PRESS RELEASE
THE ARMENIAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP
1300 E. Shaw Ave, Suite 149
P.O.Box 5969
Fresno, CA 93755-5969
Tel: 559-224-1000
Fax: 559-224-1002
Email: atgfresno@yahoo.com
ATG Seed Farmer Honored with Gold Medal
Yerevan, Armenia – At the second Armenian International AgroForum
Conference that took place in Yerevan, Armenia on September 22-23,
2006, Hovhanness Galoyan, an ATG farmer from Karnut village, near
Gyumri in Shirak Marz, was recognized by the Government of Armenia for
his exceptional achievement in the seed industry, and awarded him a
Gold Medal.
This is the second time in two years that the Armenian Government is
honoring the California based Armenian Technology Group (ATG) a Gold
Medal for its accomplishments in the rural agricultural development in
Armenia.
While awarding the medal, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Davit
Lokyan praised the work done by Galoyan and declaring that "this year
the average wheat yields were very low in Armenia (1.5-2.5 MT per
hectares)…. Galoyan harvested 6-6.5 MT per ha!"
A farmer working under the directives of the ATG, Galoyan has mastered
the production of high quality certified wheat seed in Armenia. He is
a member of the Seed Producers Support Association (SPSA) founded by
ATG in 1998. The association has 47 members who are specialized in
production of certified high quality wheat, alfalfa, corn and barley
seeds that are appropriate for different growing zones in Armenia.
This award is the result of a long and dedicated efforts of long term
US based ATG technical farm advisors such as Roger Culver, and Roger
Benton who lived and worked with the farmers in Armenia for over 12
years.
" I am so pleased that our farmers are getting some recognition! They
are the backbone of Armenia’s rural economy," said Roger Benton,
retired UC Extension Agent and a long time ATG technical advisor and
previous in-county director from his home in California. "ATG farmers
worked so hard to help feed the nation and their families. I remember
particularly when our seed growers literally saved thousands of people
from possible starvation and famine, by supplying clean and treated
seed to over 12,000 farmers to plant their winter wheat in 2000. May
God Bless them all!"
"ATG supplied the best of Western wheat growing knowledge together
with an initial variety of high quality wheat seed to the farmers of
Armenia", said Nubar Tashjian, President of ATG. "To the credit of the
Armenian farmers, they readily adopted the Western methods together
with the wheat seed and the benefits realized are history. Those
farmers adopting ATG supplied seed and methodology improved wheat
production many times over greatly benefiting Armenia. I commend the
Armenian farmer for his industry and intelligence. I congratulate
Mr. Galoyan for his achievement, a medal well deserved ".
The ATG Seed Multiplication Project has been funded through USDA
Foreign Agricultural Service – Food for Progress. Other major sponsors
are the Lincy Foundation, The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable
Foundation, PACC and other organizations and individuals in the United
States.
ATG is a California based non-profit, public benefit corporation with
offices in Fresno, Yerevan and Stepanakerd, NK. The organization can
be reached at 559-224-1000. Tax deductible donations could be mailed
to ATG 1300 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 131; P. O. Box 5969, Fresno, CA
93755. You can also visit the ATG web site at and
donate on line.
Rural Armenia News Service
Brought to you by ATG, Inc.
(Armenian Technology Group)
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