S&W Seed Company Enters into Stevia Plant Trials with PureCircle

The trials are anticipated to identify the best yielding varieties to begin commercial production of stevia leaf in California in the near future.

12 May 2010 --- S&W Seed Company announced that it has entered into a trialing agreement with PureCircle, the world’s largest producer of stevia sweeteners, to conduct stevia growing trials. Operating under this agreement, S&W’s agronomists have received proprietary plant materials from PureCircle and have started cultivation of stevia plants. The trials are anticipated to identify the best yielding varieties to begin commercial production of stevia leaf in California in the near future. S&W Seed Company and PureCircle have also agreed to work together on advanced variety selections from PureCircle’s stevia breeding programs around the world.

“We are delighted to be associated with the world leader in stevia leaf processing as we pursue our goal of introducing large scale production of stevia leaf in California,” said Grover Wickersham, Chairman of S&W Seed Company. “We believe our thirty year history of producing agricultural products in California, coupled with our stevia-experienced agronomists, will qualify us to meet PureCircle’s needs for a domestic supply of stevia.”

Dorn Wenninger, PureCircle’s Corporate Vice President of Supply Chain, remarked, “PureCircle is leading the global diversification of Stevia leaf farming. We’re committed to sourcing stevia in areas as close to our customers as possible. Our agronomists are sharing best practices from our operations in Asia, Africa, and South America with S&W Seed Company as we work together to provide large scale volumes of Stevia leaf for American consumers.”