ASTA’s Sam Crowell explains how tariffs, Section 301 investigations and customs delays are increasing costs and seed trade uncertainty.
Washington trade policy feels abstract until it affects research budgets, shipment timing and the cost of doing business. American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) vice president of science, trade and global affairs Sam Crowell says that is exactly the seed trade uncertainty companies are experiencing.
Tariffs Hit Seed’s R&D Pipeline
Crowell says Section 301 investigations, the legal process the U.S. uses to investigate trade practices and impose tariffs, reflect a broader shift in U.S. trade policy.
“It’s interesting, because the 301 investigations are really happening against the backdrop of a lot of change and in U.S. trade policy right now,” Crowell says. “So if you just look at the numbers, 2025 was the worst year for U.S. seed trade in over a decade; we had our lowest exports since 2013 and our lowest imports since 2010 or 2011. From a seed sector perspective, that is not reflective of correcting past trade imbalances with certain trading partners.”
He says the numbers point to a more troubling trend in seed trade uncertainty.
“What these trends reflect is a significant increase in the cost of doing business in the United States,” Crowell says.
Crowell says ASTA members are seeing those costs show up directly in their innovation pipelines.
“We are hearing from ASTA members, small companies all the way up to some of the big multinationals, that these tariffs are adding anywhere between hundreds of thousands of dollars to multi-million dollars to their internal research and development pipelines,” Crowell says.
ASTA is pushing for relief and exemptions for the seed sector.
“We’ve been very vocal from the beginning,” he says. “We’ve been worried about what these tariffs would mean for the seed industry, and we have been asking for workarounds. I think now that the numbers are clear, hopefully it will resonate more with administration officials.”
Trade Volatility Moves From Policy to Paperwork
The impact extends beyond policy debates. It is already affecting day-to-day logistics.
Crowell says U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is managing a new reimbursement process tied to tariffs that the courts later ruled legally indefensible.
“So imagine all of the tariffs that were in effect in 2025 are no longer legally defensible, so CBP has to create a new process to issue refunds for importers that paid those tariffs at the border,” he says.
For seed companies, that means meticulous documentation is essential during and after this seed trade uncertainty.
Document Everything
“The most important thing is to document everything very explicitly,” Crowell says. “You keep all your paperwork, all your receipts, making sure you understand when and at what level you pay the tariff and be prepared to submit that material if you do make a mistake or you submit the wrong information. I’m not sure how long it could take to fix that. So it really is important to get, get your house in order, if you will.”
He says ASTA wants members to report specific customs and trade challenges so the association can identify patterns and advocate for practical solutions.
Collaboration Is the Silver Lining
Despite the seed trade uncertainty, Crowell sees one positive outcome: stronger collaboration across the seed sector.
“The silver lining is that this situation is bringing a lot of folks in the seed sector together,” he says. “We really need to take a hard look at how we’re collaborating and make sure that we provide the predictability to one another and the communication that allows us to align and to partner and to ask for common things that would make our business community thrive.”
Crowell urges seed companies to get involved.
“I would encourage folks dedicate an hour a week to give back to the sector, to help us solve some of these challenges. Think about the future we want to build together and to help us chart a way forward,” Crowell says. “It won’t always be like this. It’s really tough right now on a lot of fronts. But it’s on us to come up with solutions and to work together to try to figure out the world we want to build for the seed industry.”
