March 31, 2008

Novus International supports 2008 US-Africa Agribusiness Forum

Press Release

Novus International, Inc., leader in animal health and nutrition, has announced that it will support The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) 2008 US-Africa Agribusiness forum as a leading sponsor.

The 2008 Agribusiness Forum, Investing in Agriculture Links in Africa is being hosted by CCA's Agribusiness Initiatives Program and will be held in Chicago, Illinois, June 25-27. The Forum is expected to attract more than 300 leaders from the private and public sectors in the US and Africa.

As an event sponsor, Novus International will host the "Education and Knowledge Building in Agriculture Production" workshop.

CCA is pleased to welcome Novus International as a sponsor and supporter of the 2008 US-Africa Agribusiness Forum and their participation will add value to the Forum, according to CCA president Stephen Hayes.

The two-day Forum will include industry-specific sessions, networking opportunities, and panels. Topics for discussion include:  cross-cutting issues such as financing, commodity trading markets, food security, infrastructure investment to connect African markets, market information systems improvement, product innovation, cash crop production and investment, livestock production and investment, pharmaceutical growth, bio-fuel industry growth, carbon trading, and production technology.

"At Novus, we work to empower emerging markets by transferring our knowledge in the latest research and technologies related to animal health and nutrition," explained Thad Simons, president and CEO of

Novus International. "CCA is providing a platform for this type of open knowledge exchange. We applaud their efforts and are proud to be in partnership."

The CCA Agribusiness Initiatives Program focuses on catalysing the contribution that agriculture, agribusiness, and related activities make to economic growth in Africa. Initially funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to foster development of public-private partnerships and support the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program, (CAADP), CCA's Agribusiness Initiatives Program seeks to increase CCA member involvement in shaping policy through education and access to finance programs.

Established in 1993, The Corporate Council on Africa is a non-partisan membership organization of nearly 200 US companies dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the US and Africa.  CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total US private sector investments in Africa. The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the continent.