Breeders Trust is monitoring online sales of seed potatoes, highlighting growing cases of illegal trade via Facebook groups and webshops. Uncertified seed and misuse of ware potatoes raise plant breeders’ rights concerns and phytosanitary risks. The organisation urges stronger awareness, enforcement
Ukraine’s seed sector faces disruption from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including energy shortages, mined farmland, logistics barriers, and labour gaps. Despite producers maintain output, invest in infrastructure, adapt operations. Farmers sustain planting levels, while exports to the EU recove
Biological seed treatments are rapidly advancing across global agriculture, driven by innovation, regulatory shifts and growing farmer demand for improved crop performance. Industry leaders from BASF, Bayer, Corteva and Incotec examine market growth, technical challenges, regulatory harmonization an
Sustainability in agriculture starts with seed, argue Ben Rivoire and Khaoula Belhaj-Fragnière of the International Seed Federation. New ISF papers highlight how plant breeding innovation boosts yields, resilience and resource efficiency while reducing environmental impact. From climate-resilient va
Staphyt and GenoScreen have signed a collaboration agreement combining genomics, regulatory studies, and field trials for microbial product development. The partnership links genomic characterisation, bioinformatics, laboratory studies, and efficacy trials to support European regulatory requirements
Discover Seed World Europe’s most-read seed sector stories of 2025. After a year of coverage on innovation, policy shifts, industry debate and the people driving change, these articles rose above the rest—sparking conversation and topping our traffic charts. Join our countdown from number 10 to the
CropLife Europe said the European Commission’s Food and Feed Safety Omnibus is a chance to modernise EU crop protection approvals while maintaining strong consumer and environmental safeguards. It warned that no new conventional active substances have been approved in six years and the toolbox has s
From Seed to Food, the first FAO Universal Exposition in Rome (October) celebrated FAO’s 80 years of global action to end hunger and strengthen food security. The event showcased the full agri-food value chain—from research and seeds to farming, processing, and consumers—highlighting innovation need
Europe’s seed sector has welcomed EU Member States’ agreement on the Regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), calling it a decisive step toward more innovative, competitive and resilient European agriculture. Euroseeds said the endorsement of the trilogue compromise sends a strong signal in supp
Europe’s seed market is consolidating fast—raising urgent questions about innovation, resilience, and food security. Nearly 80% of Europe’s arable land is planted to just four crops: corn, wheat, oilseed rape, and sunflower. Seed World Europe spoke with Régis Fournier, former Limagrain Field Seeds C
The Dutch agricultural sector remains economically strong, generating €77 billion in added value and boosting agricultural exports by 4.8%. But farm structure is shifting fast: since 2010, the number of holdings has fallen by nearly one third, with 700 farms and greenhouses closing in 2023–2024. Lar
Euroseeds welcomed progress by the EU Council (under the Danish presidency) on the Plant Reproductive Material file, noting the Council agreed its position on new seed rules and trilogues should start in early 2026. It said the text supports a true internal market with common rules, while keeping fl
ChatGPT said:Two years after Seed World US first spotlighted his big idea—starting nitrogen innovation at the seed—Arevo CEO Nicolás Åström is now a frontrunner in next-gen, sustainable fertilizer tech. In our latest video interview, he explains why “data, data, data” will decide which innovators su
ChatGPT said: Europe’s seed sector welcomes the positive conclusion of trilogue negotiations on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), as EU co-legislators agreed a new Regulation for NGT plants. The deal largely preserves the Commission’s intent to enable conventional-like NGT crops, supporting farmers wit
Technopolis has published a new study examining how the EU intellectual property framework influences innovation in the bioeconomy, with a focus on agricultural biotechnology and new genomic techniques (NGTs). Combining legal, economic and market analysis, the report highlights patent complexity, li
Europe’s agriculture is rapidly transforming under climate pressure, shifting regulations, and fast-advancing technologies. In this fast 5-Questions-in-5-Minutes interview, Syngenta’s Matthew Pickard breaks down the rise of biologicals, the impact of precision tools, and the importance of cross-valu
Post-Brexit, the UK has embraced new genomic techniques (NGTs), breaking from the EU’s strict biotech rules. Seed World’s expert panel—Jan Gottlieb, Nigel Moore and Katie Davis—explores how this regulatory shift will impact Europe’s competitiveness, farmers, researchers and global trade. A must-watc
CRISPR is reshaping agriculture. Can regulation and public trust keep up? In this episode, we talk with Richard Wells, Senior Patent Attorney at Tropic Biosciences, about how gene editing is transforming crops like banana — a sector hit hard by disease and climate change. Wells explains how Tropic u
Syngenta’s Mathieu Boulay reveals how true agricultural innovation happens through collaboration — from farmers in the field to scientists in the lab and product teams bringing solutions to market. In this exclusive Seed World interview, he shares how grower feedback shapes development, what derails
Twenty-four agri-food organisations urge the European Commission to simplify EU risk assessment processes ahead of NGT trilogue negotiations. They warn that regulatory delays, complexity, and administrative burdens are damaging Europe’s competitiveness and slowing innovation. Their joint letter call
The FAO and EU, together with global partners, have opened Ukraine’s new Duplicate Centre for Plant Genetic Resources, securing 51,000 seed samples relocated after the Kharkiv gene bank attack. The state-of-the-art facility strengthens long-term preservation, research, and international cooperation,
The UK’s Precision Breeding Act has officially taken effect, creating a science-based regulatory framework that separates gene-edited crops from GMOs and accelerates innovation. Research leaders at NIAB and Rothamsted Research hailed the law as a historic milestone, enabling faster development of di
Euroseeds, Copa and Cogeca urge the EU to adopt a science-based, innovation-friendly framework for New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). They stress that NGT 1 plant verification must remain purely technical, with minimal traceability and labelling burdens. A proportionate, globally aligned approach would
Seed innovation is emerging as a critical climate solution ahead of COP30 in Brazil. The International Seed Federation highlights how climate-ready seeds boost resilience, protect farmer livelihoods, reduce agriculture’s footprint, and strengthen food security. ISF urges smarter policy, stronger sup
