b'FBN Bets on Open-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 FOCUSon open-source breeding and creating partnerships with independent plant breeders is the driving force behind the latest expansion of Farmers Business Network (FBN).After it announced its acquisitions of the Manitoba-based Haplotech as well as the Canadian canola breeding program and pipeline of San Diego-based Cibus back in the fall, the company is forming the FBN Independent Breeder Network.According 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 inde-pendent breeder germplasm and hybrids, with the option for FBN to in-license and commercialize with royalties within a defined range to independent breedersbreeders who are not under contract to produce new seed varieties for any single company.Small breeders bring a lot of big think-ing to the game, and we can really benefit from that. This sort of model isnt uniqueGetting into the Seed Game what is offered currently on the market.to agricultureit also gets used a lot inFBN announced its foray into seed byThe intent is pretty simplelets the pharmaceutical industry. Drug com- launching its F2F Genetics Network in theopen up the innovation space. Theres no panies work with individual scientists whoUnited States in 2018, marking the occa- single right way to do things in this space. come up with great ideas, and then thesion with the release of five conventionalOf course, this will benefit FBN and its drug companies develop them and sellcorn seed varieties and four glyphosate- users and the breeders who work with them. And I think that model can apply intolerant soybean varieties. us to create new varieties, but we also agriculture as well, Dyer says. But the company has had difficultysee it benefiting the industry even more The problem is the independentconvincing seed companies to offer theirbroadly.breeders have all the creative think- brands through FBNs networks in the U.S.FBN launched a pilot program last fall ing but dont have access to two criticaland Canada, where they also supply herbi- to test germplasm and try out breeding resources. One is the best germplasm,cides and fertilizers and offer users accesscombinations from initial network mem-which is by and large controlled by a fewto precision ag data. bers. major companies because they investedDyer says the Independent BreederAs everyone knows, even with new a lot of money to get there. The secondNetwork allows the company to createtechnologies, breeding is a long-term resource is the big data sets that it reallynew seed varieties which, when combinedgame, Dryer says. Youll start to see takes these days to be able to make thewith the data FBN users have access to,some real impact of this on our product best breeding decisions. Those data setswill allow FBN to provide farmers with aportfolio for the 2023 season. The biggest are guarded very closely, too. suite of products and services for less thangenetic advances that have ever hap-22/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2021'