As you can
read in the archives of this Forum, the past three years have
been difficult for everyone in the vegetable seed industry.
During hard times, we have treated the business like a
business and the family has been patient and supportive.
Disregarding the slump, the industry
is very receptive to family business. There is a strong
network of family seed companies where there is a freer
exchange of ideas. I believe that family businesses prefer to
buy from other family businesses if the product is equal.
The largest family owned seed
companies around the world seem to be doing well. While the
barrier to enter the best markets continues to go up, the size
of the niches left to small companies has increased.
I think of our company as a series of
concentric circles. Inside is the family, then the family that
is our staff, then our 'family of customers'. Customers
appreciate it when we treat them like family, with integrity
and value and product.
