Outgoing American Seed Trade Association board chair Dan Foor and incoming chair Dave Treinen spotlight engagement, mentorship and seed sector unity during ASTA’s 2025 Leadership Summit.
In a room full of seed industry leaders, a quiet but meaningful shift took place. The passing of the gavel at the American Seed Trade Association’s (ASTA) Leadership Summit wasn’t just ceremonial — it marked the continuation of a shared mission.
Remington Seeds vice president Dan Foor closed out his term as ASTA chair with characteristic humility and humor, underscoring the importance of engagement and shared purpose.
“If we have an active membership, that’s going to be something to help us continue to be a strong organization,” Foor said, pausing to reflect on the miles traveled. “Andy (LaVigne) and I hit the road —1,000 miles last fall, 1,000 miles this spring. There’s absolutely nothing like taking the time and being in your members’ place of business and having a very good conversation.”
During his tenure, Foor focused on reactivating and reconnecting. He helped bring back key members who had stepped away, rekindled ties with the Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA), and prioritized the value ASTA brings to its members.
“I tried to help our board, our advisory council and our staff think about how we can activate our members,” Foor said. “Because if they’re engaged, they’ll understand the importance of what we do together.”
He added that the organization’s agility — especially through the 2024 election cycle and ongoing regulatory changes — was a testament to its team.
“The ASTA staff really punches above their weight class,” he said. “For a small team, the influence and the amount of stuff that group gets done is absolutely amazing.”
Foor thanked his employer, Remington Seeds, and his family — especially his wife, whom he affectionately called “First Lady of Seed”— for supporting his time in leadership.
“The people that you have relationships with in life — be it professional, personal, or familial — it’s all about connection,” he said. “And my hope is that our intention this year around activation, and especially this week, helps us be a stronger organization.”
A New Chair, Continued Purpose
Dave Treinen, head, Greenleaf Genetics, Syngenta Seeds LLC, stepped into the role of ASTA chair with clear respect for Foor’s groundwork — and a plan to build on it.
“Activation is a process. It’s not an event,” Treinen said. “Dan, you laid the foundation of a really good mantra. Without activation, we don’t get done what we need to get done.”
But for Treinen, activation must evolve into advocacy.
“When you think about being an advocate, I think of it in two ways,” he said. “One is what we’re going to do tomorrow — have a voice on the Hill with lawmakers. But the other is to take that home. Be an advocate where you live. Talk to your state departments of agriculture, your neighbors, your Rotary Clubs — those that don’t know and understand what we do.”
He challenged members to not only speak up for the industry, but to guide and uplift the next generation.
“I want us as an organization to wrap our arms around the next generation. Be a mentor. Be an advocate for them,” he said. “Sometimes the path is hard to see. I didn’t see this path 30 years ago when I started.”
Before stepping off stage, Foor was honored with an ASTA chairman’s pin, a commemorative plaque and a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol at the request of Rep. Derrick Van Orden — symbols of a year defined by dedication, travel, listening and leadership.
“It’s a tremendous commitment to serve,” Treinen said. “And Dan, what I witnessed was your tremendous commitment to the seed organization, for your role in activation, for wanting to engage and meet new people, learn new things.”
