One sentence in the June cover story captures the essence of this issue and the entire seed industry.
“There’s not much that doesn’t start around the seed.”
That observation about why seed matters from Bryan Gerard, the new chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), is deceptively simple. But, it carries remarkable weight.
When you stop to consider everything that begins with seed, the scope is extraordinary. The crops that feed and clothe us, the grains that power renewable fuels. Don’t forget the genetics that help agriculture adapt to changing conditions. All of these things trace back to this small but powerful starting point.
Why Seed Remains Agriculture’s Foundation
That idea serves as the connective tissue for our June issue.
Gerard explains why his theme for the coming year, Back to the Future, is not about looking backward. It’s about reclaiming the entrepreneurial energy and optimism that still define the seed industry and applying them to new opportunities.
Policy Pressure on Every Front
ASTA’s Janae Brady and Sam Crowell explain how policy uncertainty, tariffs and conservation funding are reshaping the business environment. Brady offers a reminder that deserves to be repeated often: “The seed is the solution to so many problems.”
We examine how global fertilizer disruptions are tightening margins and influencing decisions far beyond crop nutrition.
We look at how KWS is applying 170 years of breeding expertise to help farmers meet modern challenges.
Technology Is Changing How We Grow
Artificial intelligence appears throughout these pages as well. On a South Carolina Certified Seed farm, Rachael Sharp is using AI to streamline records, sharpen operational decisions and reclaim something every business leader needs more of: time. We explore how AI-powered imaging, drones and high-throughput phenotyping are helping breeders evaluate traits faster and improve selection accuracy across environments.
We also honor the Independent Professional Seed Association’s (IPSA) Lifetime Achievement honorees. And, we recognize Seed World’s inaugural Connector of the Year, Lisa Branco of Radicle Seed. Her work reminds me that while seed may be the starting point, people and relationships are what turn potential into progress.
The technologies will evolve. Markets will shift. Policies will change.
But one truth is still constant: nearly every advance in agriculture begins with a seed and the people committed to unlocking what it can become.
As always, it’s an honor to partner with you,
Aimee
