June 2, 2010, Toronto – Forterra Environmental Corp. (TSXV: FTE), a
manufacturer, marketer and seller of premium organic soil-enrichment
products
based on worm castings, today announced that the University of Guelph
has
granted the company an exclusive licence to market certain soil blends
scientifically developed by researchers at the university.
June 2, 2010, Toronto – Forterra Environmental Corp. (TSXV: FTE), a
manufacturer, marketer and seller of premium organic soil-enrichment products
based on worm castings, today announced that the University of Guelph has
granted the company an exclusive licence to market certain soil blends
scientifically developed by researchers at the university.
Forterra has been a contributor to the development of the blends that are
the result of a three-year research and development project. Under the
five-year licence, which has a rollover provision for renewals, Forterra will
pay a sales royalty to the university.
“The development of these high-end soil blends is great news,
particularly for greenhouse organic vegetable growers as well as for home
gardeners who can use these blends to improve their growing success for
vegetables and other plants,” said Dr. Youbin Zheng, a researcher and adjunct professor
at the School of Environmental Sciences. “In particular, the development of
these new soil blends meets the needs of greenhouse growers who are challenged
to obtain consistently high-quality organic growing substrates.”
The researchers mixed and tested 35 organic growing substrates. Two of
the growing substrates produced higher marketable beefsteak tomatoes than the
other organic growing substrates and rockwool. Both of the successful
substrates used Forterra worm castings.
“Such vermicastings,” said Zheng, “are proven to contain beneficial
microbes that can suppress some plant pathogens and therefore reduce the need
for pesticide application.”
Forterra plans to sublicense its agreement with the University of Guelph
to a third party that has an established significant penetration into the
greenhouse and nursery sectors. The company has received inquiries from various
potential partners who are well-entrenched in these sectors and who are
well-suited to manufacture the scientific recipe for sales into the market.
The development of the new soil blends is the most recent result of the
excellent relationship that Forterra has had for several years with the U of
Guelph. Forterra has provided funding for research, testing, and validation
projects, and currently is discussing future projects that would involve
further scientific investigation into soil mixes and other solutions using the
company’s worm castings as the base or as a carrier.
Forterra manufactures, markets, and sells environmentally friendly soil
enhancers, using worm castings that boost fertility while restoring the soil
with organic matter for sustainable, longer-term benefits, including stronger
root growth, and drought and pest resistance.
Forterra products contain only organic material. They are ideal for golf
courses, sports fields, lawn care, parks, nurseries, orchards, and vineyards.
Essentially, Forterra uses red wiggler worms to convert organic material into
vermicompost or worm castings. Worm castings contain micronutrients, which are
required for healthy plant development. Worm castings also contain microbes,
which increase the rate at which plants take up available macronutrients and
micronutrients.
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