Farmers Business Network℠ acquires Pro Ag, expands choice for horticulture and specialty markets

Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. (FBN^®), the leading direct-to-farm ag tech platform and farmer network, announced that it has acquired Professional Ag Distribution Inc. (Pro Ag), a specialty fertilizer manufacturer and retailer for the horticulture and specialty markets, as it moves to meet the needs of specialty crop farmers.

Pro Ag's expertise lies in understanding the nutrient demands of crops and curating fertility products to maximize ROI for growers. This empowers growers to maximize yield, fruit quality, tailor sugar content, and more. The company builds products specifically based on soil type, variety, and a range of environmental conditions.

"FBN has always been a champion of greater choice for farmers and with this acquisition we'll expand our industry-leading solutions to specialty crops -- from tree nuts to leaf vegetables to berries and everything in between," said Tom Staples, President, FBN Direct®, Global. "Pro Ag's unique curated nutrition model ensures growers gain the highest amount of ROI with minimal use of inputs, which is great for farm incomes and the environment."

With this acquisition, FBN offers specialty farmers:

• The Right Product: Pro Ag products are a low salt index acetate, silicate, or nano tech-based liquid formula that can be delivered either directly to the roots via fertigation or applied as a foliar along with herbicide and fungicide applications.

• The Right Rate: Pro Ag's next level, crop-specific nutrition plans ensure growers give the plant exactly what it needs.

• The Right Time: Crops draw specific macro and micronutrients depending on which part of the bloom cycle they are in; which is why Pro Ag products are tailored to each plant's stage of growth.

Pro Ag's approach has demonstrated the power of curated nutrient delivery: growers produce better, healthier plants with lower input intensity. This results in a win-win: higher profits for growers and more sustainable practices for the environment.

"We're proud to become a part of the FBN family and further our work to bring specialty farmers everywhere ROI through staged fertilization," said Chris Noske, President of Pro Ag.

Pro Ag, headquartered in British Columbia, is available immediately to specialty growers in Canada. Its suite of solutions, all designed to put Farmers First®, is expected to be more widely available across North America by the 2021 growing season.

The acquisition comes as FBN continues to expand its offerings and provide farmers with best-in-class solutions so they have the freedom and options to do what's best for their farm. FBN acquired seed research company Haplotech in October 2020, and announced its expansion into Australia through the acquisition of Farmsave in July 2020.