Arthur, North Dakota – The Arthur Companies, a service-driven organization with more than 100 years of service in the region and countless partnerships with generations of growers, announces the launch of its research and development (R&D) program. To deliver on its R&D mission, The Arthur Companies has started a wheat breeding program, Frontier Genetics, and a contract research organization, Latitude 47 Research.
“An innovative R&D program is a hallmark of growth-oriented companies,” says James Burgum, CEO of The Arthur Companies. “We are focused on growing our product and service offerings to producers, and we are very excited about the potential our R&D team will unlock for growers and our downstream partners in meeting their growth challenges.”
Frontier Genetics
Mory Rugg, senior wheat breeder at The Arthur Companies, will lead Frontier Genetics. Rugg has more than 20 years of experience leading wheat breeding programs across the Northern Great Plains. Before joining The Arthur Companies, Rugg worked at AgriPro and Bayer followed by BASF, which BASF acquired certain wheat assets from Bayer. The Arthur Companies – which has licensed some of Rugg’s previous wheat breeding program that he worked with at Bayer and BASF – looks forward to finding solutions for wheat producers, millers, and bakers.
Latitude 47 Research
Kirk Foster will lead Latitude 47 Research. With 15 years of R&D experience across multiple crops, Foster will lead the product testing efforts of Living Proof plots, which The Arthur Companies will use to help its agronomists make recommendations for its growers. Foster is also responsible for running contract research trials for any organization interested in product testing.
“I am excited that The Arthur Companies has started an R&D program with living proof plots, Latitude 47, and Frontier Genetics. With today’s ever-changing economic climate, it is nice to have someone with skin in the game working for a brighter future for wheat,” says wheat grower Casey Burchill. “We look forward to firsthand accounts of their progress with the living proof trials throughout the region and will hopefully apply what’s learned to our operation.”
