News: UW Scientists Genetically Editing Badger Hemp Lines With USDA Approval.

Published 10 AM EST, Fri Mar 13, 2026

Senior research scientist Mike Petersen explained they use a tool called CRISPR to gently edit the plant's DNA, giving it traits like no THC or resistance to disease. Back in November 2025, the first line approved was Badger G, high in CBG, and known to reduce inflammation and other pharmaceutical benefits.

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Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center have achieved a landmark breakthrough in hemp genetics, earning USDA deregulation for three gene-edited hemp lines, a distinction that makes them the only public institution in the country with this clearance. Using CRISPR technology to precisely modify plant DNA, the team developed cultivars with targeted trait profiles without introducing foreign genetic material, a distinction that matters significantly for regulatory and market acceptance.

The three approved lines each address a distinct industry need. Badger G is a high-CBG variety with no THC, already attracting international interest from markets like Brazil where THC is strictly prohibited. Badger Zero produces no cannabinoids at all, giving farmers a compliant option that eliminates the risk of crops exceeding legal THC thresholds, while also opening doors in animal feed and industrial applications. Badger PMR rounds out the trio by offering genetic resistance to powdery mildew, one of the most persistent fungal threats in hemp cultivation.

The work is the product of over seven years of research, driven by a core team including senior scientist Ed Williams, who first cracked hemp transformation techniques around 2018–2019, and Xinhua Wang, who was directly responsible for producing all three approved lines in the lab. Senior research scientist Mike Petersen emphasized that the achievement reflects the collective strength of a world-class team working at the frontier of agricultural biotechnology.

Regulatory uncertainty around THC content has long been one of the most paralyzing risks for hemp farmers, a single hot crop can mean financial ruin, and Badger Zero directly addresses that vulnerability. More broadly, CRISPR-derived hemp free of foreign DNA occupies a favorable regulatory gray zone compared to traditional GMOs, potentially easing adoption in markets with strict biotech restrictions, including parts of Europe and Latin America. For the cannabis genetics industry specifically, this signals a maturation point: moving from phenotype selection and crossbreeding toward precision molecular breeding with verifiable, reproducible trait control. As gene editing tools become more central to seed development, UW-Madison's public-sector leadership here could serve as a scientific and regulatory template for how the industry approaches next-generation cultivar development at scale. Source: WKOW