b'SEED TREATMENT APPLICATIONS BUSINESS GROWTHThe Power of Trust in Research and DevelopmentThe Quiet Revolution Thats Changing How We Talk About MarketingGREG MILLER Director of R&D, Summit Seed Coatingsgreg.miller@summitseedcoatings.comsummitseedcoatings.com SHAWN BROOK President, Seed World Groupsbrook@seedworldgroup.comseedworldgroup.com@SeedWorldGroupIVE BEEN IN Aton of rooms latelyboardrooms, ZoomWere at a turning point thats reshaping how every business rooms, you name itwhere the conversation slides to the topicshould be thinking about content. The key isnt to abandon one of content marketing, and every time it does, I see a pattern. platform for another. Its about being intentional. Historically, people have LOVED the clarity that comes withThe real opportunity lies in combining the strengths of both. the term content marketing. It sounds organized, measurableThink hybrid strategynot either/or. Use content marketing to and strategic. But increasingly, were not using that term. Wereposition you and your team as thought leaders, then sprinkle in using another one entirely: storytelling. the call-to-action ads that are critical to driving conversions. I And you know what? Thats not just semantics. Its a shift. say again, high-impact content that leaves a lasting impression Yes, content marketing IS storytellingat least when itsand a clear call-to-action for conversion. Maybe thats beautifully done right. But theres something about the phrase content mar- produced print content. Maybe its a podcast. Maybe its a live keting that makes people bristle. It sounds clinical and a bit cold.webinar or a video series.Storytelling, on the other hand? That warms people up. ItsWhat matters is that youre designing your content to move authentic, and ironically, its exactly what content marketing waspeoplenot just inform them, but connect with them.supposed to be in the first place: a way to connect.If youre thinking about making a shift, dont just default to Were seeing this shift in real time. Weve moved from anmore content. Take the time to consider how your content eco-advertising-centric modelwhere a logo, a tagline, and a call tosystem works togetherand how each piece can serve a bigger action was the full playbookto something much more layeredpurpose. Thats the kind of thinking that sets successful brands and integrated with that call-to-action strategy. apart.PRODUCTIONMAHA: Threat or Opportunity for Seed Companies?JIM SCHWEIGERT President, Gro Alliancejim.schweigert@groalliance.comgroalliance.com@GroAllianceTHE MAKE AMERICAN HEALTHY AGAIN(MAHA) initia- price fluctuationsand political winds. Seed companies have tive is making waves up and down the entire seed, ag, and foodbeen stuck in the middle between input suppliers looking to supply chains. Health and Human Services Secretary, Robertextract as much from farmers as possible and farmers looking to F. Kennedy, Jr., has proposed wide-ranging and far-reachingpay as little as possible. The squeeze is real.changes to food, feed, fuel, and fiber production that couldIs there any reason to be optimistic, though?have significant impacts on seed companies and farmers. ManyAs of 2006, U.S. corn acres were under 80 million, and only wonder if such transformational ideas are actual goals or just64 million acres of soybeans were planted in 2007. This rapid anchor points from which the administration will work towardincrease in acreage is striking. At a recent ag reception in DC, more modest changes. someone remarked, You dont have to ban HFCS to get rid of it. This uncertainty has companies and farmers uneasy. Just reduce crop insurance for corn or tweak the subsidies and Agriculture can struggle to pivot quickly. Farming, movingcane sugar looks a lot better. Current farm bill negotiations are grain, crushing oilseeds, and handling billions of tons of com- unpredictable, and small adjustments to government support modity products requires huge capital investments that typicallycould significantly impact commodity crop acreage in 2026.have low margins. These investments take years to complete andMy advice is worth about as much as you paid to read this decades to pay off. article! But I would take a wait-and-see approach before making That explains why talking about eliminating seed oils or ban- any major capital investments in commodity crops. Also, start ning high-fructose corn syrup will get you thrown out of justhaving conversations with suppliers and breeders of smaller acre about every small-town diner! Demand for billions of bushels ofcrops. If a few ideas come to fruition, diversifying could pay off. In soybeans and corn would vanish overnight. Catastrophe. short, an industry that plans in 10-15 year cycles may need to be The glass half-full perspective is intriguing, though. Producingmore nimble.undifferentiated commodities has led to farm consolidation, lower margins, and left US producers subject to global market INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2025SEEDWORLD.COM /51'