Changes in the seed business: an Argentine group bought a well-known American company

Grupo Don Mario (GDM) , an Argentine company that began life as Don Mario and specializes in plant genetics, has acquired 100% of AgReliant Genetics , the fourth largest seed company in the United States.

With this purchase, it took a strategic step in its global expansion and seeks to consolidate itself as a major global player , particularly in the corn business, where until now it did not have the same participation as in soybeans, a segment with which it supplies giants such as Bayer , Corteva and Syngenta .

According to industry estimates, once the purchase is completed, GDM will become the fourth largest supplier of corn genetics worldwide , without losing its leadership in soybeans.

AgReliant was founded in 2000 as a merger between Germany's KWS and France's Limagrain ( Vilmorin & Cie ). It is headquartered in Indiana, and its temperate corn gene bank is one of the largest in North America.

Its portfolio includes the AgriGold , LG Seeds , Pride Seeds (in Canada), Great Lakes , and Proseed brands. In addition to corn, it has operations in soybeans, sorghum, and alfalfa. It employs more than 1,100 people with a direct presence in 40 states, 2,700 distributors, and a network of development centers.

Ignacio Bartolomé , CEO of GDM , explained that the goal is to "expand the impact of genetics " and enhance the development of products adapted to the production conditions of each region. In this sense, AgReliant's temperate corn germplasm is an opportunity to accelerate improvements and biotechnological development.

Headquartered in Chacabuco, GDM has more than 3,400 employees in 15 countries and a direct presence in the world's major agricultural markets.

For now, both companies will continue to operate separately . The transaction was advised by MAP Latam and Rabobank as co-financial advisor.

Once the transaction is approved by U.S. regulators, AgReliant will become part of GDM . Its current CEO, Brian Barker , will continue to lead the North American business and service to distributors and producers.

Meanwhile , Limagrain, one of the outgoing partners, emphasized that the sale will allow them to focus on other segments and regions , while GDM confirmed that the transition will occur without disruption to business operations.

The acquisition of AgReliant follows recent expansion moves by GDM, such as its acquisition of KWS's corn and sorghum business in South America , which included its operations in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.