Wenger Feeds
Acquires Hog Company
ELIZABETHTOWN (Lancas
ter Co.) In an effort to focus on
its core feed business. White Oak
Mills Inc. recently signed an
agreement to divest its pork pro
duction sector. This will enable
White Oak Mills to provide qual
ity livestock feeds and value
added services to independent
dairy, swine, and other livestock
producers.
Wenger Feeds Inc., with head
quarters in Rhecms, has signed a
letter of intent with White Oak
Mills’ owners, Mark and John
Wagner, to acquire White Oak
Mills’ commercial sow, farrow
to-fmish pork production opera
tion.
“This serves as a natural, stfatc-
Vermeer Launches New
Upgraded Twinßake Line
PELLA, lowa Significant
design enhancements to
improve strength, field perfor
mance, and serviceability are
incorporated into the new
improved R-23A and R-24A
Twinßakes from Vermeer.
Both Twinßake models per
form well m virtually any hay
harvesting system. Raking
widths are adjustable (18 to 24
feet on the R-24A; 18 to 23 feet
on the R23A). Windrow widths
are hydraulically adjustable
(independent of ground speed) to
handle different crops or condi
tions.
Vermeer’s new top-of-the-line
R24A Twinßake, built to handle
the most demanding field condi
tions, features an improved,
heavier 5"x7" rectangular steel
main frame with continuous
round cross-section toolbar. The
new Command II Monitor
allows the operator to adjust the
windrow widths and switch from
transport to field-ready without
leaving the tractor seat. New
grease-free windrow width
adjustment slides keep service
and maintenance time to a min
imum.
Transport width has been
reduced to just 98 inches. Going
from field to transport takes just
seconds. The process is all
hydraulically controlled from
the tractor seat The rear assem
bly lifts to start the folding
sequence. A 2-stage hydraulic
New Agronomist At BAGS
Dave Swarr
gic move for our company,” said
White Oak Mills’ President Mark
Wagner. “White Oak Mills’ main
focus is to maximize its feed
manufacturing operation with in
creased daily, independent swine,
and other livestock feed business
to expand new market positions
and further our company’s strate
gic goals."
In addition, this renewed focus
will allow White Oak Mills to ex
plore new agribusiness opportuni
ties.
Wenger Feeds will assume re
sponsibility for certain existing
leased or contracted Pennsylvania
sow, nursery, and finish opera
tions. Additional terms of the
agreement have not been dis
closed.
Significant design enhance
ments to improve strength,
Field performance, and ser
viceability are incorporated
into the new improved R
-23A and R-24A Twinßakes
from Vermeer.
system slides the telescoping
stabilizer/linkage arms along
the tongue, drawing the front
fold baskets together. The bas
kets then are locked into posi
tion on a center post and lifted
for transport on HLxls tires.
Tooth height is preset with easy
to-adjust cylinder stops and
ratchet jacks (on the rear of
rake). Minimum hydraulic
requirement is 6 gpm at 2,250
psi.
Large caster-type wheels
(27x9.50x15, 4-ply ribbed) help
cushion the ride, smooth out
turns and maintain the rake’s
setting as it negotiates changing
contours and terrain.
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
Brubaker Agronomic Consulting
Service, Inc., (BAGS) has intro
duced Dave Swarr as a senior
agronomic consultant.
BACS’s newest agronomist,
Swarr has more than 15 years ex
perience in agriculture. After re
ceiving his bachelor’s degree in
agriculture from the University of
Delaware, Swarr worked on many
farms and in the fertilizer industry
prior to his employment at BAGS.
DEKALB, Dl. Dekalb Gene
tics and Forage Genetics an
nounced that they have reached an
agreement to collaborate in the re
search and development of
Roundup Ready® alfalfa.
The development of Dekalb
Brand Roundup Ready® alfalfa
will allow growers to apply
Roundup Ultra™ herbicide to their
alfalfa crop to control labeled
weeds and grasses.
The two companies will be
working closely to develop, evalu
ate, and release new alfalfa varie
ties with the Roundup Ready trait.
Recently, Forage Genetics and
Monsanto Company announced
they had signed a letter of intent to
collaborate in the research and de
HONEY BROOK (Chester
Co.) Stoltzfus Manufacturing,
has announced the addition of a
round bale carrier to their Well
Built™ line of farm equipment.
Designed to handle big loads of
low or high moisture round bales,
the carrier’s low profile allows the
use of a three-point hitch bale
spear to load and unload, reducing
the amount of equipment needed.
Constructed of heavy '/«-inch
steel tubing, vertical and horizon
tal bracing, and 2'/« -inch back
spindles, the Well Built™ Round
Bale Carrier is built to last
“Bale cradles” tilt in for load
ORRVILLE, Ohio Quick-re
lease front attachments allow the
operator a full range of inter
changeable implements on the
Ventrac 4000 ground gripping,
AWD, articulated tractor.
Agway Profits Increase In Fiscal 1998
SYRACUSE, N.Y. Agway,
Inc. reported increased profits for
fiscal 1998, which ended on June
30. The farmer-owned coopera
tive reported nete earnings of
$41.8 million on sales of $1.56
billion. Last year, Agway reported
net earnings of $10.7 million on
sales of $1.67 billion.
Agway’s fiscal 1998 net earn
ings included a one-time benefit
of $29 million, reflecting a change
to a preferred method of account
ing for the cooperative’s pension
investments. This benefit coupled
with improved operating earnings
resulted in the strong performance
for the year.
“Overall, we are satisfied with
the continuing progress that our
fiscal 1998 financial results re
flect, especially in light of the dif
ficulties that many dairy farmers
faced in early 1998 and the impact
of the unusually warm winter on
our Energy business,” said Donald
P. Cardarelli, Agway president
and chief executive officer. “We
see the opportunity ahead for
making much more progress as we
Swarr serves clients in the Lan
caster area, consulting on more
than 40 crops while maintaining
BAGS independence of any pro
duct sales.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 29, 1998-D3
Dekalb Genetics, Forage
Genetics Join Forces
Carrier’s Low Profile
Allows Use Of 3-Point Hitch Spear
Ventrac Ground-Gripping Tractor
Is The Ultimate In Groundskeeping
velopment of important agro
nomic traits that add value to alfal
fa, with Monsanto contributing
gene technology and Forage
Genetics contributing the alfalfa
transformation.
Under the agreement between
Dekalb and Forage Genetics, De
kalb will conduct product evalua
tion and marketplace assessment.
Dekalb will also use its distribu
tion network to support the devel
opment of the new products.
Both companies are optimistic
that new Roundup Ready alfalfa
will be released sometime shortly
after the year 2000. “We are really
excited to be on the forefront of
bringing Roundup Ready tech
nology to the alfalfa crop,” said
stabilization and are capable of
double stacking over the main
beam when loading with a front
end loader. The overall design
works to reduce the effects of un
balanced loading.
All of the three models 6-,
8-, and 10-bale are available
with the popular Well Built™ dol
ly assembly featuring a wide
bushing and pin to maintain a
straight track in road transport,
and an extendable tongue for easi
er hookup. Other options include
bale spacing of 4 feet, 5 feet, and 6
feet, and a two-wheel trailer with
ball-type or gooseneck hitch.
An optional category 1 rear
three-point hitch accommodates a
wide range of rear mounted at
tachments. The hydrostatic cono
trol forward/reverse lever is
mounted beside the seat for con
remain focused on two related ob
jectives: growing and improving
the profitability of our businesses,
and improving the profitability
our our farmer members.”
Agway’s Agricultural Products
business reported strong volume
growth in feed, fertilizer, com
seed, and soybean seed in fiscal
1998, which helped offset de
clines from falling fertilizer and
grain prices during the year.
Sales and revenues increased in
the company’s food, leasing, and
insurance businesses, Agway’s
food business reported strong
growth in fresh produce distribu
tion throughout the eastern U.S.
The food business also reported
strong growth, both domestically
and internationally, in its recently
expanded sunflower business.
Telmark, Agway’s lease financing
subsidiary, crossed another signi
ficant growth milestone as its
lease portfolio topped $5OO mil
lion during the year. Agway Insur
ance Company also grew overall
revenues for the year and in
creased the number of farmowncr
policyholders.
Agway’s Energy business had
strong earnings for the year de
spite a winter that was one of the
warmest on record. Sharp declines
in fuel prices and lower pcVoleum
Jim Rich, northern area brand
marketing manager for Dekalb
Genetics. “By having the oppor
tunity to use Roundup on their al
falfa to control weeds and grasses,
alfalfa growers will be able to pro
duce higher yields of higher qual
ity forage. That means more in
come per acre for our customers.”
Forage Genetics, a wholly own
ed subsidiary of Research Seeds,
Inc. of St. Joseph, Missouri is an
industry leader in the research, de
velopment and marketing of
value-added alfalfa technologies.
Research Seeds is recognized as a
worldwide leader in the develop
ment, production, and marketing
of proprietary forage and turf
seed.
Designed to handle big
loads of low or high moisture
round bales, the carrier’s low
profile allows the use of a
three-point hitch bale spear
to load and unload, reducing
the amount of equipment
needed.
venience and operator comfort
Three engine options 25 hp
Kohler, 23 hp Mitsubishi water
cooled diesel, or a 24 hp Kubota
water-cooled gasoline engine
provide the horsepower to tackle
tough jobs.
and propane unit volume sales due
to the warm winter were primarily
responsible for Agway’s overall
sales decline compared to last
year.
Sales by Agway’s retail busi
ness showed a moderate decline
for the year as significant product
mix and repositioning continued
in order to place focus on the
store’s nursery, lawn, garden, and
pet businesses.
During fiscal 1998, Agway and
Telmark paid more than $3B mil
lion in dividends and interest to its
investors, principally Agway
farmer-members, employees, and
retirees.
Cardarclli also announced that
Agway will hold its 1998 annual
meeting on Nov. 12, at the Hotel
at Exit 37 (formerly the Four
Points Hotel) in Syracuse, N.Y
Five incumbent directors, nomin
ated earlier in the year, are ex
peeled to be officially elected to
three-year terms on the Agway
board of directors at the Syracuse
meeting. The incumbent directors
include Keith H. Carlisle, Green
wood, Del.; D. Gilbert Couser,
Pine Bush, N.Y.; Andrew J. Gil
bert, Potsdam, N.Y.; Thomas E.
Smith, Greenville, Pa.; and Wil
liam W. Young, Clifton Springs,
N.Y.