b"PARTNER CONTENTA group photo of Limagrain's France-based farmer-administrators with their colleagues in Brazil.What Happens When Farmers Lead a Global Seed Business?By: Michelle Cornu - Global Brand & Communications Lead, Limagrain Field SeedsI n an industry dominated by global giants, decisions are oftennected instantly, says Ccile Richard, who leads the team in Bra-made that are far removed from the realities of farming. Butzil. It was farmer to farmer. That builds a different kind of trust.when farmers are the ones leading the discussions, a differentThat trust paid off. Over dinner, one client sharedwithout paradigm takes shapeone that is more grounded, long-term,promptingwhy he chooses Limagrains genetics: because they and connected to the field. perform. No sales pitch. No script. Just a genuine endorsement.That difference was on full display during a recent visit toFor Limagrains local team, too, the visit mattered. It demon-Brazil by Limagrains France-based farmer-administrators. Theystrated to them that decisions arent made in isolation. werent executives. They were growers themselvesthere to walkThey came to learn, says Richard. And that means some-the fields, meet clients, and get a solid understanding of what mat- thing to the people here.ters on the ground. Placing farmers at the helm of Limagrain doesnt slow the busi-Brazils farmers operate in a mature ecosystem. They rely onness down. It roots it in what matters most: reliability, practicality, private agronomists and well-funded local research foundations.and long-term vision. It also means that success is measured not Tools and advice are readily available. So what stood out to themby the quarter, but by the harvest.when they met Limagrains farmer-administrators wasnt the sci- That business model is rare. But in markets like Brazil, it encebut the sincerity. resonates. When farmers see themselves in the people guiding the When farmers lead, they ask different questions. They seecompanyeven from across the oceanit changes the relation-what traditional executives might miss: how the soil is handledship and makes it stronger because its not about marketing. Its or what crop rotations are considered. And they speak the sameabout credibility.language regardless of where they are in the worldrisk, weath- That kind of trust isnt built in a meeting. Its built in the mud, er, and yields.the dust, and over shared meals. And when the relationship is Even without speaking Portuguese, our administrators con- genuine, people remember it.JUNE 2025SEEDWORLD.COM /25"