Seed company sells out, hundreds out of work

[ChristieAcres]

I find the situation very sad for the workers, their families, and for your area, Johndeere!

The best thing we could all do? BOYCOTT them immediately and let everyone we know why we are boycotting them!

Five years ago, I began buying Heirloom seeds, converting over to growing almost 100% Heirlooms, harvesting my own seeds. I pulled out some of the 2 year old Dill seeds, ones I had harvested, did a germination test, and got over 85% results! I am getting almost 100% results with my Asparagus seeds (Jersey Knights/Giants); they were harvested late 2011. It surprised me how much higher the rates were with my own seeds, even the older ones!

[Animal Lover]

The bottom line is that the seed supply is rapidly diminishing. For a seed company to go belly up in days like this is unlikely. There's more to this story than an acquisition. I'd like to know names and associations.

I'm saving seed....are you?

This is strange indeed. We have purchased from this company and our children have for many, many years. They have carried great products. I too would like to know why this really happened. Good luck to all who have lost their jobs. Many of us are praying for you.

[Tired of Lies]

I find the situation very sad for the workers, their families, and for your area, Johndeere!

The best thing we could all do? BOYCOTT them immediately and let everyone we know why we are boycotting them!

Five years ago, I began buying Heirloom seeds, converting over to growing almost 100% Heirlooms, harvesting my own seeds. I pulled out some of the 2 year old Dill seeds, ones I had harvested, did a germination test, and got over 85% results! I am getting almost 100% results with my Asparagus seeds (Jersey Knights/Giants); they were harvested late 2011. It surprised me how much higher the rates were with my own seeds, even the older ones!

I don't know about now but I know back in the 80's the store I worked in sold seeds and we had to send back whater we didn't sell. The company redid germination tests and if they passed they just added them back into the mix for the net year. This was especially true for grass seed.

[countrymouse]

The bottom line is that the seed supply is rapidly diminishing. For a seed company to go belly up in days like this is unlikely. There's more to this story than an acquisition. I'd like to know names and associations.

I'm saving seed....are you?

I absolutely agree---something is VERY strange here.

Ferry-Morse seeds are an institution---for years, they were among the major--if not THE major---seed packager I'd see for sale in local garden centers and big-box stores---everything from the local hardware store to the local feed-and-seed all the way up to Pike's Nursery and Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and the like.

Something is VERY odd about all this....

[bbkaren]

I've been reading "Gardening When it Counts" and the way he describes seed-rack sellers and their methods, it wouldn't surprise me if their quality has gone downhill like anyone else's lately.

Cutting corners to keep costs low. Or as the writer would say, more "seedroom floor sweepings" (the light seeds that are normally winnowed off because they're not viable) included in the seed packets.

[dilligaf]

I just wanted to let you guys know that this is the town I live in and after the closing of the plant our county will have the highest unemployment rate in the country. I know plenty of folks who work their and were shocked at the closing. This is their slow time of the year and already had laid off the seasonal workers for a few months.
From the people I know who work in the office they told me that Plantation bought the Ferry Morris side out late Wednesday and and chained the doors at lunch on the Friday.
The company that owned them before was cooking the books and charging everything to the ferry Morris division. For example the other seed factories would ship the seeds out to Fulton to store in the warehouse over here. They would charge the shipping to Fulton and also charge the storing to Fulton and then charge the distribution to Fulton all on seeds that did not come from the Ferry Morris Fulton plant. Many other shady things were going on like that which caused the books to look bad to the new owner.


We have over 20% unemployment now and with this plant closing and also MTD in Martin Tn (8miles away) laying off several hundred I expect the unemployment to go over 30%. I know many who are unemployed that are not drawing. Is say a good 50% at least here have no jobs. We are the
Armpit of America. Nobody cares about investing here may c it be. The state of Feds.

Also remember the house fire that made national news Magen the firefighters just watched the house burn? Well that is the same town. Fulton Ky/ South Fulton Tn which is Obion County.

I'm amazed when I get away from the Mississippi River counties of Kentucky and witness the riches of other parts of the nation. Most homes here are 50-70 yrs old and decrepit and falling down. If your lucky enough to land a job it's minimum wage. Factory job? $9 an hr. We only have one left in Fulton and they make plastic buckets but only employ just a couple dozen people. I don't even think they pay $9 their.
MTD is the biggest employer around these parts and they pay 9 an hr and you get to work 4-5 months a year. They employ 1100 people. Working on that line is hard work and not everybody can do it.

Forgive my spelling because typing on a phone is not the easiest thing to do.

this explains a lot.. thank you for the firsthand info,and welcome to the tree..

[doat]

This country has bigger fish to fry. One of our problems is we are
easily distracted by minor issues and are indifferent on the real major issues.
　

[Gamechanger]

Johndeere:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_County,_Kentucky

Your county has less than 40% of the population that it had 100 years ago. Maybe it's time to pick up stakes and move to more fertile ground.

[moestooge]

This country has bigger fish to fry. One of our problems is we are
easily distracted by minor issues and are indifferent on the real major issues.
　

The food supply isn't an important issue?