b'FBN BETS ONOPEN-SOURCE BREEDINGPartnering with independent breeders to create new varieties is the latest effort by Farmers Business Network to boost its stake in the seed industry.Marc ZienkiewiczA DUAL FOCUS on open-sourceersbreeders who are not undering the occasion with the release of breeding and creating partnershipscontract to produce new seed varie- five conventional corn seed varieties with independent plant breed- ties for any single company. and four glyphosate-tolerant soybean ers is the driving force behind theFBN says it will also make itsvarieties.latest expansion of Farmers Businessproprietary germplasm available forBut the company has had dif-Network (FBN). network partners to use in breedingficulty convincing seed companies After it announced its acquisitionsnew germplasm, with both FBN andto offer their brands through FBNs of the Manitoba-based Haplotech asthe network having rights to furthernetworks in the U.S. and Canada, well as the Canadian canola breed- commercialization. where they also supply herbicides ing program and pipeline of SanDyerwho from 2005-2018and fertilizers and offer users access Diego-based Cibus back in the fall,served as head of seed product devel- to precision ag data.the company is forming the FBNopment for Syngentasays FBNDyer says the Independent Breeder Independent Breeder Network, whichwants to break open this innovationNetwork allows the company to create according to a news release fromspace by making sure that that theresnew seed varieties which, when com-FBN will give farmers more choice,a more level playing field. Its acquisi- bined with the data FBN users have competition and transparency in theirtions of Haplotech and the Cibusaccess to, will allow FBN to provide seed options, and breeders an openCanadian canola breeding program,farmers with a suite of products and source for collaboration and a clearerDyer says, will allow FBN to breakservices for less than what is offered path to market. into the seed space like it hasnt beencurrently on the market.FBN goes on to say the new wingable to in the past. He says members of the FBN of its business will boost ROI forIndependent Breeder Network will independent growers while providingGetting into the Seed Game have access to data specialists and breeders with a range of benefits thatFBN announced its foray into seed byaccess to large sets of data on molec-will support direct collaboration andlaunching its F2F Genetics Networkular selection to do their work.open new channels for market access. in the United States in 2018, mark- The intent is pretty simpleAccording to Daniel Dyer, head of seed R&D for FBN based in Florida, the Independent Breeder Network will use the concept of open-source development, which will see FBN test what it calls independent breeder germplasm and hybrids, with the option for FBN to in-license and commercialize with royalties within a defined range to independent breed-30GERMINATION.CAJANUARY 2021'