Germinal, a family-run business with a rich history dating back to 1825 in Belfast, has launched five innovative seed products aimed at addressing environmental challenges in agriculture. With over 75% of its employees based in Belfast and various locations in Ireland, Great Britain, and New Zealand, Germinal is part of the Openfolde group.
As Germinal celebrates its 200th anniversary, it introduces the Climate Smart range. This collection features five seed products: CLEAN, THRIVE, ADAPT, CAPTURE, and RESTORE. These science-driven solutions focus on supporting farmers and food producers in their journey towards achieving Net Zero emissions.
Each product in the Climate Smart range offers unique environmental benefits. For example, they can help lower greenhouse gas emissions, enhance soil health, boost plant resilience, and improve nutrient efficiency. These seeds are also tailored to meet government-supported environmental schemes.
Paul Billings, Managing Director of Germinal UK and Ireland, emphasizes the urgency of adapting farming practices. The United Nations predicts that in the next 40 years, food production must increase to match what has been produced over the last 1,000 years. “Climate Smart is about growing the right crops in the right places,” he says, highlighting the need for farmers to select the best seed mixes for sustainability and resilience against climate change.
Here’s what each product in the Climate Smart range offers:
- CLEAN: This seed variety improves the protein capture in livestock while reducing harmful gases like ammonia and nitrous oxide.
- THRIVE: Focused on soil health, this mix includes grasses and clovers that boost biodiversity and promote sustainable growth.
- ADAPT: With varieties that have deeper roots, this product is engineered to thrive in tougher climate conditions, including the resilient hybrid clover, DoubleRoot.
- CAPTURE: This product enhances nutrient use, featuring clovers that fix atmospheric nitrogen, thus needing fewer nutrient inputs.
- RESTORE: Tailored for farmers involved in government-sponsored environmental programs.
Much of the innovation in these products stems from 20 years of research by Germinal’s R&D division, Germinal Horizon, based at Aberystwyth University in Wales. David Little, Agricultural Product Manager at Germinal Ireland, points out that these products combine sustainability with performance, offering farmers practical tools to navigate ongoing environmental challenges while maintaining productivity.
The Climate Smart range incorporates advanced plant breeding techniques, including the high-performing Aber High Sugar Grass, which helps in increasing protein absorption and decreasing ammonia emissions. The hybrid clover, DoubleRoot, stands out for its resilience against grazing, drought, and cold temperatures, while also fixing nitrogen.
Looking ahead, Germinal Horizon is continually developing new plant breeding innovations. Among these future products are the RedRunner red clover, designed for better grazing resilience, and DeepRoot, a high-quality grass hybrid with deep drought tolerance.
Check out this related article: Unlocking Urban Climate Action: In-Depth Analyses of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Worldwide
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