IMC Global Inc., Wake Forest, IL, and Cargill Inc., Minnetonka, MN, announce the signing of a definitive agreement to combine IMC Global Inc. and Cargill Crop Nutrition to create a new, publicly traded company.

The combination of IMC Global's phosphate, feed phosphates and potash businesses with Cargill's phosphate, feed phosphates and nitrogen production and global distribution operations will create a more efficient, full-service global fertilizer company better able to deliver high-quality, competitively priced products and services to customers worldwide, say the companies. The new company is expected to benefit from increased financial flexibility and an enhanced platform for worldwide growth.

The corporate name under which the new company will operate and its shares will trade has not yet been determined. The new company will operate phosphate production facilities in Florida and Louisiana in the U.S. and potash production facilities in Saskatchewan, Canada, as well as in New Mexico and Michigan in the U.S. Cargill's retail fertilizer operations are not included in the transaction.

For more information about the merger, visit www.cargill.com and www.imcglobal.com.

AMVAC Chemical Corporation, Newport Beach, CA, announces it has entered into an agreement with Syngenta Crop Protection to supply Force 3G corn soil insecticide for use through AMVAC's SmartBox system beginning this season.

The SmartBox technology, marketed by AMVAC, is a closed handling system that combines precision insecticide application with reduced applicator exposure. Its returnable containers eliminate the need to open, pour and dispose of bags, which reduces the risk of skin contact and inhalation, according to the company.

Force 3G is a leading corn soil insecticide manufactured by Syngenta for the control of rootworm, wireworm and white grub in corn.

For more information, visit www.american-vanguard.com.

Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, announces it has won a patent battle regarding biotech-gene technology for protection of plants against insect damage. The decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that Monsanto's scientists were the first to invent this important technology ends a nearly eight-year patent office dispute with Mycogen Seeds, a subsidiary of Dow AgroSciences. The decision finds that Monsanto was the first company to invent the technology for synthetic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes in plants.

Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM), Van Wert, OH, has stepped up its marketing program for America's Best Inoculant to educate growers about the benefits of soybean inoculation. ABM has also created new sales and educational materials to help seed distributors and resellers increase revenues with America's Best Inoculant.

The company has added three new members to its national sales team. Martin Robinson joined ABM as national sales manager, responsible for directing all sales activities for the company's product lines. Scott Hawkins joined the company as senior sales representative, overseeing its Mid-South markets. Bradley Tucker joined ABM as senior sales representative for Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

For more information, visit www.americasbestinoculant.com.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2007 Penton Media, Inc.