Sharing Agriculture’s Good News

There was no turkey at this Thanksgiving party. But that didn’t stop crowds from gathering at Willard Agri-Service‘s Greenwood, DE, facility to celebrate and give thanks.

Willard hosted industry leaders, government representatives and the wider Delaware ag community Monday, November 22, to celebrate the company’s winning the National Environmental Respect Award. The event was also a forum to showcase the positive efforts that Willard and other members of the agricultural community are taking toward environmental stewardship and safety, as demands for more “green” industries increase and vigilance and care for the environment grows throughout the Delmarva region.

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State Representative David Wilson (R-Bridgeville) presented Willard Agri-Service with a special commendation from the Delaware House of Representatives and agricultural leaders took the opportunity to share environmental success stories and positive initiatives.

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“Willard Fertilizer is a great asset to Delaware’s more than $1 billion agricultural economy and Delaware’s environment,” says Edwin Kee, Cabinet Secretary at the Delaware Department of Agriculture. “You are a beacon of excellence in retail environmental stewardship because you recognize your responsibility for preserving and protecting our environment and act accordingly each and every day. Your stewardship is reflected in your sound business operation, the services and education outreach provided by your employees to our farmers, related ag industries, and the general public.”

Winning Respect

This summer, Willard Agri-Service, serving growers in Maryland and Delaware, was honored as the U.S. national winner of the Environmental Respect Awards, a global honor sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and CropLife® magazine for ag retailers and distributors for their commitment to environmental stewardship. Willard Agri-Service has taken many extra steps to ensure the environmental impact of its business is minimal including sampling and testing storm water before release, installing three-tier containment systems on all bulk chemical storage tanks and conducting both daily and monthly tank inspections. The company also prides itself on being “knowledge providers” for its grower-customers. Using its High Q precision agriculture computer-supported program, the staff can record every operation completed on a field, allowing them to make better, safer recommendations.

“I am inspired to see how the Willard organization has worked alongside farmer-customers, government agencies and associations to not only preserve and protect the Delmarva area, but to create a positive environmental impact, leaving it better than they found it,” says John Chrosniak, regional business director at DuPont Crop Protection. “Let Willard serve as a role model to each of us: We must continue to persevere in our stewardship efforts and learn from each other as the bar goes higher.”

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