Created in 1962, SEMAE is the French interprofessional organization for seeds and seedlings.

It is consisted of 238 returned members divided into 5 colleges representing variety breeders, seed growers, seed producers, distributors and seed users. Production conditions, seed marketing, climate change  many other topics are discussed within SEMAE in order to come up with useful suggestions. 

The interprofessional activity is organized through 9 sections defined by type of plants (straw cereals, corn and sorghum, forage and turf species, vegetables and flowers, industrial beet and chicory, seed potatoes, oilseeds, flax and hemp).

SEMAE facilitates dialogue and consultation between the 9 families of the interprofession in order to adopt common decisions. Agreements are focused on various themes : supply adaptation and standardisation, product quality or technical and economic aspects of production.

SEMAE also promotes the French seed sector to several groups such as farmers, seed distributors, media, teachers or hobby gardeners.  

Moreover SEMAE supports the development of the sector's export activity.

 

The forage seed market is undergoing major changes. Sales of legume seeds are now almost equivalent to those of grasses, for a ratio close to 1 to 2 5 years ago.

The agronomic interests of grass-legume associations (joint production of energy and proteins, nitrogen fertilization by the plants themselves, etc.) are part of the evolution of production methods.

This movement is supported by the Protein Plan, which promotes, via CAP subsidies, the establishment of grasslands rich in legumes and the production of seeds.