WASHINGTON, D.C. - Imperial Agro, Ltd., a Ukrainian agricultural production and distribution company, Kherson Oblast, has been approved for membership in the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), the USUBC executive committee announced today on behalf of the entire USUBC membership of 148 companies and organizations who have business operations, investments or other development programs in Ukraine.
 
Imperial Agro, Ltd. currently leases and farms 10,000 hectares of farmland, producing soybeans, wheat,  barley, and corn.  Imperial Agro, Ltd also markets farm related products in Ukraine including, ABM Inoculant, Reinke Manufacturing, Inc. (mechanized irrigation systems, Deshler, Nebraska, Jim Grewe, Vice President, International Sales, http://www.reinke.com/, a member of USUBC), Osborne Swine Equipment and used combines, planters, tillage tools, spare parts and farm machinery, mostly imported from the USA.
 
DOUBLE SIZE OF OPERATIONS IN KHERSON REGION
Imperial Agro, Ltd. presently has plans to more than double their existing operations.  The proposed project would also be based in Kherson Region of Ukraine. The Kherson region is situated in Southern Ukraine in the basin of the lower Knepr River. It has a moderate continental climate with mild winters and dry summers. The area is covered by flat plains and is bordered by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
 
Imperial Agro, Ltd. is presently working with potential lenders and/or private equity investment partners about the financing needed for the major expansion.  If you are interested in contacting Imperial Agro, Ltd. about the expansion plans their contact information is found below.   
 
JOE PARKER, FOUNDER
In 1992 Joseph Parker, Florence, Kentucky, was Co-Founder and President of Freedom Farm International, Inc. (FFI) which was a farming operation in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine. Freedom Farm consisted of 15,000 hectares of soybeans, corn and wheat as well as a processing plant to process 12,000 metric tons of soybeans per year into animal feed and human consumption soy flour. The company also developed modern hog production, farrowing to finish, marketing 20,000 hogs per year. Freedom Farm International was sold in 2004.  Joe founded Imperial Agro, Ltd. in late 2004. 
 
Joseph Parker has owned and operated his own companies in the USA since 1965 which include: Cooper Run Farm, Paris, KY; Solarcrete Corporation; Aerolite SPE Corporation; Parker Smith Mobile Home Park; and Central Kentucky Enterprises.
 
ALEXANDER GORDENKO, OPERATIONS MANAGER
Alexander Gordenko is the operating owner/manager of Imperial Agro, Ltd. located in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine. He has more than 15 years experience farming and processing farm products. Alexander Gordenko is the on-site-day-to-day operations officer for all Imperial Agro, Ltd.  operations. Mr. Gordenko began working for Freedom Farm International, Inc. in 1994. Within 18 months, he became Director of FFI.

Mr. Gordenko previously was manager of Kherson Shipbuilding Factory in Kherson Oblast where he served for 13 years prior to joining FFI.
Alexander Gordenko is also active as a Board member for My Home Orphans Ministry, www.myhomefororphans.com.ua, where he has served for 8 years.

USUBC & IMPERIAL AGRO, LTD
"I have known Joe Parker since 1993 when he and Roger Denhart (Illinois) were founders of the Ukrainian/American agricultural production company  Freedom Farm International, Inc. (FFI), located near Kherson, Ukraine.  Joe and Roger worked hard and made Freedom Farm International very successful even during difficult times. They sold Freedom Farm International in 2004," said Morgan Williams, Director, Government Affairs, Washington Office, for the SigmaBleyzer Private Equity Investment Management Group, who serves as President of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC).

"I met with Joe recently in Kyiv to discuss Imperial Agro's present operation and their plans for the future. Their future plans are large but very reasonable given Joe and Alexander's many years of experience in Ukraine.  Yehor O. Hordenko, Sales Manager, for Imperial Agro attended the recent US Commercial Service - Financing U.S. Exports to Ukraine" workshop in Kyiv, sponsored by USUBC.  USUBC looks forward to working with Joe, Alexander and Yehor as they work to expand their farming operation," said Williams.

INFORMATION:  Additional information about Imperial Agro, Ltd., can be found on their website:  www.imperialagro.com.  Joe Parker can be reached at joepark (at) aol.com, Alex Gordenko at alexgordenko (at) yandex.ru and Yehor Hordenko at yehor.hordenko (at) gmail.com.

USUBC MEMBERSHIP EXPECTED TO REACH 150 BY END OF 2010
USUBC now has one-hundred forty-eight members.  Membership in January of 2005 was eight and in January of 2007 was 22.  Membership is expected to reach 150 by the end of 2010.  The complete list of USUBC members can be found at: http://www.usubc.org/members.php. For a list of the USUBC board of directors go to the following link: http://www.usubc.org/site/u-s-ukraine-business-council-board-of-directors.