For thousands of years, farmers and researchers used traditional breeding methods to develop many of the domesticated crops we enjoy today. In the past 100 years though, our global population tripled and plant breeders needed faster and more effective methods to meet the growing demands of our world. Biotechnology provided precise tools that enabled researchers to add a ‘trait’ or characteristic to a plant. These traits can make the crop heartier and healthier, add higher levels of vitamins, or provide a longer shelf-life after harvest _ the opportunities are endless.