S & W Seed Company

About Us

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.