The panel highlights how impactful research in the lab can meet the demands of a booming population by reaching small farmers and consumers with today’s technologies. The world’s population of 7 billion will grow over 9 billion by the year 2050, along with the growing dilemma of not enough food to go around. Plant science continues to evolve with the goal of full plates for an expanding global population by meeting challenges in agriculture, like producing plants that use far less water, or that resist emerging pests and diseases.