AGT, Sipcam and Albaugh collaborate to launch the CoAXium Production System for barley in Australia

Date:05-17-2022

A strategic 3-way partnership has been created to bring the CoAXium Production System to Australian barley growers. Australian Grain Technologies (AGT), Sipcam and Albaugh, LLC have joined forces to bring true grower innovation to Australian barley producers. This partnership was created to combine the key elements of the CoAXium Production System including the Australian owned and developed non-GMO herbicide tolerance trait, elite barley germplasm, Aggressor^® brand herbicides and industry stewardship.

“AGT is excited to bring this locally discovered technology to growers in Australia. We are especially proud that Australian barley growers will be the first in the world to take advantage of the benefits of the CoAXium Production System for Barley” stated Dr. Tristan Coram, AGT’s Head of Science & Business Development. AGT has been developing barley genetics since 2014 and have recently released commercial varieties Beast, Cyclops, Minotaur and Yeti. The AGT team is actively incorporating the CoAXium trait into elite genetics and expect to make the first CoAXium Barley variety available to growers for the 2023 season. “To bring this technology to market we searched for partners that understood Australian conditions and had a track record of delivering new technologies to growers” said Dr. Coram. This 3-way partnership will ensure growers receive the full benefit of the CoAXium Production System for Barley while also protecting the technology through industry stewardship.

“Our focus is to expand the global footprint of the CoAXium Production System platform to enhance the performance and value of novel weed control systems for cereal growers around the globe” stated Douglas A. Kaye, Albaugh’s North America President. We are excited for the value that the partnership will bring to Australian barley growers. Albaugh’s innovation platform is focused on strategic partnerships to identify technologies around the globe to provide performance and value to growers. The CoAXium Production System platform represents Albaugh’s initial exposure to Australia, and we look forward to bringing more innovative technology to the Australian growers in the near future. Chad W Shelton, Albaugh’s Global Director, Innovation Platform Technologies stated, “This partnership represents the backbone of Albaugh’s Innovation Platform which focuses on strategic partnerships to deliver unique and novel technologies around the globe. Aggressor herbicide brands have been developed using a 30-year-old active ingredient that through innovation gives barley growers a new tool to address grassy weeds in barley production.”

Sipcam Australia Marketing and Operations manager, Richard Branson, says the pending introduction of the CoAXium production system will potentially change how barley is grown in Australia. “This system provides new weed control options for barley growers using non-GMO pathways,” he said “There is so much more to CoAXium than just a herbicide and a herbicide-tolerant barley variety. In effect, it’s a whole new production system that has major ramifications for the entire cropping program, which is why CoAXium will be fully supported by a stewardship program developed by Sipcam. This program will involve all aspects of growing herbicide-tolerant barley, including the use of Aggressor herbicide, rotation implications, herbicide resistance strategies and integrated weed control.” Sipcam, a leading supplier of crop protection and nutrition products to Australian farmers, will provide the sales and technical support for Aggressor herbicide and the CoAXium production system. “We are delighted to be part of the partnership with Albaugh and AGT,” he said. “Since our very first discussions, it became clear that all three stakeholders have common business philosophies of harnessing innovation and partnerships to deliver genuine value for farmers.”