Germinal

Germinal is a leading grass and forage seed specialist and part of the Belfast-based Openfolde group, a sixth-generation family company. Our expertise in plant breeding combined with innovative partnerships facilitate a productive and sustainable food future for all.

From lab to field: Through Germinal Horizon, its research and innovation division, the company develops sustainable grassland varieties and supplies a premium range of agricultural seed to UK, Irish and New Zealand farmers.

Development begins in Aberystwyth, where a Germinal Horizon team is embedded in the university’s world-class Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS). As novel grass and forage varieties emerge, these are rigorously tested at our Germinal Horizon trial sites in Wiltshire and New Zealand before advancing to farm trials.

Germinal takes varieties from lab to field, ensuring farmers can grow nutritious homegrown feed, combining production with climate smart benefits. Examples include the award-winning Aber High Sugar Grass range, proven to reduce ammonia emissions, and the world-first DoubleRoot hybrid clover, which grows above and below ground for superior resilience versus standard white clovers.

Supporting grasslands: Paul Billings, Managing Director of Germinal UK & Ireland, describes grasslands as arguably the UK’s most important crop, covering over 65% of agricultural land.

Grazing livestock farms account for a third of agricultural employment, supporting rural economies. Importantly, the soils on which our grasslands grow are the UK’s largest carbon sink, holding two billion tonnes of carbon as well as providing a biodiverse landscape and habitat for wildlife.

Germinal’s involvement in the DEFRA-funded NUE-Leg project demonstrates its commitment to grassland efficiency and sustainable livestock production.

Supported by Innovate UK and working with a consortium of 10 partners, NUE-Leg seeks to transform grassland farming by developing novel legume genetics combined with elite rhizobia and prescription nutrition to optimise nutrient use efficiency and largely eliminate dependence on nitrogen fertilisers.

Plant breeding and knowledge transfer are fundamental to developing effective products and advice that make food production sustainable and profitable.