Delivering Results: The Genetics Powering Brevant’s Growth in Ag Retail
As the agriculture industry continues to face the pressures of climate variability, evolving pest resistance, and rising global demand, seed innovation has never been more critical. In a recent episode of CropLife Retail Week, Anthony Lackore, Area Business Leader for Brevant Seeds at Corteva Agriscience, discussed how Brevant is helping retailers and growers meet today’s challenges — while preparing for the future through cutting-edge genetics and the adoption of artificial intelligence.
Lackore brings deep agricultural roots to his role, having grown up on a century family farm in Iowa. “It’s deeply rooted in me,” he shared. “I went to Iowa State for agriculture and joined Corteva right out of college. This summer marked 15 years with the organization.”
Over that time, he has held a variety of roles across seed production, sales, agronomy, and precision agriculture, giving him a unique vantage point on how innovation moves through the value chain — from the lab to the field.
Delivering Performance Despite Drought
The 2024 growing season has been marked by extremes, particularly in states like Ohio, where 80 of 88 counties experienced severe drought. But Lackore says the performance of Brevant seeds — particularly in corn and soybean — remained strong thanks to advances in genetics and stress tolerance.
“Many areas had good rainfall in June and July, but in August, it shut off completely. That introduced stress and variability,” he said. “Despite that, we feel good about how our genetics are holding up. We’ve got a strong track record in drought tolerance, especially through our AQUAmax breeding.”
This isn’t just theory — it’s showing up in real-world results. “Early harvest reports are positive, not only in drought-affected areas but also those hit with disease pressure,” Lackore noted.
He shared a personal example from his own farm, reflecting on the rapid progress of genetic technology. “Fifteen or twenty years ago, we would’ve been harvesting 185-bushel corn under those conditions. But we were picking over 225. It’s astonishing what genetics can do under stress.”
Preparing for the 2026 Growing Season and Beyond
With growers already looking ahead to their 2026 seed purchases, Brevant is rolling out a new generation of products tailored to meet the evolving challenges farmers face.
“At our core, Brevant brings nearly 100 years of genetic breeding and advancements to the table,” said Lackore. “That’s our foundation.”
For corn, that foundation includes traits like Vorceed Enlist and PowerCore Enlist, which offer strong tolerance against key insect pests. On the soybean side, Brevant offers a portfolio composed entirely of exclusive Corteva genetics within the Enlist E3 system. Additional innovations include the Peking SCN-resistant soybean lineup, providing growers with solutions for nematode challenges.
“We aim to meet every farm’s unique needs — whether that’s yield, pest control, or disease resistance,” he emphasized.
Five Years of Brevant: A Bold Commitment to Retail
Launched in 2020, the Brevant brand marked a major shift in how Corteva engaged with the ag retail channel. According to Lackore, it was a move that rewrote the rules.
“Launching the Brevant brand in 2020 was one of the boldest moves in modern American ag. Before that, retail had no access to Corteva genetics for 20-30 years,” he said. “It was a full commitment to delivering best-in-class genetics to retail.”
Now celebrating five years, the brand is hitting its stride. “The momentum we’ve built and the products we’ve delivered have generated real excitement — both within our teams and with customers. We’re not done. The next five years will continue that momentum and bring even more innovation to our customers and retail partners.”
A Vision Through 2030 — and Beyond
As ag technology continues to accelerate, Brevant’s roadmap looks far beyond the next season. “We have a clear line of sight into the 2030s for our trait pipeline — both for corn and soybeans,” said Lackore.
This includes next-generation breakthroughs like reduced-stature corn, gene editing for disease resistance, and new herbicide-tolerant soybean traits. “The pipeline is full and exciting. That gives us long-term confidence in our ability to bring value-added solutions to growers,” he added.
Embracing AI for Smarter Ag
While artificial intelligence has only recently become a buzzword in agriculture, Lackore says Corteva and Brevant have been leveraging AI for years behind the scenes.
“We’ve been using AI long before it became a buzzword,” he explained. “In R&D, it helps accelerate product advancement. In seed production, AI supports reliability and quality.”
As the technology continues to mature, he sees it playing an even greater role in how the industry approaches challenges — from trait selection to supply chain optimization. “It’s an exciting tool that we’re fully embracing — and we’ll continue to explore its potential across the business.”
Looking Ahead
With a foundation of genetics, a bold commitment to retail, and a forward-looking approach that includes emerging technologies like AI, Brevant Seeds is positioning itself — and its customers — for long-term success.
As Lackore summed it up, “We’re committed to bringing best-in-class products and solutions to the farm. And we’re just getting started.”
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