News Release

Contact: Bottom Line Communications

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For Immediate Release

LANDTECH FILES SUIT AGAINST TRILLIUM FARMS/OHIO FRESH EGGS FOR FAILURE TO HONOR CONTRACTS

KENTON, OHIO (August 27, 2013)—Kenton-based LandTech has been forced to file a lawsuit in Hardin County involving a breach of contract that could be worth more than $7 million against Iowa-based Trillium Farms Holdings llc and Ohio Fresh Eggs for failure to honor their contracts.

The 10-count lawsuit filed Friday (August 23) says that LandTech had a long-term contract with Trillium Farms to haul manure from its egg producing facilities in Hardin and Wyandot Counties and spread it on area farms. However, with three years left on its current contract, and an expected renewal for another 10 years, LandTech says the egg producer will no longer honor its agreements.

“We have always operated with the highest integrity in our 12 years of working with the facilities, however, a new management team from Iowa seems to operate differently,” says Harry Landsberg, owner of LandTech. “We have tried unsuccessfully to meet with them.

Landsberg says LandTech is a small business with 10 employees in Kenton that has worked for a dozen years with the egg producer and purchased millions of dollars in equipment based on promised contracts. Last year—based on those contracts—LandTech spent $700,000 on new equipment for its manure operations, and another $350,000 for equipment for a new pasteurizing process for the egg producer.

“Trillium brought in new management in March at the facility and felt it was no longer necessary to honor contracts,” says Landsberg. “That’s not the way honorable business people operate and they gave us no other option than to file the suit.”

Landsberg said there have been several environmental controversies involving Trillium and its predecessor company Ohio Fresh Eggs over the years. However, he says he is proud that LandTech has worked with the EPA and other governmental agencies to make land application of manure safe and effective for Ohio farms.

Trillium Farms is among Ohio’s largest egg farms and produces more than two billion eggs each year. It is owned by the Dean and Henning families based in Iowa, who took over the operations in 2011 from Iowa egg producer Jack DeCoster, whose controversial operations included a nationwide salmonella outbreak, environmental violations, fines and health complaints.

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