About S&W Seed Co.
Founded in 1980, S&W Seed Company is a global multi-crop, middle-market agricultural company headquartered in Longmont, Colorado. S&W’s vision is to be the world’s preferred proprietary seed company which supplies a range of sorghum, 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 proprietary alfalfa and sorghum seeds with significant research and development, production and distribution capabilities. S&W also has a commercial presence in pasture and sunflower seeds, and through a partnership, is focused on sustainable biofuel feedstocks primarily within camelina.
Mission
S&W’s vision is to be the world’s preferred proprietary seed company which supplies a range of forage, grain and specialty crop products that supports the growing global demand for animal proteins and healthier consumer diets.
Nearly 40 years ago, a group of cattleman, were looking to develop the very best alfalfa hay forage for their herd. They enlisted the expertise of the leading breeders and agronomist to develop varieties that would provide superior traits, while maximizing yield.
Since 1980, S&W’s breeders have developed the leading, university verified, non-dormant alfalfa seed varieties available anywhere in the world. In addition, due to the soil conditions around the base of the former Tulare Lake where much of their production took place, S&W developed varieties that would withstand the rigors of the highly saline conditions of the former lake basin.
As farmers in the region began to recognize the capabilities of these recently developed varieties, S&W began selling the seed to farmers throughout the region, as well as other areas of the world that had similar soil challenges, such as the Middle East.
As the original owners transitioned their ownership in the company, the company elected to go public. Since going public in 2010, S&W has dramatically opened new markets, expanded acreage dedicated to the production of alfalfa, and expanded its research and development focus beyond its roots in non-dormant varieties, into dormant alfalfa and biotech varieties as well. The company acquired Imperial Valley Seed in October 2012 to expand production in the Imperial Valley growing region of California, and in April 2013 acquired Seed Genetics International, expanding its production capabilities into Australia. SV Genetics was added in 2016, bringing extensive R&D in sunflower and sorghum species across five continents.
With worldwide sales and distribution through both a direct sales force as well as dealer-distributors, S&W Seed Company is dedicated to providing the world’s farmers with the very best seed varieties and hybrids to maximize their yields and profits, while providing products for peak performance around the world, just as they have for nearly 40 years.