b'FROM OUR DESKLazarus in the White HouseFIRST THINGS FIRST . I was a little worried that weduction and reducing reliance on global supply chains, would not know the results of the election before weenhancing resilience to international disruptions.went to print for this issue. I was surprised that the7. Corporate and Agribusiness Tax Policies: results came so fast and didnt get drawn out as inContinuation or expansion of corporate tax cuts under previous elections. Whatever our personal opinionsTrump could lower taxes for seed companies, freeing may be, we have President-Elect Donald J. Trump.up capital for infrastructure, research, and technology Hes the first Republican president to win the popularinvestments, enabling faster business growth.vote in 20 years. Its time for our country to try andTrumps biggest challenge in uniting the country is bridge the divide and come together with this reality.overcoming deep political polarization. His leadership BY AIMEE NIELSON Here are some of the potential impacts to the seedstyle often fuels division, making it difficult to build Editor, Seed World U.S. industry.trust and foster bipartisan collaboration. Bridging ideo- 1. Regulatory Changes: Trumps potential focus onlogical gaps and addressing issues like social equity, deregulation could impact pesticide approvals, GMOseconomic disparities, and differing views on key poli-and environmental standards. Seed companies mightcies will require a genuine unifying approach.face fewer regulatory barriers, potentially accelerat- And now switching gears, Id love to welcome you ing new product releases but raising concerns aboutto the ASTA Field Crop Seed Convention! We are so environmental impacts and market stability. excited to have our media center up and running to 2. Trade Policies: A strong America-first approachgreet you, hear your perspectives and shake your might see Trump reinforcing tariffs and trade barri- hand! Please come meet us! ers. While this could benefit domestic seed producersThis issue was super fun for me to put together. focused on U.S. markets, it may pose challenges forTelling the story of a plant breeder seeing her break-exporters, particularly to Asia and Europe. through discovery become a marketable reality (Julia 3. Labor and Immigration: Stricter immigration poli- Daum, pg. 8) was really special. I appreciate Julias cies could impact labor availability for seed farms rely- humility and her authentic quest to find a way to stop ing on seasonal workers. This may lead to higher costssoybean cyst nematode. and supply chain constraints for seed production. We are introducing a new series in this issue called 4. Energy and Sustainability: With likely sup- Elephant in the Room, where we will provide perspec-port for fossil fuel industries, Trump may deprioritizetive about hot topics and controversial issues in the incentives for sustainability. This could slow growth forseed sector. This month features perspective from one environmentally-focused initiatives in the seed indus- of Hive Learnings top DEI leaders (pg. 26). If you have try and affect consumer demand from eco-consciousa topic youd like us to address, please let me know. companies. Theres so much meaty content for you to dig into 5. Protection of Intellectual Property (IP): Trumpsincluding a story about meeting the global need for emphasis on safeguarding American IP rights couldprotein through plant breeding (pg. 52), fighting SCN benefit seed companies by strengthening protections(pg. 48), cover crop growth and hurdles (pg. 82) and a against international IP theft and infringement, bolster- focus on the 105 million acres currently under no-tillage ing their confidence in global markets. in the United States (pg. 44). Dont skip the Corn is 6. Resilience in Domestic Supply Chains: BuyKing feature (pg. 20).American policies may drive demand for domesticallyAs always, its an honor to partner with you,produced seed, encouraging investment in local pro- AimeeVISIT US AT THE SEED WORLD MEDIA CENTER POWERED BY CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE6/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'