Grass breeding work has been on-going at AFBI Loughgall since 1952.
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The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) has released a public tender which seeks to find a company who would commercialise forage grass varieties bred at its site at Loughgall.
The grass breeding work at Loughgall has been in place since 1952, and in the last financial year there were 22 different AFBI-bred ryegrass varieties on UK and Irish recommended lists.
For over 30 years, AFBI has worked with Dutch headquartered grass seed company Barenbrug to bring varieties to market. However, in late 2024 it was confirmed that this partnership would end in late 2026.
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“The decision reflects a mutual agreement to explore independent paths in grass breeding and agricultural innovation,” read a statement released at the time.
The contract for a new commercial partner is initially proposed for a 10-year period from 7 November 2026, with a possible extension for a further five years to 2041. Tender submissions should be submitted by a deadline of midnight 13 April 2026.
The total value of the contract is estimated at £100m excluding VAT.
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The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) has released a public tender which seeks to find a company who would commercialise forage grass varieties bred at its site at Loughgall.
The grass breeding work at Loughgall has been in place since 1952, and in the last financial year there were 22 different AFBI-bred ryegrass varieties on UK and Irish recommended lists.
For over 30 years, AFBI has worked with Dutch headquartered grass seed company Barenbrug to bring varieties to market. However, in late 2024 it was confirmed that this partnership would end in late 2026.
“The decision reflects a mutual agreement to explore independent paths in grass breeding and agricultural innovation,” read a statement released at the time.
The contract for a new commercial partner is initially proposed for a 10-year period from 7 November 2026, with a possible extension for a further five years to 2041. Tender submissions should be submitted by a deadline of midnight 13 April 2026.
The total value of the contract is estimated at £100m excluding VAT.
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