HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.) Several hundred farms gartered December 7 and 8 for the 31st Agway annual meeting and Coun cil meeting at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey. They heard their cooperative’s new leader describe three impor tant things he’s learned, and actions he’s taken to improve the business, after visiting hundreds of farms and Agway facilities and listening to suggestions from far mer members and employees dur ing his first year in die top job. Donald P. Cardarelli, Agway CEO and president since early 1995, said die cooperative is now more clearly focusing on its com mitment to serve farmers with speed and flexibility. He reported Agway has improved perfor mance of its basic ag and retail operations by managing these businesses closer to the customer. Agway also plans to take better advantage of its farm heritage, an asset that is valued by customers, he said. And Agway will continue to build alliances and partnerships that create growth opportunities, such as the new feed ingredients joint venture with Farmland Industries. Cooperative’s Status Given At Annual Meeting Cardarelli called 1995 a “bit tersweet” year financially. Four major Agway businesses operated profitably in the fiscal year that ended June 30, he said. Agway’s lease financing company, Tel mark, operates in 24 states and is highly successful. Agway Insur ance Company, operating in eight Northeastern states and Kentucky, posted its fourth consecutive pro fitable year, he reported. “Agway Energy Products turned in a respectable profit and added customers despite the third warmest winter on record,” he said. “AEP has a strong market presence. And our Country Pro ducts Group, a diversified collec tion of independently operated specialty and value-added businesses spanning the country, is profitable.” While Curtice Bums Foods was sold to Pro-Fac Cooperative dur ing the year, Cardarelli explained the failure to also complete the sale of H. P. Hood in fiscal 1995 triggered a significant year-end. write down to reflect Hood’s market value. That, added to staff reduction costs at both Hood arid Agway, contributed to a loss of $15.9 million on consolidated sales of $2.1 billion. “By making these difficult but necessary changes, we will have a smaller, more efficient workforce and lower operating costs in future years,” Cardarelli told the cooperative’s members. “Serving fanners is our primary mission,” he said. “We have made bold changes in how we run these businesses. By putting our agro nomy, feed and farm store opera tions together as one business, we are now better focused on serving farmers in geographic markets that make sense. “I am very excited about the future of our cooperative,” Car darelli concluded. “We have made many difficult decisions needed to move us ahead. We have put in place a structure to allow us to respond quickly to customer needs, and we are changing in ways that will add value to your membership in Agway.” Ralph H. Heffner of Pine Grove, and Robert L. Marshman of Oxford, NY, chair and vice chair of the Agway board of direc tors, presided at the annual meet ing and the Agway Council meet ing that followed. This is the last of a series of three meetings sche- Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 9, 1995-A23 duled. New York Agway mem bers and committee leaders met November 29-30 in Syracuse, NY and New England members met December 4-5 in Springfield, MA. The Agway Council includes farm leaders of 95 adv ; sory committees representing various geographical areas in the Northeast Charles C. Brosius, Pennsylva- nia Secretary of Agriculture and former Agway board vice chair man, was the featured guest speaker. He discussed expected farm policy changes resulting from the balanced budget efforts in Washington and the implica tions for Northeast agriculture. Barbara Shinn of Jobstown spoke to the meeting representing young farmers. She and her hus band, Paul, own and operate S7S acre Toyland Farms. Prior to the meeting, the Shinns joined 60 other young farmers and farm couples for a tour of the Agway Farm Research Center in Tully, NY. They discussed farming trends with Agway managers and research directors as guests of Agway. More than 1,000 young farmers have participated in Agway’s young fanner program since 1979. Five farmers have been elected to three-year terms on the 17-member Agway board of directors. 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James of Middlebury, VT, John H. Ross of Lowville, NY and John H. Tal mage of Riverhead, NY had served a combined total of 58 years. Agway is a farm supply cooperative owned by 87,000 far mers in 12 Northeastern states. Its 4,580 full time and 1,700 part time employees and franchised dealers provide rural and suburban cus tomers with production supplies for farm and home, energy pro ducts, leasing and insurance pro grams, and natural state food packaging and marketing services. Agway facilities are located in hundreds of communities throughout the Northeastern states. It also operates specialized food packaging and seed facilities in several other states. Agway maintains headquarters and offices at several locations in Syr acuse, NY. HEAT Multi-Story Home Shop-Bam Domestic Water Pool Greenhouse ',tc. With, Clean, Sqfe, Efficient Wood Heat
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