Germinal has today (Tuesday, February 4) launched a new range of “climate smart” grass seed products on the market.
The grassland and forage seed provider has said that the new products will make it easier for farmers “to select seed to reduce emissions and meet environmental targets while protecting grass and forage production”.
The five Climate Smart seed products are called: Clean; Thrive; Adapt; Capture and Restore.
Germinal claimed that science-based products contain “innovative grass and forage varieties that deliver environmental benefits to help farmers meet net zero, while building greater plant resilience against the effects of climate change and maintain profitability”.
The Ireland-headquartered company noted that each product has “its own unique benefits”, from reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to lowering fertiliser usage and improving soil health and biodiversity.
Germinal
According to Germinal, the Clean product contains varieties producing higher levels of water soluble carbohydrates (sugar) scientifically proven to reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions by allowing animals to capture more protein.
The Thrive product has grasses, herbs and clovers designed to support soil health, improve biodiversity and sustain growth.
Adapt comprises varieties with deeper roots and greater persistency that can survive harsher weather conditions.
Capture has atmospheric nitrogen (N) fixing clovers that require fewer nutrient inputs, supporting improved nutrient efficiency and providing environmental and livestock performance benefits.
While the Restore product includes multispecies varieties designed for farmers participating in government-supported environmental schemes, such as the Multi-Species Sward (MSS) Scheme and Red Clover Scheme.
Paul Billings, Germinal UK and Ireland managing director, said that “Climate Smart is about growing the right crops in the right places”.
“These new products will make it easier for farmers to select the right seed mix for their specific needs so that farming and the food industry can meet rising food production challenges, whilst lowering environmental impacts and adapt to changing weather patterns with improved crop resilience.
“Farmers have to protect their farms for future generations by changing today so they can remain profitable, produce food and reduce emissions. If you can tick all of those three boxes you are being climate smart,” he added.
Germinal’s new Climate Smart products will be available in grazing, silage/feed conservation and dual-purpose options.
Dr. Mary McEvoy, Germinal Ireland’s technical director, said that “production performance and sustainability are at the heart being climate smart”.
“We want to support on-farm decision-making to help livestock farmers select and manage one of the primary drivers of profitability, and the most cost effective forage they can produce, which is the grass they grow on their own farms.
“These climate smart products are new formulations with new varieties, but with sustainability objectives built-in, designed to meet the key challenges all grassland farmers are facing,” she said.
Ben Wixey, agricultural director Germinal UK and Ireland, added: “Germinal is continually looking to the future to anticipate the profitability and environmental challenges that farmers are facing now and in the future.
“Plant breeding already holds the key to unlocking the solutions farmers need and Germinal has many more exciting developments in our product pipeline.”
