In addition, we estimate that the expenses of this offering other than underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us will be approximately $ .

On completion of this offering, we will issue to Rodman & Renshaw, LLC warrants to purchase up to           shares of our common stock (5% of the aggregate number of shares sold to the public in this offering), which warrants shall be in certificated form. We also have agreed to pay Rodman & Renshaw, LLC a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1.0% of the gross proceeds of this offering, subject to compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D). We have advanced the sum of $25,000 against the 1.0% non-accountable expenses allowance, which pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D) shall be reimbursed to us in the event that the offering is terminated and to the extent the expenses have not been actually incurred.

The exercise price of the underwriter's warrants shall be $ per share, which is equal to 125% of the offering price of the common stock sold in the offering. The underwriter's warrants will be exercisable at any time after issuance and will expire on the five year anniversary of the effective date of the "shelf" registration statement on Form S-3 of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus form a part, or February 8, 2017, and they will comply with FINRA Rule 5110(g) in that for a period of 180 days after their date of issuance (which shall not be earlier than the closing date of this offering), neither the compensation warrants nor any shares issued upon exercise of the compensation warrants shall be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person, except the transfer of any security:

• by operation of law or by reason of reorganization of us;
• to any FINRA member firm participating in this offering and the officers or partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction described above for the remainder of the time period;
• if the aggregate amount of our securities held by Rodman & Renshaw or related persons do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered;
• that is beneficially owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund, and participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or
• the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction set forth above for the remainder of the time period.

S - 13

Stabilization

In order to facilitate this offering of common stock, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of the common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be "covered" shorts or may be "naked" shorts, which are sales of shares of common stock in excess of the number sold to them by us. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.

The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount received by them. These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on the NASDAQ Capital Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

In addition, in connection with this offering certain of the underwriters (and selling group members) may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market prior to the pricing and completion of this offering. Passive market making consists of displaying bids on the NASDAQ Capital Market no higher than the bid prices of independent market makers and making purchases at prices no higher than these independent bids and effected in response to order flow. Net purchases by a passive market maker on each day are generally limited to a specified percentage of the passive market maker's average daily trading volume in the common stock during a specified period and must be discontinued when such limit is reached. Passive market making may cause the price of our common stock to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. If passive market making is commenced, it may be discontinued at any time.

We have agreed that, subject to specified exceptions, without the prior written consent of Rodman & Renshaw, LLC, we will not during the period beginning on the date of the pricing of this offering and ending 45 days thereafter, issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance by us or any of our subsidiaries of shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock. This restriction does not apply to the issuance of:

S - 14

• shares of our common stock upon the exercise of any the warrants issued to the underwriters in connection with this offering;
• shares of our common stock or options to our employees, officers or directors pursuant to any equity incentive plan adopted for such purpose, by our board of directors;
• securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any securities issued and outstanding on the date of the underwriting agreement; and
• securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a our board of directors.

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "SANW."

The transfer agent for our common stock is Transfer Online, Inc.

The financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of M&K CPAS, PLLC, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing in giving said reports.

Wickersham & Murphy, a Professional Corporation, Palo Alto, California, our counsel in connection with the offering, has issued an opinion about the validity of the securities being offered.

The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" into this prospectus supplement information we file with the SEC in other documents. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to other documents that contain that information. The information may include documents filed after the date of this prospectus supplement that update and supersede the information you read in this prospectus supplement and the prospectus. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement.

Information contained in this prospectus supplement and information that we file with the Commission in the future and incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement automatically modifies and supersedes previously filed information, including information in previously filed documents or reports that have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, to the extent the new information differs from or is inconsistent with the old information. Any information so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (in each case, Commission File No. 001-34719), except to the extent information in those documents is different from the information contained in this prospectus supplement.

We are also incorporating by reference any future filings we make with the Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act between the date of this prospectus supplement and the completion of this offering, except for information furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 and certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of our Current Reports on Form 8-K that are not deemed to be filed and not incorporated by reference herein.

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by contacting us at:

We will provide copies of all documents requested (not including exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents or this prospectus) without charge.

You should rely only on the information provided in and incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and prospectus. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and the prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of these documents.

S - 16

We have filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act, of which this prospectus supplement forms a part. The rules and regulations of the Commission allow us to omit from this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus certain information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and the common stock we are offering under this prospectus supplement, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits filed as part of the registration statement. With respect to the statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus regarding the contents of any agreement or any other document, in each instance, the statement is qualified in all respects by the complete text of the agreement or document, a copy of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or to a document incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

S - 17

PROSPECTUS

From time to time, we may offer up to $25,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, either individually or in units.

This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide specific terms of the securities offered in a supplement to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference herein and therein before you invest in any securities. This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "SANW." On February 9, 2012, the last reported sale price for our common stock was $5.20 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market or any securities market or other exchange of the securities, if any, covered by the prospectus supplement.

We will sell these securities directly to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled "Plan of Distribution" in this prospectus. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this Prospectus that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any projections of revenue, margins, expenses, tax provisions, earnings, cash flows and other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements regarding our ability to raise capital in the future; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market acceptance relating to our products or services or our ability to expand our grower or customer bases; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; any statements of expectation or belief; any statements regarding our ability to retain key employees; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as, but not limited to, "anticipate," "believe," "can," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "plan," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," and similar expressions or variations intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations about future events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that certain foreign markets into which our seed is sold continue to be adversely impacted by discounted pricing of non-proprietary seed by competitors, our alfalfa seed growers choose to grow more profitable crops instead of our alfalfa seed and the dairy industry decline does not recover as quickly as we anticipate, macro-economic and geopolitical trends and events; the execution and performance of contracts by our company and our customers, suppliers and partners; the challenge of managing asset levels, including inventory; the difficulty of aligning expense levels with revenue changes; the outcome of pending or future legislation or court decisions and pending or future accounting pronouncements; and other risks that are described herein, including but not limited to the items discussed in "Risk Factors" below, and that are otherwise described or updated from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Many factors discussed in this Prospectus, some of which are beyond our control, will be important in determining our future performance. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from those that might be anticipated from the forward-looking statements. In light of these and other uncertainties, you should not regard the inclusion of a forward-looking statement in this prospectus as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved, and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. All forward-looking statements included herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

4

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

Our earnings can be negatively impacted by declining demand brought on by varying factors, many of which are out of our control. Our earnings declined significantly in fiscal 2011, largely driven by a decline in demand by end users both domestically and internationally. The severe downturn in the California dairy industry in recent years that resulted from over-supply has had a corresponding negative effect on sales of alfalfa hay. Therefore demand for our alfalfa seed in the domestic market declined during fiscal 2011. In the past year, demand for our certified seed also severely declined in the Middle East, which historically has been a significant market. The decline was primarily the result of common, uncertified seed flooding the market at lower prices than those at which we were willing to sell our certified seed. As a result of this price competition, the demand for our proprietary seed materially declined in fiscal 2011. These circumstances could continue or reoccur, and our earnings could again be negatively impacted. In addition, demand for our products could decline because of ordinary, more expected, supply and quality issues or for any other reason, including products of competitors that might be considered superior by end users. A decline in demand for our products could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Market prices for our alfalfa seed can be impacted by factors such as the quality of the seed and the available supply, including whether lesser quality, uncertified seed is available. Growing conditions, particularly weather conditions such as windstorms, floods, droughts and freezes, as well as diseases and pests, are primary factors influencing the quality of the seed and therefore, the market price at which we can sell our seed to our customers. A decrease in the prices received for our products could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We rely on unaffiliated growers to grow our proprietary seed and to sell it to us at negotiated prices each year. Growers have a choice of what crops to plant. If a particular crop is paying a materially higher price than has been paid in the past, growers may decide to not grow alfalfa seed in favor of receiving a higher return from an alternative crop planted on the same acreage. Some of our growers who have grown alfalfa seed for us for many years did not grow seed for us in fiscal 2011 in order to make acreage available to plant cotton and reap a portion of the historically high prices being paid for that crop in 2011. If our growers decline to a significant degree to plant the acreage on which we rely, and if we cannot find other growers to plant the lost acreage, our inventory of seed could be insufficient to satisfy the needs of our customers, and our business, results of operations and financial condition could

9

materially decline. In addition, our customers could look to other suppliers for their seed, and we may have not be able to get them to return as customers once our inventory levels have returned to normal.

Alfalfa seed, our primary product, is vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, including windstorms, floods, drought and temperature extremes, which are quite common but difficult to predict. In addition, alfalfa seed is vulnerable to crop disease and to pests, which may vary in severity and effect, depending on the stage of production at the time of infection or infestation, the type of treatment applied and climatic conditions. Unfavorable growing conditions can reduce both crop size and quality. While historically, we have not grown the alfalfa seed we sell, these factors can nevertheless directly impact us by decreasing the quality and yields of our seed, reducing our inventory and supply of seed we sell to our customers. Moreover, beginning in fiscal 2012, we began growing a portion of our alfalfa seed directly as well as farming wheat and alfalfa hay, and therefore, we have a direct vulnerability to the same adverse effects of weather, pests, natural disasters and other natural conditions that concern our third party growers. These factors can increase costs, decrease revenues and lead to additional charges to earnings, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We expect that the majority of our revenues will continue to be generated from our alfalfa seed business, even though we have recently entered the commercial stevia growing business. Our alfalfa seed business is highly seasonal. The seasonal nature of our operations results in significant fluctuations in our working capital during the growing and selling cycles. As a result, operating activities during the second and third fiscal quarters use significant amounts of cash because we typically pay our growers progressively, starting in the second quarter. In contrast, operating activities for the first and second fiscal quarters typically generate cash as we ship inventory and collect accounts receivable. We have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, significant variability in net sales, operating cash flows and net income on a quarterly basis.

Historically, we have relied upon a small group of customers for a large percentage of our net sales, including Genetics International, which served the Saudi Arabian market. We expect that a small number of customers will continue to account for a substantial portion of our net sales for the foreseeable future. Fiscal 2011 was a year in which we experienced significant changes in sales concentration because Genetics International was severely negatively impacted by market factors in the Saudi Arabian seed market, resulting in it purchasing a far smaller quantity of seed than it had purchased in recent years. Genetics International has left the alfalfa seed business, and since June 2011, we have been selling directly to its former customers. One of those customers, Sorouh Agricultural Company represented approximately 20% of our net sales in fiscal 2011, and we expect that that customer, together with S.C.A.L.E Ag Services, a domestic distributor, will represent a material amount of our sales in fiscal 2012.

We do not have written contracts with either of these or any other of our customers. The loss of, or a significant adverse change in, our relationship with these customers, or any other major customer, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and

10

operating cash flows. The loss of, or a reduction in orders from any significant customers, losses arising from customers' disputes regarding shipments, product quality, or related matters, or our inability to collect accounts receivable from any major customer could have a material adverse effect on us. There is no assurance that we will be able to maintain the relationships with our major customers or that they will continue to purchase our seed in the quantities that we expect and rely upon. If we cannot do so, our results of operations could suffer.

Historically, we have relied on a relatively small network of growers of alfalfa seed that together have provided all of the seed we sell to our customers. Although beginning in fiscal 2012, we expect to grow a portion of our own seed, most of our seed will continue to be grown under annual contracts with farmers in the San Joaquin Valley. Three growers collectively accounted for approximately 51% of our total seed purchases in fiscal 2011. Many of our growers have had long-term grower relationships with us. However, we do not have long-term supply contracts with any of these growers, which makes us particularly vulnerable to factors beyond our control. Events such as a shift in pricing caused by an increase in the value of commodity crops other than seed crops, increase in land prices or competition could disrupt our chain of supply. Any of these disruptions could limit the supply of seed that we obtain in any given year, adversely affecting supply and thereby lowering revenues in the subsequent marketing season. Such disruption could also damage our distributor relationships and rancher and farmer loyalty to us if we cannot supply the quantity of seed expected by them. We encountered a meaningful shift in our grower network in fiscal 2011, with some of our growers who had grown for us for many years opting to cut back their alfalfa seed acreage or to not grow alfalfa seed at all. This situation could reoccur and could negatively impact our revenues if we do not otherwise have sufficient seed inventory available for sale.

Adequate quantities and correct timing of the application of water are vital for most agriculture to thrive. Whether particular farms are experiencing water shortages depends, in large part, on their location. However, continuing drought conditions can threaten all farmland other than those properties with their own water sources. Although alfalfa seed is not a water-intensive crop, the availability or the cost of water is a factor in the planting of the alfalfa hay grown from our seed. If the dairy farmers and others who purchase our alfalfa seed to grow hay cannot get an adequate supply of water, or if the cost of water makes it uneconomical for the farmers to grow alfalfa, we may not be able to sell our seed, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations. We cannot predict if water shortages will impact our business in the future, but if alfalfa hay growers are impacted by water shortages, our business could also materially decline.

In addition, if the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were to restrict the availability of water to farmers and other growers, this governmental decision could adversely affect the amount of seed we would be able to sell in the Middle East, which currently is our largest market. Were this to occur, our results of operations could be severely impacted for at least the duration of the water shortage.

The alfalfa seed market is highly competitive, and our products face competition from a number of small seed companies, as well as large agricultural and biotechnology companies. We compete

11

primarily on the basis of consistency of product quality, product availability, customer service and price. Many of our competitors are, or are affiliated with, large diversified companies that have substantially greater marketing or financial resources than we have. These resources give our competitors greater operating flexibility that, in certain cases, may permit them to respond better or more quickly to changes in the industry or to introduce new products more quickly and with greater marketing support. Increased competition could result in lower profit margins, substantial pricing pressure, reduced market share and lower operating cash flows. Price competition, together with other forms of competition, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and operating cash flows.

We sell our seed primarily to dealers and distributors who, in turn, sell primarily to hay and dairy farmers who grow hay for dairy cattle and other livestock. Due to the nature of the alfalfa seed industry, we normally produce seed according to our production plan before we sell and deliver seed to distributors and dealers. Our dealers and distributors generally make purchasing decisions for our products based on market prices, economic and weather conditions and other factors that we and our dealers and distributors may not be able to anticipate accurately in advance. If we fail to accurately estimate the volume and types of products sought by the end users and otherwise adequately manage production amounts, we may produce more seed than our dealers and distributors want, resulting in reduced gross margins and excess inventory investment. On the other hand, if we underestimate demand, which has happened in the past, we may not be able to satisfy our dealers and distributors' demand for alfalfa seed, and thus damage our customer relations and end-user loyalty. Our failure to estimate end users' future needs and to match our production to the demand of our dealers, distributors and farmers to whom we sell seed directly may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Historically, sales of our alfalfa seed in international markets have been made by U.S. distributors having a presence in various international markets. In the last quarter of fiscal 2011, our largest international distributor closed its alfalfa seed business. With the cooperation of the former distributor, we began selling directly to its customers in June 2011. We have never sold directly into Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Africa, Morocco and Argentina, and we have no direct experience selling alfalfa seed or otherwise doing business in these markets. There is no assurance that we will be able to retain the customers that have purchased our seed from our distributor in the past or that these customers will continue to purchase the quantities of our proprietary seed that they have historically purchased from our distributor. Moreover, one of the Saudi Arabian customers is expected to be one of our largest customers in fiscal 2012, so it is critical that we are successful in maintaining that relationship or our business will materially suffer. We also may not succeed in expanding the customer base in these locations. Failure to sell significant quantities of alfalfa seed to these customers or to new customers in these countries could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, we started to sell seed directly to a customer in Saudi Arabia who previously had purchased our seed through our international distributor. That customer purchased on credit a significant amount of seed in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. We anticipate that in future periods, this customer could again order significant quantities of seed on credit that could

12

represent, at any one time, a large percentage of our accounts receivable. Because this customer is located in Saudi Arabia, collection efforts, were they to become necessary, could be much more difficult and expensive. Moreover, future political and/or economic factors, as well as future unanticipated trade regulations, could negatively impact our ability to timely collect outstanding receivables from this important customer. Our failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

Our largest customer in fiscal 2011 was Sorouh Agricultural Company, which accounted for approximately 20% of our annual revenue. All of the sales to Sorouh were made in June 2011, when we began direct sales to Saudi Arabia, following the closure of our international distributor's business. Although payment terms for our seed sales generally are 90 days, we extended credit to this customer in fiscal 2011, and at June 30, 2011, the receivable totaled $712,600. We expect that sales of our alfalfa seed varieties to Sorouh will represent a material portion of our revenue in fiscal 2012 and that we will continue to extend credit in connection with those sales. In addition, we expect that S.C.A.L.E. Ag Services, a domestic distributor, will also account for a material portion of our alfalfa seed revenue in fiscal 2012 and that we will extend credit to this distributor. The extension of credit to our major customers exposes us to the risk that our seed will be delivered but that we may not receive all or a portion of the payment therefor. If either of these customers were unable or unwilling to fully pay for the seed they purchase on credit, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially negatively impacted. Moreover, our internal forecasts on which we make business decisions throughout the year could be severely compromised, which could, in turn, mean that we spend capital for operations, investment or otherwise that we would not have spent had we been aware that the customer would not honor its credit extension obligation.

We currently operate mainly in the alfalfa seed business, and we do not expect this to change materially in the foreseeable future, even as we begin our commercial stevia business. Without business line diversity, we will not be able to spread the risk of our operations. Therefore, our business opportunities, revenue and income could be more immediately and directly affected by disruptions from such things as drought and disease or widespread problems affecting the alfalfa industry, payment disruptions and customer rejection of our varieties of alfalfa seed. If there is a disruption as described above, our revenue and income will be reduced, and our business operations may have to be scaled back.

We cannot guarantee that the performance of our new alfalfa seed varieties will meet our customers' expectations, or that we will be able to introduce and commercialize specific seed varieties. Reorder rates are uncertain due to several factors, many of which are beyond our control. These include changing customer preferences, which could be further complicated by the new availability of Roundup Ready alfalfa, competitive price pressures, our failure to develop new products to meet the evolving demands of the end users, the development of higher-demand products by our competitors and general economic conditions. The process for new products to gain market recognition and acceptance is long and has uncertainties. If we fail to introduce and commercialize a new seed variety that meets the demand of the end user, if our competitors develop products that are favored by the end users, or if we are unable to

13

produce our existing products in sufficient quantities, our growth prospects may be materially and adversely affected, and our revenue may decline. In addition, sales of our new products could replace sales of some of our current similar products, offsetting the benefit of even a successful product introduction.

In December 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA") published the final environmental impact statement on Roundup Ready Alfalfa ("RRA"). Following that publication, in late January 2011, the USDA announced the deregulation of RRA, without imposing any regulations, providing any guidance pertaining to field separation or mandating any other conditions. We believe that Forage Genetics, a co-developer of RRA, and other licensed seed companies, have a substantial supply of RRA in inventory that has been awaiting this decision, and that RRA was available for the spring 2011 planting season. This development potentially could adversely impact our sales. Domestically, hay farmers may choose the GMO alfalfa seed over our seed in order to control weeds with Roundup, Monsanto's powerful herbicide. Internationally, we may face a challenge to demonstrate to our customers and end users that our seed is free of any cross-contamination between GMO and organic and conventionally-farmed fields since GMO crops currently are prohibited in most of the international markets in which our proprietary seed is currently sold. If it were determined that our fields or those of our growers, were contaminated with any GMO material, we would be unable to sell seed from those fields in Saudi Arabia, our largest market, because the Kingdom has an absolute prohibition on GMO products. There are other countries that also ban GMO products, so cross-contamination could impact our growth into other markets. No decision has been made whether it is in our best interest to enter the GMO alfalfa market, and no timetable for such a decision has been fixed. In the intervening time period, our domestic sales could be negatively impacted, although the actual impact on the alfalfa seed market in general and on sales of our proprietary seed, in particular, is currently unknown.

A substantial portion of our alfalfa seed is grown in Fresno County for both domestic and international sales. In January 2012, the National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance held a vote of growers in Fresno County to determine if they should form a Genetically Enhanced ("GE") Grower Opportunity Zone ("GOZ") in part of Fresno County. A GOZ is a seed grower-defined region within which a super-majority of growers (by number of growers or acreage) elects to focus on the production of either Adventitious Presence Sensitive ("APS") or GE alfalfa seed, including Roundup Ready alfalfa. The January 2012 vote to organize the proposed GOZ in Fresno County failed to obtain the required super-majority, and therefore the motion failed. However, there is no assurance that another vote will not be taken and that, at a future meeting, the proposal will not succeed in obtaining the required vote to form a GOZ for GMO alfalfa. If a GOZ were formed in Fresno County or in any other county where we currently produce seed or might produce seed in the future, our efforts to grow conventional alfalfa seed for international sale in such county could be threatened because of the isolation and contamination issues about which we remain concerned. In such circumstance, we might be forced to find alternative locations to grow our proprietary alfalfa seed for sale into Saudi Arabia and other locations that prohibit GMO seed, and there is no assurance that we would be able to do so successfully.

14

We have just planted our first commercial crop of stevia, and the business continues to be subject to many of the risks of a new business enterprise.

In fiscal 2010, we began expanding our business to include the breeding, selection and planting of high quality stevia varieties for production and processing of the stevia extract, Rebaudioside A ("Reb-A"). We planted our first commercial crop of stevia in fiscal 2011 and completed the initial harvest in fiscal 2012 from which we expect to earn a modest amount of revenue. Because this is our first commercial crop, we face numerous uncertainties, including not knowing the extent to which the stevia stands will rejuvenate for future cuttings, whether we will be able to improve yields and whether we will be able to improve the flavor characteristics of our stevia as we continue our breeding program to develop, grow and harvest a leading variety of stevia leaf. The failure to build a successful stevia business could materially impact our growth potential and could consume company resources that otherwise could be deployed to further the growth of other aspects of our business.

Our stevia operations are subject to the same farming risks that other agricultural operations face, including, weather-related events and natural disasters, which, depending on the growth cycle at the time of such event, could materially negatively impact our yields. Although we have a contract in place with a major stevia processor, our costs could exceed the revenue we are able to earn from a particular stevia harvest. As we plant additional stevia acreage, as we expect to do, this risk could become more material.

There are a number of challenges to market acceptance of stevia as a natural, non-caloric sweetener. Stevia has its own unique flavor, which can affect the taste of some foods and beverages. Other factors that could impact market acceptance include the price structure compared to other sugar substitutes and availability. If the high intensity, non-caloric sweetener market declines or if stevia fails to achieve substantially greater market acceptance than it currently enjoys, we will not be able to grow our revenue sufficiently for us to achieve consistent profitability from this portion of our business. Even if products conform to applicable safety and quality standards, sales could be adversely affected if consumers in target markets lose confidence in the safety, efficacy and quality of stevia. Adverse publicity about stevia or stevia-based products may discourage consumers from buying products that contain stevia. Any of these developments could adversely impact the amount of processed stevia leaves or extract we are able to sell, which could adversely impact our results of operations.

Historically, stevia has been marketed and sold in the U.S. as a dietary supplement, available in natural food and health food stores. Since December 2008, stevia producers have increased production capacity in expectation of a large demand for stevia products. We started our stevia operation because we expect that demand for stevia will increase significantly in the future, particularly since Reb-A, a stevia extract, has received GRAS (meaning generally accepted as safe) status in the U.S. That determination by the FDA allows Reb-A to be used as a food and beverage additive. However, there can be no assurance that there will be widespread demand for stevia products. If demand for stevia does not increase to the extent predicted by the industry, the stevia market may be subject to significant excess capacity, which would put downward pressure on the market price of stevia and negatively impact our expectations with respect to stevia as a revenue source.

15

Stevia competes with sugar and other high intensity sweeteners in the global sweetener market, and the success of stevia will largely depend on consumer perception of the positive health implications of stevia relative to other sweeteners.

The continued growth of stevia's share of the global sweetener market depends upon consumer acceptance of stevia and stevia-related products and the health implications of consuming stevia relative to other sweetener products. The publication of any studies or revelation of other information that has negative implications regarding the health impacts of consuming stevia may slow or reverse the growth in consumer acceptance of stevia, which may have a material adverse effect on our business operations and financial condition.

Alfalfa seed storage, particularly outside the U.S., entails significant risks, including difficulties in the management of moisture, temperature and humidity. In addition, stevia can lose all viability unless stored in a controlled, refrigerated environment. Any material storage problem may result in damage to our seed or dried stevia leaf and, thus, could create operating losses.

We must acquire sufficient alfalfa seed to meet the demands of our customers. An alfalfa seed shortage could result in loss of sales and damage to our reputation. Because our proprietary seed is only available from our growers, if our growers become unable or unwilling to produce the required commercial quantities of alfalfa seed on a timely basis and at commercially reasonable prices, we will likely be unable to meet customer demand. The failure to satisfy our customers not only could adversely impact our financial results but could irreparably harm our reputation. Although we are just entering the commercial stevia production business, we know we will encounter similar risks if we are unable to satisfy our customers' requirements for dried stevia due to our inability to obtain sufficient quantities of plants, either by growing stevia ourselves or acquiring stevia under contract from growers, or are unable to timely process the stevia to satisfy our customers' needs. In addition, we currently have only a small quantity of acreage allocated to growing stevia plants, and there is no assurance that growers in the San Joaquin Valley will decide in future growing seasons that growing stevia is the best use for their land. If we are unable to contract for a sufficient amount of acreage to grow stevia, we may not be able to capitalize on what we currently believe could be a meaningful growth opportunity.

The loss of any of our current executives, key employees or key advisors, or the failure to attract, integrate, motivate and retain additional key employees, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Other than an employment agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, Mark S. Grewal, which expires in January 2013, and our employment agreement with our Chief Financial Officer, Matthew K. Szot, which expires in November 2013, we have no employment agreements with our key management personnel. We also do not carry "key person" insurance on the lives of any of our management team. As we develop additional capabilities, we may require more skilled personnel who must be highly skilled and have a sound understanding of our industry, business or processing requirements. Recruiting skilled personnel is highly competitive. Although to date we have been successful in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, there can be no assurance that we will continue to attract and retain the personnel

16

needed for our business. The failure to attract or retain qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We expect our operations to grow rapidly in the near future, both as we expand our historical business by implementing new sales and marketing activities both domestically and internationally, expanding our mill utilization and increasing our growers' production, and as we develop and expand our stevia production and sales business. These efforts will require the addition of employees, expansion of facilities and greater oversight. If we are unable to manage our growth effectively, we may not be able to take advantage of market opportunities, execute our business strategies or respond to competitive pressures, and we may have difficulties maintaining and updating the internal procedures and the controls necessary to meet the planned expansion of our overall business.

Our management will also be required to maintain and expand our relationships with customers, suppliers and third parties as well as attract new customers and suppliers. We expect that our sales and marketing costs will increase as we grow our product lines and as we increase our sales efforts in new and existing markets.

There is no assurance that our current and planned operations, personnel, systems and internal procedures and controls will be adequate to support our future growth. We expect that our general and administrative costs will increase as our operations grow to meet existing sales orders for our products and for future growth as we increase our sales efforts in new and existing markets.

Other than in fiscal 2011, which we believe was an abnormal year, historically sales to our distributors who sell our proprietary alfalfa seed varieties outside the U.S. have constituted a substantial portion of our annual revenue. We anticipate that sales into international markets will continue to represent a substantial portion of our total sales and that continued growth and profitability will require further international expansion, particularly in Saudi Arabia and North Africa. Our financial results could be affected by changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies, laws and regulations, or other activities of U.S. and non-U.S. governments, agencies and similar organizations. These conditions include but are not limited to changes in a country's or region's economic or political conditions, trade regulations affecting production, pricing and marketing of products, local labor conditions and regulations, reduced protection of intellectual property rights in some countries, changes in the regulatory or legal environment, burdensome taxes and tariffs and other trade barriers. International risks and uncertainties, including changing social and economic conditions as well as terrorism, political hostilities and war, could lead to reduced distribution of our products into international markets and reduced profitability associated with such sales.

Defective seed could result in warranty claims and negative publicity. Although we carry general liability insurance to cover warranty claims, such coverage may become unavailable or be inadequate. Even if coverage is offered, it may be at a price and on terms not acceptable to us. If claims exceed coverage limits, or if insurance is not available to us, the occurrence of significant claims could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

17

We may be exposed to product quality claims, which may cause us to incur substantial legal expenses and, if determined adversely against us, may cause us to pay significant damage awards.

We may be subject to legal proceedings and claims from time to time relating to our seed or dried stevia leaf quality. The defense of these proceedings and claims can be both costly and time consuming and may significantly divert efforts and resources of our management personnel. An adverse determination in any such proceeding could subject us to significant liability and damage our market reputation and prevent us from achieving increased sales and market share. Protracted litigation could also result in our customers or potential customers deferring or limiting their purchase of our products.

The global economic downturn of the past three years has significantly impacted the agricultural industry, with many farmers losing their farms or laying fallow their fields, as well as other negative impacts. The full impact of the current global economic downturn on growers, customers, vendors and other business partners cannot be known with any certainty. For example, major customers may have financial challenges unrelated to us that could result in a decrease in their business with us or, in extreme cases, cause them to file for bankruptcy protection. Similarly, parties to contracts may be forced to breach their obligations under those contracts. Although we exercise prudent oversight of the financial strength of our major business partners and seek to diversify our risk to any single business partner, there can be no assurance that there will not be a grower, customer or other business partner that is unable to meet its contractual commitments to us. Similarly, stresses and pressures in the industry may result in impacts on our business partners and competitors that could have wide ranging impacts on the future of the industry.

The capital and credit markets have experienced increased volatility and disruption over the past three years, making it more difficult for companies to access those markets. Although we believe that our operating cash flows and recent access to the capital market will permit us to meet our financing needs for the foreseeable future, there can be no assurance that continued or increased volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets will not impair our liquidity or increase our costs of borrowing, if we need to access the credit market. Our business could also be negatively impacted if our growers or customers experience disruptions resulting from tighter capital and credit markets or a continued slowdown in the general economy.

Our ability to compete effectively is dependent upon the proprietary nature of the seeds, seedlings, processes, technologies and materials owned by or used by us or our growers. If any competitors independently develop new traits, seeds, seedlings, processes or technologies that customers or end users determine are better than our existing products, such developments could adversely affect our competitive position. We do not rely upon patent protection, but guard our proprietary property by exercising a high degree of control over the alfalfa seed supply chain, as well as over our stevia material. However, because we do not have more formal proprietary rights protections in place, it would be possible for persons with access to our seed or plants grown from our seed to reproduce and market our proprietary seed varieties, which could significantly harm our business and our reputation. Litigation may be necessary to protect our proprietary property and determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of competitors. Intellectual property litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of our

18

management and other resources. If we are unable to successfully protect our intellectual property rights, our competitors could be able to market products that compete with our proprietary products without obtaining a license from us.

The overall market and the price of our common stock and Class A and Class B warrants can fluctuate greatly. The trading price of our common stock and Class A and Class B warrants may be significantly affected by various factors, including:

Our business is highly seasonal because it is tied to the growing and harvesting seasons. Typically, a substantial portion of our revenue is recognized during our first and second fiscal quarters. We generally experience lower revenue during our third and fourth fiscal quarters. Sales in the first and second fiscal quarters accounted for approximately 51% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011 and accounted for 69% of our revenue in fiscal 2010. If sales in these quarters are lower than expected, expenses may not be offset, which would adversely affect our operating results and would have a disproportionately large impact on our operating results for that fiscal year.

Our future expense estimates are based, in large part, on estimates of future revenue, which are difficult to predict. We expect to continue to make significant expenditures in order to expand production, sales, marketing and administrative systems and processes. We may be unable to, or may elect not to, adjust spending quickly enough to offset any unexpected revenue shortfall. If our increased expenses are not accompanied by increased revenue in the same quarter, our quarterly operating results would be harmed.

In one or more future quarters, our results of operations may fall below the expectations of investors and the trading price of our securities may decline as a consequence. We believe that quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our operating results will not be a good indication of our future performance and should not be relied upon to predict the future performance of our stock price. In the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have often been subject to securities class

19

action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Securities litigation against us could result in substantial costs and divert our management's attention from other business concerns, which could seriously harm our business.

At any time after November 3, 2010, provided that our common stock has closed at a price at least equal $8.80 for five consecutive trading days, we may redeem the outstanding Class A warrants, in whole or in part, upon not less than 30 days' notice, at a price of $0.25 per warrant. Our Class B warrants are redeemable, in whole or in part, for $0.25 upon 30 days' notice after November 3, 2010, provided that our common stock has closed at a price at least equal to $13.75. The terms of our warrants prohibit us from redeeming them unless we have a current and effective registration statement available covering the exercise of the warrants. In the event we exercise our right to redeem either the Class A warrants or the Class B warrants, those warrants will be exercisable until the close of business on the date fixed for redemption in such notice. If any warrant called for redemption is not exercised by such time, it will cease to be exercisable, and the holder thereof will be entitled only to the redemption price of $0.25 per warrant. Notice of redemption of the public warrants could force holders to exercise the warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for them to do so or to sell the warrants at the current market price when they might otherwise wish to hold the warrants or accept the redemption price, which is likely to be substantially less than the market value of the warrants at the time of redemption.

During the term that the Class A warrants and Class B warrants are outstanding, the holders of those warrants are given the opportunity to profit from a rise in the market price of our common stock. In addition, the Class B warrants are not redeemable by us. We may find it more difficult to raise additional equity capital while these warrants are outstanding. At any time during which these public warrants are likely to be exercised, we may be able to obtain additional equity capital on more favorable terms from other sources.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public markets, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our stock and redeemable warrants to decline and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. For example, the grant of a large number of stock options or other securities under an equity incentive plan or the sale of our securities in private placement transactions at a discount from market value could adversely affect the market price of our common stock or warrants.

Our Board of Directors is authorized by our Articles of Incorporation to establish classes or series of preferred stock and fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such class or series without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Any shares of preferred stock so issued could have priority over our common stock with respect to dividend or liquidation rights. Although

20

we have no plans to issue any shares of preferred stock or to adopt any new series, preferences or other classification of preferred stock, any such action by our Board of Directors or issuance of preferred stock by us could dilute your investment in our common stock and warrants or subordinate your holdings to the shares of preferred stock.

For holders of our Class A and Class B warrants to be able to exercise those securities, the exercise must be covered by an effective and current registration statement and qualify or be exempt under the securities laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which the warrantholders live. Although we will endeavor to have a current registration statement available at all times when the warrants are in-the-money, warrantholders may encounter circumstances in which they will be unable to exercise the Class A or Class B warrants. We can give no assurance that we will be able to continue to maintain a current registration statement relating to the shares of our common stock underlying the redeemable warrants or that an exemption from registration or qualification will be available throughout their term. This may have an adverse effect on demand for the redeemable warrants and the prices that can be obtained from reselling them.

As of January 31, 2012, Yellowjacket, LP, our largest stockholder, owns 1,991,000 shares, or approximately 34%, of our outstanding common stock. Although its ownership interest will decline, if outstanding stock options or warrants are exercised or if it sells or transfers a significant amount of its shares pursuant to an effective registration statement, by means of Rule 144, in private transactions or otherwise, Yellowjacket could, for the foreseeable future, have significant influence over our management and affairs and will be able to control virtually all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and significant corporate transactions such as mergers or other sales of our company or assets. Its interests could differ from ours and those of our other stockholders. In addition, the concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control of our company, could deprive our stockholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their common stock as part of a sale of our company and might ultimately affect the market price of our common stock.

Although we have not provided earnings guidance to date, from time to time, we may release guidance in our quarterly earnings releases, quarterly earnings conference call, or otherwise, regarding our future performance that represent our management's estimates as of the date of release. If given, this guidance, which includes forward-looking statements, will be based on projections prepared by our management. These projections are not prepared with a view toward compliance with GAAP, and neither our registered public accountants nor any other independent expert or outside party compiles or examines the projections and, accordingly, no such person expresses any opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto.

Projections are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while presented with numerical specificity, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control and are based upon specific

21

assumptions with respect to future business decisions, some of which will change. If we issue guidance, we will generally state possible outcomes as high and low ranges that are intended to provide a sensitivity analysis as variables are changed but are not intended to represent that actual results could not fall outside of the suggested ranges. The principal reason that we would release guidance would be to provide a basis for our management to discuss our business outlook with analysts and investors. We do not accept any responsibility for any projections or reports published by any such persons.

Guidance is necessarily speculative in nature, and it can be expected that some or all of the assumptions of the guidance furnished by us will not materialize or will vary significantly from actual results. Accordingly, our guidance, if given, is only an estimate of what management believes is realizable as of the date of release. Actual results will vary from our guidance and the variations may be material. In light of the foregoing, investors are urged not to rely upon, or otherwise consider, our guidance in making an investment decision in respect of our common stock, Class A warrants or Class B warrants.

Any failure to successfully implement our operating strategy or the occurrence of any of the events or circumstances set forth in our "Risk Factors" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K could result in the actual operating results being different from our guidance, and such differences may be adverse and material.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public markets, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our stock and redeemable warrants to decline and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. For example, the grant of a large number of stock options or other securities under an equity incentive plan or the sale of our securities in private placement transactions at a discount from market value could adversely affect the market price of our common stock or warrants.

Our Board of Directors is authorized by our Articles of Incorporation to establish classes or series of preferred stock and fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each such class or series without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Any shares of preferred stock so issued could have priority over our common stock with respect to dividend or liquidation rights. Although we have no plans to issue any shares of preferred stock or to adopt any new series, preferences or other classification of preferred stock, any such action by our Board of Directors or issuance of preferred stock by us could dilute your investment in our common stock and warrants or subordinate your holdings to the shares of preferred stock.

For you to be able to exercise the Class A or Class B warrants, the shares of our common stock to be issued to you upon exercise of the Class A or Class B warrants must be covered by an effective and current registration statement and qualify or be exempt under the securities laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which you live. We cannot assure you that we will continue to maintain a current registration statement relating to the shares of our common stock underlying the Class A or Class B

22

warrants. You may encounter circumstances in which you will be unable to exercise the Class A or Class B warrants. We can give no assurance that we will be able to continue to maintain a current registration statement relating to the shares of our common stock underlying the redeemable warrants or that an exemption from registration or qualification will be available throughout their term. This may have an adverse effect on demand for the redeemable warrants and the prices that can be obtained from reselling them.

Except as described in any prospectus supplement, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes, including for research and development, sales and marketing initiatives and general administrative expenses, working capital and capital expenditures. In addition our use of proceeds may include the repayment of debt or refinancing of indebtedness or the acquisition of complementary products or companies.

We have not determined the amount of net proceeds to be used specifically for the foregoing purposes. As a result, our management will have broad discretion in the allocation of the net proceeds and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the proceeds of any sale of the securities. Pending use of the net proceeds, we intend to invest the proceeds in a variety of capital preservation instruments, including short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments.

When we offer a particular series of securities, we will describe the intended use of the net proceeds from that offering in a prospectus supplement. The actual amount of net proceeds we spend on a particular use will depend on many factors, including, our future revenue growth, if any, our future capital expenditures and the amount of cash required by our operations. Many of these factors are beyond our control. Therefore, we will retain broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds.

We may offer shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, or any combination of the foregoing, either individually or as units comprised of one or more of the other securities. We may offer up to $25,000,000 of securities under this prospectus, subject to the limitations of General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3 in any 12-month period, if we remain subject to that instruction. If securities are offered as units, we will describe the terms of the units in a prospectus supplement.

23

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

Our authorized capital stock consists of 50,000,000 shares of common stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, all with a par value of $0.001 per share. As of January 11, 2012, we have 5,800,000 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock outstanding.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3. The Commission allows this filing to "incorporate by reference" information that we previously have filed with the Commission. This means we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents that we have filed with the Commission. The information that is incorporated by reference is considered part of this prospectus, and information that we file later will automatically update and may supersede this information. For further information about our company and the securities being offered, you should refer to the registration statement and the following documents that are incorporated by reference: