As a Technical Crop Advisor, William’s most important task is evaluating our trials. But there’s more. He keeps his ear to the ground with our growers and dealers to find out how we can incorporate their needs into our breeding programs.

William explains, “The number one thing on a grower’s mind here is climate change. That’s why we have worked hard over the past 15 years to bring some great genetics into our bean program. These adaptations will help farmers beat the challenges of climate change. The result, our Magma Collection, is something we’re extremely proud of. Each variety offers farmers marketable yields, with beans that have the right specs for every market segment and growing slot.”

What keeps growers up at night is also what keeps William awake. “It’s not just about growing for a certain color, or tolerance, or resistance to heat, pests, and diseases. You also want to improve traits that are important to consumers. Take beans that can be stored longer, for instance, or red beets that have a sweeter flavor. A long shelf life is crucial, too. If we can extend a product’s shelf life, we can add value for all customers. Those are the kinds of needs I identify and pass on to our breeders, so we can develop the right varieties for the market here in the eastern US.”

If anyone is a Pop ambassador, it’s William. In his words: “First of all, I get to work with the best genetics in the business. And second: we’re focused on a small number of crops. That’s what makes Pop such a great company: we are true experts on the crops we work with! It’s the only way to add real value for customers. And how cool is it that we are the world’s second runner-up when it comes to beans, and even the runner-up in some US regions? We’ve only been in the market for a relatively short time. That’s something you can only achieve when you’re hyper-focused.”