Hensall Co-op, a Canadian farmer-owned, fully independent agricultural cooperative renowned for its commitment to innovation, proudly announces the strategic acquisition of Gentec Inc., a dry bean seed and research enterprise located in Idaho, USA. This strategic move underscores Hensall Co-op’s dedication to expanding its value-added product portfolio while diversifying its growing areas, solidifying its members and customers access to premium, high quality seed offerings.

For the past four decades, Gentec Inc., under the steadfast stewardship of the Butcher family, has exemplified a commitment to providing top-tier dry bean seed products and fostering ground-breaking varietal developments. A cornerstone of their mission has been cultivating enduring relationships with growers and seed clients, coupled with a pledge to deliver the highest quality seed with unmatched service. Tracey Butcher, reflecting on this transformative transition, remarked, "We firmly believe this transition will greatly benefit our existing growers and customers, offering them an even broader spectrum of seed selections."

The integration of Gentec Inc. fortifies a strategic alignment between two leaders in the dry bean agricultural sector, both driven by a shared vision of agricultural excellence. Hensall Co-op has a long-standing reputation for creating value for its members through its value-added food contracts, diversified agricultural products and services, which complements Gentec Inc.'s sterling reputation for producing top-quality dry bean seeds.

Brad Chandler, CEO of Hensall Co-op, commented, "This strategic acquisition solidifies Hensall Co-op's position as the trusted partner for both our farm members and global end-use customers involved in the dry bean industry. The addition of Gentec Inc.’s business to our portfolio enhances our ability to meet the evolving traceability, disease free and seed purity required in today’s value-added dry bean supply chain.”

Jim Barclay, General Manager of Crop Services at Hensall Co-op, added, "With this acquisition, Hensall Co-op remains steadfast in its commitment to provide farmers with best-in-class seed products and services. We eagerly anticipate continuing our support for the success of our members, customers, and the broader agricultural community."

The acquisition is poised to generate synergies that will mutually benefit both Gentec Inc. and Hensall Co-op's valued growers and clients. Gentec Inc. growers and customers can anticipate a seamless transition and gain access to an expanded spectrum of agricultural solutions. Meanwhile, Hensall Co-op's growers and customers will enjoy an even wider selection of the highest quality, premium-grade dry bean seeds.

Hensall Co-op remains firmly anchored in its core values of innovation, integrity, and collaboration. The acquisition of Gentec Inc’s. business underscores Hensall Co-op's enduring commitment to these principles and to the continued prosperity of its long-term partnerships with its members, farm businesses, and end-use customers.

For more comprehensive information regarding Hensall Co-op and the acquisition of Gentec Inc., please visit our website at www.hensallco-op.ca or contact us at 519-262-3511 ext. 320.

About Hensall Co-op:
Founded in 1937, Hensall Co-op stands as the 8th largest non-financial cooperative in Canada, with over 6,000 member-owners operating across 30 locations in Ontario and Manitoba. Serving end-use customers in more than 45 countries, Hensall Co-op excels in Food Products (Dry Beans and Food Grade Soybeans), Crop Services, Grain and Ingredient Marketing, Energy (Fuel and Propane), Animal Nutrition, Member Investments and Global Freight Forwarding and Logistics.

This week we preview USDA's quarterly grain stocks report, which will be released on Friday, September 29th. We also highlight crop conditions and crop progress across the Midwest as harvest gains momentum. We wrap things up looking at ongoing weakness in U.S. exports of corn and soybeans.

Watch videos here:

• Corn
• Soybeans

This week we continue to monitor crop conditions and crop progress. We highlight the upcoming weather forecast as Harvest is under way in the U.S. and wrap things up looking at exports for U.S. corn & soybeans.

Watch videos here:

• Corn
• Beans

This week we highlight the latest crop condition update from the USDA crop progress. We also take a look at short term weather trends heading into Labor Day. We wrap things up with some ongoing concerns about weak export demand for US corn and ongoing trends in export sales of US soybeans.

Watch videos here:

• Corn
• Beans

Hensall Co-op and its employees are thrilled to announce the recipients of the third annual Hensall Co-op Strong Communities Initiative, a program dedicated to supporting initiatives that make a positive impact on rural communities. This year, two exceptional organizations have been chosen to receive the top grants totaling $20,000, with an additional $10,000 being split between 5 well deserving organizations.

The Portage District General Hospital Foundation, located in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, has been selected as one of the grant recipients. They will receive $10,000 in funding to aid in the ongoing development of a state-of-the-art hospital. This initiative will bring much-needed high-quality healthcare services to the residents of Portage la Prairie and the surrounding communities, ensuring that they have access to healthcare of the highest standard.

Additionally, the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health, based in Goderich, Ontario, has been granted $10,000 to support Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. MHFA equips individuals with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to promote a better understanding of mental health. This training will empower community members to effectively respond to mental health crises, fostering a healthier and more supportive environment for all.

Brad Chandler, CEO of Hensall Co-op, expressed his enthusiasm for these grants: "We received an overwhelming number of applications that highlighted the pressing need for funding in rural communities. Hensall Co-op is both proud and honoured to give back to organizations that play a vital role in supporting our members, customers, and communities."

With the strong need in the community, Hensall Co-op has also awarded each of the following organizations with a $2,000 grant:

• Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation – MRI Campaign (Palmerston, ON)
• Municipality of Arran-Elderslie – New Paisley Firehall (Chelsey, ON)
• Tanner Steffler Foundation – TSF Youth Hub (Clinton, ON)
• Koko Platz Recreation Club – Clubhouse Rebuild (Portage la Prairie, MB)
• Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation – StepOne machine (Seaforth, ON)

The Hensall Co-op Strong Communities Initiative seeks to provide one-time grants to projects that address critical needs within communities, with a particular focus on initiatives aligned with Community Health and Healthy Living. Grants of $10,000 are awarded to projects completed by not-for-profit entities that are registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as charities and have been in operation for over 12 months.

Hensall Co-op remains committed to strengthening rural communities across Canada and looks forward to witnessing the positive impact of these grants on the Portage la Prairie and Goderich communities.

This week we highlight the latest crop condition ratings from the USDA, as well as a short-term weather forecast. We also look at some concerning trends in the US export sales and wrap things up with a long term look at December Corn and November Soybean futures.

Watch videos here:

• Corn
• Beans

This week we discuss the recent price break and current crop conditions, as well as the index. We also review the weather forecast and trends in both November Soybean and December Corn futures.

Watch videos here:

• Beans
• Corn

At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held on Wednesday November 29, 2023, we will be holding elections for 4 Directors.

Peter Dinsmore (Gorrie) who has completed the maximum 4 terms of 3 years will be retiring; Ed Van Miltenburg (Seaforth); Sebastian Kraft (Dungannon) and Henry Vander Burgt (Dashwood) have completed their first, second, and third 3-year term and are eligible for re-election.

Nominations for new Directors must be submitted by no later than October 15, 2023, and are to be submitted to the Secretary of the Board. Under the bylaws of our Co-operative, members cannot be nominated from the floor at the meeting.

Should you know of a candidate who you believe will represent the members of Hensall Co-operative well as a Director on our Board, we encourage you to nominate him or her by completing the online nomination form.

Online Form

Instructions

You must be a member of the Hensall Co-op to nominate a potential new Director. Again, all nominations must be submitted by no later than October 15, 2023. Thank you for participating in your farmer-owned Co-operative. We look forward to seeing you at this year’s AGM on Wednesday November 29, 2023.

Sincerely,

HENSALL DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE, INC.

This week we will review estimates for Friday’s USDA Supply & Demand report. We continue to discuss crop condition ratings as well as the weather forecast. We will also highlight concerns for weak export demand for both corn and soybeans. 

Watch videos here:

• Corn
• Beans

This week our videos highlight updated crop conditions and progress. We also take a look at concerning export trends and wrap things up with a look at December Corn and November Soybean futures.

Watch videos here:

• Corn
• Beans