22  / SEEDWORLD.COM  SEPTEMBER 2026
qualifies for exemption or review. The challenge lies in navigating 
multiple agencies, timelines and markets while building a coher­
ent commercialization story.
That story must satisfy regulators, retailers and consumers at 
once.
Transparency is Part of the Commercial Strategy
Consumer acceptance continues to shape boardroom conver­
sations, but developers describe a more nuanced reality on the 
ground.
Pairwise places QR codes on its packaging that link to product 
benefit pages. Jenkins says the company prioritizes transparency 
but focuses messaging on outcomes rather than technical detail.
“We think that’s an opportunity not to try to explain to the 
public the details of molecular biology and genome,” Jenkins 
says. “It’s to explain the benefits of the product itself.”
Then he adds a revealing data point.
“The number of people that have scanned that QR code is 
remarkably low,” Jenkins says. “It’s not really an issue so much if 
you give it a great experience.”
The implication carries weight. Consumers respond first to 
taste, freshness, price and performance. They value transparency 
as an option, but few dig into molecular explanations before 
placing produce in a cart.
That does not diminish the need for openness. It reframes it. 
Transparency supports trust. It does not replace product quality.
Value Chain Alignment Still Determines Success
Simplot Plant Sciences director of regulatory affairs Gary 
Rudgers says commercialization succeeds when every segment 
of the value chain sees a reason to participate.
“Engaging with the value chain along the whole process 
is very important,” Rudgers says. “Having a story of why the 
farmer, processor, the retailer and the consumer wants these 
products is very important, because everyone wants a piece of 
the pie.”
Simplot’s experience with genetically modified potatoes pro­
vides a long-term case study. The company develops varieties 
with reduced bruising and disease resistance. Farmers see fewer 
losses in storage. Processors see higher quality inputs. Retailers 
see less shrink. Consumers see fewer black spots and better 
appearance.
The same logic guides new gene edited strawberries that 
extend fruiting windows and shelf life.
“If you ever buy strawberries that look good and have no 
flavor, that’s not what we want,” Rudgers says, describing varie­
ties that produce fruit longer and maintain taste and shelf life, 
which reduces waste across the chain.
He said the technology itself does not close the sale. The 
aligned value proposition does.
Rudgers says early engagement with regulators also smooths 
commercialization.
“We found that talking to the agencies about our products 
before we submit the notification really streamlines the process,” 
he says.
Over time, agencies become familiar with the technology. 
Review times shorten. Developers gain clarity.
But that efficiency only emerges when companies invest in 
education and communication up front.
The Industry Must Leave Old Fights Behind
Gene editing still carries the shadow of earlier biotech battles. 
Jenkins argues that the industry itself sometimes perpetuates 
outdated narratives.
“A lot of times, industry is in its own way too,” Jenkins says. 
“We all have some of these battle scars from the past and bring 
that into regulatory discussions.”
He urges companies to treat gene editing as what it is.
“It’s just another tool to achieve a breeding outcome,” Jenkins 
says. “That’s all it is.”
That framing shifts the conversation away from ideology and 
back to agronomy, quality and performance. It encourages com­
panies to present gene editing as a refinement of plant improve­
ment rather than a disruptive break from it.
From Concept to Crop Requires More Than a 
Successful Edit
Gene editing has compressed timelines and expanded what is 
technically possible. Developers can move from idea to field in 
record time. They can stack traits, reduce waste, extend shelf life 
and strengthen resistance with surgical precision.
But commercialization still runs at the speed of systems. 
Regulatory pathways require coordination. Retailers require 
confidence. Consumers require value. Supply chains require 
alignment.
Gene editing may be getting faster. The road to market still 
demands patience, collaboration and strategic clarity.
For seed companies, the takeaway is not to slow down inno­
vation. It is to build commercialization muscle alongside it. The 
edit may take months. Trust, alignment and adoption still take 
years.
And in today’s plant breeding landscape, both timelines 
matter. SW
A Pairwise researcher holds blackberries developed through the 
company’s gene editing program, which focuses on improving traits 
such as flavor, quality and shelf life.  PHOTO: PAIRWISE

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