Agricore Sells Out Hybrid Brome

WINNIPEG - Jul 20/05 - SNS -- Agricore United says it has sold out seed of AC Knowles Hybrid Brome, developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with over 20,000 acres planted to the dual purpose hay/pasture brome grass this year.

"AAFC provided the exclusive release to Proven Seed and we've delivered on successfully commercializing this new variety, despite back-to-back droughts during the key seed multiplication years and launching this new variety in a depressed market due to BSE," says Todd Hyra, Product Manager, Proven Seed.

Hyra says up until 2005 there has been a limited supply of seed for sale, making this year the first big commercial year for the variety.

The variety was developed and named after Dr. Bob Knowles, a well known and respected AAFC Plant Breeder. AC Knowles is a hybrid meadow/smooth brome grass chosen over other hybrid lines for its better seed type, reduced creep, good re-growth, excellent lodging resistance and fall greenness. It's a true dual purpose forage species for hay or pasture, with characteristics of both meadow and smooth brome grass parents.