SEPTEMBER 2026  SEEDWORLD.COM /  9
“The challenge that we face on our farm at a very macro level 
is just overall uncertainty,” Kelly says. “Uncertainty of markets, 
input prices, trade regulations, policy, market access. It all boils 
down to this one thing.”
In Missouri, Addie Yoder pointed to weed pressure and her­
bicide resistance as growing concerns. Other growers identified 
drought, disease pressure or market volatility as major obstacles.
The specifics varied from farm to farm.
The uncertainty did not.
That reality creates an opportunity for seed companies.
Not every challenge can be solved through genetics, but 
genetics can help reduce risk. Whether through stronger disease 
packages, drought tolerance, improved standability or better 
yield stability, innovations that increase predictability may ulti­
mately deliver as much value as those that simply increase yield 
potential.
Building a Future Worth Passing On
Perhaps the most surprising answer growers gave when asked 
about their biggest challenge had nothing to do with technology.
Again and again, the conversation returned to succession 
planning.
For Yoder, the challenge is both deeply personal and incred­
ibly complex.
“It’s something that’s also out of our control,” she says. 
“There’s no magic wand. It’s just a million conversations.”
Kress faces a similar reality.
Her son is studying mechanical engineering. She hopes he will 
build his own career and gain experiences beyond the farm. At 
the same time, she wants to preserve the possibility that he may 
someday return.
“I need to hold a financial place for him,” she says.
That simple statement captures a challenge facing many farm 
families.
Today’s decisions are not just about this year’s crop. They are 
about whether the operation will remain strong enough to sup­
port another generation.
Modery is experiencing succession from a different perspec­
tive.
Her father began planning years ago for the eventual transi­
tion of ownership responsibilities. Today, she and her sister are 
stepping into those leadership roles.
“I have such an appreciation for planning it and having an idea 
before it happens,” she says.
For many growers, success is no longer measured solely by 
yield, profitability or innovation.
It is measured by whether the farm remains viable enough to 
hand to someone else.
The Question Behind Every Innovation
The seed industry has never had more tools available to drive 
innovation.
Gene editing is expanding what breeders can accomplish. 
Artificial intelligence is accelerating decision-making. New breed­
ing technologies continue to push the boundaries of productivity 
and resilience.
Farmers welcome those advances.
But conversations with growers suggest that the industry’s 
biggest challenge isn’t developing innovation. It’s making sure 
innovation stays connected to the realities of the farm.
The technologies that succeed will not simply be the most 
advanced.
They will be the ones that help farmers manage uncertainty, 
earn consumer trust, remain profitable and create a future worth 
passing on.
In the end, the most important question facing the seed 
industry may not be what comes next. It may be who comes 
next. SW
Farmers from across North America shared their perspectives on innovation, profitability, consumer expectations and succession planning 
during a grower panel at Bayer’s Innovation in Crop Science meeting in St. Louis. Panelists included Jamie Kress, Addie Yoder, Lesley Kelly, 
Rebekah Modery and moderator Aimee Hood.  PHOTO: BAYER CROP SCIENCE

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