A new long-term programme aiming to improve the genetic merit of grass and clover has been officially launched.
Teagasc and Goldcrop signed an agreement during the Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Open Day held yesterday (Tuesday, July 4) in Co. Cork.
The new breeding and commercial collaboration, called ‘Pasture Innovations’, was negotiated following an open tendering process.
The new programme is set to run for a 15-year term with an option for that to be extended.
It comes on the back of a previous 10-year agreement between the two organisations.
Programme
Pasture Innovations will allow Goldcrop to have the sole marketing and propagation worldwide rights to all forage material bred from the Teagasc Oak Park grass and clover breeding programme.
“This is a really important vote of confidence and commitment by Goldcrop in the very successful Teagasc breeding programme at Oak Park,” Prof. Frank O Mara, director of Teagasc, said.
“Its gives the programme more scope to progress in the years ahead, to continue to produce grasses, clovers and herbs for Irish grassland farmers.”
The Oak Park breeding programme has been breeding perennial ryegrass and clover varieties over the past three decades that are specifically suited to Irish conditions.
In the recent months, the programme has delivered two clover varieties Clodagh (white clover) and Fearga (red clover), which have both achieved outstanding performance rankings for a number of traits on the UK National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) list.
The new collaboration will help to support and resource the Teagasc breeding programme, which is part of the grassland science department led by Prof. Michael O’Donovan.
Commenting at the launch, John Murphy, managing director of Goldcrop, said: “Goldcrop prides itself in supporting the entire agri-food sector by bringing advanced genetic material that meet the challenges facing Irish farmers.
“The long-term extensive collaboration, Pasture Innovations, paves the way to drive a better next generation of improved pasture varieties.”
Goldcrop is Ireland’s largest seed wholesaler, employing over 80 people across its three locations in Carrigtwohill and Killavullen in Co. Cork, and Dunleer, Co. Louth .