S&W Seed Company continues to expand their portfolio offerings.
Serving the forage and specialty crops markets with a commitment to developing best in class hybrids and varieties, S&W Seed Company is dedicated to the success of agriculture across all of the industry’s spectrums. With more than 40 years of developing hybrids and varieties that deliver improved yields on exceptional and marginal soils alike, S&W continues to bring forward the technology and partnerships that drive advancement. The company’s endeavors reflect its vision: to be the world’s preferred proprietary seed company which supplies a range of forage and specialty crop products and supports the growing global demand for animal proteins and healthier consumer diets.
In 1980, two California ranchers, looking for forage solutions to better fit the needs of their herds, enlisted the expertise of leading alfalfa breeders and agronomists to develop varieties that would provide superior traits while maximizing yield. The venture set in motion an upward trajectory for growth, quality and development that would see market expansion into the Middle East and Africa within the same decade.
When S&W purchased Pioneer’s alfalfa assets including germplasm and varieties, production and research locations in 2014, the company was already known as a world leader for non-dormant alfalfa. The acquisition that included the retention of Pioneer R&D and production staff, brought Pioneer’s alfalfa germplasm, commercially marketed varieties, a seed processing plant and research location under S&W’s leadership. The dormant germplasm opportunity was further capitalized through the completion of a new state of the art additional research facility in Nampa, Idaho.
“Previously, Pioneer had the premium dormant alfalfa varietal R&D breeding program in the U.S.,” Robin Newell, S&W’s Americas marketing director says. “Purchasing Pioneer’s alfalfa assets allowed us to expand our alfalfa portfolio. Launching Alfalfa Partners brand in 2020 will further broaden our market impact.”
S&W has also expanded its seed portfolio by adding sorghum and sunflowers. The purchases of Pioneer’s alfalfa assets, SV Genetics, NextSteppe, Chromatin and the Sorghum Partners brand, have positioned S&W as a leading supplier of elite alfalfa and sorghum genetics in the U.S. and global markets.
Looking to the future, S&W has also acquired the wheat breeding and genetics program from Dow AgroSciences in Australia, with intentions of bringing superior wheat varieties to market
over the next few years, as well as Pasture Genetics, an Australian forage company whose sales and marketing team significantly expands S&W’s access to the Australian domestic distribution channel.
In addition to the acquisitions, S&W is also working on new technologies through partnerships with Adama on herbicide tolerance to sorghum and Ag Alumni Seed Improvement Association
Inc. on Dhurrin Free Sorghums, as well as developing a new low-lignin alfalfa trait in the future. All three initiatives promise to deliver effective and economical crop management solutions to sorghum and alfalfa growers.
From its inception in 1980, S&W continues its path of change and growth, to expand its offerings to a full portfolio of dormant, non-dormant and salt-tolerant alfalfa varieties, along with a full portfolio of sorghum hybrids, wheat varieties and sunflowers. Today, the company is positioned to expand their market presence through its new Alfalfa Partners and expanded Sorghum Partners brands in the United States.
