Norm Sissons is Helping Make Gene Editing a Practical Breeding Tool
When it comes to innovation in the area of biotechnology, few voices carry as much weight as Norm Sissons, a seasoned veteran with over two decades of experience in the […]
NDSU to Launch Bolley Agricultural Laboratory
The new agricultural research laboratory at North Dakota State University will be named Bolley Agricultural Laboratory, following the State Board of Higher Education’s endorsement last month. The North Dakota Legislature allocated $97 million for this project during the 2023 legislative session, with an additional $3.6 million contributed through philanthropy.
How Invisible Forces Influence Taste of Your Food
A study from the University of Colorado explored whether soil microorganisms like bacteria and fungi could affect the flavor of crops, focusing specifically on the spiciness of mustard seeds. The work was recently published in the international journal New Phytologist.
Leadership Event Will Grow Seed Industry Professionals
Registration for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Leadership Summit is open. The 2024 even will take place in Nashville June 15-18 with the theme “GROW.” GROW is an acronym for Goal, Reach, Open, Work.
Better Tortillas and Whiskey Begin with Corn
Davis’ involvement in Mizzou’s Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) and Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) programs helped her discover an on-campus corn genetics lab run by Sherry Flint-Garcia, a research geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
We Asked the Interim Executive Director of Western Crop Innovations how the Program’s Staff is Coping. Read his Response
Mark Olson has been announced as the interim executive director for Alberta’s Western Crop Innovations as it transitions away from being the Field Crop Development Centre. Managing partner of Osborne […]
Major Water-Sharing Agreements are Ready as Drought Looms in Alberta, says Province
The largest water-sharing agreements in Alberta’s 118-year history are now in place to help respond to the risk of severe drought, the province says. After several dry years and El Niño […]
Ensuring Transparency and Stability for Staff is Paramount as Former FCDC Becomes Western Crop Innovations
Jason Lenz and the board of the new Western Crop Innovations (WCI) have a once in a lifetime opportunity ahead of them: to lay the foundation of the organization anew […]
Plant Stress Sensors Could Revolutionize Crop Management
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have introduced a pioneering pair of sensors crafted from carbon nanotubes in a recent news release. The nanotubes are designed to identify when plants are under stress from environmental factors like heat, light, or attacks by insects or bacteria. These sensors are sensitive to two crucial signaling molecules, hydrogen peroxide and salicylic acid, which plants use to orchestrate their stress responses.
Tennessee Student Studying Organic Wheat-Soybean Double-Crop Systems with SARE
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Herbert College of Agriculture announced doctoral student Ravi Neelipally secured a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Graduate Student Research Grant. His research delves into the feasibility of organic wheat-soybean double-crop systems in the southeastern United States, a region increasingly adopting organic farming techniques.
Bending Your Beliefs
Ask yourself: when was the last time that you allowed yourself to change your mind on a deep-rooted belief? The key in that question is ‘allowed yourself’ because that is the […]
What are the Key Issues Facing the Seed Industry Around The Globe?
The Seed World editors — covering Canada, Europe, Latin America and the U.S. — discuss the biggest stories making waves right now in the seed industry.
It’s Not a Question of if Processors Should Innovate, but How to do so Strategically
The adoption of advanced technology holds immense value — no surprise there. But I’ve often thought about the dilemma of justifying the cost of such advancements, and when to make […]
New ‘U.S. Farmed’ Certification to appear soon on beer cans
The U.S. Farmed certification will appear on Anheuser-Busch beers beginning in May. It was developed by the American Farmland Trust (AFT)—a national nonprofit dedicated to helping farmers maintain their land and it assures consumers that at least 95% of the agricultural ingredients are sourced from U.S. farms.
How a Desire to Lead Brought This Wheat Breeder to Canada
Gurcharn Singh Brar is a wheat breeder whose path meandered from the breadbaskets of Punjab, India, to the sprawling fields of the Prairies. In a candid conversation, Brar shared insights […]
All the Commodity Market Headwinds Mean it’s Go Time!
Some of the macro trends are quite concerning. Highly productive agricultural land is being covered by solar panels. Chinese demand is falling due to a slowing economy. Soybeans from Brazil are showing up on the East Coast of the US because they are cheaper than beans grown in Delmarva.
Seed Management Academy Registration Filling Fast
The 2024 academy will introduce an innovative blended learning approach. Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business recently announced a new blended learning format for its acclaimed Seed Management […]
Support Your Microbiome Year-Round: From Seed to Stubble
If you want to provide your farm with year-round support, there are four spheres you need to know about: spermosphere, rhizosphere, phyllosphere and detritusphere. From seed to stubble, healthy and active microbes in each sphere […]
USDA Greenlights Bioengineered Hemp with Enhanced Medicinal Properties
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently approved the cultivation of bioengineered hemp, known as Badger G, which has been genetically modified to increase levels of medicinal ingredients while reducing psychoactive compounds. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) concluded that this enhanced hemp variety is unlikely to pose a greater plant pest risk compared to traditionally cultivated plants.
New Kid on the Block Revolutionizes GMO Testing
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) offer huge opportunity in agriculture, but they bring with them significant regulatory, compliance and testing challenges. To meet marketability standards, support international trade, and keep consumers […]
New Kid on the Block Revolutionizes GMO Testing
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) offer huge opportunity in agriculture, but they bring with them significant regulatory, compliance and testing challenges. To meet marketability standards, support international trade, and keep consumers […]
Mexico Postpones U.S. Corn Ban
Mexico has been threatening to ban GMO corn from the United States and Canada for a while. They had a deadline set to enact a glyphosate ban of March 31, 2024. That day came and went as Mexican officials decided to postpone the ban until 2025, citing concerns that it would threaten agricultural production and food security.
Seeds Canada Issues Responses to CFIA Survey, Calls for a More Forward-Thinking Approach to SRM
Seeds Canada has released its responses to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s winter survey on Seed Regulatory Modernization. According to Policy Director Lauren Comin, Seeds Canada hopes to shift the […]
Oilseed Rape In Crisis: Can Fresh Approaches To Pest Management Save This Vital Crop?
The vibrant yellow expanses of oilseed rape are dwindling in western Europe, with growers facing mounting challenges in pest management and a shrinking array of chemical solutions. In regions like […]
Computomics & ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success Collaborate to Advance Plant Breeding with Machine Learning Methods
Computomics and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success, overseen by The University of Queensland, will team up to explore machine learning techniques. Their focus: boosting predictions of complex […]
Un equipo de científicos intenta descifrar el código de toxicidad del aluminio
Un equipo de EE.UU. y de Brasil estudia la relación entre la regulación genética y la tolerancia que tienen el maíz y el sorgo al aluminio. El cambio climático está […]
Get to Know All Four of Your Seed World Editors
Today is a great day to get to know YOUR Seed World editors… all four of them. Though you likely already know your own region’s editor, our publications’ consolidation under […]
RDAR Invests $2 million to Support the Evolution of FCDC into Western Crop Innovations
Results-Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) is investing $2 million to relaunch the Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) as a new not-for-profit corporation, named Western Crop Innovations (WCI). WCI will focus on […]
For Those in the Know, the Tetrazolium Test is a Powerful Tool
As someone deeply entrenched in the world of seed testing, I can’t help but extol the virtues of the tetrazolium (TZ) test as a powerful tool in your arsenal this […]
BrettYoung’s New Turf Processing Facility Caters to a Global Market
The $20-million, 60,000 square-foot NorthCore will process turf seed faster and in greater quantities than Canada’s biggest independent seed company has managed to before. When your business is growing, you […]
Study Unveils a New Era of Crop Optimization
A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests current soybean testing locations may not be delivering breeders the biggest bang for their buck.
Just the Facts: Our Spicy SRM Webinar Condensed for Quick Reading
Don’t have time to watch all one hour of this week’s Seed Regulatory Modernization webinar with Doug Miller of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association? Here’s a handy recap of our […]
Future of EU Farming Depends on Balanced and Effective Legislation on Plant Reproductive Material: A Letter to MEPs
Ahead of the imminent European Parliament plenary vote on Plant Reproductive Material (PRM), a consortium of stakeholders, notably Copa Cogeca, Euroseeds, Europatat, Coceral, the European Beet Growers (CIBE), and CEPM […]
Doug Miller of CSGA Submits to Some Spicy Questions in a Spicy Webinar
The executive director of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association sat down with Seed World Canada’s Marc Zienkiewicz to make the case for CSGA’s Seed Regulatory Modernization vision. It was a […]
Kannar Earth Science to commercialize Cornell’s seed technology for pollinator habitat
Planting pollinator habitat needs to be as easy and economical as planting corn and soy. I’m excited to announce that Kannar Earth Science, Ltd. has exclusively licensed technology from Cornell University that uses standard row crop equipment to plant milkweed and wildflower seeds. Multi-Seed Pellets (MSP) can facilitate large-scale habitat restoration to revitalize the pollinator populations that boost yields for commodity and specialty crops alike.
BASF y Solidaridad se Unen para Ayudar a los Agricultores Brasileños a Fomentar la Biodiversidad
BASF y Solidaridad han unido sus fuerzas para explorar impactos adicionales que pueden tener las prácticas agrícolas sostenibles sobre la biodiversidad, la preservación del medio ambiente y la coexistencia armoniosa […]