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A little US – Canada Competition to Boost Wheat Yields

Feb 07, 2025
By Farms.com

Maximize Wheat Yield with Great Lakes YEN

The Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is a data-driven initiative designed to help wheat farmers understand and enhance their crop yields. Developed in partnership with leading agricultural organizations, the program provides detailed insights into field performance through benchmarking and analysis. 

Participating growers collect and submit data throughout the season, including soil, tissue, and whole plant samples. Once harvest is complete, each farmer receives a comprehensive 35+ page report comparing their farm’s performance with others. This allows them to identify factors affecting their wheat yield and improve their crop management strategies. 

In-person wrap-up meetings are held in Ontario, Michigan, and Kentucky to discuss findings and share insights. Farmers can register early to receive their sampling materials before the February launch. The program also offers networking opportunities, including an upcoming trip to the United Kingdom, where participants will visit farms involved in the UK-based YEN program, established in 2012. 

Each farm’s data remains confidential and is only accessible to the individual grower. The program is supported by various agricultural organizations and sponsors, including Mennel Milling, Ardent Mills, and Michigan Ag Commodities, to help offset costs. 

The Great Lakes YEN continues to encourage farmers to experiment, learn from peers, and improve their wheat yields based on data-backed insights. For more information, visit GreatLakesYEN.com or follow #GreatLakesYEN


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Democratizing Gene Editing - Pairwise’s Vision for the Future of Agriculture

Video: Democratizing Gene Editing - Pairwise’s Vision for the Future of Agriculture

Pairwise has built its business around an idea that runs counter to how many companies approach innovation: make transformative technology easier to access.

In this Seed World interview, CEO Tom Adams discusses why broader access to gene editing could speed crop improvement, expand innovation opportunities and help agriculture address emerging challenges. He explains why Pairwise believes no single company can solve all of agriculture's problems alone—and why making advanced breeding technologies available to more organizations could accelerate progress across the industry.

The conversation explores how consumer trust influences technology adoption, why innovations like pitless cherries and seedless blackberries matter beyond convenience, and how future crop improvements could help address labor shortages, automation, harvest efficiency and other production challenges. Adams also shares his perspective on what the industry may be underestimating about the next wave of gene editing innovation.

Watch the full interview to hear why Pairwise believes agriculture is approaching an important inflection point for gene editing, and why the pace of innovation over the next decade could surprise the industry.

Topics Covered:

o Democratizing agricultural innovation

o Consumer trust and technology adoption

o The business case for sharing innovation

o Expanding innovation beyond major crops

o Next-generation breeding technologies