October 22, 2015

Denver-based Lariat Partners announced that its specialty agriculture business, Butte, Montana-based Northern Seed LLC is expanding its reach in the grain space with the acquisition of Syngenta’s triticale grain program. Grown primarily as animal feed, triticale is a cross between wheat and rye, and is key in solving the need for forage, especially in regions with sparse water.

The deal, which is the biggest to date for Northern Seed, marks a significant milestone for the company, which has a research center in Bozeman, Montana that is targeting the development of grains and forages in partnership with major research programs, as it will gain it entrance to the Canadian market in addition to the U.S.

The deal includes operations in Vernon, Texas, from where Dr. David Worrall will head nationwide, strategic triticale research trials with the goal of increasing yields and the nutritional content of the grain across all 50 states.

The purchase follows closely upon Northern Seed’s acquisition of 700 developmental lines of durum wheat from Montana State University, its purchase of Montana Seed & Grain, and its purchase of WestFeeds LLC, and it will complement the company’s portfolio that currently includes wheat, barley, grasses, peas, and legumes.

“Given Lariat’s emphasis on investing in specialty agriculture products and services that improve the efficiencies and yields of growers, this opportunity is an ideal fit for us,” said Kevin Mitchell, Managing Partner for Lariat Partners. “We are excited about the new opportunities created by this add-on acquisition and we look forward to working closely with the customers and the key stakeholders within the Triticale markets.”