French firm Secobra Recherches to open UK base at Riseholme College

An international plant breeding company will help Lincolnshire’s agricultural college train some of the county’s future farmers in a new partnership.

Riseholme College has teamed up with French company Secobra Recherches, who will now have a UK base at the college’s Showground Campus at Lincolnshire Showground.

The partnership was announced as Secobra launched a new malting barley breeding programme at its trials platform at Skirbeck Farm in Benniworth.

The new partnership will provide students with the chance to take part in applied research projects with the Secobra team.

It will also give students work experience and apprenticeship opportunities with the firm, as well as establishing a new plant breeding programme at Riseholme College.

Riseholme and Secobra will also share their expertise and a range of educational, research and other services.

Acting Chief Executive and Principal of Risehome College Bill Meredith said: “I am absolutely delighted to be able to announce this new partnership.

“Secobra is an internationally-renowned plant breeding company and the expertise of its team in Lincolnshire will now help Riseholme train the county’s future farmers.

“Students will take part in research projects with the Secobra team, building of their knowledge and experience of the sector and improving their employability and future career prospects.”

Secobra’s Barley Breeder for Europe North, Paul Bury, said: “Lincolnshire is a great place to breed and select malting barley, and indeed to grow it, so working with Riseholme College, which has played such an important role in training generations of farmers and agriculturalists in Lincolnshire, is a real coup for a company like Secobra that is new to the area.

“Based in France, Secobra Recherches have a long history of developing ground breaking new varieties for the malting barley sector in France, Germany, Russia and around the world. We will now look to add UK and Northern Europe to the areas the company’s products are successfully grown.”