b'SEED TREATMENT APPLICATIONWhat Avocados and Alfalfa Teach Us About Curiosity and Collaboration DAVID HENZE Group CEO, Summit Seed Coatingsdavid.henze@summitseedcoatings.comNOTHING CHALLENGES YOURassumptions about agricul- with humans for that water. ture like looking at avocadoes growing in the desert without rain. What is the solution? Ban alfalfa? Start looking for new loca-When I worked in the avocado business I experienced exactlytions to grow it? Maybe.that in Peru. The company I visited, Camposol, brings water downBut what if we look at this as a challenge, instead of a prob-from the mountains through aqueducts to drip irrigate the land,lem? What happens if we dont just focus on our current ways of creating a productive growing area in a region where you wouldthinking, but reach for solutions we havent even imagined?never think it could be done. Avocadoes, asparagus and peppersAt Summit, we are currently researching coatings that have grow under the impressively efficient irrigation, and over time theincreased water absorption, which could help establish crops in soil is even gaining fertility.drier conditions. At the Congress, it was clear that weve started This was a profound example of creative thinking opening athinking about how we can grow alfalfa with less water and door where most would assume a door couldnt exist. increased drought tolerance. The solutions to this challenge are This came to mind for me while attending the World Alfalfagoing to be multifaceted.Congress in Reims, France. The theme focused on growing alfalfaThats where collaboration comes in. By staying curious and within the confines of environmental change. collaborating with others across the industry, and by looking Alfalfa is a crop that offers many benefits. Its nitrogen fixing,beyond our borders and outside the crops we are most familiar maintains soil moisture once its established, and it is an excel- with, we might uncover creative solutions to expand the possibili-lent source of feed. However, it is also a crop with high waterties for many areas of agriculture in unfavorable conditions. demands. In arid regions like Arizona and California, water is aIf a desert can surprise us with avocadoes, just about anything scarce resource. With a growing human population, decreasedmay be possible if were willing to look beyond what we already rainfall, and diminishing water supply, crops like alfalfa competeknow. PRODUCTION BUSINESS GROWTHThe Global Commodity Production System is Built for Our Competitors You Cant Fake CaringJIM SCHWEIGERT President, Gro Alliancejim.schweigert@groalliance.comgroalliance.com@GroAlliance SHAWN BROOK President, Seed World Groupsbrook@seedworldgroup.comseedworldgroup.com@SeedWorldGroupITS NEVER BEENeasier to connect with people, and yet,feel respected and understood, even if very little is said. Thats genuine connection feels harder than ever. how you know a real connection happened.I recently read that dating apps are a good example. TheyThis is why authenticity matters so much, and why it cant be removed friction, made connection fast and abundant, and still,automated. You can say the things caring people would say, but many are bleeding users. Why? Because what people thoughtif its fabricated, people feel it immediately. You cant fake authen-they wantedmore options, more accesswasnt what theyticity. You cant fake caring.were actually looking for. But the real constraint isnt caring. Its time.They dont want more connection; they want better ones. Most people dont have a limited capacity to care. They have That same tension shows up in business every day. a limited capacity to show that caring. Caring takes time to listen, I dont just want another option. to think, and to choose words intentionally. Time is finite, which I dont want more noise. means connection becomes a choice.I want something that actually resonates. So how do you create better connections?At the center of all of this is a simple question: are we trulyFirst, choose DEPTH over reach. Being louder doesnt make connecting, or just creating the appearance of it? you more influential. Relevance does.For years, weve measured connection the same way weSecond, measure feelings and not just metrics. Did someone measured yield: volume. More impressions, more emails, moreleave feeling understood or energized? Thats data.conversations. But just like farming taught us, yield alone doesntThird, use language intentionally. If smart stays in your head win. PROFITABILITY does. and caring stays in your heart, nothing changes. Language is the Connection works the same way. Its not the number of touch- valve that lets connection happen.points that matters, its the quality of the interactions. The future doesnt belong to those who connect the most.People want to feel seen, safe, and energized. They want toIt belongs to those who connect best.FEBRUARY 2026SEEDWORLD.COM /33'