Belfast-headquartered grass and forage seed breeding company, Germinal, has announced the appointment of David Little as agricultural product manager for Ireland.

The appointment marks an enhanced role within Germinal and will see him carry out the responsibilities of his new position alongside his current Northern Ireland sales manager role.

Little, who hails from the family beef farm near Banbridge in Co. Down, joined Germinal in 2012 as a sales administrator and quickly progressed within the business.

With a higher national diploma in agriculture from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) at Greenmount, Germinal has said that his agricultural knowledge and background aligns with his dedication to assisting livestock farmers in gaining a competitive edge through grass-based production.

New appointment within Germinal

In his expanded role as agricultural product manager, David Little will retain responsibility for sales to his existing customers and oversee the supply and stocks of agricultural products across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Managing director of Germinal UK and Ireland, Paul Billings said: “David’s expertise and commitment have been instrumental to our success in our markets in Ireland. We are excited about what he will bring to this new role.

“His deep understanding of the agricultural sector and hands-on experience make him well-suited to manage our product development and supplies, and to engage with our trade customers and farmers to deliver the highest quality grass and forage solutions.”

David Little commented: “I am delighted to take up this new challenge. I will be working closely with our agricultural director for UK and Ireland, Ben Wixey, in leading product management initiatives, liaising with internal stakeholders on seed supplies, and managing external supplier relationships.

“I am also looking forward to continuing in my role as area sales manager for Northern Ireland.”

Germinal is a sixth-generation family company and part of the Openfolde group.

It has been involved in the seed industry for almost 200 years, with a global market spanning the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand.

Germinal has said that this latest appointment reinforces its “dedication to fostering talent within the group and enhancing its position as a leader” in developing grass and forage solutions that support livestock farmers in profitable and environmentally sustainable production.