Since the dawn of agriculture human societies have sought improvements in food plants. Over time this quest has involved such objectives as a sweeter fruit or better resistance to a pest. Traditional plant breeding can achieve a desired result, but the process may take many years of trial and error to complete and nurture unwelcome traits. A series of scientific breakthroughs that began in the 1990s has created the opportunity to use a new approach – gene editing. Want more news on this topic? Utah Farm Bureau members may subscribe for a free email news service, featuring the farm and rural topics that interest them most!