Cannabis seed companies announce merger, plan public US listing

Three major cannabis seed companies announced plans Wednesday to merge operations and pursue a U.S. public listing, marking the first time a standalone genetics company could trade on a major exchange.

Amsterdam-based Barney’s Farm Genetics and Sensi Seeds will combine with U.S.-based ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) while maintaining their individual brand identities, company officials announced at the MJ BizCon cannabis conference in Las Vegas. The deal is expected to close in early 2025, with plans for a public listing by mid-year.

“2025 will be a transformative year, not only for our business but for growers and cannabis connoisseurs worldwide,” Derry Brett, founder of Barney’s Farm Genetics, who will serve as CEO of the combined company, said in a statement.

The merger would create the world’s first publicly traded cannabis seed company, though financial terms were not disclosed. Details regarding which exchange is being targeted or whether formal talks with exchanges have begun were not included in the companies’ joint news release. Brett and other executives declined to provide additional details through a company spokesperson when reached by Green Market Report.

The partnership brings together the two Dutch seed banks and ILGM’s established e-commerce platform, which has become one of the largest online seed retailers in the U.S.

Barney’s Farm Genetics, founded in 1986, has built its reputation through collaborations with global cannabis breeders to develop new strains. Sensi Seeds established a year earlier, maintains one of the industry’s largest collections of heritage cannabis genetics.

Ben Dronkers, who founded Sensi Seeds, said the merger “strikes a balance between honoring the legacy market and shaping a brighter future for the cannabis industry.”

The companies plan to streamline operations while expanding their reach in both European and North American markets. The combined company would unite Barney’s Farm’s breeding programs, Sensi Seeds’ genetic library and ILGM’s distribution network.

“This is more than a business merger — it’s a game changer,” Brett said. The partnership will unite “our reputation for prestige genetics with Sensi’s vast library of heritage seed and ILGM’s loyal customer base of home growing enthusiasts.”

The announcement comes as cannabis companies increasingly focus on developing proprietary strains to differentiate their products in maturing, competitive markets.

If successful, the public listing would offer investors their first opportunity to invest directly in a pure-play seed genetics company. The listing is subject to regulatory approvals and market conditions.