Sandoz Agro Canada is looking for a new agency to handle its $2-million advertising budget after ending its seven-year relationship with Quarry Communications of Waterloo, Ont.

The amicable split was precipitated by competitive conflict between Sandoz, the Mississauga, Ont. maker of agricultural herbicides, and a product to be launched by another of Quarry’s clients.

Quarry will continue to manage projects and media placement until the end of June to give Sandoz time to complete its agency search.

Bob McAuley, Sandoz marketing manager, says the review process will begin in early March.

Agencies can request a company perspective and questionnaire by mail. Short-listed agencies will be requested to give half-day presentations.

McAuley says it is essential that agencies have agricultural experience or can get it through hiring because he does not have time to train people.

While he prefers to work with one agency, McAuley says he has not closed the door on splitting the account between East and West agencies because, while the products are the same, product use and crops are different in each area.

A large part of the new agency’s assignment will be Frontier, a new annual grass herbicide to be launched this year.