Seattle — Dovex Fruit Co. and Clasen Family Co., two eastern Washington fruit companies, failed to meet risk management plan requirements under the Clean Air Act and will pay fines, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Both companies use more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Dovex, with a facility located in Wenatchee, will pay a fine of $134,613 for failing to meet requirements since 2008. It also paid a fine of $98,241 in 2008 for a similar violation from 2003-2008. Clasen failed to submit a plan since 2004 and will pay a fine of $17,030 and spend at least $58,800 implementing a supplemental environmental project, which includes installing equipment that reduces the risk of ammonia releases and improves emergency response in case of an accidental release at their Union Gap and Yakima facilities.
Spot Barge Prices
st/FOB U.S. Gulf
| Ammonia |
655 |
| Urea (g) |
426-437 |
| Urea (p) |
425-435 |
| DAP |
535-540 |
The Week in Fertilizer Stocks
| Producer |
Symbol |
Price |
Week Ago |
Year Ago |
| Agrium |
AGU |
104.48 |
104.91 |
73.64 |
| CF Industries |
CF |
214.78 |
223.60 |
146.81 |
| CVR Partners |
UAN |
27.39 |
25.71 |
20.80 |
| Intrepid Potash |
IPI |
21.00 |
20.69 |
27.77 |
| Mosaic |
MOS |
55.34 |
55.10 |
55.77 |
| PotashCorp* |
POT |
42.36 |
41.85 |
48.04 |
| Rentech Nitrogen |
RNF |
35.07 |
35.59 |
N/A |
| Terra Nitrogen |
TNH |
215.50 |
214.00 |
145.74 |
| Distribution/Retail |
| Andersons Inc. |
ANDE |
37.74 |
37.97 |
33.54 |
| Deere & Co. |
DE |
82.37 |
82.83 |
71.68 |
| Scotts |
SMG |
43.46 |
44.20 |
44.60 |
| * represents three-for-one stock split |
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. has announced that Phil Jones, formerly president of its West Coast region, will lead its retail channel for independent garden centers and hardware co-op stores as senior vice president of independent channel. He has also served as vice president of consumer Roundup, a position that brought him to Scotts in 2007 from Monsanto, which owns the Roundup brand.
Reporting to Jones will be Stephen Markert, vice president of channel sales, who will oversee independent garden center sales and marketing strategies. Josh Meihls, director of national accounts, completes the team, and will oversee hardware co-op sales and marketing.
Smithfield, N.C. — Agrium Inc.’s Crop Production Services (CPS) has chosen North Carolina’s Johnston County as the location for a $10 million distribution center. Confirmation of the selection came from the Johnston County board of commissioners and CPS, headquartered in Denver. County officials said the distribution center will be located just off U.S. 70 in Princeton, adding that the new distribution center would open sometime next year. Peggy Anderson, the county’s director of economic development, told the local press that the new center will create eight jobs and might use Johnston Community College to train employees. To help lure the company to Johnston, Anderson added, commissioners agreed to give Agrium a series of grants designed to offset its property taxes over the first five years. In total, the company will receive about $360,000 from the county. “This is typical of what we do for new businesses,” Anderson said. CPS spokesman Paul Poister confirmed for Green Markets that the Johnston County board did act favorably on the grant package earlier this month. He noted that CPS has several retail locations in the area. “We are enthusiastic to be a larger part of the community,” Poister stated. “We have closed the purchase of the property on Commercial Drive in Princeton. Our intent is to develop the site with construction of a fertilizer distribution terminal. The facility will include a warehouse, bagging facility, and administration building. We do not have a date for the start of the next phase of the project.” Smithfield is also the location of the Johnston County agriculture center.
Springfield, Ill. — Brandt is breaking ground Oct. 16 for a major building expansion project at its global headquarters here. The 15-month project will expand the current 26,000 sq ft. building by 22,000 sq ft. “When we built the current building, only five years ago, it was specifically designed for growth by adding new wings to either end,” said Brandt President and CEO Rick Brandt. “We didn’t expect to outgrow the building in such a short amount of time, but we are experiencing growth throughout the entire company. We are expanding into new global markets while at the same time increasing our market share in local and domestic markets. As we continue to grow, so does the demand for resources to support that growth.” In other recent news, Brandt Monterey was presented with The Western Plant Health Association’s Harry J. Larsen Integrity Award for excellence in community service at the association’s annual meeting.
Cairo — Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) responded Oct. 8 to an announcement by the new government of Egypt that it is reviewing the financial situation of major companies in the country. In addition, new Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy was quoted by the Egyptian press as referring to company tax evasion, and reportedly mentioned OCI. In a statement, OCI said it and its affiliates present their annual tax returns and pay their dues on the legally set dates. It noted that in accordance with current law, all capital gains resulting from the sale of shares listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange are tax exempt. “Since the disposal of an affiliated company’s shares were listed on the EGX in 2007, and as per the laws and regulations governing the EGX, the company asserts that there are no capital gains taxes due,” said OCI. “The company does not expect the retroactive application of the law in the event of a change in the relevant tax law in light of the recent statement made by the Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Qandil.”
Tel Aviv — A leading Israeli analyst has downgraded Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) to market perform, citing uncertainty about demand for potash in China and India and the state of the global fertilizer market. Clal Finance and Brokerage analyst Jonathan Kreizman noted that the macroeconomic environment and the weakness of the potash market are causing the first major cracks in potash prices. He added that they have already led to lower prices, even in strong markets such as Brazil. The report said that the biggest importers, China and India, are again putting off orders, and that the environment in other markets is showing weakness. Regarding production volumes, Kreizman predicts they will be largely unchanged, though the average per ton price will drop to $461/mt. He is looking for a strong – but temporary – third quarter for ICL, based largely on strong Indian demand.
Tel Aviv — Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan is proposing the establishment of a government body that would oversee state interests in all natural resources, which would include natural gas, oil, potash, phosphates, and other minerals. The minister said that the government currently has no unified policy regarding royalties, production, and other important issues involving its natural resources. Erdan has proposed that a new body be appointed with representatives from various ministries in order to determine long-term resource and royalty policies, and guarantee that the state is maximizing its revenues.
Revere, Mass. — Two firefighters dealing with a fire in overheated machinery late Friday, Oct. 5, were unexpectedly doused with an undetermined amount of anhydrous ammonia at the New England Candy Co. (NECCO) and had to be taken to the hospital for oxygen therapy. Both were treated and released, according to Revere Fire Chief Gene Doherty. “We believe the ensuing fire compromised a condenser line that caused the ammonia leak,” Doherty explained. “When they went into the room it was only a fire. There hadn’t been any ammonia leak. But while they were fighting the fire the pipe broke and they got ammonia on their regular firefighting suits, which didn’t provide protection from ammonia. They had on their breathing apparatus, but when they got outside they hadn’t decontaminated the ammonia that was left on their suits.” Doherty said investigators believe an overheated machine may have triggered a fire and chemical release, but a final determination won’t be made until investigators are able to get into the location as soon as the environmental cleanup work is complete. NECCO operations were still shut down early in the week. “We haven’t been able to measure the amount of ammonia that was released,” Doherty commented. “We shut off the piping system and the main valve. The system can hold up to 3,000 gallons, and the ammonia tanks hold 30,000 gallons.” He said that hazardous material teams are monitoring conditions at the site and air quality in the neighborhood, and that although some area residents may have noticed a slight odor in the air, apparently there wasn’t any danger.
Disclaimer of Warranty
All information has been obtained by Green Markets from sources believed to be reliable. However, because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by our sources, Green Markets or others, Green Markets does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information.
For additional details visit our
Terms of Use.
