SACRAMENTO, California – August 29, 2018
S&W Seed Company (Nasdaq : SANW) announced today that it will be retaining seed industry veteran Mauricio P.M. Barbosa, Ph.D. to aid in the expansion of its breeding capabilities within its sorghum portfolio.
In a career spanning 18 years, Dr. Barbosa has held positions of increasing responsibility with major multinational companies in the seed hybrid development industry. From 2012 to the present, Dr. Barbosa worked for NexSteppe Sementes do Brazil, a leading developer of seed hybrids for the production of sorghum used in biomass production for the “clean energy” market space. Most recently, Dr. Barbosa served as the Global Agronomy Director for NexSteppe, and prior to that he was NexSteppe’s South American Breeding Director. From 2000 to 2012 Dr. Barbosa was employed at Monsanto do Brazil Ltda as an Associate and Assistant Breeder in his early tenure, and Research Site Manager in his final years at Monsanto. He has extensive experience in the development of hybrids, licensing and legal representation.
Dr. Barbosa earned a Ph.D. degree in Agronomy and Plant Breeding from Universidade Estadual Paulista in Brazil, and his Masters of Science and undergraduate degrees in Agronomy, Plant Pathology, and Agronomic Engineering from Escola Superior De Agricultura Luiz De Queiroz in Brazil.
In April 2018, S&W acquired a portfolio of sorghum germplasm from NexSteppe Sementes do Brazil to expand its focus of sorghum products to include biofuel types.
Mark Wong, President and Chief Executive Officer of S&W Seed Company, commented, “We are pleased to be associated with an industry expert the caliber of Mauricio Barbosa to move our sorghum development program to the next level. Since our acquisition of the NexSteppe sorghum assets, we have searched for a leader who can help us integrate the best attributes of our existing germplasm with those of the NexSteppe germplasm to produce grain and forage hybrids. Given Mauricio’s long history with NexSteppe and its germplasm, we believe we have the right person to help us achieve our goals in the sorghum space. We believe there are great opportunities in the development of our sorghum products ahead.”
About S&W Seed Company
Founded in 1980, S&W Seed Company is a global agricultural company headquartered in Sacramento, California. S&W’s vision is to be the world’s preferred proprietary seed Company which supplies a range of forage and specialty crop products that supports the growing global demand for animal proteins and healthier consumer diets. S&W is a global leader in alfalfa seed, with significant research and development, production and distribution capabilities. S&W’s capabilities span the world’s alfalfa seed production regions, with operations in the Western United States, including the San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys of California, Australia, and Canada, and S&W sells its seed products in more than 30 countries around the globe. S&W also provides hybrid sorghum and sunflower and is utilizing its research and breeding expertise to develop and produce stevia, the all-natural, zero calorie sweetener for the food and beverage industry. For more information, please visit www.swseedco.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may,” “future,” “plan” or “planned,” “will” or “should,” “expected,” “anticipates,” “draft,” “eventually” or “projected.” Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the impact of Dr. Barbosa contribution to the advancement of our sorghum development program, Dr. Barbosa’s ability to help us integrate the best attributes of our existing germplasm with those of the NexSteppe germplasm, our belief that Dr. Barbosa can help us achieve our sorghum development goals, our belief regarding future opportunities in the development of our sorghum products, and the advancement of our strategic plans and commercialization strategies. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risk that our strategic initiatives may not achieve the expected results, and risks associated with our ability to successfully optimize and commercialize our business. These and other risks are identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, and in our other filings subsequently made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.