Agrologica

Agrologica started as an organic farm in 1984 before turning to an experimental project in the 90's that gradually got involved with seed production in organic condition.

Since 2007 it has officially started to work with a selection of heritage grains and organic breeding of new cereals varieties for organic farming.

Agrologica is owned and managed by Anders Borgen assisted by Bjørn Nielsen and a few more part time assistants.

The organisation is a member of Landsorten, a Danish seed saving organisation made of millers, bakers and others.

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Agrologica

Agrologica aims at facilitating the genetic need of organic farmers, millers and consumers for wheat diversity.

It focuses on heritage varieties and new developed populations not available on the commercial market, and on characteristics not found in conventional varieties, such as weed competition, resistance to seed borne diseases or the ability to give good baking quality under low input conditions.

Agrologica is currently breeding wheat, barley, oat, rye, millet and lentils. Most selected breeding lines are mixed into population, and sold directly to millers and farmers on a contract basis. Negotiations are ongoing to establish a seed company owned by Agrologica’s customers.

Along the breeding and seed production, Agrologica is involved in several national and international research projects.

Several of its projects deal with the development of healthier wheat varieties in relation to parameters like gluten allergy, diabetes, obesity or cancer. Others projects focus more on the plants' resistances against diseases like common bunt or nematode infections. Agrologica has recently been focusing a lot on baking or milling quality of cereals.

“The challenge is not only to create more new varieties, but specific populations able to adapt to the environmental and climate changes, following the needs of regional agricultural actors.”

Anders Borgen, in an interview he gave to Hannes Lorenzen in 2019

READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ANDERS BORGEN

Seed collection

Apart breeding lines from Agrologica’s own organic breeding program, the farm also maintains a collection of local origin cereal's conservation varieties, as well as exotic wheat species that Agrologica is breeding to adapt to local organic conditions.

The collection is maintaind by active growing without long time post harvest conservation.

On its website, Agrologica present a selection of 30 wheat varieties that are currently being tested and multiplied.

Spring Wheat Varieties

Winter Wheat Varieties

Other Wheat Varieties

How to get seeds?

Seeds can be achieved by contacting Agrologica. To fund the organic breeding activities at Agrologica, the seed is sold along with a request of royalties.

Current prices:

Grain sale for consumption and sowing (certified organic. Shipment not included. No VAT on grain for export):

Grain amounts level 1 (25g) Dkr. 15 (≈ 2.5$ ≈ 2€)

Grain amounts level 2 (100g) Dkr. 40 (≈ 6$ ≈ 5€)

Grain amounts level 3 (1.000g) 50 Dkr/kg (≈ 7.5$/kg ≈ 6.6€/kg)

Grain amounts level 4 (1-10kg) 30Dkr/kg (≈ 4.5$/kg ≈ 4€/kg)

Grain amounts level 3 (10-250kg) 20Dkr/kg (≈ 3$/kg ≈ 2.6€/kg)

Annual royalty on grain later produced on home saved seed:

Royalty level 0 (less than one hectare) 0.0 øre/kg (0,0 $/t)

Royalty level 1 (3-100 tonne) 30 øre/kg (≈ 45 $/t≈ 40€/t)

Royalty level 2 (100-500 tonne) 20 øre pr kg (≈ 30 $/t≈ 27€/t)

Royalty level 3 (above 500 tonne) 10 øre pr kg (≈ 15 $/t≈ 13€/t)

Most seed is sold in small quantities (<200kg) to be multiplied and maintained by the users themselves. Larger quantities can be produced on a contract basis, but Agrologica does not have large quantities available on demand.

How to join or support the organisation?

At present, Agrologica is a private company doing both seed conservation, research and seed production, but there are plans to change the structure into a non profit research, breeding and seed conservation foundation on the one hand, and on the other hand a commercial seed company owned by the organic farmers and millers. Negotiations are ongoing in 2020.