Valent BioSciences, The BioAg Alliance reach distribution deal for Actinovate® brands

Valent BioSciences Corporation (VBC) announced it has reached an agreement with The BioAg Alliance to distribute certain Actinovate® Biological Fungicide products. Through the agreement, Actinovate® AG brand sales for the United States will be handled through Valent U.S.A. Corporation and for Canada by Valent Canada, Inc.

Actinovate® AG is a broad spectrum biofungicide product for management of common foliar and soilborne diseases found on outdoor crops and in greenhouses, nurseries, and turf. The move aims to further strengthen the Valent Group's biorational offering while leveraging its substantial penetration into the biocontrol and disease management market.

"We are pleased to add a quality product such as Actinovate® AG to our industry-leading biorational product line," said Ted Melnik, executive vice president and chief operating officer of VBC. "Actinovate® AG is a proven product that offers growers a flexible tool for fighting disease and managing resistance while providing value across a wide range of plants and crops."

"The BioAg Alliance is pleased to work with Valent BioSciences to deliver this new solution to their customers," said Brad Griffith, Vice President of Global Microbials for Monsanto. "We are focused on being the preferred development and commercial partner in ag microbials worldwide, bringing value to our partners and this agreement is a great example of this work. The BioAg Alliance brings an unmatched ability to take ag microbial products from idea to market – including access to premier formulation, testing, production, and regulatory capabilities."

The deal comes on the heels of VBC's recent acquisition of Mycorrhizal Applications and its 2012 acquisition of Pace International. Valent U.S.A. and other affiliates of parent Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited are closely aligning development of conventionals and biorationals to further strengthen their global crop protection and enhancement businesses.

Valent U.S.A. executive vice president and chief operating officer Matt Plitt said "The Actinovate® AG deal builds on the company's goal to provide growers with an integrated portfolio of valuable plant protection tools."
A broad spectrum biofungicide product, Actinovate® AG Biological Fungicide, offers growers with an excellent option for multiple growing practices, including organic, sustainable or conventional production systems.  Actinovate® AG is OMRI-approved with the lowest possible re-entry interval and zero day preharvest interval, giving growers flexibility to fit their production plan.

"Growers are looking for smart technologies from planting all the way through to postharvest uses," Plitt said. " Actinovate® AG products are a good fit for our balanced portfolio that leverages the benefits of biorational and conventional products in an integrated program to bring out the best in every plant."

The distribution agreement includes outdoor crops, greenhouse, nursery and turf uses of the Actinovate® AG brands – Actinovate® AG, Actinovate® L&G, Actinovate® SP and Actino-Iron®. Mycorrhizal Applications will also distribute Actino Iron as an ingredient into the specialty potting soil market. Seed treatment uses will be retained by the BioAg Alliance.