50 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2019 ROGER SALAMEH VP COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, BENSON HILL BIOSCIENCES @BensonHillBio rsalameh@bensonhillbio.com bensonhillbio.com WHEN JOHANNES GUTENBERG invented moveable type nearly six centuries ago, he jump-started the spread of knowledge across Europe and helped ignite the Renaissance. The new technologies of our time which will fuel innovation in biological sys- tems today are gene editing, computational biology and artificial intelligence (AI). Together, they are enabling vast new possibilities for lower cost innovation in agriculture and food production. Only a few years ago, the technology required to develop improved crops through genetic modification or even advanced breeding was so expensive, and required so much expertise, that only a few very large companies could afford to participate. But the economic and regulatory landscapes have shifted with the recent development of new gene editing techniques like CRISPR and advances in computational biology and AI. Now scientists have the tools to improve crops in much less time and much lower cost. CRISPR and other enabling technologies call two fundamental realities into consideration – the wide range of opportunities presented by lowering the economic barriers for innovation, and the equally wide range of challenges confronting agriculture and global food systems. The full impact can be real- ized when a robust community of innovators is empowered with these new capabilities, coupled with fresh partnering and innovation models, to solve the very complex issues facing our food production system. Our company was founded on this mission. We chose to empower as many partners as possible across the food and ag value chain to achieve their own product development goals. We are committed to working with everyone from seed developers to food and ingredient suppliers, to enable sustainable plant-based improvements that are farmer and consumer-centric, and that give us all food that’s healthier, tastier and more sustainable. With this mission comes a challenge and an opportunity. That challenge is how to use R&D in new ways, because the range of opportunities is ever- expanding. Tomatoes are one good example. It's now actually less expensive and more sustainable to develop tomatoes through gene editing to taste better or last longer on the shelf than it is to build an entire supply chain around a product that requires additional care before it gets to the consumer. A breadth of successful outcomes is possible when R&D leaders creatively consider what opportunities these technologies create and recognize the value of collaboration to achieve them. GeneEditing:FulfillingthePromise ThroughaCommunityofInnovators AS MARGINS REMAIN A challenge for many corn and soybean growers, is your seed genetics and traits product portfolio keeping ahead of your customer needs to deliver the product perfor- mance, traits and ROI they are seeking? In 2018, we achieved record royalty sales, based on our core tenants of providing licensees perfor- mance, choice and more genetic flexibility than our competitors. Our inbred-based open architecture helps customers create more unique offerings tailored for their growers. Regarding corn genetics, we offer a wide and diverse set of germplasm, allowing seed com- panies to build a more diverse seed portfolio. Whether a company wants traits that perform against above or below ground pests, or traits that help reduce risk during drought, we offer excellent choices to diversify a corn seed portfolio. In soybeans, we continue to deliver product performance that is second to none. Our unique and proprietary genetics, based on a conventional breeding platform, give us ultimate flexibility to integrate a variety of trait technology that the mar- ketplace demands, now and in the future. Along with our technology collaborations, we're also investing in a $30 million Trait Conversion Accelerator R&D and seed production facility in Nampa, Idaho. This will give us consistent, reliable and efficient trait introgression, delivering the latest trait packages faster to market. Further proof of growth commitment by our board of directors and leadership is the acquisi- tion of Nidera Seeds, a large South American seed company with great corn and soybean germplasm, strong R&D pipeline and big footprint that will enhance Syngenta's ability to bring more value to customers. Moving forward, you can expect to hear from my team on a variety of topics, from manag- ing trait resistance to our reflections on market changes and trends, and many more. We look for- ward to connecting with other Insiders and hearing your perspectives on these topics, too. DAVE TREINEN HEAD OF GREENLEAF GENETICS dave.treinen@syngenta.com greenleafgenetics.com BuildAMoreDiverse SeedPortfolio