JUNE 2026  SEEDWORLD.COM /  13
structure. As an independent 
family company led by the 
founding family in its seventh 
generation, KWS continues a 
long-standing planning tradi­
tion that extends well beyond 
short term market cycles.
KWS’s work in North 
America is closely connected 
to its global breeding net­
work. Hybrid rye varieties 
developed and refined in 
Europe provide a foundation, 
but the focus is increasingly 
on tailoring genetics to North 
American environments. That 
work draws on global germ­
plasm, research infrastructure 
and decades of breeding 
expertise.
In that sense, the North 
American business operates 
with a dual identity — combin­
ing entrepreneurial momen­
tum with the backing of an 
established organization.
“We’re building something 
here, but we’re not starting 
from scratch,” Brattain says. 
“We have access to a huge 
amount of knowledge and 
experience.”
Where It Goes Next 
From climate variability to 
input costs and shifting 
market demands, growers 
are under increasing pres­
sure to adapt. In that envi­
ronment, crop diversity and 
resilience are becoming more 
important.
“I see KWS as a catalyst 
for diversification,” she says. 
“We’re bringing varieties 
that can help solve problems 
farmers are facing and fit into 
rotations where traditional 
crops may not be enough.”
Plant breeding may not 
move at the pace of other 
industries, but its impact 
is long-lasting. In North 
America, KWS’s work is 
shaped by a 170‑year breed­
ing mindset — translating 
foresight, reliability and inde­
pendent decision‑making 
into tangible results in the 
field. SW
Matthias Christian Rabbethge, 
whose early vision for sugar 
beet laid the foundation for 
what became KWS. PHOTO: KWS
KWS  is applying its breeding capabilities to hybrid rye 
in North America. PHOTO: KWS 

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