Grasslanz Technology, a fully owned subsidiary of AgResearch, is arguably one of New Zealand's most important pastoral companies. It is a bridge between scientists and the commercial world.

Its focus is specifically on forages and forage technologies (such as the AR37 endophyte). That focus is, of course, a reflection of the importance of forages to the New Zealand economy.

As owner of 90% of the proprietary white clover cultivars sold in New Zealand, and an impressive proportion of ryegrasses and other forage varieties, Grasslanz Technology also provides much of the germplasm from which new forages are developed.

Close links with AgResearch forage scientists, whose combined knowledge and expertise place them at the top of world forage research, make Grasslanz Technology an attractive partner for industry players - and probably unique. "There are plenty of seed companies [in the world]," says Grasslanz Technology Business Development Manager Bruce Belgrave, "and plenty of scientific organisations." But few, if any, other organisations have the ability to take an innovative science idea using its elite germplasm and science capability through to commercial success.

Grasslanz Technology negotiates research agreements (costs are generally shared between Grasslanz Technology and funders), project manages the science (where AgResearch is the preferred but not sole supplier) and commercialises the product. Typically, a seed company will pay a royalty on sales.

Links with local and international seed companies provide Grasslanz Technology with access to global markets, especially in the US, South America and Australia.

The Value

Grasslanz Technology and its predecessor organisations, by way of its clover, ryegrass and endophyte technology portfolios coupled with its strong networks with the New Zealand seed industry, can be considered to have added several billion dollars to earnings derived from the pastoral sector over the past 10 years.