Penton Media Purchases Farm Progress

Penton Media announced it acquired Farm Progress from Fairfax Media Limited of Sydney, Australia significantly expanding its agriculture sector footprint. The purchase price was $79.9 million before certain adjustments.

“We’ve always had tremendous respect and admiration for Farm Progress and its products. We also have a clear, strategic commitment to grow our agricultural information business, and Farm Progress perfectly supports that goal,” said Penton CEO David Kieselstein.

“Farm Progress is a high quality company — the team has delivered excellent organic revenue and EBITDA growth,” he continued. “Moreover, this business fits with Penton’s heightened focus on properties that have high levels of user engagement. The fact that Farm Progress events attract more than 200,000 attendees from across the agriculture community every year is a prime example of that value.”

Farm Progress will become part of the Penton Agricultural Group reporting to Penton Senior Vice President, Dan Bagan. Jeff Lapin, president of Farm Progress, will leave the company at the end of the year. Farm Progress will remain headquartered in St. Charles, IL.

Penton’s agriculture products & services include: Beef, Corn & Soybean Digest, Farm Industry News, Delta Farm Press, Hay & Forage Grower, National Hog Farmer, Southeast Farm Press, Southwest Farm Press and Western Farm Press.

Farm Progress products and services include: Farm Progress Show, Husker Harvest Days, Farm Progress Hay Expo, NY Farm Show. Publications include: American Agriculturist, Beef Producer, California Farmer, Carolina-Virginia Farmer, Dakota Farmer, Farm Futures, Feedstuffs, Indiana Prairie Farmer, Kansas Farmer, Irrigation Extra, Michigan Farmer, Mid-South Farmer, Missouri Ruralist, Nebraska Farmer, Ohio Farmer, Prairie Farmer, Southern Farmer, Tack ‘n Togs, The Farmer-Stockman, The Farmer, Wallaces Farmer, Western Farmer-Stockman and Wisconsin Agriculturist. Farm Progress also broadcasts Farm Progress America.

Farm Progress Companies, Association member since 1980; farmprogress.com.