Dow AgroSciences to acquire Prairie Brand Seeds

Date:06-09-2011

Dow AgroSciences announced it intends to purchase certain assets of Sansgaard Seed Farms, Inc., of Story City, Iowa. The transaction is expected to close in the near future. Under the terms of the agreement, Dow AgroSciences will acquire the Prairie Brand Seed brand and marketing assets, in addition to land, buildings and equipment. The addition of these assets will build upon Dow AgroSciences’ seed business and will expand its broad range of product offerings.

"Over the past seven decades, Sansguard Seed Farms and its Prairie Brand seed business has developed an excellent reputation in the Midwest as a leading provider of top-quality, high-yielding soybeans,” said Ben Kaehler, U.S. Seed Affiliates Commercial leader, Dow AgroSciences. “In the past few years, they have expanded their product offering with corn. We are very pleased to have them represent Dow AgroSciences and our technologies to Midwest growers.”

Dow AgroSciences will continue to independently market corn and soybean seed under Prairie Brand, and the company headquarters will remain in Story City. Brian Sansgaard, president, will continue with the business to serve as general manager of the business. All of the employees of Prairie Brand Seed will continue in their current roles.

"By joining Dow AgroSciences, we expand our product offering of both traits and genetics, while we continue to operate with a regional and personal focus,” said Brian Sansgaard, president of Prairie Brand.  “As a lifelong seedsman and farmer, this venture brings customers of Prairie Brand a very strong value proposition of the latest technology, some of the industry’s leading genetics, and our personal service.”

Prairie Brand, along with the other Dow AgroSciences seed brands, will enable Dow AgroSciences to expand usage of its SmartStax® corn trait combination and REFUGE ADVANCED™ powered by SmartStax®. Future Dow AgroSciences innovations, like ENLIST™ Weed Control System technologies, will also be available through Prairie Brand.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.