The Florence Rotary club recently had the opportunity to hear from Joe Parker, a local entrepreneur who has been involved in international farming for over twenty years. Mr. Parker was one of the founders of the Ukrainian/American agricultural production company, Freedom Farm International, Inc. (FFI). Joe and his partner, Roger Denhart (Illinois), saw the opportunity to enter the Ukraine marketplace after the fall of communism. The demise of communism opened up economic opportunities for the people of the Ukraine. Mr. Parker recounted the numerous changes he has seen over the last twenty years for the people of the Ukraine, amenities we take for granted, such as adequate sources of electricity to power street lights.
Freedom Farm International, Inc. was a farming operation located in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine that consisted of 15,000 hectares of soybeans, corn and wheat as well as a processing plant and a modern hog production facility. Per year the operation processed 12,000 metric tons of soybeans into animal feed and human consumption soy flour and marketed 20,000 hogs. Freedom Farm International was sold in 2004. Joe founded Imperial Agro, Ltd. in late 2004.
Imperial Agro, Ltd., is a Ukrainian agricultural productionand distribution company. They currently lease and farm 10,000 hectares of farmland, producing soybeans, wheat, barley, and corn. Imperial Agro, Ltd also markets farm related products in Ukraine.
Mr. Parker has also been actively involved in the improvement of the social well-being of the Ukraine. Most recently he has worked with MASTER Provision of Florence KY and with My Home for Orphans in Ukraine in charitable works. My Home for Orphans was founded in 2002 to help change the lives of orphans in the Ukraine. Their goal is to facilitate national family placement for orphans and children taken into state custody.
For information about weekly meetings, guest speakers and community service opportunities of the Florence Rotary Club, contact Adam Howard, President, online at adamhowardky@gmail.com. Visit the group’s website at www.florencerotary.org . Florence Rotary meets weekly on Mondays at noon at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Florence.
