Syngenta announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire Conrad Fafard, Inc. (Fafard), a leading North American producer of packaged growing media to professional ornamental growers and the consumer retail market.

Syngenta announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire Conrad Fafard, Inc. (Fafard), a leading North American producer of packaged growing media to professional ornamental growers and the consumer retail market. Fafard is a privately held company with sales of $76 million for the year ended May 31, 2006. The agreed purchase price is $133.5 million. The company, headquartered in Agawam, MA, has 240 employees with production sites in the eastern U.S. and Canada.

This acquisition in a market currently estimated at $1.5 billion and growing at around 6% annually will reinforce Syngenta's leading position in plant protection and flower seeds. A new regional seed company, AgVenture of Eastern Kansas, Iola, KS, announces its launch and the signing of an exclusive territory agreement with AgVenture, Inc. of Kentland, IN. AgVenture of Eastern Kansas will market AgVenture brand corn and soybeans to customers across 40 eastern Kansas counties. Its GM Sls/Mktg, Tom Woodworth brings twenty plus years of seed business expertise to the helm of this new operation.

Also at AgVenture, McKillip Seeds, Inc. Wabash, IN, has signed an exclusive territory agreement with AgVenture. McKillip Seeds, a fourth generation, independently owned and operated Indiana seed company will align with AgVenture to market AgVenture brand corn and soybeans to its customers.