Brandt’s named exclusive propagator for KIR cherries

Brandt’s Fruit Trees, a family-owned fruit tree distributor headquartered in Yakima, Washington, has been granted the exclusive propagation rights in the U.S. for the KIR series of sweet cherries, said Kevin Brandt, vice president of Brandt’s, in a news release. KIR is the brand name for a collection of 13 cherry selections developed from open pollinations of the Sweetheart variety by Hilmar Gräb in Kettig, Germany. Three of the more advanced selections have already been branded by the owner, LFP (Licenses for Fruits and Plants GmbH), under the trade names KIR Rosso, KIR Lamour and KIR Vulcano.

Stemilt Growers LLC has partnered with Brandt’s to test the cultivars under Washington state growing conditions and has an option to commercialize the selections in the U.S. 

“In finding a partner such as Stemilt Growers, we are confident that the KIR series of cherries will soon find a home in the hearts of consumers looking to enjoy first-class Pacific Northwest cherries throughout the summer months,” Brandt said in the release.

Gräb, working with his son and daughter, focuses the group’s cherry breeding program on characteristics such as large size, firmness, flavor and a late ripening window, according to the release. Their orchards, located in Germany’s Rhine region, can experience summer rainfall, therefore tolerance to rain-induced cracking was also a prioritized breeding trait. Nearly all of the selections are self-fertile, highly productive and feature the heart-shaped fruit the Sweetheart parent is known for. 

Stemilt, a vertically integrated grower, packer and marketer in Washington state, offers late-season cherries under its A Half Mile Closer to the Moon brand. “Stemilt is excited to test the KIR series at our high-altitude locations, and we look forward to bringing these high-quality selections into the A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherry portfolio in time,” said West Mathison, Stemilt president, in the release.

For more information, visit: brandtsfruittrees.com.

Nutrien Ag acquires new biocontrol technology

Nutrien Ag Solutions recently announced the acquisition of Suncor Energy’s AgroScience assets, which consist of several patented and patent-pending biocontrol technologies, according to a news release. Nutrien Ag plans to market these products as part of its Loveland Products portfolio.

“We’re excited to further develop this new technology, which is expected to help accelerate Loveland Products’ efforts in delivering a broader range of solutions that aim to help maximize yields,” said Casey McDaniel, vice president of Loveland Products. “As the biocontrol market grows, we believe farmers will increasingly demand bio-based solutions that work within existing management practices to achieve bottom-line benefits in yield and efficiency and support efforts to improve sustainability.”

The new chlorin-based photosensitizer formulations are expected to launch in certain global markets by 2025. In the U.S., product submissions to the Environmental Protection Agency are anticipated by 2026. 

For more information, visit: lovelandproducts.com and nutrienagsolutions.com.

SePRO partners with Stanley Capital, Goldman Sachs

SePRO Corp., headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, recently announced Stanley Capital Partners has made a majority investment into the business, and Goldman Sachs Alternatives will also participate as a minority co-investor, according to a news release. 

“For the last three decades, our mission and purpose has been to protect, preserve and restore more nature,” said Tyler Koschnick, SePRO president. “We want to first thank Excellere Partners for supporting our growth as a portfolio company of theirs since 2019. Going forward, we are excited to begin working with our new partners, Stanley Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs Alternatives, as their strategic investment will support and expedite our efforts to deliver on our mission.”

The partnership aims to help SePRO tap into a new set of resources and accelerate continued innovation in products, technologies and digitization, according to the release.

“We are excited to partner with SePRO leadership and Goldman Sachs Alternatives to build a technology-enabled growth story that will continue to build on the significant success of SePRO in profitable partnerships with clients to protect, preserve and restore nature,” said James Brooks, founding partner at Stanley Capital. “Investing in protecting our global water resources is core to SCP’s resource-efficiency strategy.”

For more information, visit: sepro.com.