FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ~The Rushville Times Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Stone Seed Group Head Forecasts Bright Future for Ag Students

It's common for today's college students to be concerned about job prospects upon graduation. Stone Seed Group Lead Andy Stone contends that, while we may be experiencing a bump in the road, the future is bright for ag students.

"To keep up with population growth, as much food will have to be produced in the next 50 years as in the  past 10,000 years combined," Stone said in remarks before. the Western Illinois University Agronomy Club meeting on Feb. 25, and added, "There is a huge amount of work to do to feed the planet."

While many people equate the science of agriculture solely with farming, there will be many additional ag-centric careers to be filled in the coming years.

"Right now, farmers are a direct lifeline to more than 24 million US jobs in all kinds of industries," Stone told the group.

Stone listed horticulture, aquaculture, shipping, merchandising, education, communication, research, and marketing as a few of the potentially limitless, agriculturally-based needs in the near future. He pointed to many exciting Genuity trait advances, 'including nitrogen utilization and drought tolerance, that parent company Monsanto is working on to help american farmers increase yields.

In concluding his presentation, Mr. Stone predicted, "In your 30 or 40 year career you will use many technologies that have not been thought of yet.”  

Andy Stone, along with his wife, Stone Marketing Director Roe Stone, spoke to the club at the invitation of sponsor Dr. Gordon Roskamp. They also discussed career opportunities with Stone Seed Group and Monsanto.

"We met a terrific group of students Roe Stone commented, at Stone we say we’re 'Focused On Your Future!' and I am certainly encouraged about the future of agriculture with this generation ready to enter the ranks." Stone Seed Group representatives were at Western exhibiting in the student-run Ag Mech Show (Feb. 26-27).

In addition to the presentation at the Agronomy Club, Stone agronomist Jeff Brown discussed customized hybrid selection, plant populations and other agronomic issues with  Dr. Roskamp's Field and Forage Crops class. Specifically, Mr. Brown dedicated a large part of his presentation to the many factors that will aid in increasing Illinois yields to better serve the future needs of the planet.

Stone Seed Group is an Illinois company focused on Illinois farmers. Stone strives to focus on the customer’s future by building and strengthening relationships, and providing excellence in people, products and service always with an eye on being, better tomorrow.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March  2010

Oneida Farmer is Stone Seed Group "Picture Your Success" Winner
Rodney Main Directs Donation to FFA

PLEASANT PLAINS, IL -- A farmer from Oneida, Ill., was recently chosen the winner in Stone Seed Group's "Picture Your Success" drawing.  Rodney Main received $1,000, and chose the ROWVA High School FFA in Oneida to receive an additional $1,000 donation from Stone.  Main is also the agriculture education instructor at ROWVA High School.

"The students who take agriculture classes at ROWVA take them as electives.  They are interested in not only preparing themselves for possible careers in agriculture, they want to help improve the agriculture industry for the future," says Main.  "Providing the extra funds to the program will help us enhance our efforts to meet those goals."

The "Picture Your Success" promotion that began last August also provided a way for farmers to focus on yield goals.  Stone district sales managers (DSMs) walked fields and rode combines with farmers to help them establish soybean yield goals and talk about how to achieve those goals through a total system approach.  "This program was a great success for us because it got us in the fields.  Farmers appreciated that we came to their farms and spent some time looking at their soybeans and talking about their agronomic concerns," says Tony Strom, Stone Seed Group DSM who works with Main. 

"My relationship with Stone Seed Group has been phenomenal," says Main.  "My DSM Tony Strom knows my soils well, and always makes great recommendations for the seed that will match my conditions.  He has never let me down and my soybean yields have continued to improve."

"I believe it strengthened our relationships with customers,” says Strom.  In addition, farmers had the chance to be financially rewarded through the drawing and see that we were giving back to their local community through a non-profit group donation.  Everyone was talking about the program."

Stone Seed Group officials presented the checks to both parties on March 7th, 2010.

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 506,199 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,429 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a Federal Charter granted by the 81st Congress of the United States, and is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.

Stone Seed Group is an Illinois company focused on Illinois farmers. Stone strives to focus on the customer’s future by building and strengthening relationships, and providing excellence in people, products and service; always with an eye on being better tomorrow.