen. Other companies may also use the pipeline.

TDOT had earlier ruled that the pipelines could only be done by a public utility.

In the meantime, U.S. Nitrogen has also renewed negotiations with local utilities, a possible alternative to the pipeline.

Despite the TDOT approval, the matter is not fully settled, as opponents have appealed the recent air and water permits that the company received. In addition, a trial against local officials for violating the Tennessee Open Meetings Act in approving the zoning for the plant will be held in October. U.S. Nitrogen is not a party to that suit.

In addition, local utilities have threatened to sue if U.S. Nitrogen proceeds with the pipeline.

Israel Chemicals Ltd. estimates the financial damage to the company from the recommendations of the government appointed committee on taxation and royalty policy for natural resources will be over $2 billion. ICL CEO Stefan Borgas told the committee members on Aug. 4 that the figure is based on $150 million a year in increased costs over a 14 year period.

Borgas also said that ICL would move its activity abroad and the company has already halted $750 million in investments in Israel as a result of the preliminary recommendations. He called Israel a country that was difficult to invest in because of the frequent regulatory changes.

In May the committee recommended imposing a 42 percent windfall tax on profits and a uniform royalty on all natural resources (excluding oil and gas) of 5 percent.

The interim report recommended that the new tax regime come into effect in 2017, and not when the legislative process is concluded by the Knesset. The report said this could give ICL time to adjust to the proposed changes. A final committee report is due out in a few months and this will be followed by government approval and then passage of a law by the Knesset.

Brandt, Springfield, Ill., retailer of professional agronomic services, said Aug. 4 that it has acquired a retail agronomy location in Waverly, Ill. Founded in 2004, Lemon Ag Services Inc. will become part of the Brandt organization, strengthening the company’s commitment to Central Illinois.

“As a family company, we welcome the Lemon Ag employees to the Brandt family,” said Rick Brandt, CEO and president. “With the caliber of people who are joining us, we will truly be a stronger company with our combined resources.”

Brandt said the acquisition its aggressive corporate strategy of providing superior agronomic advice and services for customers in central Illinois. The combined company has 25 retail locations throughout Central Illinois, serving over one million acres of production farmland. Brandt offers a broad range of products and services, including plant nutrients, crop protection products, precision ag, seeds and custom application.

“Lemon Ag comes to us with a 10-year reputation of impeccable service,” said Brandt, “Lemon has always been a customer-driven company with high-integrity employees who thrive when faced with big goals. That’s exactly what we look for as we continue to expand.”

Lemon Ag will be integrated into Brandt’s Retail Agronomy division, under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Tim McArdle.

“I could not be more thrilled about this opportunity,” said McArdle. “It’s truly an honor to join forces with Mike and Janie Lemon and to carry on their commitment to their customers. Our goal is to keep that going. We will embrace all the Lemon employees to continue to do the excellent work our customers deserve.”

Mike Lemon, founder of Lemon Ag Services, will remain with Brandt as the plant manager, providing strategic operations management and key account leadership.

“This is a great day for Lemon Ag,” said Lemon, “I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished in ten years. But for us to take our customer services to the next level, we need to align ourselves with Brandt, a company that has the resources, similar values and has a high level of customer commitment. I am excited about our future together. ”

“This is an important strategic move for Brandt,” said Rick Brandt. “I want to welcome Mike Lemon and all his employees to the Brandt team and I want to thank Mike for having faith in our vision to take his business forward. I am confident that our combined company is positioned to thrive and grow into the future.”

The Mosaic Co. today reported second quarter 2014 net earnings of $248 million, up from $218 million in the first quarter of 2014 and compared to $430 million a year ago. Earnings per diluted share were $0.64 in the quarter compared to $1.01 last year. Notable items negatively impacted earnings by $45 million, or $0.06 per share. Mosaic’s net sales in the second quarter of 2014 were $2.4 billion, down from $2.6 billion last year. Operating earnings during the quarter were $403 million, down from $526 million a year ago, as higher phosphate volumes were more than offset by significantly lower realized potash prices.

"Mosaic’s business momentum accelerated from the first quarter to the second quarter," said Larry Stranghoener, interim CEO. "Very strong global demand for phosphates pushed prices higher, while potash demand exceeded even our high expectations.

"We continued to effectively execute our many recent strategic initiatives. We completed our Class A share repurchase agreement, bringing our total shares repurchased to 12 percent of our 2013 year-end shares. In addition, the integration of the former CF Industries phosphate business in Central Florida is proceeding well, and we are progressing toward completion of the acquisition of ADM’s fertilizer distribution business in Brazil. Our work to generate cost savings of $500 million dollars over the next five years is also proceeding well, ensuring Mosaic remains a low-cost producer."

The company also announced that Jim Prokopanko will return from a previously announced medical leave and resume his duties as president and CEO on August 4, 2014. Stranghoener, who has announced his intention to retire at the end of 2014, will serve as executive vice president—strategy and business development.

Intrepid Potash Inc. reported net income for the second-quarter ending June 30, 2014, of $5.6 million ($0.07 per diluted share), up from the first-quarter loss of $355,000 ($0.00 per share). Second-quarter net income was still below the year-ago $11.3 million ($0.15 per share).

Second-quarter sales were up at $110.9 million versus the year-ago $92.7 million.

Potash sales volumes were up at 235,000 st from 184,000 st, though average realized prices were down at $329/st from $402/st.

Trio volumes surged to 62,000 st ($350/st) from the year-ago 35,000 st ($359/st).

Company-wide, six-month net income was $5.2 million ($0.07 per share) on sales of $209.8 million down from the year-ago $26.2 million ($0.35 per share) and $191.9 million, respectively.

Six-month potash volumes were 478,000 st ($323/st) up from the year-ago 369,000 st ($409/st).

Six-month Trio volumes were 98,000 st ($347/st), up from 74,000 st ($354/st).

Agrium Inc. confirmed today that it’s Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, potash mine experienced a mechanical failure on its main hoist system. As a result, production has been shut down at this facility. Due to the outage, Agrium will bring forward the planned turnaround to tie-in the current capacity expansion project. Production at the facility will therefore remain shut down until the tie-in is complete.

There were no injuries and Agrium does not expect any significant impact on the workforce.

Further information regarding the outage will be provided in the company’s second quarter conference call on Aug. 7, 2014.