The Asmark Institute hosted a dedication ceremony to commemorate the launch of the Ford B. West Center for Responsible Agriculture on October 27 in Owensboro, KY. Named after the former President of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), who retired in 2013 after 34 years of service to TFI, the facility will be used as a national training and education center for personnel employed in the agricultural nutrient industry.
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The Asmark Institute held a dedication ceremony to commemorate the launch of the new Ford B. West Center For Responsible Agriculture on October 27, 2014 in Owensboro, KY.
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The ceremony honored Ford West, who recently retired as president of The Fertilizer Institute after 34 years of service to the agricultural nutrient industry. Pictured with Ford is his wife, Cathy.
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The West Center includes a fertilizer loadout area.
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The fertilizer loadout training prop was made possible by Squibb-Taylor.
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Training facility includes liquid fertilizer and ammonia anhydrous handling.
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Crop Production Services donated the retired facility, which includes equipment for dry fertilizer handling, to the Asmark Institute.
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The West Center includes a warehouse with packaged crop protection products.
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Bulk crop protection products are also available for training purposes.
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The new logo for the Ford B. West Center for Responsible Agriculture is visible throughout the facility, including this truck.
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The new training center features a classroom and computer lab.
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The classroom at the Ford B. West Center includes this board featuring emergency signage, personal protective equipment and safety information.
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A plaque recognizes Ford West's 34 years of dedicated service to the agricultural industry.
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J. Billy Pirkle, Chairman of ResponsibleAg, addresses attendees at the dedication ceremony for the launch of the new Ford B. West Center.
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About 120 people attended the dedication ceremony for Ford West, which was held in one of the facility's fertilizer storage area that had been decorated with lights.
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Ford West (center) is presented with a plaque by the Asmark Institute's board members Jean Payne (Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association) and Dennis Doonan (Crop Production Services).
“Ford B. West is known throughout the U.S. for his impeccable integrity, tireless work ethic and an inherent ability to quickly dissect complicated issues into a simple plan of action,” said Allen Summers, President of the Asmark Institute. “It is very fitting that we honor him by creating a first-of-its-kind learning center that advances safety and compliance for the ag industry.”
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Among other programs planned for the new facility will be the training of auditors to implement ResponsibleAg, an industry-led effort to assist agricultural retailers with compliance on a myriad of federal environmental, health, safety and security regulations.
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About 120 people attended the ceremony and received an up close look at the facility, which was recently donated by Crop Production Services (CPS). The facility had served as a retail farm center until 2014 when CPS consolidated local operations and closed the site. Renovations at the new center were completed this fall and include a classroom and computer lab along with the typical equipment and simulated operations found at ag retail locations nationwide.
CropLife magazine attended the event and took several photos of the new training facility and the dedication (see slideshow above).
015Asmark Institute's New Training Center Focused On Responsible Ag
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Matt Hopkins is Senior Online Editor for the Agribusiness Group at Meister Media Worldwide (MMW), including such brands as CropLife, CropLife IRON, AgriBusiness Global, Global Agtech Initiative, and Cotton Grower. He is responsible for managing an array of digital products, including newsletters, websites, video, and social media. Hopkins originally joined MMW in 1994 as an editor for Greenhouse Grower magazine before transitioning to Business Manager of its MeisterPro division. He has a Communications Degree from Cleveland State University. See all author stories here.
October 31, 2014 
