The seed sector is operating on shifting ground, and it’s shifting faster than any single company or institution can navigate alone.
Across the industry, the same hard questions keep surfacing:
• How do we accelerate innovation as climate instability disrupts predictability?
• How do we adopt advanced analytics without splintering into incompatible technologies?
• How do we maintain farmer trust amid intensifying scrutiny of agricultural innovation?
• How do we build resilient supply chains when global geopolitics can change overnight?
These aren’t challenges any organization, large or small, can solve in isolation. They demand shared intelligence, shared negotiation, shared standards, and, at times, shared courage.
That’s why gatherings like the ASTA Field Crop Seed Convention in Orlando, Florida matter. Connection isn’t a nicety; it’s a strategic advantage. When we come together, we create the space to exchange ideas, pressure-test assumptions, and spark the collaborations that ultimately move the sector forward.
Welcome to Day 1 of #FCSC2025.
Highlights from the Day
– The official program doesn’t kick off until this evening’s welcome reception, but Day 1 energy is unmistakable. Meetings are already unfolding in every corner of the hotel — board discussions, by-invitation ASTA working groups, and countless impromptu conversations in hallways and lobby nooks. Handshakes, hugs, introductions, negotiations… all the early signals of a productive week ahead.
– A major moment for Seed World today: our reception celebrating thought leadership, where we presented the ‘Insiders of the Year’ award to Summit Seed Coatings: this year’s standout contributor with both the highest total readership across their Insider column series and the single most-read Insider article of the year. A huge congratulations to the Summit team for setting the bar.
– And of course, the #FCSC2025 Welcome Reception kicks off tonight. Stay tuned — photos are coming soon!
We’d Love to Connect!
To everyone who made the trip to Orlando: thank you for showing up. Whether you’re here to explore emerging technologies, build business relationships, navigate policy shifts, or (and!) reconnect with peers, you’re part of a community that believes in both the power of seed and the critical value of working together.
As the week unfolds, lean into the conversations that matter — the ones that challenge you, inspire you, and reconnect you with the purpose behind this work. If you see any of us — Shawn Brook (President), Madeleine Baerg (EVP, Operations), or Aiden Brook (Business Development Lead) — flag us down. The most important work in this sector always starts with a real, human conversation.
And if you couldn’t be here in person, stay plugged in through our daily e-newsletters. We’ll bring you all the news, insights, and standout moments from Orlando.
Here’s to a dynamic week ahead!
