Sep 20, 2012

FS System employee cookbooks are now available!

As part of an International Year of Co-operatives, GROWMARK has published a cookbook with more than 1,000 recipes submitted by employees throughout the FS System. Net proceeds will be donated to Farmers Feeding the World, an initiative that works to bring together North American agriculture to fight global hunger.

There is a limited number still available for order, on a first come-first served basis. They are $20 each, which includes the book, a CD with all the recipes and a code to access the cookbook on a e-reader.

Contact Pat Smale in the GROWMARK Ontario region office at psmale@growmark.com if you're interested in purchasing a book. Supplies are limited.

Sep 14, 2012

Congratulations to GROWMARK Ontario scholarship winner, Kim Hooey!

Kim Hooey, Ontario GROWMARK Summer
Intern and Scholarship winner. 
Kim Hooey, one of Ontario's 2012 GROWMARK Summer Interns was also one of 41 college and university students from Ontario, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Pensylvania and Wisconsin to receive a GROWMARK scholarship at the GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago on Aug. 31.

This summer, Hooey worked at Lucknow District Co-operative as a crop intern and was in charge of implementing a new agronomy/accounting software program for the co-operative. 

Kim Hooey is now in her fourth year at the University of Guelph and will graduate this year with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Ag Honours. Kim is also very active in 4-H completing close to 30 projects. She sits on her local 4-H Association and recently completed a term as the Ontario youth representative on the Canadian 4-H Council's Youth Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Bruce County Junior Farmers' Association club and has completed full terms as president, secretary and provincial director.

GROWMARK invests in future talent by providing more than $44,000 in scholarships annually and has been supporting college and university students with scholarships since the early 1960s. Today, they are awarded to students majoring in agriculture or accounting at 16 universities and colleges throughout Ontario and the United States.



Sep 11, 2012

Youth take part in GROWMARK Annual Meeting

Marley Burgess on stage in Chicago.
“Have you ever been excited to try something new?” This was the opening line in Marley Burgess’s speech at the GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago on Aug. 31. Something new, is exactly what Burgess did as she spoke in front of approximately 1,000 GROWMARK delegates, employees and friends at the GROWMARK Annual General Meeting at the Hilton Chicago.

Burgess was chosen as this year’s youth speaker along with FFA presidents from Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

As part of the celebration for the International Year of Co-operatives, each of these four young leaders spoke for two minutes about the power of co-operatives in the categories of sustainability, resources, youth development and community impact.

Youth attending the three-day trip to Chicago were chosen by their affiliated organizations for their exemplary leadership skills and genuine enthusiasm for being the best they can be for the betterment of agriculture, their communities and society in general. Representing Junior Farmers Association of Ontario was Samantha Klaver from Perth County and representing 4-H Ontario was Jennifer Pollock from Wellington County. Burgess is a Co-operative Young Leaders Program graduate sponsored by North Wellington Co-operative Services.

Rehersal of Grand Entry of Colours Ceremony.
During their stay in Chicago, the young leaders took part in the Grand Entry of Colours Ceremony with nine other young leaders representing FFA in the United States. They attended an evening reception and banquet dinner complete with entertainment as well as a special youth-leader breakfast where they were given the opportunity to meet other young leaders and the many people that support youth development.

A tour of the Chicago Board of Trade and lunch at the historic Berghoff Restaurant was provided by AGRIS Co-operative and some free time to enjoy the architecture and sites in Chicago was included in the itinerary.

Ontario youth at GROWMARK Annual Meeting at the Hilton Chicago International Ballroom ( L-R) 4-H Ontario Ambassador Jennifer Pollock from Wellington County; Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario Samantha Klaver from Perth County; and Co-operative Young Leader representative and 2012 GROWMARK Ontario youth speaker Marley Burgess from Wellington County.

To hear an audio of Marley Burgess's interview posted on AgWire.com, click on the following link:
http://agwired.com/2012/09/06/growmark-honors-youth-in-ag/

You can view the speeches on YouTube at:  http://youtu.be/OO62cTk20xo




Sep 10, 2012

GROWMARK Reports Estimated Year-End Financial Results

Pride and Progress was an appropriate theme for the GROWMARK Annual Meeting held in Chicago on Aug. 31 when Jeff Solberg, chief executive officer, announced unaudited, estimated sales of $10 billion for the 2012 fiscal year. This is the highest in the co-operative’s history.

GROWMARK’s pretax income is estimated at $295 million, the second highest in the company’s history. An estimated $140 million in patronage refunds – also a company record -- will be returned to GROWMARK member co-operatives and farmer-owners.

“This is our 85th year as a co-operative system and we are proud of the progress from our founding to now reporting the strongest sales numbers in our history,” he said. “Our business is built around our mission to improve the long-term profitability of our member-owners. With our record sales this year, we are able to return a record amount of patronage to our owners. We remain committed to their success and to the unity of our co-operative system.”

2012 is an historic year for GROWMARK. Along with celebrating its 85th anniversary of the formation of the predecessor companies that make up today’s GROWMARK System, 2012 is also the International Year of Co-operatives, designated by the United Nations.

"Pride and Progress provides an avenue to honour our co-operative heritage, showcase our success, and demonstrate our commitment to ongoing improvement," says Solberg.

Operational highlights for the company’s business units were also reported at the Annual Meeting and are available at: www.growmark.com