Seed industry voices share why the work happening before planting shapes everything that follows.
National Ag Day often brings attention to what people can see. Fields, equipment, harvest. But the story starts earlier.
It starts with seed.
Across the seed industry, decisions are being made long before a crop ever reaches the field. What that seed needs to do. How it performs. What it can withstand. And how it helps meet rising expectations around food, fuel and fiber.
Christopher R. Boomsma, Ph.D., CEO of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, describes agriculture as “a dynamic, innovation driven enterprise—continually advancing science and technology to responsibly produce food, feed, fuel, and fiber amid rising uncertainty, complexity, and societal expectations.”
His work focuses on making sure those innovations are understood and trusted.
“By communicating the importance of science based innovation… I strive to ensure that seed and crop technologies are trusted, well understood, and responsibly deployed—supporting reliable food systems, informed policy, and continued innovation,” Boomsma says.
For Cat Frans, COO of the Independent Professional Seed Association, the message is more direct.
“Agriculture is the foundation of everyday life, and it all begins with seed,” she says. “If every American understood one thing, it’s that our work directly impacts the quality, consistency, and availability of the food, fuel, and fiber they rely on.”
Doug Hubner, CEO of Hubner Industries, sees seed through the lens of service and stewardship.
“Agriculture is an opportunity to live out your passion in serving others today in the crops we grow… tomorrow in the innovations we develop while honoring everyone in the past by being good stewards of the land,” he says.
And when it comes to seed itself, his perspective is simple.
“It is a blessing from God to plant, cultivate, and harvest the seeds that will feed, clothe, and fuel a better tomorrow… it all starts with one seed.”
Hubner’s role in seed production ties directly to what farmers can achieve in the field.
“My job is directly linked to delivering the highest quality seed in the bag so that American farmers can reach the highest yield potential,” he says. “This creates a stable, secure seed supply which leads to a stable, secure food supply.”
Karen Withers, AgCultured Consulting, brings it back to people and continuity.
“Agriculture represents my past, present, and future,” she says. “It shaped where I come from, it’s my livelihood today, and it’s what allows families and communities to keep building and growing.”
Her work in seed movement connects systems across borders, but it also connects generations at home.
“It allows me to instill in my children the importance of agriculture, responsibility, and where our food really comes from,” she says.
The common thread is clear. Before the field, before the harvest, before the outcome, there is seed.
And the people working at that starting point are shaping what comes next.
