WHEN MOST PEOPLE in the seed industry hear arti­
ficial intelligence, they think about breeding pipelines, 
genomic selection or trait discovery.
Rachael Sharp is using AI in certified seed operations to 
decide where to haul a load of soybeans. On her family’s certi­
fied seed operation in Allendale, South Carolina, AI shows up 
in places most of the industry isn’t looking — recordkeeping, 
logistics and day-to-day decisions.
“I don’t have to guess whether it’s going to be more profit­
able for me to go to Newberry or Monetta or the port in 
Charleston,” Sharp says. “It tells me this is your best bet based 
on the price.”
Sharp Decisions, 
Smarter Seed
On one South Carolina farm, AI is cutting 
paperwork and changing how certified 
seed gets managed. 
By Aimee Nielson, Seed World U.S Editor
Rachael Sharp inspects irrigation 
infrastructure on her South Carolina 
farm, where she is exploring how 
AI could support future water 
management decisions. 
PHOTO: SHARP & SHARP CERTIFIED SEED
18  / SEEDWORLD.COM  JUNE 2026

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