Florida Foundation Seed Producers

What Florida Foundation Seed Producers does

Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. (FFSP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and Direct Support Organization of the University of Florida, established in 1943 as the Florida Crop Improvement Association and renamed in 1957. The organization produces, processes, and sells foundation seed stocks of peanut, small grain, and corn varieties developed by UF/IFAS faculty breeders, operating a 530-acre farm and seed processing facility in Marianna, Florida with capacity exceeding 4 million pounds of seed for drying, shelling, processing, and storage. A second office in Gainesville functions as the technology transfer hub, managing intellectual property including U.S. Plant Patents, USDA PVP Certificates, International Plant Breeder's Rights, and Trademarks for UF/IFAS varieties.

FFSP's core activity beyond seed production is commercialization of UF/IFAS plant varieties through licensing. The licensed cultivar portfolio spans 32 crop categories, including blueberries (40+ varieties), strawberries, citrus and HLB-resistant rootstocks, caladiums, coleus, tomatoes, peanuts, turfgrasses, and ornamental foliage plants. Commercialization is conducted via a standardized Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) process implemented in 2006, which awards exclusive and non-exclusive licenses to commercial growers and nurseries in Florida, the United States, and internationally (including Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and New Zealand). Major licensees include Ball Horticultural Company, Proven Winners, Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, New Varieties Development & Management Corp., Dole Berry Company, Costa Farms, and Syngenta Flowers.

The business model combines direct foundation seed sales, royalty income from cultivar licensing (with 70% of royalty revenue reinvested directly into the originating UF/IFAS breeding program), and membership fees. The organization is governed by a 13-member board mixing industry, UF/IFAS, and presidential appointee seats, and operates as the only foundation seed production facility in the Southeastern United States that produces seed on its own property.

Name

Florida Foundation Seed Producers

Legal name

Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc.

Website

https://ffsp.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Florida Foundation Seed Producers is a non-profit direct support organization of the University of Florida that produces and sells foundation seed stocks and licenses patented plant varieties developed by UF/IFAS breeders to commercial growers domestically and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foundation Seed Production and Plant Variety Licensing

NAICS

Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111), Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Production & Multiplication (Contract Growing, Foundation/Certified Seed) (AFABAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundation Seed Production (AFAGAIAA), Fruit & Nut Planting Stock (Rootstocks, Nursery Trees, Vines) (AFABAFAF), Cereal & Grain Seeds (Wheat, Barley, Oats, Rye) (AFABAFAB), Turf & Ornamental Seeds (Lawn, Golf, Landscaping) (AFABAFAG), Peanut (Groundnut) Farming (AFAGABAH)

Keywords

• Foundation seed production
• Plant variety licensing
• Crop cultivar development
• Agricultural technology transfer
• Intellectual property licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Marianna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Seed Sales: FFSP produces, processes, and sells Foundation seed stocks of UF's peanut, small grain (oat, triticale, rye), and corn varieties directly to licensed companies and growers.
2. Royalty Revenue: FFSP licenses plant varieties to growers throughout Florida, the United States, and abroad, collects royalties on sales and usage of the varieties. 70% of all royalty revenue is reinvested directly into the respective breeding program responsible for the cultivar's development.
3. Membership Fees: Companies can apply for membership in FFSP by completing the Membership Application and submitting the application fee.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

FFSP produces, processes, and sells foundation seed stocks of UF/IFAS-developed peanut, small grain (oat, triticale, rye), and corn varieties from its Marianna, FL facility. It also manages intellectual property (U.S. Plant Patents, USDA PVP Certificates, International Plant Breeder's Rights, Trademarks) and licenses a broad portfolio of plant varieties — including blueberry, strawberry, citrus, peanut, tomato, coleus, caladium, and ornamental crops — to commercial growers worldwide through exclusive and non-exclusive agreements via the ITN process.

Product overview

Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. (FFSP) is a non-profit corporation and direct support organization of the University of Florida that manages a comprehensive plant variety licensing portfolio. FFSP offers three interconnected core services: (1) Foundation Seed Production and Sales - producing, processing, and selling Foundation seed stocks of UF's peanut, small grain (oat, triticale, rye, wheat), and corn varieties with processing capacity exceeding 4 million pounds; (2) Intellectual Property Management - managing U.S. Plant Patents, USDA PVP Certificates, International Plant Breeder's Rights Certificates, and Trademarks for UF/IFAS plant varieties; and (3) Technology Transfer Services - licensing plant varieties to growers worldwide through both exclusive (via ITN process) and non-exclusive licenses, collecting royalties, and reinvesting 70% of royalty revenue back into breeding programs. The company's licensed cultivar portfolio spans 32 crop categories including Blueberry (with numerous trademarked varieties like Arcadia, Avanti, Endura, Indigocrisp, Keecrisp), Strawberry (Florida Brilliance, Florida Pearl, Winterstar), Citrus (Sugar Belle, Valquarius, OLL series), Caladium (over 40 varieties), Coleus (multiple trademarked series), Tomato (Tasti-Lee, Garden Gem), Peanut (FloRun, TUFRunner trademarked lines), and numerous other ornamental and agronomic crops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Seed Production and Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• 4+ million pounds of seed processing capacity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• New Varieties Development & Management Corp.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2006Licensed exclusively for multiple citrus varieties including Sugar Belle worldwide (excluding USA), '950' mandarin cultivar, and multiple sweet orange cultivars. Multiple ITN awards received.
• University of Florida (UF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1973FFSP is a non-profit corporation and direct support organization of the University of Florida. FFSP works closely with the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES), an agricultural and natural resources research program of UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). FFSP manages technology transfer and intellectual property for plant varieties developed by UF/IFAS faculty.
• Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAES is the agricultural and natural resources research program of UF/IFAS. FFSP cooperates with FAES in making available new and improved varieties of crop seed and nursery stock. 70% of royalty revenue is reinvested directly into the respective FAES breeding programs.
• Proven Winners North America, LLCmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for Amazel Basil 'UF16-23-2' cultivar. Multiple Coleus cultivar licenses through ITN process.
• Ball Horticultural CompanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple exclusive licenses awarded through ITN process for various Coleus cultivars. One of the most frequent recipients of FFSP licensing agreements.
• Dummen NA, Inc.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple exclusive licenses awarded through ITN process for various Coleus cultivars.
• Kientzler North America, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for four Coleus cultivars awarded through ITN process.
• Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-exclusive licensee for multiple citrus rootstock cultivars (UFR-1 through UFR-17).
• Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-exclusive licensee for multiple citrus rootstock cultivars. Also licensed for multiple sweet orange varieties including Florida EV1.
• Florida Strawberry Patent Service CorporationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple exclusive strawberry cultivar licenses awarded including 'Florida Brilliance', 'Florida Beauty', 'FL 17.15-86', 'Florida127', 'FL 05-107', 'Florida Elyana', and 'Florida Radiance'.
• Citrific Holdings, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-exclusive licensee for multiple citrus rootstock cultivars.
• Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'Abundance' blueberry cultivar in Argentina, Republic of South Africa, Uruguay. Also licensed for San Joaquin 'FLX-1' blueberry (USA exclusive) and multiple other blueberry varieties.
• Smith Seed Services, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'FL4XR16' tetraploid annual ryegrass cultivar and 'FL PE 2x' diploid annual ryegrass through ITN process.
• Ragan & Massey, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'UF-Riata' bahiagrass cultivar.
• Ekland Marketing Company of California, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorldwide exclusive licensee (excluding USA) for Sugar Belle 'LB8-9' mandarin hybrid.
• Syngenta Flowers, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for four Coleus cultivars through ITN process.
• AGSouth Genetics LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'UFCC17' Crimson Clover Cultivar through ITN process.
• Costa Farms, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-exclusive licensee for Golden Bay '39303' aglaonema cultivar propagation.
• Oglesby Plants International, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-exclusive licensee for Red Hot '75-10' anthurium cultivar propagation.
• Hortifrut S.A.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational licensee for multiple blueberry cultivars including Bluecrisp, Santa Fe, and Farthing in various territories (Chile, Peru).
• Dole Berry CompanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational licensee for multiple blueberry cultivars in Brazil, Chile, Mexico.
• Gourmet Blueberries, Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational exclusive licensee for multiple blueberry cultivars in New Zealand.
• TriCal Superior Forage LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'FL08128' Triticale Cultivar through ITN process.
• Kelly Seed Company, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'FL16045DH-25' Wheat Cultivar through ITN process.
• Specialty Seed, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'FL12034-10' Oat Cultivar through ITN process.
• Hardwick Planting CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'FL406' Cereal Rye Cultivar through ITN process.
• Grassland Oregon, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive licensee for 'FL24D' Red Clover Cultivar through ITN process.
• Agromillora Florida, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNon-exclusive licensee for 'B9-65' citrus cultivar propagation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flaseed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida Foundation Seed Producers