Document:

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

NOTE AND WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS NOTE AND WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of the 20th day of March, 2014 by and between RiceBran Technologies, a California corporation (the “Company”), and each investor identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, an “Investor” and, collectively, the “Investors” and, with respect to a particular Investor, the Investors other than such Investor, the “Other Investors”).

WHEREAS, each Investor is willing to lend the Company the amount set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto, which loan is evidenced by a promissory note, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (each a “Note” and, collectively, the “Notes”), which is convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and such Note;

WHEREAS, upon the terms and condition stated in the Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act (as defined below) and Rule 506(b) promulgated thereunder, each Investor wishes to purchase, and the Company wishes to sell, (i) a Note with a principal amount equal to the Principal Amount set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto (the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes, collectively, the “Conversion Shares”) and (ii) a warrant, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (collectively, the “Warrants”), to acquire up to such number of shares of Common Stock equal to 1.5 multiplied by the quotient of the Principal Amount issued to such Investor as of the Closing Date (as defined below) divided by the exercise price of $5.25 (the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, collectively, the “Warrant Shares” and, collectively with the Conversion Shares, the “Underlying Securities”), subject to adjustment thereunder.  The Notes and Warrants, together with the Underlying Securities, are referred to herein as the “Securities” and the offering contemplated hereby is referred to herein as the “Offering”;

WHEREAS, the parties have agreed that the obligation to repay the Notes shall be an unsecured obligation of the Company; and

WHEREAS, at the Closing (as defined below), the parties hereto shall execute and deliver a Registration Rights Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights with respect to the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), under the 1933 Act (as defined below) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and applicable state securities laws;

WHEREAS, prior to the Initial Closing, the Company will enter into the Escrow Agreement (as defined below) pursuant to which each Investor shall deliver its respective Purchase Price (as defined below) to the Escrow Agent (as defined below) in connection with transactions contemplated herein; and

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NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements, representations and warranties, provisions and covenants contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.                   Purchase and Sale of Notes and Warrants.  On the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Investors, severally and not jointly, hereby agree to purchase and the Company hereby agrees to sell and issue, up to an aggregate of $7.0 million in Principal Amount of Notes, with each Investor purchasing (i) a Note in the principal amount set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto and (ii) a Warrant to acquire that number of Warrant Shares as is set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto.

2.                   Purchase Price. The purchase price for each Investor of the Notes and Warrants to be purchased by such Investor at the Closing shall be equal to the Principal Amount set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto (the “Purchase Price”).   At the Closing, each Investor shall pay its respective Purchase Price to the Company for the Note and the Warrants to be purchased by such Investor at the Closing.  At the Closing, each Investor shall fund its Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified in the Escrow Agreement.

3.                   The Closing.  Subject to the conditions set forth below, the purchase and sale of the Notes and the Warrants shall take place at one or more closings (each of which is referred to in the Agreement as a “Closing”) to be held at the offices of Maxim Group LLC, 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10174.  The initial closing (“Initial Closing”) shall occur on the date hereof or at such other time and place as the Company and the Required Investors (as defined below) mutually agree (the “Initial Closing Date”).  If the aggregate principal amount of the Notes and Warrants sold at the Initial Closing is less than $7.0 million (the “Maximum Offering Amount”), then, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company may sell and issue additional Notes and Warrants at one or more subsequent closings (each, a “Subsequent Closing”), within sixty  (60) days after the Initial Closing, up to the balance of the Maximum Offering Amount to such persons or entities as may be approved by the Company in its sole discretion.  Any such sale and issuance in a Subsequent Closing shall be on the same terms and conditions as those contained herein.  Each Subsequent Closing shall take place at such date, time and place as shall be approved by the Company in its sole discretion; provided, however, no Subsequent Closing will occur later than sixty (60) days after the Initial Closing (the “Subsequent Closing Date” together with the Initial Closing Date, each a “Closing Date”).  At each Closing, the Company shall deliver to each Investor participating in that Closing:  (i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company; (ii) such Investor’s original Note in the principal amount set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto and registered in the name of such Investor; (iii) a Warrant to purchase up to the number of Warrant Shares in the amount set forth on such Investor’s signature page attached hereto; (iv)  a legal opinion of Company counsel, substantially in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto (“Opinion”); and (v) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the Company.  At the Closing, each Investor shall deliver to the Company (i) this Agreement duly executed by such Investor; (ii) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such Investor; (iii) evidence, reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that the Purchase Price has been delivered to the Escrow Agent in accordance with the Escrow Agreement, (iv) an executed IRS Form W-9 and (v) the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire attached as Annex B to the Registration Rights Agreement.

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4.                   Closing Conditions; Certain Covenants.

4.1            Conditions to each Investor’s Obligations.  The obligation of each Investor to purchase the Notes and Warrants to be issued to such Investor at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment, to such Investor’s reasonable satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of each of the following conditions:

(a)            Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of such date.

(b)            Notes; Warrants.  At the Closing, the Company shall have tendered to such Investor the appropriate Note, Warrants and Opinion and other deliverables set forth herein.

(c)            Registration Rights Agreement.  The Company shall have duly executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement to such Investor.

(d)            No Actions.  No action, proceeding, investigation, regulation or legislation shall have been instituted, threatened or proposed before any court, governmental agency or authority or legislative body to enjoin, restrain, prohibit or obtain substantial damages in respect of, this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(e)            Proceedings and Documents.  All proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be reasonably satisfactory in substance and form to such Investor, and such Investor shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as they may reasonably request.

4.2            Conditions to the Company’s Obligations.  The obligation of the Company to sell and issue the Notes and Warrants to the Investors at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment, to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing in question, of each of the following conditions:

(a)            Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of each Investor contained in this Agreement (other than Section 6.2 and 6.3) shall be true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of such date.  The representations of each Investor contained in Sections 6.2 and 6.3 shall be true and correct in all respects on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of such date.

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(b)            Purchase Price.  At the Closing, each Investor shall have tendered to the Escrow Agent the Purchase Price of such Investor.

(c)            Registration Rights Agreement.  Each Investor shall have duly executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement to the Company.

(d)            Deliverables.  At the Closing, each Investor shall have tendered to the Company the appropriate deliverables set forth herein.

(e)            No Actions.  No action, proceeding, investigation, regulation or legislation shall have been instituted, threatened or proposed before any court, governmental agency or authority or legislative body to enjoin, restrain, prohibit, or obtain substantial damages in respect of, this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(f)            Proceedings and Documents.  All proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory in substance and form to the Company and the Company shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as the Company may reasonably request.

4.3            Securities Law Disclosure; Publicity.  The Company shall (a) by 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the business day immediately following the date hereof, issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby and (b) issue a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and including the Transaction Documents (as defined below) as exhibits thereto, within the time required by the 1934 Act.  From and after the issuance of such press release, the Company represents to the Investors that the Company shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information delivered the Investors by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Investor, or include the name of any Investor in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Investor, except: (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with (i) any registration statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and (ii) the filing of final Transaction Documents with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Investors with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).

4.4            Legends.  The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws.  In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144 (as defined below), to the Company or to an affiliate of an Investor, the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the 1933 Act.  As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of an Investor under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.  Each Investor understands that the certificates or other instruments representing the Notes, Warrants and the stock certificates representing the Underlying Securities, except as set forth below, shall bear any legends as required by applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws in addition to a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and a stop-transfer order may be placed against transfer of such stock certificates):

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NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE [CONVERTIBLE] [EXERCISABLE] HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, IN A FORM GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY’S LEGAL COUNSEL, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR RULE 144A UNDER SAID ACT.

The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its transfer agent to remove the legend set forth above and to issue a certificate without such legend to the holder of the Securities upon which it is stamped, or to issue to such holder by electronic delivery at the applicable balance account at the Depository Trust Company, unless otherwise required by state securities or “blue sky” laws, at such time as (i) such Securities are registered for resale under the 1933 Act or (ii) in connection with a sale, assignment or other transfer, such holder provides the Company with an opinion of counsel, in a form generally acceptable to the Company’s legal counsel, to the effect that such sale, assignment or transfer of the Securities may be made without registration under the 1933 Act.  The Company agrees that, following the Effective Date or at such time as such legend is not required pursuant to this Section 4.4, the Company shall, no later than three (3) Trading Days following the delivery by such Investor to the Company or the Company’s transfer agent of a certificate representing Underlying Securities issued with a restrictive legend (such third Trading Day, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Investor a certificate representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends.  In addition to any other rights available to an Investor, if the Company fails to cause the Company’s transfer agent to transmit to such Investor a certificate or the certificates representing such Underlying Securities on or before the Legend Removal Date, and if after such date such Investor is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or such Investor’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by such Investor of such Underlying Securities which such Investor anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to such Investor the amount, if any, by which (x) such Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Underlying Securities that the Company was required to deliver to such Investor in such legend removal multiplied by (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) deliver to such Investor the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder (the “Buy-In Liquidated Damages”).  For example, if such Investor purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay such Investor $1,000.  Such Investor shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to such Investor in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss.

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5.                   Representations and Warranties of the Company.

Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or statement otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to the Investors:

5.1            Organization, Good Standing and Qualification.  The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of California.  The Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.2            Capitalization and Voting Rights.  The authorized capital of the Company as of the date hereof consists of (i) 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which 3,031,860 shares of Common Stock were issued and outstanding as of March 7, 2014, and (ii)  20,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, no par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of which none are presently issued and outstanding.   No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  Except as set forth in Schedule 5.2 of the Disclosure Schedules, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Investors) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities.

5.3            Authorization; Enforcement.  All corporate action on the part of the Company, its officers, directors and stockholders necessary for the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Warrants, the Registration Rights Agreement and the performance of all obligations of the Company hereunder and thereunder, and the authorization, sale and issuance of the Notes and the Warrants, and the Common Stock into which the Notes and Warrants are convertible or exercisable, have been taken on or prior to the date hereof.  This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

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5.4            Valid Issuance of the Underlying Securities; Reservation of Shares.  The Warrants and the Notes are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer under this Agreement and under applicable state and federal securities laws.  Underlying Securities when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Notes and the Warrants, as applicable, for the consideration expressed herein and therein, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer under this Agreement and under applicable state and federal securities laws.  Upon the Company’s shareholders approving the increase in the number of authorized shares of Common Stock at the Company’s next shareholder meeting, the Company shall reserve from its duly authorized capital stock a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for issuance of the Underlying Securities.

5.5            Offering.  Subject to the truth and accuracy of the Investors’ representations set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement, the offer and issuance of the Notes and Warrants, together with the Underlying Securities, as contemplated by this Agreement are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the qualification or registration requirements of state securities laws or other applicable blue sky laws.  Neither the Company nor any authorized agent acting on its behalf will take any action hereafter that would cause the loss of such exemptions.

5.6            Public Reports.  The Company is current in its filing obligations under the 1934 Act, including without limitation as to its filings of Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K (collectively, the “Public Reports”).  The Public Reports do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make any statement therein not misleading.  The financial statements included within the Public Reports for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and for each quarterly period thereafter (the “Financial Statements”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated and with each other, except that unaudited Financial Statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP.  The Financial Statements fairly present, in all material respects, the financial condition and operating results of the Company as of the dates, and for the periods, indicated therein, subject in the case of unaudited Financial Statements to normal year-end audit adjustments.

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5.7            Compliance With Laws.  The Company has not violated any law or any governmental regulation or requirement, including but not limited applicable laws, rules and regulations of (i) the U.S Food and Drug Administration, (ii) the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and (iii) other foreign regulatory agencies, which violation has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on its business and the Company has not received written notice of any such violation.

5.8            Violations.  The consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all other documents and instruments required to be delivered in connection herewith and therewith, including without limitation, the Notes, the Warrants and the Registration Rights Agreement, will not result in or constitute any of the following:  (a) a violation of any provision of the certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other governing documents of the Company; (b) a violation of any provisions of any applicable law or of any writ or decree of any court or governmental instrumentality; (c) a default or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would be a default, breach, or violation of a lease, license, promissory note, conditional sales contract, commitment, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, or other agreement, instrument, or arrangement to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or its property is bound; (d) an event that would permit any party to terminate any agreement or to accelerate the maturity of any indebtedness or other obligation of the Company; or (e) the creation or imposition of any lien, pledge, option, security agreement, equity, claim, charge, encumbrance or other restriction or limitation on the capital stock or on any of the properties or assets of the Company.

5.9            Consents; Waivers.  No consent, waiver, approval or authority of any nature, or other formal action, by any person, firm or corporation, or any agency, bureau or department of any government or any subdivision thereof, not already obtained, is required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions provided for herein.

5.10            Acknowledgment Regarding Investor’s Purchase of Securities.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Investor is acting solely in the capacity of arm’s length purchaser with respect to this Agreement, the Notes, the Warrants, the Registration Rights Agreement and any other documents entered into in connection herewith (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that no Investor is (i) an officer or director of the Company, (ii) an “affiliate” of the Company (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule thereto) (“Rule 144”)) or (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, a “beneficial owner” of more than 10% of the shares of Common Stock (as defined for purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act). The Company further acknowledges that no Investor is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by an Investor or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to such Investor’s purchase of the Securities.  The Company further represents to each Investor that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.

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5.11        Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company is in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof.

5.12        Absence of Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.12 of the Disclosure Schedules, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s officers or directors in their capacities as such.

5.13        Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments.  Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Public Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent Public Report filed prior to the date hereof: (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information.  Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, properties, operations, assets or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.

5.14        Intellectual Property.  The Company has, or has rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights as described in the Public Reports as necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”).  None of, and the Company has not received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement.  The Company has not received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Public Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect.  To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights.  The Company has taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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5.15        Registration Rights.  Except as set forth on Schedule 5.15 of the Disclosure Schedules and other than each of the Investors, no person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the 1933 Act of any securities of the Company.

5.16        Disclosure.  Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Investors or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information.  The Company understands and confirms that the Investors will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.  All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Investors regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.   The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Investor makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 6 hereof.

5.17        No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Investors’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 6, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the 1933 Act which would require the registration of any such securities under the 1933 Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

5.18        Bankruptcy Status; Indebtedness.  The Company has no current intention or expectation to file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date.  Schedule 5.18 of the Disclosure Schedules sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness (as defined below) of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments.  For the purposes of this Agreement,  “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $100,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $100,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP.  The Company is not in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

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5.19        Regulation M Compliance.  The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Company’s placement agent in connection with the placement of the Securities.

5.20        Title to Assets.  The Company owns or leases all such assets and properties as are necessary to the conduct of its business as presently operated and as proposed to be operated. The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all Liens except for such Liens that do not (individually or in the aggregate) materially affect the business or prospects of the Company. Any real property and buildings held under lease or sublease by the Company are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material to, and do not interfere with, the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company. The Company has not received any notice of any claim adverse to its ownership of any real or personal property or of any claim against the continued possession of any real property, whether owned or held under lease or sublease by the Company.

5.21        Taxes.  The Company has accurately prepared and filed all federal, state, foreign and other tax returns that are required to be filed by it and has paid or made provision for the payment of all taxes, assessments, governmental or other similar charges, including without limitation, all sales and use taxes and all taxes which the Company is obligated to withhold from amounts owing to employees, creditors and third parties, with respect to the periods covered by such tax returns (whether or not such amounts are shown as due on any tax return). No deficiency assessment with respect to a proposed adjustment of the Company’s federal, state, local or foreign taxes is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The accruals and reserves on the books and records of the Company in respect of tax liabilities for any taxable period not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments and related liabilities for any such period and, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements, the Company has not incurred any liability for taxes other than in the ordinary course of its business. There is no tax lien, whether imposed by any federal, state, foreign or other taxing authority, outstanding against the assets, properties or business of the Company.

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5.22        Employee Relations.    No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company currently exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is likely to occur.  The Company is not in material breach of the terms of any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.

5.23        Foreign Corrupt Practices; Money Laundering.  Neither the Company nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.  The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements and money laundering statutes of the United States and, to the Company’s knowledge, all other jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any applicable governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

5.24        Environmental Laws. The Company (i) is in compliance with all Environmental Laws (as defined below), (ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where, in each of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.

6.                   Representations and Warranties of each Investor.  Each Investor hereby represents, warrants and covenants, severally and not jointly, that:

6.1            Authorization.  Such Investor has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and has taken all action necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, the performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

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6.2            No Public Sale or Distribution. Such Investor is (i) acquiring the Notes and the Warrants and (ii) upon conversion of the Notes and exercise of the Warrants will acquire the Underlying Securities for its own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution of any part thereof, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the 1933 Act.  Such Investor is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.  Such Investor does not presently have any contract, agreement, undertaking, arrangement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency thereof (a “Person”) to sell, transfer, pledge, assign or otherwise distribute any of the Securities.

6.3            Accredited Investor Status; Investment Experience. Such Investor is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D. Such Investor can bear the economic risk of its investment in the Securities, and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities.

6.4            Reliance on Exemptions.  Such Investor understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and such Investor’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of such Investor set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of such Investor to acquire the Securities.

6.5            Information.  Such Investor and its advisors, if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by such Investor. Such Investor and its advisors, if any, have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by such Investor or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect such Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained herein. Such Investor understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. Such Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities. Such Investor is relying solely on its own accounting, legal and tax advisors, and not on any statements of the Company or any of its agents or representatives, for such accounting, legal and tax advice with respect to its acquisition of the Securities and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

6.6            No Governmental Review. Such Investor understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.

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6.7            Validity; Enforcement; No Conflicts. This Agreement and each Transaction Document to which such Investor is a party have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of such Investor and shall constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Investor enforceable against such Investor in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies. The execution, delivery and performance by such Investor of this Agreement and each Transaction Document to which such Investor is a party and the consummation by such Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Investor, as applicable, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Investor is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities or “blue sky” laws) applicable to such Investor, except in the case of clause (ii) above, for such conflicts, defaults or rights which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Investor to perform its obligations hereunder.

6.8            Residency. Such Investor is a resident of that jurisdiction specified on such Investor’s signature page hereto.

7.                  Use of Proceeds.  Each Investor acknowledges that the Company will use the proceeds received from the purchase of the Notes and the Warrants for, among other things, plant upgrades in the United States and capacity expansion to accelerate growth opportunities resulting from the Company’s recent acquisition of H&N Distribution Inc., and for general working capital purposes.

8.                   Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, reimburse and defend each Investor, and its officers, directors, agents, affiliates, members, managers, control persons, and principal shareholders, against any claim, cost, expense, liability, obligation, loss or damage (including reasonable legal fees) of any nature, incurred by or imposed upon such Investor or any such person which results, arises out of or is based upon (i) any misrepresentation by Company or breach of any representation or warranty by Company in this Agreement or in any exhibits or schedules attached hereto, or other agreement delivered pursuant hereto; or (ii) after any applicable notice and/or cure periods, any breach or default in performance by the Company of any covenant or undertaking to be performed by the Company hereunder, or any other agreement entered into by the Company and such Investor relating hereto.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall the Company be liable to such Investor (in the aggregate) for more than the Purchase Price paid by such Investor.

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9.                   Limitations on the Number of Shares Issuable.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not issue to any Investor any Underlying Securities to the extent (i) the Underlying Securities are determined to be issued at a price less than the greater of book or market value of the Company as determined in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(d), and (ii) after giving effect to such issuances after conversion would be in excess of 19.9% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Initial Closing Date (the “Maximum Aggregate Ownership Amount”) unless and until the Company obtains shareholder approval permitting such issuances in accordance with applicable NASDAQ rules.

10.                 Miscellaneous

10.1        Successors and Assigns.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective successors and assigns of the parties (including transferees of the Securities).  Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party, other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.

10.2        Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York.  Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

10.3        Titles and Subtitles.  The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

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10.4        Notices.  All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given:  (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by confirmed telex or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient; if not, then on the next business day, (c) five (5) business days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt.  All communications shall be sent to (a) in the case of the Company to RiceBran Technologies, 6720 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite #390, Scottsdale, Arizona 85253, Attention: W. John Short, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin, 400 Capitol Mall,  11th Floor, Sacramento, California, Attention: Christopher V. Chediak, Esq.; Fax#: (916) 446-1611  or (b) in the case of each Investor, to the address as set forth on the signature page of such Investor attached hereto or at such other address as such party may designate by ten (10) days advance written notice to the other parties hereto.

10.5        Finder’s Fees.  Except for fees payable to Maxim Capital Group, LLC, each party represents that it neither is nor will be obligated for any finders’ fee or commission in connection with this transaction.  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Investor from any liability for any commission or compensation in the nature of a finders’ fee (and the costs and expenses of defending against such liability or asserted liability) for which the Company or any of its officers, employees or representatives is responsible.

10.6        Amendments and Waivers.  No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Required Investors (as defined below), and any amendment to any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 10.6 shall be binding on all Investors and holders of Securities, as applicable.  “Required Investors” means (i) prior to the Closing Date, Investors entitled to purchase a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be sold at the Closing and (ii) on or after the Closing Date, holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities issued or issuable hereunder or pursuant to the Notes and/or the Warrants, as applicable.

10.7        Severability.  If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement and the balance of the Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.

10.8        Entire Agreement.  This Agreement and the documents referred to herein constitute the entire agreement among the parties and no party shall be liable or bound to any other party in any manner by any warranties, representations or covenants except as specifically set forth herein or therein.

14.9        Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

10.10     Interpretation.  Unless the context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, (a) references to the plural include the singular, the singular the plural, the part the whole, (b) references to any gender include all genders, (c) “including” has the inclusive meaning frequently identified with the phrase “but not limited to” and (d) references to “hereunder” or “herein” relate to this Agreement.

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10.11     Remedies.  In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Investors and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents.  The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

10.12     Independent Nature of Investors’ Obligations and Rights.  The obligations of each Investor under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any Other Investor, and no Investor shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any Other Investor under the Transaction Documents.  Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Investor pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Investors as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Investors are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  Each Investor shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any Other Investor to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.  Each Investor has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents.  The Company has elected to provide all Investors with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Investors.

10.13     Fees and Expenses.  Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.  The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any conversion or exercise notice delivered by an Investor), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Investors.

11.                Additional Defined Terms.  In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the Notes and the Warrants, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 11:

11.1        “1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

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11.2        “Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

11.3        “Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any Convertible Security, Option or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

11.4        “Effective Date” means the earliest of the date that (a) the initial Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission, (b) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to Rule 144 or may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or (c) following the one year anniversary of the Closing Date provided that a holder of Registrable Securities is not an Affiliate of the Company, all of the Registrable Securities may be sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under Section 4(a)(1) of the 1933 Act without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions.

 

11.5        “Escrow Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust.

11.6        “Escrow Agreement” means the escrow agreement entered into by and among the Company, the Escrow Agent and Maxim Group LLC, pursuant to which the Investors shall deposit the respective Purchase Prices with the Escrow Agent to be applied to the transactions contemplated hereunder.

11.7        “Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

11.8        “Material Adverse Effect” means (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document.

11.9        “Registrable Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

11.10      “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Common Stock is then traded, provided that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time) unless such day is otherwise designated as a Trading Day in writing by the Required Investors.

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11.11     “Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the OTCQB Marketplace or the OTC Bulletin Board (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

[SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date provided above.

	
 

	
THE COMPANY

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
RICEBRAN TECHNOLOGIES

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
By:

	
 /s/ W. John Short

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Name: W. John Short

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Title:  Chief Executive Officer

	
 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date provided above.

 

	
 

	
INVESTOR:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
IF ENTITY:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
    

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Entity Name

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
By:

	
    

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Name

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Title

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
EIN:

	
    

	
 

 

	
 

	
IF INDIVIDUAL:

	
 

	
 

	
    

	
 

	
 

	
Name:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
SS#:

	     	
 

	
 

 

	
 

	
Residency:

	
    

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Address for Notices:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Email:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
FAX:             ( ____ ) _____ - ________

	
 

 

Purchase Price: $

Principal Amount of Note:  $

Warrant Shares:

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EXHIBIT A

CONVERTIBLE NOTE

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EXHIBIT B

WARRANT

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EXHIBIT C

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

  

 

24EXHIBIT 10.2

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of March 20, 2014, between RiceBran Technologies, a California corporation (the “Company”), and each of the several investors signatory hereto (each such purchaser, an “Investor” and, collectively, the “Investors”).

In connection with the Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 20, 2014, entered into by the Company and the Investors (the “Purchase Agreement”), the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, to issue and sell to each Investor notes of the Company (the "Notes"), which will, among other things, be convertible into (i) shares of the Company's common stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock", as converted, the "Conversion Shares") in accordance with the terms of the Notes, and (ii) certain warrants (collectively, the “Warrants”) which will be exercisable to purchase Common Stock (the “Warrant Shares”) in accordance with the terms of the Warrants.

To induce the Investors to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “1933 Act”), and applicable state securities laws.

The Company and each Investor hereby agrees as follows:

1.            Definitions.  Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

“Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

“Cut Back Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

“Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

“Initial Registration Statement” means the initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement.

“Liquidated Damages” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.

“Non-Registration Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.

“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the 1933 Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

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“Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

“Investor” and “Investors” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

“Required Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 60th calendar day following Shareholder Approval (as defined below) (or the 90th calendar day after Shareholder Approval in the event that such Registration Statement is subject to a full review by the SEC) and with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 2, the 90th calendar day following the date on which an additional Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder (or the 120th calendar day following the date on which an additional Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder in the event that such Registration Statement is subject to a full review by the SEC).

“Required Filing Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required hereunder, the 30th calendar day following the date of the Company’s shareholder meeting which must be held by July 1, 2014 and at which time the Company’s shareholders approve   (i) to increase the Company’s number of authorized shares of common stock to enable the issuance of the Underlying Securities, and (ii) the issuance of the Underlying Securities, if required by the NASDAQ listing rules (“Shareholder Approval”) and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 2, the earliest practical date on which the Company is permitted by SEC Guidance to file such additional Registration Statement related to the Registrable Securities.

“Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all Conversion Shares then issuable upon conversion in full of the Notes (assuming on such date the Notes are converted in full without regard to any conversion limitations therein), (b) all Warrant Shares then issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (assuming on such date the Warrants are exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), and (c) any securities issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) for so long as (x) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (y) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144, or (z) such securities become eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 (assuming that such securities and any securities issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of which, or as a dividend upon which, such securities were issued or are issuable, were at no time held by any Affiliate of the Company, and the Warrants are exercised by “cashless exercise” as provided in the Warrants), as reasonably determined by the Company, upon the advice of counsel to the Company.

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“Registration Expenses” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.

“Registration Statement” means any registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2, including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in any such registration statement.

“Restriction Termination Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the 1933 Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“SEC Restrictions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

2.            Registration Statement Requirements.  The Company shall file with the SEC a Form S-3 registration statement (or such other form that it is eligible to use) in order to register all or such portion of the Registrable Securities as permitted by the SEC (provided that the Company shall use diligent efforts to advocate with the SEC for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities) pursuant to Rule 415 for resale and distribution under the 1933 Act on or before the Required Filing Date and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Required Effectiveness Date.  The Company will register not less than all of the Registrable Securities.  In the event that the Company is required by the SEC to cutback the number of shares being registered in the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 415, then the Company shall reduce the Registrable Securities pro rata, and unless otherwise directed in writing by the Investor as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities and other securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will first be reduced by securities included in such Registration Statement that are not Registrable Securities, second by the Registrable Securities represented by Conversion Shares and third by the Registrable Securities represented by Warrant Shares.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2, if the Company receives comments from the SEC with respect to the Registration Statement, and following discussions with and responses to the SEC in which the Company uses its commercially reasonable efforts and time to cause as many Registrable Securities for as many Investors as possible to be included in the Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2 without characterizing any Investor as an underwriter, the Company is unable to cause the inclusion of all Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement, then the Company may, following not less than one (1) Trading Day prior written notice to the Investors, (x) remove from the Registration Statement such Registrable Securities (the “Cut Back Shares”) and/or (y) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable Securities, in each case as the SEC may require in order for the SEC to allow such Registration Statement to become effective (collectively, the “SEC Restrictions”).  Unless the SEC Restrictions otherwise require, any cut-back imposed pursuant to this Section 2 shall be allocated among the Registrable Securities of the Investors on a pro rata basis.  No liquidated damages under Section 5 shall accrue on or as to any Cut Back Shares, and the Required Effectiveness Date with respect to such additional Registration Statement including the Cutback Shares will be tolled, until such time as the Company is able to effect the registration of the Cut Back Shares in accordance with any SEC Restrictions (such date, the “Restriction Termination Date”).  From and after the Restriction Termination Date, all provisions of this Section 2 (including, without limitation, the liquidated damages provisions, subject to tolling as provided above) shall again be applicable to the Cut Back Shares (which, for avoidance of doubt, retain their character as Registrable Securities) so that the Company will be required to file with and cause to be declared effective by the SEC such additional Registration Statements in the time frames set forth herein as necessary to ultimately cause to be covered by effective Registration Statements all Registrable Securities (if such Registrable Securities cannot at such time be resold by the Investors thereof pursuant to Rule 144).  The Company may only file an additional Registration Statement under this Section 2 only if the Initial Registration Statement has been declared effective.

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3.            Registration Procedures. If and whenever the Company is required by the provisions of Section 2 to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the 1933 Act, the Company will, as expeditiously as possible:

(a)          Within a reasonable time before filing a Registration Statement or amendments or supplements thereto, furnish to the Investors of such Registrable Securities copies of such documents proposed to be filed, which documents shall be subject to the review, comment and approval of the Investor’s counsel;

(b)      subject to the timelines provided in this Agreement, prepare and file the Registration Statement with the SEC, with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become and remain effective for the period of the distribution contemplated thereby (determined as herein provided), respond as promptly as commercially practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and file any pre-effective amendments with respect to a Registration Statement as promptly as reasonable possible, and promptly provide to Investors copies of all filings and SEC letters of comment (provided that the Company shall excise any information contained therein which would constitute material non-public information regarding the Company or any subsidiary) and notify the Investors on or before the second business day thereafter that the Company receives notice that (i) the SEC has no comments or no further comments on the Registration Statement, and (ii) the Registration Statement has been declared effective;

(c)      prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective until such Registration Statement has been effective for a period of six months (“Effectiveness Period”) and prepare and file with the SEC such additional Registration Statements as may be required hereunder and to keep each additional Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period;

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(d)      furnish to the Investors such number of copies of the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein (including each preliminary prospectus) as such Investors reasonably may request in order to facilitate the public sale or their disposition of the securities covered by such Registration Statement or make them electronically available;

(e)       promptly notify the Investors of the Company’s becoming aware that a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, of the happening of any event or passage of time of which the Company has knowledge as a result of which the prospectus contained in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing or the financial statements included therein ineligible for inclusion or which becomes subject to a SEC, state or other governmental order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any of the Registrable Securities.  The Company shall use its best efforts to ensure that the use of such prospectus (as amended) may be resumed as promptly as practicable.  Each Investor hereby covenants that it will not sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to such prospectus during the period commencing at the time at which the Company gives such Investor notice of the suspension of the use of such prospectus in accordance with this Section 3(d) and ending at the time the Company gives such Investor notice that such Investor may thereafter effect sales pursuant to the prospectus, or until the Company delivers to such Investor or files with the SEC an amended or supplemented prospectus; and

(f)           comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC.

4.            Provision of Documents.  It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish to the Company the completed form of the Selling Securityholder Questionnaire attached hereto as Annex A and any other customary documents that the Company may reasonably request to assure compliance with federal and applicable state securities laws.

5.            Non-Registration Events.  The Company and the Investors agree that the Investors will suffer damages if the Registration Statement is not filed by the Required Filing Date and not declared effective by the SEC by the Required Effectiveness Date or if, after it is declared effective, its effectiveness is not maintained in the manner and within the time periods contemplated by Section 2 hereof, and it would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages with precision.  Accordingly, if (A) the Registration Statement is not filed on or before the Required Filing Date, (B) the Registration Statement is not declared effective on or before the Required Effectiveness Date, or (C) any Registration Statement described in Section 2 is declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective for a period of time which shall exceed thirty (30) days in the aggregate per year (defined as a period of 365 days commencing on the date the Registration Statement is declared effective) (each such event, a “Non-Registration Event”), then the Company shall deliver to the Investors, as liquidated damages (“Liquidated Damages”), an amount equal to one percent (1.0%) of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Investor pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement for any unregistered Registrable Securities then held by such Holder and for each subsequent thirty (30) day period (pro rata for any period less than thirty days) which are subject to such Non-Registration Event.  The maximum aggregate Liquidated Damages payable to the Investor under this Agreement shall be twelve percent (12.0%) of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Investor pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement.  The Company must pay Liquidated Damages in cash within seven (7) business days following the occurrence of a Non-Registration Event.  In the event the Company fails to pay the Liquidated Damages to the Investor within seven (7) business days following the occurrence of a Non-Registration Event, interest will accrue on the amount of the unpaid Liquidated Damages at 18% interest per annum.  In the event a Registration Statement is filed by the Required Filing Date but is withdrawn prior to being declared effective by the SEC, then such Registration Statement will be deemed to have not been filed.

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6.            Expenses.  All fees and expenses incurred by the Company in complying with Section 2, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, printing expenses (if required), fees and disbursements of counsel and independent public accountants for the Company, fees and expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) incurred in connection with complying with state securities or “blue sky” laws, fees of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) in connection with any filing with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 that may be required to be made by any broker through which an Investor intends to make sales of Registrable Securities, transfer taxes, and fees of transfer agents and registrars, are called “Registration Expenses.”  The Company will pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any Registration Statement described in Section 2.  Each Investor shall pay the fees and expenses of its counsel, if any, with respect hereto.

7.            Indemnification and Contribution.

(a)      In the event of a registration of any Registrable Securities under the 1933 Act pursuant to Section 2, the Company will, to the extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Investor, each of the officers, directors, agents, Affiliates, members, managers, control persons, and principal shareholders of the Investor, each underwriter of such Registrable Securities thereunder and each other person, if any, who controls such Investor or underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Investor, or such underwriter or controlling person may become subject under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which such Registrable Securities was registered under the 1933 Act pursuant to Section 2, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances when made, and (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement and will, subject to the provisions of Section 7(c), reimburse the Investor, each such underwriter and each such controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable to the Investor to the extent that any such damages arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus if (i) the Investor failed to send or deliver a copy of the final prospectus delivered by the Company to the Investor with or prior to the delivery of written confirmation of the sale by the Investor to the person asserting the claim from which such damages arise, (ii) the final prospectus would have corrected such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or such omission or alleged omission, or (iii) to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished by any such Investor in writing specifically for use in such Registration Statement or prospectus.

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(b)      In the event of a registration of any of the Registrable Securities under the 1933 Act pursuant to Section 2, each Investor severally but not jointly will, to the extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act, each officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement, each director of the Company, each underwriter and each person who controls any underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act, against all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Company or such officer, director, underwriter or controlling person may become subject under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement under which such Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act pursuant to Section 2, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Company and each such officer, director, underwriter and controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, provided, however, that the Investor will be liable hereunder in any such case if and only to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information pertaining to such Investor, as such, furnished in writing to the Company by such Investor specifically for use in such Registration Statement or prospectus, and provided, further, however, that the liability of the Investor hereunder shall be limited to the net proceeds actually received by the Investor from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.

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(c)      Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party hereunder of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party hereunder, notify the indemnifying party in writing thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to such indemnified party under this Section, except and only if and to the extent the indemnifying party is prejudiced by such omission (as determined by a court). In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, to the extent it shall wish, to assume and undertake the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party, and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume and undertake the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation and of liaison with counsel so selected, provided, however, that, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be reasonable defenses available to indemnified party which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or if the interests of the indemnified party reasonably may be deemed to conflict with the interests of the indemnifying party, the indemnified parties, as a group, shall have the right to select one separate counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified and indemnifying party, and to assume such legal defenses and otherwise to participate in the defense of such action, with the reasonable expenses and fees of such separate counsel and other expenses related to such participation to be reimbursed by the indemnifying party as incurred.  Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses of the indemnified party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the indemnified party, as incurred, within ten business days of written notice thereof to the indemnifying party; provided, that, the indemnified party shall promptly reimburse the indemnifying party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such indemnified party is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d)      In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in the event of joint liability under the 1933 Act in any case in which either (i) an Investor, or any controlling person of an Investor, makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 7 provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the 1933 Act may be required on the part of the Investor or controlling person of the Investor in circumstances for which indemnification is not provided under this Section 7; then, and in each such case, the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party hereunder, shall contribute to the amounts paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, that the maximum amount of liability in respect of such contribution shall be limited, in the case of each Investor, to an amount equal to the net proceeds (after underwriting fees, commissions or discounts) actually received by the Investor from the sale of Registrable Securities effected pursuant to such registration. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant hereto were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method or allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to herein. No Person guilty or liable of fraudulent misrepresentation shall be entitled to contribution from any Person; and

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(e)      The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 7 are in addition to any other liability that the indemnifying parties may have to the indemnified parties.

8.            Miscellaneous.

(a)      Remedies.  In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement.  Each of the Company and each Holder agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

(b)      Compliance.  Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.

(c)      Piggy-Back Registrations. If, at any time prior to the six month anniversary of the date hereof, there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the 1933 Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Company’s stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen days after the date of the delivery of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 8(c) that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the 1933 Act or that are the subject of a then effective Registration Statement.

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(d)      Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities (including, for this purpose any Registrable Securities issuable upon exercise or conversion of any Security).   Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by such Holder or Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 8(d).

(e)      Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

(f)       Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign (except by merger) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.  Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder if: (i) such Holder agrees in writing with such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) to assign all or any portion of such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment (as the case may be); (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment (as the case may be), furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee (as the case may be), and (b) the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned (as the case may be); (iii) immediately following such transfer or assignment (as the case may be) the further disposition of such securities by such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) is restricted under the 1933 Act or applicable state securities laws if so required; (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence such transferee or assignee (as the case may be) agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein; (v) such transfer or assignment (as the case may be) shall have been made in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Notes and the Warrants (as the case may be); and (vi) such transfer or assignment (as the case may be) shall have been conducted in accordance with all applicable federal and state securities laws.

(g)      Execution and Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

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(h)      Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.

(i)       Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

(j)       Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

(k)      Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder.  Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

(l)           No Inconsistent Agreements.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.  Neither the Company not any of its subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any person that have not been satisfied in full.

(Signature Pages Follow)

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

	
 

	
 

	
RICEBRAN TECHNOLOGIES

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
By:

	
W. John Short

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Name:  W. John Short

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Title:  Chief Executive Officer

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT]

Name of Holder: __________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: __________________________

Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________

Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________

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Annex A

 

RICEBRAN TECHNOLOGIES

Selling Stockholder Notice and Questionnaire

The undersigned beneficial owner of common stock (the “Registrable Securities”) of RiceBran Technologies, a California corporation (the “Company”), understands that the Company has filed or intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) for the registration and resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Registrable Securities, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) to which this document is annexed.  A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is available from the Company upon request at the address set forth below.  All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.  Accordingly, holders and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.

NOTICE

 

The undersigned beneficial owner (the “Selling Stockholder”) of Registrable Securities hereby elects to include the Registrable Securities owned by it in the Registration Statement.

The undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate:

QUESTIONNAIRE

1.             Name.

(a)           Full Legal Name of Selling Stockholder:

(b)           Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a) above) through which Registrable Securities are held:

(c)           Full Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural person who directly or indirectly alone or with others has power to vote or dispose of the securities covered by this Questionnaire):

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2.  Address for Notices to Selling Stockholder:

Telephone:

Fax:

Contact Person:

3.  Broker-Dealer Status:

(a)           Are you a broker-dealer?

Yes   __                     No  __

(b)           If “yes” to Section 3(a), did you receive your Registrable Securities as compensation for investment banking services to the Company?

Yes   __                     No   __

Note:           If “no” to Section 3(b), the SEC’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.

(c)           Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer?

Yes   __                      No   __

(d)           If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you purchased the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Registrable Securities?

Yes   __                     No   __

Note:  If “no” to Section 3(d), the SEC’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.

4.  Beneficial Ownership of Securities of the Company Owned by the Selling Stockholder.

Except as set forth below in this Item 4, the undersigned is not the beneficial or registered owner of any securities of the Company other than the securities issuable pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement.

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(a)           Type and Amount of other securities beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder:

5.  Relationships with the Company:

Except as set forth below, neither the undersigned nor any of its affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity holders (owners of 5% of more of the equity securities of the undersigned) has held any position or office or has had any other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.

State any exceptions here:

The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof at any time while the Registration Statement remains effective.

By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information contained herein in its answers to Items 1 through 5 and the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto.  The undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation or amendment of the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly authorized agent.

	
Date:

	
Beneficial Owner:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
By:

	
   

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Name:

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
 

	
Title:

	
 

PLEASE FAX A COPY (OR EMAIL A .PDF COPY) OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE, AND RETURN THE ORIGINAL BY OVERNIGHT MAIL, TO:

 

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