b"HALLIE SHOFFNERA sixth-generation farmer from northeast Arkansas, Hallie Shoffner grew up in soybean and rice fields learning from her parentsespecially her mother, whos an agricultural field researcher. It seemed natural for her to come back to work on their research and production farm in 2016. In 2019, she tookVICTORIA STEWARTover as CEO of SFR Seed after her parents retired. Every Sunday morning, my dad would give me a choicegoFor Victoria Stewart, the seed sector seemed to be something she to church or scout cotton, Shoffner says. Pretty obvious choicewas destined for. After obtaining a degree in agricultural manage-for a kid! Wed drive around eating McDonalds and stop to pickment and a postgraduate degree in agribusiness with a speciali-hundreds of squares and count bugs. zation in seed technology, Stewart joined the Uruguayan Plant She says her passion today is two-fold: shes passionateBreeders Association (URUPOV). There, she got to follow her pas-about genetics and research and about climate action in thesion for agriculture and work closely with farmers, seed produc-agricultural sector.ers, seed cleaning facilities, distributors and seed companies. I once heard someone say that while farmers may not iden- But there was always one key area that Stewart says tify as environmental activists, we are active environmentalists,piqued her passion the most: plant breeders rights. Shoffner says. Farmers everywhere are taking steps to becomeI quickly fell in love with this industry, more efficient by focusing on soil health and input reduction.especially learning about plant breeders These practices reduce carbon emissions in our industry andrights and all the fascinating aspects promote environmental sustainability. Its a win-win if we canof the entire seed value chain and its continue this positive trend. stakeholders, she says.Her passion for climate action continues to grow throughoutIn her current role as operations her leadership role as well. It not only lets her educate Americansmanager of URUPOV, shes able about where their food comes from and the positive steps farm- to leverage that passion and put ers are taking, but it also helps to get the agriculture story out.it into action. Why? Since agricul-We need to tell our story to the rest of the world. There wasture is such a significant pillar of an excellent New York Times article recently about work beingUruguays economy, Stewart says done to make rice production more sustainable, she says. Itits important for her country to highlighted the work of farmers and scientists. Consumers needprovide their farmers with more and to know that farmers and the agricultural industry are just as con- better plant varieties each seasoncerned about climate change and the environment as they are. which means also bringing in new and Her advice for someone new to the industry? Rememberforeign breeders to market.to be flexible and adaptable, as agriculture is an ever-changingTo achieve this, the country must not industry. only offer an appropriate regulatory frame-The things you want or even expect to happen may turnwork to safeguard breeders' rights, but also establish out differently, and thats okay, Shoffner says. You can handlea mechanism that enables farmers to recognize the intellectual anything your career or life throws your way by being flexible,property of these breeders through royalty collection systems planning for change and working honestly and diligently. developed by URUPOV, she says. My vision is that this approach serves essential purposes by ensuring that plant breeders are fairly compensated for their innovative contributions, encourag-ing them to continue investing in plant breeding while farmers have access to better technologies and germplasm. Fortunately, Stewart doesnt have to fight this battle alonein addition to working with the URUPOV team, she also has a team of young agronomists behind her that she says helps ensure smooth execution of initiatives. The one thing she tries to do to get her team motivated every morning? Stewart believes starting the day off on a note of enthu-siasm is key. She likes to do this through her passion of music.Before we start our meetings, my colleagues and I select a song to listen to at full volume and start the day and meeting with great enthusiasm, Stewart says. The team I lead is com-prised of young agronomists, and this dynamic inspires me to foster a creative and engaging work environment. I believe in creating an atmosphere that is not only fun but also positive and stimulating.SEPTEMBER 2023 SEEDWORLD.COM /29"