IPSA Celebrates Three Leaders with Lifetime Achievement Awards
IPSA awarded three seed industry leaders with Lifetime Achievement Awards at its annual meeting in Indianapolis.
High-Value Seed Is Tracked Less Than a $20 Amazon Package — Until Now
Even as supply chains track every step of a low-cost online purchase, billions of dollars in seed still move across North America with little to no visibility once they leave the shipper. This video explores why seed transportation and storage remain a blind spot, what risks that creates for seed companies and growers, and how real-time data is finally making full seed traceability possible.
Planning for a World That Won’t Hold Still: Momentum Without Guarantees
The January issue of Seed World U.S. is chock full of information relevant to independent seed companies. We explore a rich slate of topics from niche seed business to political uncertainty.
Forget Scale — Go Local
Small seed firms specialize to reach a diverse, niche market. We are exploring why the next surge of seed innovation begins in independent companies with a vision.
Chilean Scientists Boost Antioxidant Levels in Tomatoes Without Affecting Plant Growth
Chilean scientists at the University of Chile boosted tomato lipoic acid by fruit-specific overexpression of lipoyl synthase (LIP1), increasing both free and protein-bound forms without harming plant growth. Published in Frontiers in Plant Science, the study shows antioxidant enrichment can reshape tomato fruit metabolism while preserving development. The approach, tested in Micro-Tom tomatoes, supports future precision options like gene editing.
Ghana–Netherlands Partnership Targets Quality Vegetable Seed for Farmers
Ghana launched the Ghana Seed Partnership (GSP) on 29 October 2025 in Accra, deepening Ghana–Netherlands agribusiness cooperation. The initiative unites 13 public, private and research partners to modernize Ghana’s vegetable seed sector, improve access to quality seed and inputs, and boost horticulture growth. Four work packages target regulation, commercial seedling nurseries, variety trials, and market development for hybrids nationwide adoption.
European NGT Regulations: Risks of Divergence and Adhocracy
UK, EU and Swiss NGT regulations due by 2026 remain fragmented and incoherent. The UK uses a product-based, two-tier system with lighter rules for precision breeding. The EU and Switzerland retain process-based, ad hoc approaches driven by activist pressure, creating patent uncertainty, research flight, consumer confusion and ineffective sustainability policy that undermine innovation, alignment and food chain resilience across Europe.
Scientists Uncover Shared Genetic Adaptations in Barley and Wheat
Researchers from The James Hutton Institute’s International Barley Hub and an INRAE-UCA-led consortium have found genomic evidence of convergent selection in barley and wheat. Published in Nature Plants, the study analysed 1,300+ barley and wheat lines, identifying shared variants linked to development, drought avoidance and domestication. The findings could accelerate precision breeding and “inter-crop translational breeding” to improve resilience and safeguard yields.
CSGA and AAFC Leadership Changes Mark a Turning Point for Canada’s Seed Industry, says Manitoba Seed Growers President
A statement from Simon Ellis is drawing attention to two major leadership departures that signal both recognition and concern for the sector
Departure of Senior AAFC Breeder Sparks Renewed Calls for Long-Term Wheat Breeding Strategy
Richard Cuthbert’s reported exit comes at a moment of mounting pressure on public research capacity
#IPSA2026: Where Independent Seed Comes Together
The Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA) started its 2026 Conference with his highest-ever attendance in Indianapolis.
Genome-Based Models Predict Rapeseed Flowering Time and Yield
A study in Horticulture Research shows that optimized genomic prediction models can accurately forecast flowering time, yield traits and oil content in rapeseed using genome-wide data. By integrating GWAS-linked variants with statistical and machine-learning methods, researchers achieved over 90% accuracy for flowering time and thousand-seed weight. The approach can speed selection, reduce breeding cycles and improve multiple traits simultaneously.
Científicos chilenos aumentan los niveles de antioxidantes en tomates sin afectar el crecimiento de las plantas
Científicos chilenos de la Universidad de Chile aumentaron el ácido lipoico en tomates mediante sobreexpresión específica en el fruto de la enzima lipoyl synthase (LIP1), elevando las formas libre y unida a proteínas sin afectar el crecimiento. Publicado en Frontiers in Plant Science, el estudio demuestra que mejorar antioxidantes modifica el metabolismo del fruto y mantiene el desarrollo. Micro-Tom validó la estrategia.
Seeing the Whole Season: How Continuous Crop Modeling Is Changing Plant Breeding
Plant breeding has long relied on point-in-time field observations, but crops change every day of the season. In this conversation, Gary Nijak of aerialPLOT explains how continuous crop modeling captures growth, stress, and recovery across the full season, giving breeders clearer, data-driven insight into plant performance.
A Call to Action from an Independent: One-On-One with John Latham
Independent seed companies are facing growing limits on freedom to operate as market concentration and restrictive licensing agreements reduce competition. In this commentary, John Latham of Latham Quality Incorporated explains why independent voices matter now, how current IP structures are limiting innovation and why it is time for policymakers and industry leaders to listen.
Independent Voices, Independent Momentum: A Conversation With IPSA’s Incoming President
As Aaron Conaway steps into the IPSA presidency, he reflects on agility, leadership, consolidation, and why independent seed companies continue to thrive when they stay willing to adapt.
CSGA Executive Director Doug Miller to Step Down in March
In a personal letter posted to CSGA’s website, Miller said he will prepare for an international relocation with his family later this year
CSGA Announces Executive Director Leadership Transition
The Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) Board of Directors today announced a planned leadership transition
Top 10 Best Read Stories on Seed World Europe in 2025
Discover Seed World Europe’s most-read seed sector stories of 2025. After a year of coverage on innovation, policy shifts, industry debate and the people driving change, these articles rose above the rest—sparking conversation and topping our traffic charts. Join our countdown from number 10 to the standout number 1, and revisit the headlines that captured readers’ attention. Click to explore.
2025 Seed Diagnostics Breakthroughs: How SGS Delivered Faster, Smarter Testing
In a seed industry defined by rapid change and increasingly complex trade pathways, 2025 underscored one truth: seed quality depends on scientific consistency across borders. For SGS, 2025 was about […]
Copa-Cogeca: Organic Framework Proposal Progress, But Key Gaps Remain
Copa-Cogeca welcomed the European Commission’s targeted proposal to amend parts of the EU organic framework, but said major gaps remain. The organisation regretted that key recommendations were not addressed in the basic act, including broiler strain harmonisation and clearer rules for pig outdoor access. It called for balanced reforms across livestock and plant production. Copa-Cogeca also urged a credible roadmap for trade equivalence extensions.
AI, Simulation, and the New Reality of Predictive Plant Breeding
Plant breeding has reached a data tipping point, with modern programs generating more multi-trait and multi-environment data than traditional analytics can handle. AI is closing the gap by accelerating selection decisions, managing complexity, and improving resource allocation across breeding cycles. Simulated field trials are a key breakthrough, using genetic and environmental data to predict performance across locations and stress conditions, guiding smarter field testing. AI supports breeders through augmentation, enabling faster, higher-confidence decisions and competitive advantage.
CRISPR Switch Boosts Wheat Yield and Resistant Starch
A Chinese study has identified TaJAZ1 as a key gene behind the wheat yield–nutrition trade-off. Using CRISPR to deactivate TaJAZ1, researchers produced wheat lines with significantly higher grain yield and nearly double the resistant starch content. Published in The Crop Journal (8 November 2025), the findings suggest a new genetic strategy to develop wheat varieties that are both more productive and healthier, supporting food security and metabolic health.
Syngenta Taps David Hoar to Lead Crop Protection Sales
Hoar will oversee national sales and account management teams while serving on the company’s leadership team
The Wisdom of the Third Plant: What Processors Always Wish They’d Known Sooner
After 25 years designing seed plants, here are the hard-earned lessons that only come after building a third facility — and how to design smarter the first time. Most people […]
2026 Named International Year of the Woman Farmer
FAO has launched the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, a global campaign to recognise women’s essential contributions to agrifood systems and accelerate action to close persistent gender gaps. Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, the initiative will drive policy reform, investment and partnerships throughout 2026. FAO, IFAD and WFP will coordinate activities to advance gender equality and strengthen resilient food systems worldwide.
CropLife Europe Calls for Faster, Science-Based EU Approval Processes
CropLife Europe said the European Commission’s Food and Feed Safety Omnibus is a chance to modernise EU crop protection approvals while maintaining strong consumer and environmental safeguards. It warned that no new conventional active substances have been approved in six years and the toolbox has shrunk by over 80 products. CropLife Europe urged science-based “green tape,” predictable timelines, and simplification for biological and conventional solutions.
Europe Moves Toward New Gene-Editing Rules as UK Leads Regulatory Shift
Europe’s crop biotech policy is shifting as New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), including gene editing, gain support for delivering climate-resilient, nutrient-rich, pest-resistant crops. Regulation remains fragmented: the UK has enacted a precision breeding pathway, the EU is in final NGT negotiations, and Switzerland is drafting a risk-based framework. An ISAAA press release explains how diverging rules will shape innovation, investment, and adoption by breeders and farmers across Europe.
Lorena Basso: Innovation Is Urgent to Feed 9.5 Billion by 2050
As incoming ISF president, Lorena Basso calls for faster breeding advances, AI-driven improvement, and more resilient crops amid climate pressure
El eslabón perdido en la cadena de valor
Muchas definiciones dicen que la cadena de valor agrícola comienza con la semilla, pero el verdadero inicio ocurre antes: con quienes la crean. Los fitomejoradores dedican años a desarrollar variedades adaptadas a cada región, esenciales para el rendimiento, la resiliencia y el mercado. Sin mejoradores no hay opciones de semilla ni productividad moderna. Reconocer el mejoramiento como primer eslabón redefine dónde empieza realmente la cadena.
The Missing Link in the Value Chain
Most definitions say agriculture’s value chain begins with the seed, but the real starting point comes earlier: the people who create it. Plant breeders spend years developing region-specific varieties that farmers rely on for yield, resilience, and market fit. Without breeders, there is no seed choice and no modern productivity. Recognizing breeding as the first link reframes how agriculture’s value chain truly begins.
From Seed to Food: FAO’S First Universal Expo
From Seed to Food, the first FAO Universal Exposition in Rome (October) celebrated FAO’s 80 years of global action to end hunger and strengthen food security. The event showcased the full agri-food value chain—from research and seeds to farming, processing, and consumers—highlighting innovation needed for a growing population and climate pressure. Seed leaders stressed that quality seeds and plant innovation, including New Genetic Techniques (NGTs), are essential for sustainable production and resilient agriculture.
EU Member States Back NGT Rules, Boosting Innovation in Plant Breeding
Europe’s seed sector has welcomed EU Member States’ agreement on the Regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), calling it a decisive step toward more innovative, competitive and resilient European agriculture. Euroseeds said the endorsement of the trilogue compromise sends a strong signal in support of plant breeding innovation. The association pledged continued technical support to policymakers through adoption and implementation.
What’s Coming Next for Corn? An Inside Look at the Future of Corn Genetics
Corn is entering a period of rapid change. Weather volatility is intensifying, pest pressures are shifting, and genetic innovation is moving faster than ever before. For growers and independent seed […]
Why Crop Diversity Matters More Than Ever for Europe’s Agricultural Future
Europe’s seed market is consolidating fast—raising urgent questions about innovation, resilience, and food security. Nearly 80% of Europe’s arable land is planted to just four crops: corn, wheat, oilseed rape, and sunflower. Seed World Europe spoke with Régis Fournier, former Limagrain Field Seeds CEO, on why crop diversity underpins food sovereignty, strengthens agronomy, and is increasingly vital under regulation.
Tired of Competing on Price? Start Competing on Status
High-status brands don’t win faster sales through louder promotions—they win through clearer stories that build trust. Status means being seen as an expert guide, not a replaceable vendor, leading buyers to seek advice instead of discounts. A strong narrative centers the customer, defines their real problem, explains your “why,” offers a simple plan, and shows clear stakes—turning suppliers into strategic partners.