Stevia First Breaks Ground in California's Central Valley

SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 8, 2012) - Stevia First Corp. (OTCBB: STVF) ("Stevia First." or the "Company") an early stage agribusiness focused on the industrial-scale production of stevia, the all-natural zero-calorie sweetener that is rapidly transforming the food and beverage industry, is pleased to announce the opening of its headquarters in Yuba City, California in the heart of California's Central Valley.

The Central Valley area produces more than $13 billion worth of agricultural products annually and offers an ideal combination of land-base, climate and agro-industrial expertise and infrastructure. Our headquarters are currently located on a 10-acre site where the company aims to develop offices, a research & development facility including a stevia test plot, greenhouse, nursery, and laboratory for performing stevia tissue culture and micropropagation studies.

Yuba City is in the heart of the Central Valley and can provide ready access to talent from the University of California at Davis, one of the leading agricultural research universities in U.S., as well as access to the extraordinarily rich talent pool of farmers, agronomists, agricultural innovators and equipment suppliers in the area. Following successful completion of our stevia test plot, we expect to expand acreage devoted to stevia planting in the Central Valley through acquisition or leasing of new land and alliances with local farmers.

Company Chief Executive Officer Robert Brooke comments, "We plan to collaborate with local growers and researchers in order to develop stevia varieties that will thrive in the Central Valley. Our aim is to produce a top-quality plant containing high levels of Reb A and that is amenable to mechanized harvesting. Stevia is a rapidly expanding market, but with more than 85% of stevia production currently overseas our company is focused on enabling local farmers to grow stevia as a cash crop, and on building a first-of-kind vertically-integrated stevia enterprise in California."

Further details of the Company's business, finances, appointments and agreements can be found as part of the Company's continuous public disclosure as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database. For more information visit: www.steviafirst.com.

About Stevia First Corp. (OTCBB: STVF)
Stevia First Corp. is seeking to establish a vertically-integrated stevia enterprise in the U.S. with expertise in stevia seed and tissue propagation, plant breeding, and cultivation. Stevia First's U.S. operations are located in the heart of California's Central Valley, one of the world's most productive agricultural regions. For more information visit: www.steviafirst.com.

About the Stevia Industry
The market for all-natural, zero-calorie stevia sweeteners is expanding rapidly. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates stevia intake could eventually replace 20-30% of all dietary sweeteners. The total global sweetener market was estimated at $58.3 billion in 2010. For more information visit: www.steviafirst.com.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27(a) of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the ability to develop key business relationships, achieve targets for plant growth and extract yields, projections of worldwide sales of stevia products, growth of stevia production and global markets. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.