February 12, 2004

The Noble Foundation of Ardmore Oklahoma, and Grasslanz Technology which is a member of the AgResearch Group in New Zealand, have announced a collaboration to develop forage technologies that will deliver benefits to farmers.

 

The agreement brings together two of the world’s leading agricultural research institutions to develop forage technology, John Stewart, CEO of Grasslanz. said

 

“The alliance will foster joint research projects including innovations to improve animal health and productivity through the use of novel grass endophytes to control fescue toxicosis while improving forage performance,”, Mr Stewart said.

 

Grasslanz is contributing germplasm, novel fungal endophytes and its international distribution channel to Noble’s world class research capability in forage improvement and biotechnology.

 

Michael A. Cawley, Noble Foundation president said ”Grasslanz provides us the opportunity to collaborate with an organisation of impeccable international stature and superb scientific capability. But more importantly, all the people we have worked with at Grasslanz are high quality and they understand what the farmer and rancher needs”

 

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organisation conducting agricultural, forage improvement, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

 

Grasslanz Technology Limited is based in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is a plant technology company serving agriculture through development of proprietary forage cultivars, grass endophytes and applied biotechnology. It is the world’s premier source of grass endophytes and white clover and a world leader in the development of temperate forage cultivars.

 

Grasslanz success is underpinned by its parent AgResearch with capability in conventional plant breeding, plant genomics, microbial genomics and a strong base of fundamental and applied plant and animal sciences.