New venture meets farms’ complete nutrient needs

13 May 2011

New venture meets farms’ complete nutrient needs

Ballance Agri-Nutrients is joining forces with New Zealand’s best independent suppliers of customised animal feeds to create a new nationwide business focused on meeting farmers’ complete animal nutrient needs from pasture through to supplements.

The company is purchasing a large share of two of New Zealand’s leading animal nutrient manufacturers; Seales Ltd in Morrinsville and Winslow Feeds and Nutrition in Ashburton. The new operation, Seales Winslow, will be 51% owned by Ballance Agri-Nutrients. The shareholders of Seales Ltd and Winslow Feeds and Nutrition will own the remaining 49% of the new business. Seales Winslow is expected to begin operations by June 1, 2011.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients Chief Executive, Larry Bilodeau, said today the two firms were both recognised as leaders in producing high performance compound feeds and additives and were a natural fit with a farmer-owned co-operative focused on higher farm production.

“All three companies take a strong science-based approach to product development and on-farm advice, and this gives us great common ground.

“Better animal nutrition is the greatest single opportunity to boost the productivity of pastoral farming and New Zealand urgently needs to do this.

“On-farm feed efficiency is a priority for our shareholders and customers who are looking to lift production to meet growing global demand without risking environmental damage.

“We are offering a whole farm nutrient management approach which will improve productivity and animal fertility, health and welfare while reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint,” said Mr Bilodeau.

“Our investment in Seales Winslow is a progression in our work toward helping farmers manage their complete nutrient requirements on farm. It complements our focus on plant nutrition and our recent investments in Farmworks and AgHub which provide decision support tools for farmers. This is a natural expansion for us and one which I am confident will be warmly welcomed by our shareholders.”

Seales Winslow’s inaugural Managing Director is Ross Hyland, current MD of Seales Ltd, who says he is looking forward to leading a nationwide firm able to service the needs of farmers right across the country.

“The new venture will provide a great platform for growth and ensure we can meet the expanding demand from farmers for a complete animal nutrition package.

“Our aim is to enhance the nutrition and therefore performance and welfare of individual animals and of whole herds. Doing this improves the profitability of a farm and can also reduce its environmental footprint. Everyone wins in this equation.”

“We endeavour to support New Zealand farming in every way possible. Our key ingredients have always been primarily sourced from local farmers, and we will continue to use New Zealand ingredients in the future.”

Winslow Group’s Managing Director and new Board director of Seales Winslow, Craig Carr says the merger creates a New Zealand first with an operation which will now fully link all aspects of nutrition on a dairy, deer or sheep and beef farm.

“We will link the four great genetic engines on these farms in the soils, forage plants, rumen and animals, and we will back this with expert science and technology. This represents the future and the best thing about it is that it is 100% owned by New Zealanders.”

Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Summit Quinphos will continue to provide shareholders and customers with specialist farm-gate service through their Technical Service Representatives. Seales Winslow will also continue to maintain a team of specialist feed representatives.

ENDS

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