What Happens When Farmers Lead a Global Seed Business?

Michelle Cornu - Global Brand & Communications Lead, Limagrain Field Seeds .

April 1st 2025

In an industry dominated by global giants, decisions are often made that are far removed from the realities of farming. But when farmers are the ones leading the discussions, a different paradigm takes shape — one that is more grounded, long-term, and connected to the field.

That difference was on full display during a recent visit to Brazil by Limagrain’s France-based farmer-administrators. They weren’t executives. They were growers themselves — there to walk the fields, meet clients, and get a solid understanding of what matters on the ground.

Brazil’s farmers operate in a mature ecosystem. They rely on private agronomists and well-funded local research foundations. Tools and advice are readily available. So what stood out to them when they met Limagrain’s farmer-administrators wasn’t the science — but the sincerity.

When farmers lead, they ask different questions. They see what traditional executives might miss: how the soil is handled or what crop rotations are considered. And they speak the same language regardless of where they are in the world — risk, weather, and yields. 

“Even without speaking Portuguese, our administrators connected instantly,” says Cécile Richard, who leads the team in Brazil. “It was farmer to farmer. That builds a different kind of trust.”

That trust paid off. Over dinner, one client shared — without prompting — why he chooses Limagrain’s genetics: because they perform. No sales pitch. No script. Just a genuine endorsement.

For Limagrain’s local team, too, the visit mattered. It demonstrated to them that decisions aren’t made in isolation. 

“They came to learn,” says Richard. “And that means something to the people here.”

Placing farmers at the helm of Limagrain doesn’t slow the business down. It roots it in what matters most: reliability, practicality, and long-term vision. It also means that success is measured not by the quarter, but by the harvest.

That business model is rare. But in markets like Brazil, it resonates. When farmers see themselves in the people guiding the company — even from across the ocean — it changes the relationship and makes it stronger because it’s not about marketing. It’s about credibility.

That kind of trust isn’t built in a meeting. It’s built in the mud, the dust, and over shared meals. And when the relationship is genuine, people remember it.

 

Ends

For further information, please contact:

Michelle Cornu
Limagrain Field Seeds
Global Brand & Communications Lead

michelle.cornu@limagrain.com