Agrium, through Loveland Products, Announces Commercialization and Technology Development Agreement with Actagro for Soil and Plant Health Products

Loveland secures expanded rights to the Actagro Organic Acid Technology Platform™ in the US, Canada and Australia for expansion of integrated plant health portfolio

LOVELAND, Colo. and FRESNO, Calif., Aug. 28, 2014 /CNW/ -- Loveland Products, Inc., a subsidiary of Agrium, and Actagro®, LLC today announced that the companies have entered into a commercialization and technology development agreement for soil and plant health nutritional products based on the Actagro Organic Acids Technology Platform™. The agreement gives Loveland Products, a leading provider of high-performance crop input products and the proprietary products provider for Agrium Retail globally, expanded distribution, commercialization and development rights to the platform in the Eastern United States, Canada and Australia.

"We are very focused on providing a fully integrated portfolio of plant health and nutrition products to our global customers through our integrated Agrium Retail channel in the US, Canada, and Australia," said Brent Smith, Vice President of Loveland Products. "Partnering with Actagro will allow Loveland Products to deliver new solutions to growers that complement conventional plant nutrition programs."

Under the terms of the agreement, Loveland Products will broaden its access to the Actagro platform to complement their expansive portfolio of plant health and nutrition products. Loveland Products and Actagro will also collaborate to integrate Actagro's organic acids technology platform into both existing and future product offerings.

"This expanded partnership with Loveland Products allows us to expand our organic acid-based solutions into new regions, where they will enhance the ability of growers to produce higher quality, better yielding crops," said Monty Bayer, President and CEO, Actagro. "Actagro's technology platform and product line are an excellent fit with Loveland Products' portfolio and services, and we are excited to work with them to develop additional products."

Headquartered in the United States, Loveland Products is part of Agrium Inc. (TSX and NYSE: AGU). Loveland Products operates in Canada as Loveland Products Canada and in Australia as Loveland Agri Products/Landmark Operations.


About Loveland Products, Inc.

Loveland Products, Inc. offers a complete line of high-performance input products to the global agricultural and professional non-crop industries. Loveland Products' diversified portfolio of premium products consists of seed treatment, plant nutrition, fertilizer, adjuvant and crop protection products, which are available through Agrium Retail in North America, South America and Australia, and through distribution partners in over 40 countries globally. Loveland Products strives to bring new, unique products and technologies to the marketplace to provide innovative solutions to problems across the agricultural and professional non-crop industries. For more information, please visit www.lovelandproducts.com.


About Actagro, LLC

Actagro is a premier developer, manufacturer, and marketer of environmentally sustainable soil and plant health technology solutions that enhance value for customers globally. As a science-based technology provider, Actagro delivers a broad range of highly effective solutions via the company's proprietary Actagro Organic Acids Technology Platform™. For more information, visit www.actagro.com.


About Agrium

Agrium Inc. is a major Retail supplier of agricultural products and services in North America, South America and Australia and a leading global Wholesale producer and marketer of all three major agricultural nutrients and the premier supplier of specialty fertilizers in North America. Agrium's strategy is to provide the crop inputs and services needed to feed a growing world. We focus on maximizing shareholder returns by driving continuous improvements to our base businesses, pursuing value-added growth opportunities across the crop input value chain and returning capital to shareholders.
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Contact

Agrium Investor/Media Relations: Richard Downey, Vice President, Investor & Corporate Relations, (403) 225-7357, Todd Coakwell, Director, Investor Relations(403) 225-7437, Louis Brown, Analyst, Investor Relations(403) 225-7761, Actagro Media Contact: Ersilia Lacaze, 559-579-1239, lacaze@actagro.com