St. Louis, MO —Feb. 18, 2026 — Bayer today announced the launch of newgold® seed, its first multi-crop seed brand developed specifically for low-carbon intensity crops, designed to help farmers participate directly in the fast-growing biofuels market while enhancing opportunities for farm profitability.
As demand for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel accelerates, the energy transition is creating a new challenge: how to scale low-carbon fuels without competing with food production or adding complexity to the farm system. Bayer believes agriculture can play a central role in helping to solve that challenge.
“Innovation alone won’t make the energy transition real,” said Chad Bilby, Biofuel Crops Innovation and Commercial Lead. “Scale, execution, and market confidence matter. With newgold® seed, we are connecting seed innovation, agronomic performance, and market access into one clear opportunity for farmers.”
From Vision to Action in Low-Carbon Agriculture
Built under Bayer’s Biofuel Crops by Bayer platform, newgold® seed represents a shift from treating biofuels purely as a downstream opportunity toward building a scalable agricultural system that connects farmers, fuel producers, and markets.
The brand focuses on low carbon intensity oilseed crops such as camelina3,4 and winter canola5—crops designed to fit between seasons, into existing rotations, or on underutilized acres—creating potential additional revenue streams for farmers.
By combining seed technology, agronomic expertise, and strong industry collaborations, Bayer’s goal is to help farmers with adoption of these new crops, to unlock new value and to participate in new markets.
More Than a Crop: A Profit Multiplier
At the core of newgold® seed is a simple idea: low-carbon intensity crops must work economically at the field level.
Crops sold under the newgold® seed brand will be designed with the goal of acting as a profit multiplier, giving growers the flexibility to decide how and where it fits best in their operation:
- As a double crop, adding value between seasons
- Within rotations, contributing to good agronomic management while diversifying income ● On marginal or underutilized land, turning those acres into more productive assets
This flexibility will allow farmers to participate in the low-carbon fuel economy while maintaining control over their agronomic and financial decisions.
Designed for Farmers Who Look Ahead
newgold® seed was built for growers who don’t settle for incremental gains.
It speaks to farmers who seek:
- Opportunities for strong ROI per acre
- Performance backed by science
- Clear market pathways, not speculation
By bridging the gap between the field and fuel producers, Bayer aims to reduce uncertainty and help farmers confidently adopt cropping systems that deliver opportunities for value on their farms.
Working to Advance Biofuel Contributions
Agriculture can play an important role in decarbonizing the transportation industry and strengthen energy security, with the introduction of low-carbon feedstocks for renewable fuel that can deliver lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to petroleum fuels1,2.
Bayer is advancing biofuel contributions by investing in a portfolio of new crops, building integrated supply chains, and supporting North American farmers economically with the introduction of newgold® seeds.
For more information on newgold® seed, please reach out to your local Bayer representative.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000
people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com
Source: 1 Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Production in the United States | Environmental Science & Technology; 2 Biotechnological Camelina platform for green sustainable oleochemicals production; 3 Publication : USDA ARS; 4 Liu et al 2024_life-cycle-greenhouse-gas-emissions-of-growing-intermediate-winter-oilseed-feedstocks-for-sustainable (003).pdf; 5 Biofuels | U.S. Canola Association
Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer’s products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from commercialized products can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all applicable regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for commercialized products. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.
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