On a recent road trip through eastern Iowa, a detour to visit the boyhood home of Norman Borlaug, a pioneer in plant breeding who helped save millions around the world from hunger in the 1960s, served as a good reminder of the importance of technological developments in agriculture — and the need to reassess practices on an ongoing basis.

Monsanto Co. recently held a grand opening for its new Wheat Technology Center in Filer, Idaho, which will serve as the company’s core U.S. wheat breeding R&D facility.