Came the mid 1990’s the seed world was again in change. Plant biotechnology was powering ahead but the financial payoff always seemed to be just five more years out. A number of multinationals had taken off for greener pastures. Two privately held consolidators Agrigenetics and Genesis took the leadership. We helped Agrigentics acquire 14 independent seed companies and Genesis acquire 7. However, both of these consolidators expanded too rapidly and spent too generously on research. Ultimately, they were sold to those multinationals who were still acquisition oriented. In the late 1990’s, AgriBiotech followed this scenario; sort of. A case of history repeating itself.

During these turbulent years, the once "seedy" seed industry achieved a much higher profile in the financial and science communities. Seed as a buggy whip industry died. Suddenly, we were high tech and sexy.