AgFeed Industries, Inc. Announces Record Revenues for 2009

AgFeed Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: FEED), one of the largest independent hog production and animal nutrient companies in China, today announced record levels of revenue in both of its operating units: hog production and animal nutrition. Production volumes increased by 66% in the company's hog division and 56% in the animal nutrition division.

Dr. Songyan Li, AgFeed's Chairman, commented, "In the face of a difficult operating and market environment for hogs in China, we are pleased with the company's record results. During 2009, we successfully executed against each of the five goals set out in our strategic plan. Both of our business units contributed to our record revenue of $173.2 million, an increase of over 20% from 2008. Our production levels also achieved records; we produced 680,000 hogs and 117,000 tons of feed, which resulted in operating earnings of $0.31/share.

Origin Agritech Announces Final Approval of Worlds First Genetically Modified Phytase Corn

Origin Agritech Limited (NASDAQ GS: SEED) (“Origin”), a leading technology-focused supplier of crop seeds and agri-biotech research in China, today announced it has received the Bio-safety Certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture as a final approval for commercial approval of the world’s first genetically modified phytase corn. Origin’s phytase corn is the first transgenic corn to officially introduce the next generation of corn product approved and sold commercially into the domestic marketplace.

Genetically modified seed products in China must undergo five separate stages of approval beginning with a phase one laboratory approval to the final receipt of the Bio-safety Certificate in phase five. Currently, this GM seed approval process is restricted only to domestic seed producers such as Origin Agritech.

Origin Agritech Limited Reaches Agreement for Novel Glyphosate-Tolerance Gene

Origin Biotechnology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Origin Agritech Limited (NASDAQ: SEED) announced it has reached an comprehensive, worldwide agreement with the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Sichuan Biotech Engineering, Limited. CAS and Sichuan Biotech jointly own the rights to an internally developed gene which is highly tolerant to glyphosate (herbicide). This glyphosate-tolerance gene, demonstrated to be extremely effective in both laboratory and field environments, is entirely new to the consumer markets in that it has never been commercialized, and is protected by patents granted separately by China and USA separately.

ABB Grain and Viterra Announce Agreement to Combine Operations

ABB Grain Ltd. ("ABB") (ASX: ABB) and Viterra Inc. ("Viterra") (TSX: VT) are pleased to announce they have signed an Implementation Agreement under which Viterra proposes to acquire all the issued and outstanding shares in ABB for a mixture of cash and scrip via a scheme of arrangement, which will be subject to shareholder and court approval.

The transaction, valued at approximately A$1.6 billion (C$1.4 billion(1)), is comprised of a combination of cash and shares, including a special dividend to be paid by ABB.

- The value range is A$9.11 - A$9.41(1) per share (which includes a special cash dividend of A$0.41 per share to be paid by ABB); and
- The value range increases up to A$9.29 - A$9.59(1) per share for certain classes of shareholders who benefit from franking on the special cash dividend(2).