Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture: Bioceres and CWRF Collaborate on HB4® Wheat in the U.S.
Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: BIOX), a global leader in sustainable agricultural technologies, and the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation (CWRF), a recognized force in U.S. wheat breeding and innovation, have announced a landmark strategic collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize HB4® wheat in the United States. The agreement brings together Bioceres’ proprietary HB4® technology platform and CWRF’s leadership in wheat improvement to lay the foundation for a new generation of wheat production systems focused on climate resilience, sustainability, and grower profitability.
Building a Next-Generation Wheat System
At the core of this collaboration is the integration of HB4®, Bioceres’ flagship biotechnology trait, with the U.S. wheat innovation ecosystem led by CWRF. HB4® is a patented drought-tolerant and herbicide-tolerant trait that has been successfully tested and approved in several key global wheat-producing countries. By adapting this breakthrough technology to U.S. production systems, Bioceres and CWRF aim to equip growers with wheat varieties that perform more reliably under challenging environmental conditions while also supporting more sustainable farming practices.
The vision is to create a comprehensive production system that goes beyond the introduction of a single trait. The HB4® platform, when combined with advanced herbicide formulations and biological crop solutions, will help farmers address multiple challenges simultaneously: ensuring yield stability during drought, managing weeds effectively with reduced environmental impact, and meeting the demand for climate-smart grain from global markets.
Exclusive Rights and Open Access
As part of the agreement, Bioceres will grant CWRF exclusive, sublicensable rights to the HB4® trait in the U.S. market. In practice, this means that CWRF will take on the role of Trait Manager, a responsibility that carries several important functions. CWRF will oversee broad access to HB4® wheat for public and private breeding programs, ensuring that U.S. stakeholders—both in research and in commercial channels—have the ability to incorporate HB4® into their varieties and operations.
This open licensing model is designed to avoid bottlenecks in adoption and ensure inclusivity. Rather than limiting access to a narrow set of partners, the system encourages widespread participation while maintaining rigorous standards for quality, stewardship, and compliance. For wheat breeders, this represents a major opportunity to accelerate innovation. For growers, it provides the possibility of accessing more diverse, high-performing wheat varieties that are better adapted to the realities of modern agriculture.
Developing Advanced Herbicide Solutions
The collaboration also includes joint efforts to develop, register, and commercialize new broad-spectrum herbicide formulations specifically designed for use with HB4® wheat. These formulations will be created in combination with Bioceres’ portfolio of biological solutions, ensuring that the production system is both effective and environmentally responsible.
By blending chemical and biological innovations, the partners seek to create a sustainable weed management program that reduces reliance on conventional chemical inputs. This is particularly important as the industry faces increasing pressure to lower chemical footprints, improve soil health, and meet consumer expectations for greener farming practices.
Leadership Perspectives
“This collaboration marks a significant step forward for HB4® wheat in the United States, and aligns with our renewed seed strategy: to focus on our core strength of developing cutting-edge science and to partner with top-tier industry players to bring it to life through breeding and commercialization,” said Federico Trucco, CEO of Bioceres Crop Solutions. “By combining our HB4® trait platform with CWRF’s industry leadership, we are building the foundation for a next-generation wheat production system that enhances grower profitability and aligns with global sustainability goals.”
For CWRF, the agreement highlights the organization’s long-standing commitment to serving the needs of U.S. wheat producers. “This is an important milestone for the wheat industry and sets the stage for long-term innovation in this important crop,” said Brad Erker, Executive Director at CWRF. “We are proud to support open and inclusive access to HB4® technology and to lead U.S. stakeholder engagement to ensure its responsible rollout.”
Regulatory Alignment and Global Trade Considerations
Bioceres will continue to manage all regulatory activities related to the HB4® trait. This includes working in close alignment with the U.S. Wheat Industry Principles for Biotechnology Commercialization—a set of guidelines established to ensure responsible introduction of biotech traits into one of the world’s most widely traded crops.
Key regulatory responsibilities include securing approvals in major export destinations, setting tolerance thresholds for low-level presence of the trait in markets where it may not yet be fully approved, and implementing rigorous stewardship programs. Stewardship will be supported through certified seed systems and advanced detection tools, ensuring that HB4® wheat can be traced, monitored, and managed effectively from field to end market.
For growers and the broader U.S. wheat industry, these measures are essential. Wheat is a globally traded commodity, and export markets remain highly sensitive to biotech traits. By prioritizing regulatory approvals and transparent stewardship, Bioceres and CWRF are working to minimize potential trade disruptions while maximizing the benefits of innovation for U.S. producers.
Supporting U.S. Agriculture in a Changing Climate
The introduction of HB4® wheat in the U.S. comes at a pivotal moment. Wheat growers are facing increasing challenges due to climate change, including unpredictable rainfall, higher average temperatures, and shifting disease and pest pressures. At the same time, global demand for sustainably produced grain is rising, driven by consumer preferences and food company commitments to reduce carbon footprints across supply chains.
By making HB4® wheat broadly available, Bioceres and CWRF are providing growers with tools to adapt to these challenges. The potential benefits extend beyond yield resilience: reduced greenhouse gas emissions from more efficient farming practices, improved soil health from integrated biological solutions, and increased supply stability for downstream customers in food and feed markets.
