Potato Grower

14 POTATO GROWER | APRIL 2017 Around the Vine News From the Industry AGCO Awarded for Supply Chain Financing AGCO, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and solutions, and PrimeRevenue, a global platform for working capital fi nance solutions, have been recognized for "Best Customer Implementation of Supply Chain Financing Solutions" by Global Finance magazine. The joint award was presented last week at the 2017 Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT) Europe Bank to Bank Forum conference luncheon in Madrid, Spain. AGCO and PrimeRevenue successfully brought the supply chain fi nance program online in just months and had a measurable impact on working capital. Generating positive cash fl ow remains an important operational priority for AGCO. By using PrimeRevenue's supply chain fi nance platform, AGCO can free up capital to maintain signifi cant investments in other areas of its business. Syngenta Launches AI Challenge Syngenta and the AI for Good Foundation have partnered to launch the Syngenta AI Challenge, an international competition focused on leveraging artifi cial intelligence tools for use in seed breeding. The competition challenges participants to develop a model that can be used to analyze large amounts of seed data more effectively. Entrants will be provided datasets that include seed genetic information as well as soil, weather and climate data. Entries will be evaluated based on the rigor and validity of the process used to determine which variety or varieties are selected for planting and should include a documented methodology. The winner will receive $7,500; the runner-up, $5,000; and the third-place entry, $2,500. Entries must be submitted by June 1, 2017. Finalists will be announced July 14. Contestants must be 18 years or older to participate. To enter the challenge, go to www.ideaconnection.com/Syngenta-AI-Challenge. Senninger Welcomes PNW Manager John Johnston has joined Senninger Irrigation's domestic sales team as the new district manager for the Pacifi c Northwest. Johnston will interact with existing Senninger customers and develop new ones in Washington, Oregon, northern California and British Columbia. Customers in the Pacifi c Northwest can reach Johnston via email at john.johnston@senninger.com or (208) 230-9919. John Johnston Tong Names New Commercial Manager Tong Engineering, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of quality handling equipment for the vegetable and recycling industries, announces the appointment of Ian Hodgson to the newly created role of commercial manager. The new role has been developed as part of Tong's ongoing commitment to maximizing its capabilities within the UK and its export markets. This new appointment brings commercial support to the company's existing sales division to further strengthen and develop sales potential, as demand for the company's handling equipment continues to increase. Women in Ag Nominations Open Nominations are being sought for the annual Women in Agribusiness Demeter Award of Excellence. Nominations for this unique industry award are due this year by June 30. The Demeter Award, which is given in three categories (Leader of the Year, Innovator of the Year, and Company/Organization of the Year), recognizes companies and individuals (both men and women) whose achievements further the Women in Agribusiness mission of attracting and advancing women in the agriculture and food sectors. The annual presentation of these awards will be at the 2017 Women in Agribusiness Summit in Minneapolis, Sept. 26-28. Entry form and guidelines for submissions are available online at www.womeninag. com/demeter. There is no limit to the number of entries in each award category, though there will be only one award recipient in each category. When submitting nominations, any given individual can be nominated for only one category. A person or company may self- nominate Ian Hodgson

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