Seed Business 201: Vegetables

Course Overview

SB201 Vegetables, Decisions That Drive Results

Based directly on industry feedback from the 2025 class, SB201 is now under development with Jeff Boettge joining as Lead Instructor.

The re-branded SB201 moves beyond theory and into reality: you will build business fluency to make faster, higher-impact decisions. Participants will step into a highly realistic seed dealer–genetic supplier case study, built around a fictitious family-owned company in Yuma: Desert Produce Supply (DPS).

This is not a lecture course. It’s decision-making under pressure, exactly what seed leaders face in the real world.

Who should attend this course? 

Mid‑career leaders in

• Sales
• Product Management
• Operations
• General Management

Course Event

Course Curriculum

Through this live, hands-on case, seed professionals will work through the decisions that truly matter:

• Step into a live dealer–supplier case
• Make portfolio, pricing, and P&L decisions 

• Connect financial, marketing, and channel decisions into a unified business strategy

   

Instructors

Jeff Boettge

Jeff is an expert consultant in vegetable seeds and crop production with over 40 years of global experience in the vegetable seed and produce industry. His career is defined by a deep commitment to the vegetable produce industry and sustainable agriculture, driving innovation and growth through strategic planning, futuristic market insights, and product management excellence. At BASF Nunhems, Jeff led the largest crop-group business unit, achieving sustainable, profitable growth for over a decade. Notable achievements include developing the go-to-market strategy for SUNIONS, the world's first tearless onion, and implementing the global organic seed strategy. With key leadership roles at BASF, Bayer CropScience, and Limagrain, his core skills encompass people leadership, strategic and product marketing, and international sales management. He has extensive hands-on experience with all major vegetable crops and broad boots-on-the-ground experience in the key global produce markets.

Vicente Navarro

Vicente, from Segorbe, Spain embarked on his illustrious career in the Seed Industry following his studies at the University Polytechnic in Valencia, Spain. With a track record spanning over 35 years, he has held prestigious global management roles in Marketing, Sales, Strategy, and Operations. Vicente's highlights include his tenure as Managing Director of Nunhems in Spain, his influential role as Global Head of Marketing, and his leadership as CEO for BASF Vegetable Seeds. Vicente is a fervent champion of innovation and visionary organizational strategies. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the seed industry landscape, too. Vicente has held positions such as Chairman of the Spanish Seed Association and board member of both ISF and Euroseeds. Vicente is happily married to Victoria, and has three children: Alberto, Paula, and Artur.

Jovan Djordjevic 

Dr. Jovan Djordjevic is a plant breeder and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the global seed industry. His career began in 1996 with Monsanto France as a corn breeder, where he built a strong foundation in hybrid breeding. In 2005, he moved to Canada to lead canola hybrid breeding, playing a key role in transitioning the crop from open-pollinated to hybrid varieties. In 2010, Jovan relocated to California—agriculture’s Silicon Valley—where he served as Global Cucurbits Breeding Director for Nunhems.
Over the course of his prolific career, he has contributed to the release of more than 200 hybrid varieties across crops such as corn, canola, tomato, pepper, sweet corn, watermelon, melon, cucumber, onion, carrot, and leek.
Jovan currently serves as Director of the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy, where he mentors the next generation of breeders and seed professionals. He also chairs the Plant Breeding Committee for the California Seed Association.
He is a seed business owner, co-founder, and board director at Murray River Seed Co, where he remains hands-on in breeding watermelon and melon. He believes that passionate people, working closely with growers, can truly transform the produce industry for the better.

Questions? Contact Louise Lee at [email protected].