Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 14874 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2016 FOLLOWING ARE A FEW common phrases I’ve heard farmers say during the past couple years. “I think corn borer is almost extinct.” “I can’t afford all the traits I use to buy.” “I’ll just spray if I have to.” Some dismiss this as “just talk.” At Gro Alliance, we see seed companies mar- keting more conventional corn hybrids and promoting hybrids with lower trait loads. It makes sense. Commodity prices are in a trough that could last a few more years, and farmers are looking for ways to reduce input costs. So, what does this mean for the future of GMO traits? Follow the money. The major biotechnology companies are spending more money on projects that have nothing to do with GMO seed. Big data, biological seed treatments and non-GMO breeding techniques, such as site-directed nucleases (CRISPr), are earning significant investment. This is likely due, in part, to soft commodity markets and farmers’ seed buying decisions. However, it could also be partially driven by the broader global regulatory environment. According to GMOanswers.com, it takes 13 years and $130 million to bring a new GMO product to market. Five to seven of those years are just to clear the regulatory process. For some traits, it takes an addi- tional two to four years for that process. Imagine if that happens for all traits. That changes the ROI calculation pretty quickly. Now, the blockbuster trait will take longer to generate the revenue necessary to pay off the investment. Worse yet, another competitive trait could come into the market during that time and compete for market share immediately. PRODUCTION Is the Race for GMO Traits Over? JIM SCHWEIGERT GRO ALLIANCE PRESIDENT @jim_schweigert • jim.schweigert@groalliance.com • GroAlliance.com That would eliminate the first-to-market advantage. Further, farmers may not adopt the new trait as quickly as expected due to lower commodity prices. Do you still want to spend $130 million, or more, on this? This is the dilemma of investing in GMO traits. The science is safe, the products work and they have generated excellent returns for the developers and farmers, but what about the future? The current combina- tion of lower commodity prices and higher hurdles for regulatory approvals negatively impacts both the revenue opportunity and development costs of GMO traits. The development of improved crops through GMO breeding methods isn’t over, buttheseedindustryisincreasinglyinvesting in ways to produce better hybrids and vari- eties using non-GMO methods. It’s easy to see why. FACILITY AUTOMATION and techno- logical advancements in equipment have allowed for greater control in seed treat- ment and production. Though each facility project presents its own unique challenges and goals, an increasingly intense focus on optimizing efficiency and improving quality to optimize these advancements is often the main focus of capital investments. During the facility planning, engineering, and construction phases, however, one crucial consideration may often be overlooked: the workforce — particularly the operator. What key workforce-related consider- ations should you be aware of during the planning and engineering process? Why is it vital to keep your current and future work- force top-of-mind during the early phases of your project planning? Design Beyond Minimum Safety Requirements: Regulations are clear about safety requirements for plant design and operation. However, designing to these minimum requirements alone without con- sideration for the day-to-day needs of the workforce ignores significant opportuni- ties to improve and refine the efficiency of operations. In the early phases of planning, give seri- ous consideration to equipment accessibility and maintenance clearances, line-of-sight for quality checks, the workflow and daily movements of the operator, employee/ vehicle traffic pattern interaction, as well as potential automation opportunities in the future. Planning with operators in mind improves efficiency by mitigating down- time for equipment repair or maintenance due to accessibility issues, reduces redun- dancies or inefficiencies of the operators’ working area, and provides a safe space in which to work. Planning for the Workforce of Today and Tomorrow: The seed industry is not immune to the coming demographic shifts within the American workforce. With this DESIGN ENGINEERING/CONSTRUCTION Planning and Engineering for the Human Element JEFF ELWER EES COMPANIES OWNER AND PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER JElwer@EEScompanies.com • EEScompanies shift will come a turnover of the accumu- lated skills and wisdom of long-tenured employees. Within the next two decades, replacing or retraining the existing work- force could potentially present an invest- ment similar to that of a capital project investment for some facilities. Improving Your ROI: In planning a proj- ect, the foremost focus is often given to the material and structural components of the investment — what equipment is procured, how equipment is integrated spatially within the facility, and how system design impacts overall efficiency and quality. With industry shifts currently underway, and workforce shifts looming, project plan- ning and engineering with the human ele- ment in mind will become an increasingly important factor during the planning pro- cess.