Exciting business partnership

A border business has partnered with a global leader in biological solutions for farmers.

New Edge Microbials (NEM) Chief Operating Officer, Cornelius van Dyk said the partnership with Lallemand Plant Care, a division of Canada’s Lallemand Inc, marked a significant milestone.

“It’s an exciting new chapter for New Edge Microbials,” he said.

“It provides us with exclusive access to a broad range of globally proven biological inputs for distribution to Australian and New Zealand farmers, which will significantly complement our already established portfolio of world-class biological products.

“NEM remains majority Australian-owned and regionally based in Albury-Wodonga and will continue its commitment to harnessing the best science for soil and plant health.”

Under the partnership, NEM will introduce an extensive range of Lallemand Plant Care products to Australia and New Zealand, starting with initial field trials in 2024 and a steady stream of new product launches from 2025 onwards in collaboration with NEM’s long-standing distribution partners.

The company anticipates this will lead to significant market growth in the biological segment and help farmers in Australia and New Zealand increase soil health, crop yields, and quality.

NEM’s current products, used throughout Australia, include a full range of rhizobia-based seed and soil treatments that support nitrogen fixation in legume crops, and an emerging range of bio-stimulants for fruit, vegetables, and horticulture.

NEM has grown from a business providing an initial range of rhizobia products out of a small factory in Albury in 2004 to its recent move to a modern, high-quality facility in Moloney Dve, Wodonga with 42 employees.

The new Wodonga facility is currently home to the head office and the distribution warehouse, with the manufacturing side of the business relocating over the next 18 months.