b"Group picture of Class VIII of the European UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy, in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.PLANT BREEDERS: THE UNSUNG HEROES IN THE BATTLE AGAINST MISINFORMATION BY: MARCEL BRUINSE arlier this year, I had the pleasure ofTHE MISINFORMATION MAZE plant breeders articulate their work and speaking at the first session of theLets face it: in the age of social media andits benefitsclearly and crediblythey European UC Davis Plant Breedingrapid-fire headlines, complexity is a lia- not only dispel myths but pave the way for Academy* Class VIII in Enkhuizen, Thebility. Plant breedingespecially wheninformed public opinion, progressive policy, Netherlands. As someone who studiedit involves words like biotech, genomeand broader adoption of innovations.plant breeding myself, I was genuinelyediting, or intellectual propertyisThis is not about marketing spin. Its excited to engage with this talented groupripe for misunderstanding. Add to that theabout science speaking for itself, with clar-of 21 participantsthe next generationdeep mistrust many people feel toward bigity and purpose.of innovators in our field. It was a fantasticcorporations, and its no wonder that some opportunity to share some thoughts thatview breeders with suspicion rather thanONE SIZE DOESNT FIT ALLhave been on my mind for a while: the vitalappreciation. Of course, communication isn't one-size-role that communication plays in the futureThat suspicion often takes the formfits-all. Different audiences bring different of plant breeding. of persistent myths. Some people think allperspectives, values, and needs.In the vast theatre of agriculture,breeding today is done by faceless multi- Policymakers,forexample,are plant breeders have long played the role ofnationals. Others assume natural alwaysfocused on economic impact, food security, behind-the-scenes maestros, orchestratingmeans better. And theres a growing sen- sustainability, and regulatory clarity. They innovations that ensure our food security,timent that any form of technological inter- need hard facts, but also concrete stories: bolster climate resilience, and drive sus- vention in our food is inherently risky. Thehow a new drought-tolerant variety helped tainable practices. Yet, despite their pivotalscience community knows these are myths,farmers in Spain, or how breeding invest-contributions, they often remain in thenot factsbut without effective communi- ment has unlocked rural economic growth.shadows, their narratives overshadowedcation, facts alone wont win the day. The general public comes with a by louder, more dramatic voicessomedifferent lens. People care about health, of which are armed with more myth thanCOMMUNICATION: THE BRIDGEethics, the environmentand they want method. OVERTROUBLED WATERS transparency. They're not reading academic Today, with the worlds food systemEffective communication serves as thejournals, but they are watching short videos, under pressure from climate change, geo- bridge between scientific innovation andscanning headlines, and asking questions political tensions, and resource scarcity, thepublic understanding. It's not merely aboutlike, Is this food safe? and Is this good importance of plant breeding is clearer thanbroadcasting information, but about fos- for the planet?ever. But while the science is strong, thetering trust, clarifying complexity, andThen theres the scientific community story isnt always getting through. engaging in meaningful dialogue. Whenand peers from the sector, where collab-* Founded in 2006, the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy is a postgraduate program that covers advanced Plant Breeding through lectures, discussions, group exercises, assignments, and visits to private and public breeding programs. This program provides practical plant breeding training without interrupting full-time employment. Participants attend a half-dozen weeks sessions over two years. In addition to these sessions, students complete homework assignments and a final project. The instructors are internationally recognized experts in plant breeding. We continuously adapt the curriculum to reflect new developments in academia and industry in the field of plant breeding. For more info visit: https://pba.ucdavis.edu/42ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE | SEPTEMBER 2025"