b'Because were such a small sector,That philosophy shows up most clearlyconstraints and consumer expectations were sometimes treated like a roundingin how breeding programs are structured.around quality and flavor.error, he says. But were very impor- Rather than centralizing decisions far fromIt helps the grower make money and tant, and we have to be nimble andthe field, Sakata maintains breeders andhelps the consumer want a more tasty or move quickly, because the markets areproduct development teams within keydelicious vegetable, Davis says.shifting fast. production regions, including Florida forAI, Davis adds, is still in its early stages That need for speed collides with aEast Coast tomatoes. within seed, but its influence will extend reality unique to seed. Variety develop- We have a breeding center in Fortbeyond breeding itself, reshaping how ment remains a long game, even as theMyers where our breeder and productteams work, plan and scale.world around it accelerates. Labor short- development team are right there with theWith AI and other tools, were going to ages, water constraints, disease pressuregrowers, Davis says. Breeders are inter- be able to go really fast and productive, and shifting trade policy can all changeacting face to face. he says.faster than a breeding cycle. That proximity changes the cadence of In a world where it takes 10 years todecision making. Feedback loops are shorter.The Leg Everyone Forgetsmake a new variety, we have to do thatProblems surface earlier. AdjustmentsAs breeding cycles accelerate, Davis wor-faster, Davis says. But we also have tohappen before risk compounds. ries the industry risks repeating an old look into the future. We dont have a lot of layers, Davismistake, only faster. Seed production, he For Davis, the challenge is not simplysays. If we want to go a different direc- says, is too often treated as a downstream reacting quickly but reacting wisely. tion, we can switch in a hurry. concern rather than a strategic partner.We have to change all the time, heOne thing thats really going to be says. We have to be nimble and fastSpeed Changes Everything important is remembering the seed pro-enough to react but not overreact soAdvances in breeding technology areduction side, Davis says. Thats some-much that we hurt ourselves. accelerating that responsiveness. Marker- thing thats always kind of forgotten.assisted breeding, expanded genomicDavis began his career in seed produc-Global Scale, Local Decisions tools and early-stage artificial intelligencetion, where he learned how quickly promis-One of the ways Sakata has managedare compressing timelines that onceing genetics can stall when production that balance, Davis says, is by resistingdefined the industry. realities are ignored. Yield stability, isola-distance. While the company operates asThese new breeding techniques andtion distances, harvest timing and quality part of Sakata Seed Corporation, head- all the different genetic tools are rapidlythresholds impose constraints that cannot quartered in Yokohama, Japan, decisionchanging, Davis says. Its making thingsbe solved after the fact.making remains closely tied to local pro- go fast.duction regions. That speed has consequences beyondBelow: An aerial view of Sakata Seed Were a global company, but we actinternal efficiency. Faster developmentAmericas Woodland, California, campus local, Davis says. And we have a lot ofallows seed companies to respond moreshows greenhouses, field trial areas and localized breeding. quickly to emerging diseases, laborsolar installations.PHOTO: SAKATA SEED AMERICAFEBRUARY 2026SEEDWORLD.COM /9'