b'A ITS NOT EVERY DAYyou talk with someone whose family has been innovating in seeds for nearly 170 years. But for Felix Bchting, CEO of KWS, that legacy is less about nostalgia Futureand more about fuel for the future.I see myself as a caretaker, Bchting says in a quiet, deliber-ate tone. The company has been passed to me as the seventh generation, so I want to take good care of it so I can pass it on withthen to the eighth generation.Founded in 1856 by Bchtings great-great-great-great grandfather, Matthias Christian Rabbethge, KWS has grown from a 50-hectare sugar beet farm in Klein Wanzleben, Germany, into a global player with 5,000 employees, operations in more than Heritage 70 countries and annual revenues of 1.7 billion. But that kind of growth didnt come from simply preserving tradition.Its not about preserving the ashes, Bchting says. Its about making sure that the fire continues to burn.That flame has been kept alive through the companys core valuescloseness, independence, foresight and reliabilitywoven deeply into its long-term strategy and remarkable, con-tinuous reinvestment in research and development. One-third of Blending steep legacy withthe KWS workforce is devoted to R&D, and 326 million from last bold innovation.years sales went directly into research and breeding.By Aimee Nielson, Seed World U.S. Editor Balancing the Long Look with AgilityThe companys deep roots give it a unique advantage when navigating the modern challenges of agriculturefrom rising regulatory demands to climate change and chemical restrictions.What makes us successful is the ability to balance the long look and dynamic adaption, Bchting says. Plant breeding is a lengthy process. Most of our crops require about 10 years of development and registration. That kind of planning is in contrast to the short-term pressures of quarterly reporting and share-holder value creation. KWS uses that long view to fuel agility where it countsespecially in incorporating emerging technolo-gies from outside agriculture. To be able to adopt those tech-nologies rapidly, to see where they offer potential in our breeding pipeline, thats key, he says. Quick decision-making is just as important as long-term vision.From Sugar Beets to a Broad Crop PortfolioSugar beet was the starting pointand remains a global niche where KWS leads the market. Bchting says one of the most transformative innovations came from the rapid adoption of Roundup Ready sugar beet in the United States.We went from zero to 90% market penetration in two years, he says. That was the most rapid adoption weve seen in our history.Today, KWS continues to lead with innovations like CR+ sugar beet varieties for Cercospora resistance and InsectPROTECT oilseed rape, which brings genetic defense against flea beetle larvae. The company has also taken a leading role in the European market for silage corn. In the cereals segment, KWS R&D is the driver of innovation for KWS. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KWS recently marked bold steps in sustainable livestock feed with 52/ SEEDWORLD.COMJUNE 2025'