At Breeding Insight, we level the crop-improvement playing field by removing barriers and supporting USDA-ARS specialty breeders as they adopt data-driven tools, cutting-edge technologies, and efficient methods from basic research in their day-to-day work. We offer integrated phenomics (trait analysis), genomics (genotypic data), AI, data management, and software tools to plant and animal breeders. These tools increase the rates of genetic gains and improve on-farm production and performance for commodities grown in the US, which gives US consumers more choices for plentiful and nutritious food in their grocery cart.
Breeding Insight
We make high-tech breeding a reality for USDA-ARS specialty crop and animal breeders; increasing breeding efficiency to see improvements faster with fewer resources.
What we do
Browse our solutions and services for creating a custom-fit solution to adopt new technologies in plant and animal breeding
The Food Supply Chain
How do foods we eat get to our table?
What do we choose to eat? Why do we choose to eat it? Click below to learn how Breeding Insight helps breeders adopt technologies to provide new and improved cultivars for our food supply.
1
Basic Research is the starting point for getting more nutritious, affordable food to the table. Basic research is exploratory work that happens in university, government, and industry settings.
2
Breeding Insight takes the know-how from basic research and transfers it to real world breeding programs that have various barriers to entry from adopting new resources.
3
Plant and Animal Breeders cross individuals and make selections that are better performing, higher yielding, and require lower inputs than the available varieties.
4
Growers and Producers grow plants and raise animals from existing stock or from new varieties.
5
Processors take raw materials, such as produce, fish, or milk, to create a derived product. Examples of derived products include frozen berries, fruit juices, canned goods, ice cream, meat products, and dehydrated mixes and spices.
6
Distributors send products to consumers, whether those products are raw, fresh, preserved, or processed. Types of distributors include shipping companies and retail and wholesale stores.
7
Consumers are all of us! We are the end purchasers and users of food goods, in either raw or processed forms.
Many of our most treasured and enjoyable food products come from specialty crops and livestock. We all depend on these products being readily available and nutritious. Plant and animal breeders are an essential step of our modern food supply and Breeding Insight is poised to provide breeding support that is dynamic, responsive and customized to meet current and future changes in markets and demand.
Success Stories
Breeding Insight Receives a 2024 USDA Secretary Honor Award
In a ceremony held on January 10, 2025, in Washington D.C., the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded Breeding Insight (BI) and BI OnRamp the prestigious Agricultural Secretary Honor Award in the category of “Providing all Americans safe, nutritious food”.
Our data-driven solutions
We help breeders combine genomics and informatics into powerful breeding solutions that increase breeding efficiency while keeping costs low; improving disease resistance, yield, and choice for the American farmer and consumer.
Logistical
Solutions for reducing manual work and improving capacity and efficiency for breeding
Technical
Solutions for adopting and using new tools, technologies and methods
Biological
Solutions and innovations that work with and around species’ biological constraints
Environmental
Solutions for collecting data in real-world environments to improve breeding program outcomes
Our partner organizations
