The Key Laboratory of Forage Germplasm Resources and Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was approved in December 2016 and relies on the Grassland Science, Institute of Animal Science of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. It is mainly dedicated to research on collection and evaluation of forage germplasm resources and excavation and innovation of excellent germplasm, forage genetics and breeding of new varieties, and research and application of forage molecular breeding technology. There are 15 researchers in the lab, including 14 of PhD holders, 4 of researchers and 7 of associate researchers, as well as more than 30 of master and PhD students in the lab. The laboratory has a construction area of over 2000 m² and more than 200 sets of various instruments and equipment with a total value of over 30 million RMB. There are five germplasm resources and breeding test bases in Langfang, Changping, and Etuoke Banner. The total area of the test bases is more than 1,500 mu, with more than 300 m² of greenhouse.

In recent years, the laboratory has collected and preserved more than 20,000 forage germplasm resources, accounting for more than 30% of the total number of preserved resources nationwide, and completed more than 2,000 evaluations and appraisals of resistance; bred 32 forage varieties, including 23 varieties for Chinese trials, and 10 alfalfa varieties, accounting for about 20% of the total number of alfalfa varieties bred, won 6 awards at the provincial and ministerial level or above, authorized 32 invention patents, obtained 2 new plant variety rights, published more than 158 papers, and published 5 books.