Agriliance and Alabama Farmers Cooperative Combine Alabama Agronomy Operations 

Agriliance, LLC, and Alabama Farmers Cooperative (AFC), announced the two companies are combining agronomy operations in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle to form Agriliance-AFC, LLC. The new company will market crop protection products, crop nutrients, seed and related agronomy services to Alabama growers through its member Cooperatives, with sales of nearly $140-million dollars.

Previously, Agriliance served as the national distributor for crop protection products to AFC, and owned and operated five Alabama retail locations. AFC served as the regional distributor of crop protection products, crop nutrients, and seed to its 47 member cooperatives operating 80 farm supply retail locations. Agriliance-AFC, LLC will offer the combined product line of farm supply inputs to all AFC member cooperatives and owned retail farm supply locations. The new organization will have 150 employees, with headquarters in Decatur.“Customers should not expect any substantial changes in our product or service mix,” said Tommy Paulk, president and chief executive officer, Alabama Farmers Cooperative. “By combining assets and reducing duplication, both companies will be in a better financial position. We're taking this step to improve our ability to pay patronage to our member cooperatives."Member cooperatives will purchase directly from Agriliance-AFC, LLC beginning September 1, 2003. Agriliance-AFC, LLC will be governed by a Board of Directors, made up of four Agriliance representatives, and four Alabama Farmers Cooperative representatives.“Alabama Farmers Cooperative has operated the strongest retail distribution presence in the state of Alabama, and Agriliance’s strength has been crop protection product positioning and technical support,” says George Thornton, president and chief executive officer, Agriliance, St. Paul, Minn. “The combined strength of the new company will provide customers a better overall partnership, allowing us to capitalize on past successes, and continue building for the future.”

Agriliance is the agronomy marketing joint venture owned by Land O’Lakes, Inc., Arden Hills, Minn. and CHS, Inc., St. Paul, Minn. Agriliance markets crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed (through Croplan Genetics) and related agronomy services to farmers and ranchers through local cooperatives and independent dealers in all 36 states, Canada and Mexico.