GROWMARK, Inc. officials announced that they have entered talks with Remington Hybrid Seed Company of Remington, Indiana to produce, condition and bag the regional cooperative’s lines of FS Seed Corn and FS HiSOY® Soybeans in multiple locations across the Midwest.  As part of these discussions, the parties are negotiating the acquisition by Remington Hybrid Seed of GROWMARK’s two seed production and conditioning plants located in Piper City and Bloomington, Ill. that currently produce, condition, and bag the FS Seed lines.  The parties are targeting mid-summer for the transer of these properties and operations to Remington. 

The genetic selection and determination of necessary technology traits for all FS Seed lines will continue under the direction of FS Seed Brand managers located in Bloomington, Ill., according to Ron Milby, GROWMARK’s FS Seed Division manager.  Local FS member cooperatives throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin will continue to market and provide grower support for farmers in their areas.  “With this move, the entire FS Seed supply system benefits from operating and logistic efficiencies,” explains Milby. 

Also according to Milby, farmer contracts that have been signed to grow and plant FS HiSOY soybeans seed during the 2006 season will be fully honored by GROWMARK and jointly administered with Remington Hybrid Seed.

Turf and field seed blending operations, currently at the Bloomington plant, will be relocated to and consolidated at Alpha, Ill., to unite the blending and bagging functions of those products with GROWMARK’s established distribution system.  Development and varietal selection of these product lines will also continue to be directed by FS Seed Brand managers in Bloomington.

GROWMARK will retain ownership of seed research plots and facilities at the Bloomington location to oversee genetic and performance evaluation of FS Seed lines.  Remington Hybrid Seeds will acquire the surrounding acres and plant assets at the Piper City facility location.

“These talks are another step toward FS Seed’s goal of focusing resources on farm-gate services and support,” Milby says.  “These potential agreements are an extension of our current relationship with Remington, who now produces the FS Seed Corn line and portions of the FS HiSOY line.   By working through their network of facilities, FS Seed will broaden our production opportunities geographically and spread our production risks.”

“By focusing solely on production and packaging, we efficiently produce consistent, top quality seed season after season," says Julie Overbeck, Vice-President of Remington Hybrid Seed Company.  "We are committed to managing world-class facilities and supplying outstanding customer service.  We look forward to providing FS Seed all the benefits of our experience and to working more closely with the FS System."

GROWMARK is a regional cooperative providing agriculture-related products and services in the Midwest and northeastern United States and Ontario, Canada.  FS brand seed, farm supplies and related services are marketed to farmers in these areas local GROWMARK member cooperatives under the FS brand, and by GROWMARK subsidiaries.