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In this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader, Mark sits down with Andy LaVigne, CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), for a wide-ranging conversation about seed, global trade, technology, and the future direction of agriculture.
Andy defines intentional leadership through one core principle:
Be purposeful with your stakeholders.
Whether it’s board members, policymakers, seed companies, or farmers, leadership means creating clarity, building trust, and helping people understand how their role contributes to the bigger mission.
And in agriculture, few missions are bigger than seed.
As Andy explains throughout the episode:
Everything starts with seed.
From corn and soybeans to vegetables, flowers, turf, and conservation land, nearly every food system and agricultural supply chain begins with one critical decision—the seed a farmer chooses to plant.
That decision is deeply personal.
Farmers only get one opportunity each season to put a crop in the ground. If the seed doesn’t perform, there’s often no second chance. That’s why trust between farmers, seed companies, and local representatives matters so much.
The conversation also pulls back the curtain on how global the seed business truly is.
While many people think of seed as local, the industry depends heavily on international trade and movement:
- Counter-seasonal production
- Global disease testing
- Research and development
- Germplasm exchange and breeding programs
Andy explains how tariffs and shifting trade policy are creating new challenges for the industry—especially when seed moves internationally for research purposes before ultimately returning to the U.S. market.
A major theme throughout the episode is this:
Agriculture is entering an inflection point.
For decades, the industry rallied around one central mission:
Feed the world.
And while food security still matters deeply, Andy and Mark discuss how agriculture may need a new North Star for the future.
What does agriculture look like 20 years from now?
What markets will matter most?
What qualities will consumers demand?
And how do we build systems that adapt to rapid technological and economic change?
The conversation explores opportunities around:
- Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
- New global markets
- Consumer-driven product development
- AI and predictive breeding technologies
- Improved logistics, forecasting, and operational efficiency
One of the most fascinating parts of the discussion centers on how AI is accelerating plant breeding.
Using predictive tools, companies can now model genetic outcomes with remarkable accuracy—dramatically reducing the time required to evaluate potential varieties and helping breeders focus faster on high-performing traits like disease resistance, shelf life, flavor, and yield.
The episode also highlights the importance of leadership during periods of rapid change.
Technology is moving faster than ever. Expectations are shifting. Markets are evolving. And leaders across agriculture will need to think beyond short-term cycles and begin preparing for what the next generation of farming could become.
Because the future of agriculture won’t just be shaped by what we grow.
It will be shaped by how intentionally we innovate, collaborate, and lead.
Listen if you are:
- Interested in the future of seed and crop innovation
- Navigating trade policy or global agriculture challenges
- Curious about AI’s role in agriculture
- Leading through change inside the ag industry
- Thinking about the next “North Star” for agriculture
