Ceres to collaborate with Forage Genetics International

Ceres, Inc. and Forage Genetics International recently partnered to develop a better alfalfa crop, a major forage crop grown to feed livestock throughout the world.

Ceres, an agricultural biotechnology company, and Forage Genetics, a developer, producer and marketer of alfalfa breeding lines and traits, hope to start evaluating alfalfa traits by 2016 and continue the collaboration in a multi-year agreement. The collaboration will help Ceres to continue their move into forage crops.

"This collaboration provides a new outlet for our traits and we are pleased to be working with such a well-established partner," Ceres President and CEO Richard Hamilton said. "We believe our historical focus on improving biomass yields and quality can provide substantial advantages for this large and growing market."

 Ceres develops and markets seeds and traits to produce crops for animal feed, sugar and other markets. The advanced plant breeding Ceres has developed is increasing crop productivity, improving quality, reducing crop inputs and improving cultivation on marginal land.

Forage Genetics International breeds, selects and evaluates products, especially alfalfa, in a variety of areas in order to find ways to produce animal feed. The rise in demand for forage crops is due to more people around the world being able to regularly afford meat and dairy.